I WON!!

Yes I actually won something!! If you all knew what I've been doing to TRY and win something you'd all be laughing at me!

Check it out!

7 Gypsies 8X8 Paddington Collection

I Love 7 Gypsies!

That is all! Check out their video release.

organizing scraps

Can't remember where I saw this idea. Might have been from someone on the Papertrey Ink DT??

Anyway, I LOVE this system. It makes putting multiple colors on my cutting mat a breeze. I can just grab something and throw it on the Cricut mat. I'm contemplating putting my pattern papers in there too. I usually keep my scraps with the paper line they came from. I've noticed myself reaching for this basket a lot though and am thinking I'd use up the patterned paper scraps faster too.

(I saw the baskets at Micheal's and Lowe's Hardware if you are looking for something similar. This size required the manila folders to be trimmed slightly I just held one up to the side of the basket and marked a few reference points and trimmed till I got one that worked.)

Hip, Hip, Hooray

A quick Cricut card made using the Hello Kitty Greeting Cartridge and layered sentiment from the Sweet Treats Cartridge.

I love how thick and substantial the layered CS feels on these cards. I was afraid they wouldn't feel as nice as the cards I make without the Cricut but I was wrong. Once I understood the construction of these I realized the front cover (including the inside backing) was 4 layers. if you look at it you may only think there are 3 layers though right? well the whiskers on the hinge side are "missing" on the card base so you actually cut a second layer of shadow image and adhere it to the front, thus replacing the missing whiskers. It was a little tricky to figure out at first.

Tim Holtz embossing folders & More Cricut cuts!

I've been so excited to use these folders. They really are some of my favorite tools already but the Tim Holtz ones are a great addition to the more "cute" Cuttlebug folders I already own. It came in handy pretty quick too with Father's Day last weekend.



With this card I used the Patchwork embossing folder on Grunge Paper (which was not what I expected it to be. it's thicker than CS, more like a thin chipboard). I ran it through my Sizzix to emboss the grunge paper. Then I inked each patch a different color using Distress ink and a Colorbox Blending Stylus (this tool offers more precision that the Ranger one). Once each patch was colored I used a direct to paper method and applied the black ink right over the top of the raised embossing. This made all the borders and images pop.

The Father's Day diecut letters were from Cricut Wild Cart Cartridge. It was just a single solid image originally. I cut it once in the blue and once in the red and then cut the words apart. Then foam tape stacked them for depth.

My Dad is really into his modified Harley trike right now so it needed a motorcycle charm. Of course a happy coincidence was the clock hand/arrow, Dad immediately saw it as a "gauge" *of course*. LOL



On the inside of the card I used the notebook paper Cricut cut from Graphically Speaking and embossed it in a random fashion using the Tim Holtz Notebook paper embossing folder. To do this I placed the diecut into the embossing folder and tapped on the folder to emboss the images where I wanted texture. This left the center of the notebook paper flat to make it easier to write a message.

I got a bit behind here!!

I have 3 "Mom's" I try and do something for each year. doesn't always happen but sometimes better late than never right? With my husband getting ready to deploy soon it was a bit chaotic around here the last month or so.

I did get to play with a bunch of my new Cricut cartridges which was fun! Used a few Cuttlebug embossing folders too.

I found this purse at Fred Meyer's and immediately thought of my MIL. She loves pretty girlie things like I do and has the best house old house for displaying such things. (it's older than any *town* around here LOL)




On this card I used the Mother's Day Solutions Cricut Cartridge to cut out "Mama" but since DH calls his Mom "Ma" I just cut it down by hand. ;) Also used this cartridge for the layered damask cut behind it. It's hard to tell from the picture but the patterned paper I used here was Paris Nights by GCD Studios from a couple winters back. it had the prettiest gold pearl shimmer to it. The embossing on the corner of the vellum (and the purple polkadots on the front lower right corner) was done using a Cuttlebug folder and a technique my friend Susan Stringfellow taught me! She uses a pair of the old Quickutz handtools, I found just setting it on the desk and tapping along the pattern I want to reveal with my Making Memories Hammer was enough force to decorate the edges of this a bit.




