Friday, December 7, 2012

December Daily: December 1st through 5th

Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters!

Looks like the Christmas season is getting into full swing now, doesn't it? Like everybody, we have been pretty crazy here in our household getting  ready for Christmas Day. It has been hectic but somewhere along the way, I thought I would join so many other crafters out there and create a December Daily. I got the idea from Sara on the Circut Message Boards, but I know that Ali Edwards does them and has some fabulous digital overlays available to use. If you have a moment, stop off at Sara's blog and take a look around, she has some wonderful projects that she shares.

For my December Daily, I decided to create my own version. Everything is from my stash which makes me very happy! I haven't decided on the cover or the 1st page designs yet, but I do have December 1st through 5th finished! Yeah!







I am trying to keep the pages simple which is sort of challenging to me. All my pages and numbers are ready to go, so I only need to add the pictures, journaling and embellishments. As I was doing the pages, I started adding stickles to the numbers, so now I need to go back and add it to the first couple of days. When it's finished, I plan on binding it with my bind it all. Plan B is to use binder rings. LOL!

With things being so busy around here, I forget to actually stop and enjoy the season. I want my December Daily to be a record of the little things. These are the moments that make me smile, cry, reflect, and be grateful for my loved ones, friends, pets, home, and for my life.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Crafting!
Colleen

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Good Grief It's Been A Long Time!

Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters! My life has been so crazy lately that there hasn't been much time for crafting. I finally had some time to myself yesterday and I decided to visit the Cricut Circle Message Boards. One of my fellow Circle Members was asking if there was a Snoopy cut on any Cricut Cartridges. The fabulous Paper Pups was the one suggested by most responses. That got me thinking. I am a huge Snoopy fan. I had a beagle that we named Snoopy, my Christmas avatar for the MBs and FB is Snoopy with Charlie Brown, and I have a ton of Snoopy memorabilia from growing up that I have kept over the years. When I was a little girl, my Dad would draw cartoons for me and my most requested sketch from him was, you guessed it, Snoopy! As much as I love Snoopy, I have never created any paper art using everyone's favorite Beagle, until now.


I am so pleased to share today's project with you. It is a canvas that I created using Snoopy on his dog house. What I love most about it is that I used my Gypsy to create it. Yes, my Snoopy was created by me using the shapes on Close To My Heart's Artiste Cartridge. I posted a picture of the basic Snoopy for my MB friend, but unfortunately, she didn't have that Cartridge. So I set to work in the CCR and created a second version using the CCR basic shapes and the Cricut Alphabet, which are available for everyone to use. I also used the CCR to create his dog house and the shingles for it. Snoopy was made by welding circles stretched into ovals and a rectangle together. Simple! His collar is a parenthesis and his eye if from a doily cut from the Cricut Alphabet.


The dog house was also pretty easy to put together. I welded a couple of squares for the black shadow and used the letter I from the Craft Room basics to make the shingles. Isn't that cool!



I created an arm in the file for Snoopy, but on my canvas, I drew it on him. I also drew his toes and added a little black with a copic around his toes for a shadow. Isn't he adorable? I am just tickled by him and the fact that I created this cut all by myself!  :)


I wanted to add the little Christmas Tree from Charlie Brown, but couldn't find a cut that looked like it. I used a birdhouse cut from Winter Frolic and altered the tree. Here is the negative of the cut, unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the cut for the blog before I started altering it. LOL!


I cut the birdhouse off and cut some branches off. This left me with something like this.


I wanted the little pine needles to look like the tree in the cartoon, so I kept cutting and fraying the branches. Eventually, I got the tree how I wanted it to look. I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Pine Needles, on the tree to add some color. I cut a cute little Christmas ornament from Joys Of The Season, and colored it with a red copic marker, R-29. I added some Glossy Accents to the ornament for shine. I used a Gold Paint Marker on the top and cut a little wire to hang it on the branch. I used the needles that I was cutting off as the little needles that hit the ground. I used some paper that was on my table to create the tree's stand. Some blue crinkle ribbon made a perfect blanket for it. I love that part of the cartoon where Linus wraps the tree in his beloved blanket. Here is a close up of the final tree.


