Cricut Monthly Challenge Home Decor

Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters! Wow, Halloween is only 10 days away, I have got to get busy! I still have to finish the cupcake holders and assorted treat ideas I have for my son's class. Believing I was going to have so much done by now, ha! I made extra banner cuts when I entered the Cricut Banner contest, so I was hoping to actually make myself a banner for Halloween this year. Something tells me that may not happen. At least I have the outside of my house decorated...

Last month in the Cricut Circle Magazine, magazine DT member Janet Wilkins created a fabulous Spooky tree and I knew I had to try my hand at it. This is my version of her tree. Janet used a black tree branch and a 4 inch block, Unfortunately it has been so wet around here that I needed to buy a branch at AC Moore. It lights up and I got it for $5.00. Don't you just love 50% off coupons! LOL! At 17 inches, it was the smallest of 3 sizes. I may go back and try a bigger version of the tree for the holidays if I have the time. Here is the info from the Circle Blog for the challenge.

The Challenge: Create a Halloween Home Decor project! Your project must include at least 2 different Cricut Image Cuts.
Rules and Guidelines: Circle Blog Challenges are open to Cricut Circle Members only. You can create any type of project you would like (tag, altered project, mini album, etc.) but your project must be newly created for this challenge and include atleast 2 Cricut Image Cuts. You must submit a project to be entered into the Challenge Prize Drawing.
How to Enter: Submit your entry using the InLinkz tool found at the bottom of this post. Please post your full name along with your entry. Entries are due by 9:00 pm MST on Sunday,October 30th, 2011.
Prize: This month the winner will receive $150.00 in credit to Cricut.com.
Winner: The winner will be selected randomly from qualifying entries using www.random.org and will be announced on the Cricut Circle Blog on Tuesday, November 1st, 2011.

So with all the new carts just released, I REALLY need to win this challenge! LOL!

Here's how I created my version.



Materials

Cricut Gypsy

Cricut E-2

Carts used: Chic and Scary, October 31st and Happy Hauntings

Martha Stewart Glitter: Glow In The Dark, Coarse Glitter, Peridot and Onyx

Stickles: Black Diamond and Purple

I-Rock and Jolees Hot Fix Crystals

Ribbon and Twine

3-D Crystal Lacquer, Ranger Glossy Accents

Styrofoam and a cardboard box from my stash

Papers and Chipboard

I designed all the tree charms using my Gypsy and the cartridges listed. I cut them using the E-2 on multi-cut 2 times. The chipboard I used was a backing I had saved from a paper stack that I actually finished! The tree charms were all cut between 1 and 1/2 inches to 2 inches.

I hid the contours on my Gypsy so that the chipboard was basically a shadow of the ornaments. Then I went back, copied the cuts to a new page on the Gypsy, and cut them with my chosen papers. I also flipped all the images and cut them, as well. I added lots of glitter, stickles and some bling for embellishments. Once they were all dry, I punched holes in them and used some natural twine I've had for ages for ties.

Here are a couple of favs.

I  love the October 31st cut from Chic and Scary. I used some Theresa Collins Halloween paper for this ornament. I added some Black Diamond Stickles and orange ribbon for some extra decoration. In the picture above the close up, you can see that I used the negative cuts for the other side of the ornament. I love the coarse glitter on the Witch. Every spooky tree needs a sparkly black cat! That is the MS Onyx glitter on it. The purple witch ornament has a funny story attached to it. It's not in any of the pictures of the tree because it went missing right before I took the photos and turned up right before the tree was leaving the house to go to it's new home. It seems a little kitten thought the twine was for him to play with, so he took it, must have batted it around then lost it under the TV stand. I tried to get a picture real fast of it before my DH took it for delivery, and got picture proof that I should sweep more and spend less time crafting or on the internet! LOL! Yes that is a kitty hair on it in the picture, yes it was properly cleaned off before DH left the house, and no I did not sweep under the TV stand even after finding the ornament! I wanted to do a close up of my favorite Halloween cut this year, the Headless Horseman from Happy Hauntings, but unfortunately, it came out blurry. Here he is on the tree.

I used MS Glow In the Dark Glitter on the tree. I used MS decoupage Glue and  sealer to adhere the glitter.

I found a box that I had saved for future use that was perfect for this. And opened it flat.

I covered it with paper and ribbon, then hot glued Styrofoam inside it for the tree.

I added all the ornaments to the tree and tied an orange ribbon around the bottom. This is it lit. It's pretty, isn't it?

I decided to make this tree for one of my dearest friends, my son's Godmother. She was here visiting us last week when she showed me a picture on her phone of a Halloween tree from Walmart that she had wanted since last year, but couldn't find anymore. My DH was a sweetie and took it to deliver to her today. This was a fun project to create and give as a gift. If you have some extra crafting time, why not give this one a try?

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Happy Crafting!

Colleen