A card I made for my stepmom. another use of the Mother's Day Solutions Cartridge. I really loved the pinwheel on this cartridge. Way better than the hand made square ones I have always done. The flower they give you for the center is great too. Since I needed a bunch of pattern papers for this I used the 6x6 paper stacks I have accumulated over time. I think I used 3 different ones on this. Easy to coordinate and already cut down for multiple cuts on the Cricut at once!

I still have one more gift to give MY Mom now but that might take me most of the summer to complete and she already knows it is coming ;) (Making her an 8x8 chipboard album on her wedding pictures using the MME Lush collection that is done in velvet! I can't wait to create it!

Robot Lovin'

From the moment Roomba first buzzed across my living room floor it was love at first sight. Not sure who loves her more, Auggie or I! The first few weeks he'd bark and smack at her when she got too close. Now if I don't tell him to get out of the way he just stands there. Waiting for Roomba to "detect" him and turn the other direction. He's even slept through it!







The first casualty of my poor Roomba. Her spinning brush! Luckily all Romba's moving parts are owner replaceable! :)



Created using Susan Stringfellow's Sketch Savvy #25

Meet Me at the Fair!

I had so much fun putting this minibook project together! I have been itching to use the Garden Variety collection by Cosmo Cricket since it came out. Loads of fun images in this collection. I think my favorite is a toss up between those baby cows and the old newspaper prints (Ok and the smiling strawberries too!)




Lots of fun places to journal and add photos.




**If you are interested in purchasing this kit please contact me at rhsmith419@gmail.com

A Casual Affair

Today is mine and DH's 14th anniversary as well as the day my Mom and her S/O got married. ;)


Mom, Bill and their efficient.



What wedding is complete without a little family drama?? LOL I won't get into that and will have to deal with it later. ;) But while I was in the shower my Mom called and asked my DH if we could have their ceremony at our house in the backyard. In an hour. (the plans fell through with the other arrangements at another family member's house.)

You have never seen two people clean house so fast. The backyard was in disarray because we are in the middle of pressure washing and I haven't even started planting yet. we didn't even have the patio furniture out!! oh and it was HOT and muggy as H.E.L.L. today! So there will be no pictures of me LOL! After running around sweating for about 45 minutes cleaning, I saw the pictures and realised my hair products had not "held up" LOL!! I was happy to do it and would have offered sooner had I had the chance, so it was fine. Just very frantic for a bit LOL My Dh on the other hand looks just as cute as he always does. sighhhh why can't I just wear a hat too?



Ended up being a great casual ceremony. The groom wore a running suit and the joke was it was so he could make a fast get away "just in case"! My Mom wore the corsage I made her and LOVED it! YEAH! (*oh and Suz I did find a cute package to put it in. a clear take out container with moss in the bottom and a purple ribbon/tag. Mom will enjoy that cause it will be safe from the cats and she can still see it. looks like a terrarium sorta, IMO)



Had a wonderful dinner at The Cabbage Patch restaurant in Snohomish. The food was delicious! Mom and I split the BEST pie ever! it was a fluffy pineapple and walnut mouse with what tasted like cream cheese mixed in. OMG I WANT THIS RECIPE!! The waiter could have been friendlier though honestly but I tend to prefer extra friendly wait people in general. ;) They have wonderful reviews though and won Best of Western Wa 2008 for catering. We will probably be going again soon. My mom had clams and lingini and it was so yummy! (I got a couple bites ;) ) loaded with clams!! Oh, I forgot my camera and didn't get any pictures! I'm kicking myself cause after my Mom left I noticed the lilacs in bloom and it would have been the perfect place to take a picture of her with her corsage. :P Sorry Mom!