I used the lights from Create A Critter for Snoopy's dog house. I cut all the lights in white paper and then colored them with Copics. I added Glossy Accents to them to really make them shine. Here is a close up of the dog house. Cute!


The Merry Christmas is from MS Seasonal Cake Art. I cut the shadow in dark blue and used some of Foil Paper that I have been hoarding  saving for a while now. It is so shiny, but unfortunately it's really hard to tell how pretty it looks from the picture.



The papers are all from my stash. That makes me so happy that all the supplies to create this was from my stash. I had been hoarding the blue dotted paper for something really special and finally used it! The snow drifts are made of white American Crafts Cardstock that I cut in freehanded snow pile shapes. I inked the edges of the paper with a B000 copic marker and layered them. 

I am debating about framing the canvas or adding ribbon to hang it up. Either way, I don't know if I am going to be able to put him away with the decorations, so I may need to find a good spot for him in my craft room. I also know what my Christmas card will be this year, too. Stay tuned for that post soon! 

I truly enjoyed creating this canvas and I am would be happy to share the file for Snoopy and his dog house with anyone who is a follower and uses the CCR. I only ask that you let everyone know where it came from. For the whole canvas, the cuts are all from my Gypsy, so I am sorry that I don't have the embellishments to share as well. 

It was so nice to post on my poor neglected blog today! Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Crafting!
Colleen


Cut File created by Colleen McCauley
Designed by Colleen McCauley
Machines Used: Cricut Anniversary Expression 2, Gypsy and CCR
Cartridges Used: CTMH Artiste, Winter Frolic, MS Seasonal Cake Art, Create A Critter, Joys Of The Season. Carts used in the Cricut Craft Room were CCR Basics and Cricut Alphabet. 
Other Materials: 12x12 canvas, Ranger Glossy Accents, Crinkle Ribbon, Wire, Sakura Pen in White, Copic Markers, Tim Holtz Distress Inks. 
All Papers are from my Stash. 

Here is the file if anyone would like it.

Snoopy has been linked at Live Laugh Rowe

Friday, October 19, 2012

The Bewitching Hour


Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters! I wanted to share my project that was posted on the Cricut FANatics Blog with you. If you haven't had a chance to visit this blog and you love all things Cricut, stop on over there and see what's happening. There are fun giveaways and challenges to try, plus the projects are amazing! There are so many talented people that are part of this blog, that there is something for everyone to be discovered.
This month I created an altered canvas! It was a messy fun project that was a blast to put together. I was looking through the handbook for A Frightful Affair when on page 48, I came across a cat under a streetlight! I love cats, so I found myself on a mission to use that cut! I decided it would be perfect for an altered canvas. There have been many members of the message boards posting wonderful altered canvas artwork lately. One of my favorites is by Coah's Nana. It's a canvas called Scaredy Cat, if you would like to see it, stop at her Blog.

I started by tearing some scraps of Halloween paper I had and adding it to the canvas. I smoothed down all the bumps before adding my cuts. I used Martha Stewart Decoupage Glue and Sealer on the canvas and cuts.

 
I used some ranger paints and stains to add color.

 
When I cut the image, I decided that I wanted the cat to be more of the main focal point. It is very small in the original sizing and I wanted a bigger kitty! I only wanted to enlarge the cat, but the CCR gave me some trouble cutting my version of the cat with the contours of the streetlight hidden. After arguing with the CCR, I ended up cutting another cat from the RIP cats on page 54. It worked out just fine in the end. LOL!
Here is a pic of the original cat and the larger version that I used.

 
I added some Martha Stewart coarse glitter to the streetlight's glow and when it was dry, I used some Tim Holtz Distress Ink , Squeezed Lemonade to give it an evening glow.
I adhered my cuts to the canvas and used some Queen & Co. Trendy Tape to dress the edges of the canvas. Don't you just love Washi Tape?
I stapled some ribbon on the sides of the canvas so that I could hang it on the wall. The title is from A Frightful Affair, and the bats are from Chic & Scary and Oct. 31st. That is also some spider web Washi Tape running on the corner of the canvas. The word hour started as black and white paper that I colored with a yellow copic marker and inked it with Tim Holtz Distress ink in Black Soot.

