It's Christmas Time

And we party with the elves yeah!

 Happy Holidays, Friends and Fellow Crafters! Today I am sharing a wall hanging with you that I created for the Cricut Fanatics Blog.  The hanging is for my son. He is a Christmas music lover and this is a line from a song that he really enjoys. Christmas music runs constantly from Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve in our home. I am a lover of the classic Christmas tunes, my son loves it all, but my poor husband is a guitarist and really needed some music to call his own. A few years ago, I picked him up a rockin' CD called Ho Ho Hoey-The Complete Collection, by a guitarist called Gary Hoey. He is a rock guitarist but he does a rap type of song called the Twas The Night Before Christmas. My son loves it! It's actually a funny song with some great guitar playing. One of the lines that my hubby and I rap for my son is "we party with the elves, yeah"! Naturally that puts him into fits of laughter. I've had this idea floating around in my head to make him something like this for quite some time now and finally got around to it!
I used my Gypsy to create the hanging. The back is chipboard and I covered it with papers from my stash.

This cut is from Art Philosophy and I fiddled with the sizing to make it longer. It measures 9.75 high by 11 inches wide. Then I used two Christmas papers from my stash and cut one just slightly smaller to make a layer. I know the top layer is from K&Company, but I can't say for sure where the bottom layer of paper came from.

The elves are from Jolly Holidays. I wanted the elves to look like they were jumping, so I used the elf with the wagon, then I cut the wagon off. I also flipped two of the three elves. The are cut at 4.20 wide by 3.10 high. I used K&Company Paper for their suits. I added a little chalk to their cheeks for a rosy glow. I embellished them with some pen stitching and used Stickles to give them some sparkle.

The center elf is attached to an Action Wobbler. My son likes to make him wobble.
Santa is 4.5 high by 4.0 inches wide. He is also attached to an Action Wobbler. I used Stickles on him and Glossy Accents on his umbrella to give it a wet appearance. I added a belt buckle to his belt using a Gold paint pen and added some fake stitching to his suit. I also used the paint pen to add a little accent to his shoes.

The letters for "party and elves" are from an oldie but goodie cartridge, Cuttin' Up. They are 2.5 inches tall. I used Calligraphy Collection for the words "with the". I like the contrast they provide.

Finally, since it is for my son, I didn't want to use ribbon on it, so I used some Jewelry wire to hang the sign up. I wanted it to look curly in keeping with the fun theme, so I twisted it around a paint brush.

I used my Big Bite to punch a couple of holes and ran the wire through the back.

I am so happy I finally got around to creating this and have enjoyed sharing it with you today!
I wish everyone a joyous holiday!

Happy Crafting!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Colleen 

Designed by:  Colleen McCauley

Machines Used:  Cricut Expression, Gypsy

Cartridges Used: Cuttin' Up, Calligraphy Collection, CTMH Art Philosophy and Jolly Holidays

Supplies Used: Action Wobblers, Paper from my stash, Glossy Accents, Stickles, Pebbles Chalk, Wire and Chipboard.

A Special 50th Birthday Card

 Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters! My girlfriends and I have all turned 50 over this past year. A half century, who could believe it? We celebrated the final birthday for the year last weekend. My girlfriend, Gemma loves antiques and this is where I decided would be my starting point for her card. She is not a flowery type of person, so I went with an art deco feel for her card. I bet you can't guess which Cricut Cartridge I used? LOL! This whole card is from Art Deco. It's a larger card, almost 6 inches, but I wanted it to be big. After all, 50 is a big birthday!

Everything is from my stash. The card didn't photograph well because I used left over Recollections silver foil paper and it kept reflecting back at my little point and shoot digital camera. I cut the woman with SEI velvet paper, and added some bling to her using Platinum Stickles. Sorry for the awful pictures! The card is much prettier in person!

The background paper is Graphic 45, which is a perfect match for the Art Deco Cartridge and cuts. The turquoise paper is from my Stampin' Up stash which has to be at least 3-4 years old. I cut the background in the foil, black and turquoise and used the negatives to  design the card. The corners are also from the hexagon cut. I used glossy accents on all the corners for some interest.

Again, another not so perfect picture. I computer printed the sentiment in vellum from my stash. and used the rest of the cuts from the front of the card.

Of course the 50th Birthday Banner made it's last appearance! It's through four of us! It started making the rounds last March for my girlfriend, Colleen's Birthday, then Colleen brought it back for my birthday, we used it again in June for Elaine's birthday and now, finally Gemma's. Each time after our party, I would give the name section of the banner to the birthday girl for a keepsake.

One last picture today. Our present to her was a Kindle Fire, which she loved! Here is our happy birthday girl! We have been friends since 1976 and have been through so many good and bad times together over the years. I am so blessed to have her and my other friends in my life. They are my sisters and I know that no matter what happens, they are always there for me, as I am for each of them.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Happy Crafting!

Colleen

A Christmas Card! Yeah Me!

Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters! I finally made a Christmas card! OK, I did make a few over the summer that I didn't get a chance to post, but this is really the first one that I've made during the Christmas season. It's for my Mom's home health aide. Her daughter is big into cheerleading so I used a couple of Cheerleaders from the CCR exclusive Cheerleading.

Here is the inside:

 

 

Here are close ups of the cheerleaders. I added a Santa Hat to their uniforms from Joys Of The Season. They just tickled me!

 



The green solid cardstock is from CTMH, the red is from Recollections and the patterned paper is from K&Company. The cheerleaders red and green uniforms are velvet paper from SEI. I love that paper! The brown, skin tone and grey shadow are from my stash.

Everything was created using my Gypsy and cut using my Expression 2. The snowflakes are maybe from Accent Essentials, I am not 100% sure because they have been in a box of left over cuts that I've had forever. :-)

The best part about this card is that I only used my stash to create it!
I really enjoyed creating this card and I hope the health aide enjoys it.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

 

Happy Crafting!

Colleen

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

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.

File for CCR

Snoopy has been linked at Live Laugh Rowe

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.

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.