Car Decal

The challenge this week at Decorate to Celebrate is 4th of July but we have been invited to add our decorations for any celebration.  I created a car decal to decorate our vehicles for Canada Day (July 1).  I created this decal with my Gypsy using Car Decals (for the "Proud to be"), Pooh Font Set (for "Canadian") and Create a Critter (for the leaves).  I also added little leaves in the middle of the As.  Once I created the cut file, this was easy to cut out multiple times for the vehicles.

And here's a close up.  (The second, darker image is actually a shadow.)  I cut the decal with Cricut vinyl.

Don't forget about the Canada Day Blog Hop this Friday!  Everybody is invited - Canadians and friends of Canadians!  Tara and Jacqueline have found a number of sponsors and there are lots of great prizes up for grabs!

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Seeing Stars Birthday Card

If you are looking for my Canada Day card, created for this week's Fantabulous Cricut challenge, please click HERE.

The challenge this week at My Craft Spot is "Seeing Stars" - use stars on your project.  I decided to make a card for one of my own stars - my middle guy who will be turning 14 (yikes!) in August.

I fell in love with the design of a card made with Birthday Bash - but I don't have that cartridge.  However, with the help of my Gypsy, I was able to create something fairly close.  I used a cup from Locker Talk (received from my wonderful friends at Serenity Scrappers) and turned it sideways.  I then welded a star from George and Basic Shapes to the cup.  Next, I copied the image, flipped it and welded the two together to create a card.  I used the same cartridges to cut the patterned papers that I used as well.  The 14 and shadow were cut with Kate's ABCs and run through the Cuttlebug using a star embossing folder.  The star and 14 are popped.  The little tag was hand-cut and stamped with a birthday sentiment from My Craft Spot's Sweet Sentiments Set #1.  I did lots of faux stitching and finished things off with a star brad and some Chocolate Baker's Twine from My Craft Spot.

Please head over to My Craft Spot to see the amazing projects created by the rest of the design team - and then create your own "Seeing Stars" project!  I'd love to see what you make!

*Don't forget about the Canada Day Blog Hop this Friday!  Everybody is invited to join the fun!

**My card also meets the criteria for the Stars and Stripes birthday card challenge at Birthday Sundaes - so I will enter it there as well!

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Canada Day Card

This week's challenge at Fantabulous Cricut is "July 4th" - use red, white, and blue on your project.  As Canada Day is on July 1st - and because I am a proud Canadian - I made a fun card to celebrate our nation's birthday.  

I was so excited to use my new Campin' Critters cartridge on this card!  (My husband bought it for me.  How I love that man!)  Campin' Critters was used to cut the beaver and tree.  I wasn't keen on the teeth so I cut the piece in two.  I'm also really not keen on the mismatched eyes, so I punched a set myself.  I manipulated a Plantin SchoolBook number sign for the tail and also added a maple leaf from Create a Critter on the cap.  The little tuft of grass is also from Create a Critter.  The dirt path is actually the sweet pea from New Arrival!  The red sign is cut from George and Basic Shapes, as is the heart, and the letters are from Pooh Font Set.  I added some doodling, lots of ink and also some Glossy Accents to the nose and eyes.  The log was run through the Cuttlebug using Distressed Stripes.   (The beaver and maple leaf are national symbols of Canada.)

Now it's your turn!  Head over to Fantabulous Cricut to check out the rest of the design team inspiration.  There are wonderful creations full of national pride!  Then link up your own red, white and blue project - and feel free to celebrate your country, wherever you are!

*I am linking this card at Sentimental Sundays where this week's challenge is to be patriotic and use the colours of your nation's flag and at My Sheri Cards for the Canada Day/Independence Day challenge. I am also going to enter this in the Cricut Circle's Patriotic Pride challenge.

Also, EVERYBODY is invited to celebrate Canada Day with me this Friday.  I've been asked to join a very talented group of Canadian bloggers and we've got an amazing Canada Day blog hop lined up, starting bright and early on the east coast.  There is a fantastic list of prizes being offered too - just for joining the fun!  I'll be offering my own prize here at Small Bits of Paper as well!

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Father's Day Gift Bag

If you are looking for my Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #64 post, please click HERE.

The unthinkable occurred last weekend.  I was trying to get some crafting done but neither my Gypsy nor my Design Studio would recognize my Cricut!  I spent far too long trying to get things to work, with no success.  First thing Monday morning, I called ProvoCraft and am so impressed with the service I received.  By Friday, I had a new-to-me (refurbished) Cricut at my door.  It's not as pretty as my Pink Journey Cricut but it is on speaking terms with my Gypsy and Design Studio so I am happy once more!

This week at My Craft Spot, the challenge is "We Love You, Dad".  I don't have a father so I created something for my husband.  Even though it's fairly simple, it was a challenge for me as I've never created a project without my Gypsy or Design Studio.  (I made this earlier in the week, prior to the arrival of a fully functional Cricut.)  Once I figured out how to set the paper sizes, it was a piece of cake!

I used Car Decals for the image.  (I hand punched the eyes.  Although I love the adorable images on Car Decals, I'm not overly fond of the mismatched eyes.)  My husband is quite an athlete and participates in triathlons, plays on a soccer team and basketball team, and plays weekly games of squash.  I purchased him an odometer for his biking and running so wanted a bag to match the gift - and him!  I created a border with an EK Success punch to go behind the image.  I used Makin' the Grade for the font.  Makin' the Grade was one of the first handful of cartridges I owned when I had my first little Cricut and I used it ALL the time.  I really do like the font.  Plus, I thought it was such a good match with the My Craft Spot (Sweet Sentiments Set #2) "To" and "From" stamps I used for the tag.  I created the tag with a Creative Memories circle cutting system.  I finished things off with some tulle and ribbon.

Please head over to My Craft Spot to join this week's challenge!  There is a fabulous giveaway and some wonderful inspiration by the rest of the design team too!

*I am also going to enter this in the first challenge at Decorate to Celebrate.  It's a Father's Day theme, so my bag fits the bill.  My wonderful blogging friends, Rhonda and Amy, have started the new challenge blog, Decorate to Celebrate.  I encourage you to check it out if you haven't done so already!

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Wedding Wishes Card

This week at Fantabulous Cricut, the theme is Wedding Wishes and we are challenging you to create a wedding-related project which includes the colour white AND a bell.  I found this week's theme to be quite a challenge as my mind was just blank on what to do - but I then found some tiny bell earrings and decided that they would make a lovely charm for wedding project.

I created the card with Inspired Heart for the window mats and "love" sentiment and Joys of the Season for the doves and cage.  The papers are actually white and grey but the grey has a bit of a lilac look in the photo.  I embossed the window mat as well as the doves.  For the background paper, I simply scored every 1/4 inch.  I attached the bell and wondered why I had found this to be such a difficult challenge as it all came together quite easily - once I knew what to do!

Now it's your turn!  Please head over to Fantabulous Cricut to see the amazing inspiration created by the rest of the design team.  And, while you are there, link up your own Wedding Wishes project.  Just remember to use white and a bell on your project!

Also, I'd like to give a quick shout out to Jenae, my wonderful and talented design team sister at Fantabulous Cricut.  She passed along a Versatile Blogger Award my way.  Thanks Jenae!   Please check out her fantastic blog - Just Jenae!

*Cricut Cardz Challenge is also having a wedding project challenge this week so I will link my card there as well.

PS  I'm so sorry that I've not been leaving many comments lately.  I've been working overtime as I had a rush on a review for work.  I also have a fair bit of homework as my course wraps up on Thursday.  And to top things off, I had a stomach bug last week that left me not wanting to do much of anything!

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