It was an amazingly Cricuting Day....

Today started out with an extreme disappointment and ended on a high note. I popped into a Michaels store today and was so excited to see that Elegant Edges was on sale for 39.99. I take my tag to the register and the cashier goes to get the box. She returned and apologized that they did not have any (MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT). Now here is the kicker... Michael's gives RAINCHECKS!!! So I got a raincheck for two cartridges. This cartridge is too fabulous not to have one for me and one to give away . Now if I am lucky enough that they get them in.


Now onto my high note. I borrowed the Cricut Decals Cartridge from my friend Nicole and wanted to make SOME cuts before returning it to her. Notice the word SOME? Well here is what I did. I had to stop as my oldest was going to bed or I would have done a bit more

Aren't they just so adorable :) I cannot wait to use them in projects. Oooops, as I matter of fact I did use one already. But that is for another post Until the next one...

It was a great day (except for the rain)

Well, the rain served two purposes today. One to cool us off from the those hellish temps and to give me time to create today. This is my 2nd post for today. While watching a movie with hubby and eldest son, I decided to make the last cards I planned with the Cricut Preserves cartridge. I had an interesting experience with it. First, I cut out 3 strawberries. Upon trying to draw seeds on one, it looked demented. Thank goodness I had one extra apple laying around. Here are the results:

I used Tags, Bags, Boxes and More for the card base and scraps to make the fruits.


I then decided to use the Card feature to make an apple card. Well, to my surprise the card opens on the left side (not the right). Hmmmmm......

I covered the apple cutout with red paper and used my Peachy Keen face stamp. I am in love with my new Gelly pens that I found at Michael's. The only changes I made to this card is I added the Stampin' Up stickable rhinestones to the flower centers and a row under the sentiment. There is also another flower gem in the 4th corner. I can now return this cartridge to my friend Erin with a clear conscience. Tomorrow I hope to make some cards with her Mickey Mouse cartridge and make a few more cuts with my other friends Cricut Decals cart. I have such great Cricuting friends :) Until next time....

Royal Purple Freedom Blog Hop Part Deux :)

NOTE: I am entering this also for You Had Me @ Craft's Made It Myself Monday's so others can join the cause too :)


Hello all and welcome back to my little corner of the crafting world. I wanted to share a little story with you. Once upon a time (all great stories start this way), there was a very young girl that did not know her own worth. She spent many years in a difficult situation until the time came when she could get out of Dodge. It took her over a year to heal and realize that she was smart, beautiful, worthwhile and deserved to be LOVED. In rides Don Juan (tee hee, inside joke) and helps this much older and wiser (young at heart) girl trust again. They got married and are raising 3 kids together and will be living happily ever after.

Nice story you say? Could this be true? It absolutely is. I am living proof of this. The reason I shared this story (with a humorous spin) is to give hope to others. You can overcome and, even when it seems impossible, good things can come of it. This blog hop has already touched lives and you can touch even more. You can visit Faith's blog post which is the beginning of the blog hop for more information (HERE).

We had a challenge from my dear friend Scrappy Jak to do a family oriented layout. I did two! Family to me should equal love. My Aunt and Uncle are a shining example of this. My Aunt developed Alzheimer's after taking care of my Uncle all these years. He takes a bus everyday to the home to visit her and bring her chocolate. He loves her so much and I am blessed to have found a love like that the second time around. These layouts are inspired by love.

Because this is an incredibly IMPORTANT issue, Faith has arranged for some PHENOMENAL blog candy. Here are the details:

"What fun would a hop be without some blog candy to reward you for your time and effort in viewing each stop right? Because this cause is so dear to me, I have arranged an incredible array of prizes. First though, lemme share some more information with you. About 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes occur every year while many more assaults and rapes go unreported entirely. Over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year and those that do suffer physically and emotionally (my kids are among this statistic). These statistics are sad and overwhelming, but help IS out there for those that choose to break the silence, but they need help. Places like the Bradley Angle House are often invaluable.