I added some Jolee's Crystals to that cat's collar and a spider web from Chic and Scary.


I went back and I added glossy accents to the cat and bats. It was very damp here today, so the Glossy Accents isn't fully dried in the 1st picture. I sealed the canvas with Liquitex Matte Finish.
Here is one final look at the canvas.
When I received my Expression in 2008, I would have never imagined that I would be creating altered art with my cartridges. I thought it was just for scrapbooking. Silly me!
Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today!
 
Happy Crafting!
Colleen
 
Cricut Info & Supplies Used:
Designed By: Colleen McCauley
Cricut Machines Used: CCR, Cricut Anniversary Expression 2
Project Type: Home Decor
Project Theme: Halloween
Cricut Cartridges Used: A Frightful Affair, Teresa Collins Chic & Scary, October 31st
Supplies Used: Artist Canvas (8x10), Cardstock and Halloween Papers from my stash, Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers, Time Holtz Distress Inks, Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Copic Markers, Jolee's Crystals, Trendy Tape, Ribbon, Martha Stewart Decoupage Glue, Ranger Glossy Accents and Liquitex Matte Gel to seal the canvas.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Sharing the Halloween Love




Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters!

Today I am sharing a bulletin board that I created using my Cricut Machine and my Gypsy. My Mom is in rehab and most likely will be there until Halloween, so I wanted to decorate her room for her. She loves Halloween and always enjoys seeing the children in their costumes, so I knew I had to do something with a Trick Or Treat theme. The idea for the board is based on a fabulous layout on a blog that I follow called A Cart A Week
I remember seeing it a while ago and never forgot it.

 
 
I bought some cellophane in Michael's and covered the board with it. The houses are from Heritage and cut to fit the page. The trees are also from Heritage and were cut as a fit to page. The fences are from Happy Hauntings and Pop-Up Neighborhood. They are cut at 4.15 high. The children are from A Child's Year and are cut at 5.30 height. The pumpkins are from Paper Trimmings and are 2 inches in height. The banner is from Pretty Pennants and the Letters are from A Frightful Affair. I used some Trendy Tape across the top of the pennants and used twine to tie the banner together. The cute little witches are from Paper Trimmings and Happy Hauntings.



The board came together very quickly. I loved how excited my Mom was to help me put it together. When I got there and she started to see all the Cricut Cuts come out of the bag I had she was so happy! She even agreed to let me take a picture of her with it. LOL!


I am also a guest designer on the Cricut FANatics blog on October 16th. Stop by and have a look around if you haven't visited there yet!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog today!
 
Happy Crafting!
Colleen
 
Cricut Info and Supplies Used:
Designed by: Colleen McCauley
Cricut Machines: Anniversary E2 and Gypsy
Cricut Cartridges:  A Child's Year, A Frightful Affair, Happy Hauntings, Heritage, Paper Trimmings, Pop-Up Neighborhood, Pretty Pennants
Other Supplies Used: Recollections Midnight Magic Halloween Paper, Cardstock, Cellophane Paper, Distress Inks, Twine, Trendy Tape, Double Sided Tape.
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Talk Like A Pirate Day


Argh Matey's! Yer must have heard de news by now that it's talk like a Pirate Day! To celebrate today I am swabbing the deck and getting the plank ready for all yer scurvy's to have take a walk. OK, I'm not doing anything like that at all. I have created a cute birthday set featuring one of my favorite Imagine carts, Buccaneer. It's full of treasures that's fit for any pirate, argh!

I  cut the treasure chest box to fit to page and filled it with gold and cash! Argh a pirate's favorite booty! I cut the Pirate, Parrot and Treasure Chest in layers and used pop dots to give them some dimension.




All the paper is also from the Imagine with the exception of the base. That was from my stash. I added some twine and skittles for embellishments.

This is a cute set for any Pirate loving scallywag!

Argh! Thanks fer dropping anchor on me blog today!

Happy Crafting!
Colleen

Machine used: Cricut Imagine
Carts: Imagine Art Buccaneer
Extras: Twine, Skittle and Pop Dots
Paper from my stash and printed from the Imagine.