Sponsors for this hop have been very generous and we have several Grand Prizes! To be eligible to win, you must create a purple themed card like the ones featured in this hop and include a hand-written note of encouragement on the inside. Your purple themed card(s) with a hope filled message inside could make all the difference, not to mention give YOU a chance to win the grand prize for this hop. Cards must be postmarked by June 30th for inclusion in basket drawings and can be mailed to the following address: Royal Purple Hop c/o Vicki SmithP.O. Box 1496Millbrook, NY 12545

What are these grand prizes you ask...brace yourselves because you will not believe your eyes!

The Big Deal Basket: Prizes in this basket are far too plentiful to list individually. We have items donated by Robert’s Crafts(including 4 Cricut Cartridges), My Creative Time, Kristal Andrew,Erin Lee Creative, Pink By Design, Verve, KaDoodle Bug Designs,Photocentric, Peachy Keen Stamps. Treasure Box Designs, Our Daily Bread Designs, Kallio Kalleidoscapes, September Ninth and many more items donated by our hop participants. I estimate the value of this basket to be well over $250. One lucky winner will be shipped this basket full of goodies (entire contents not shown):



Because Life After Domestic Violence is Peachy Keen Prize: This prize package includes 1 each of the following stamps: PK-M16, PK-M20 PK 291, PK-287, PK-288, PK-289. You can visit the Peach Keen Store to check out all the images, but included in this prize package are the following new releases:




Pampered Princess: This prize package includes a vanilla scented candle, some Secret Garden shower gel from Victoria Secret, and a Michael Buble CD. Often times when leaving a Domestic Violence situation women forget to take care of themselves…I suspect this is a condition women have in general and the winner of this prize package will have good reason to pamper herself like the princess she is!

Verv-a-licious: Verve stamps are my all time favorite clear polymer stamp ever. The winner of this prize will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend at http://shopverve.com.

Please Note: Only people who send a card to the above address will be entered into the drawing for these prizes. Again, purple as the primary color with a hand written note inside. Want more chances to win the grand prize? Additional entries will be given for each $1 donation you include with your card. Would you prefer 1 entry, 10 entries, or is 100 entries more of what you had in mind? It’s all up to you!

Smaller prizes include: The Bling Thing (an assortment of bling), I’m Turning Pail (a clear pail of Colorbok scrappy stuff, including chipboard albums), Just A Little Peach (more Peachy Keen Stamps), Grab Your Cutters (a craft grab bag from Cutter’s Creek), and perhaps even more as Sponsor items are still trickling in. To be eligible to win any of these smaller items, simply leave a comment on this post telling me if DV has made an impact on your family and who’s card you were most inspired by.
Remember, one in three women will be affected by DV in their lifetime…think of your 10 closest friends…which three of you will suffer this tragic experience? While it was me, I pray it is never any more of you. I hope you will help me give 24 deserving women and their families a chance at recovery. Everyone deserves to be safe! Even if you choose not to make a purple themed card, you can still send a donation to the address above. Thank you in advance for your support!"

I hope that we will join us all in this cause. Help us reach this goal and help 24 women and their families find the freedom that they deserve. Everyone should have a feeling of safety and security and not feel trapped and alone. Thanks in advance for contributing.

Until next time....

Royal Purple Freedom Blog Hop

Welcome to our blog hop for a great cause. Did you know....

I am privileged to join a phenomenal group of women. Thanks to Faithfule Creations for bringing us together. Here are some details of the hop:
"It is a silent killer that is directly responsible for the deaths of 3 women every day on average. One in eight women will experience Domestic Violence in their lifetimes and women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes every year. Even more upsetting is the fact that over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year. Those who see and hear violence in the home suffer physically and emotionally. These statistics are sad and overwhelming, but help IS out there for those that choose to break the silence.

One such place that people can turn to for help is the Bradley Angle House. With a 1k donation, 24 families can begin the road to recovery from this silent (yet devastating) way of life. Will you help me help others?"

Here is the talented list of bloggers that are participating in this hop:

Faith: http://faithfulecreations.com/

Raven: http://love4stamps.blogspot.com/

Linda: http://www.thefruitofmyhands.blogspot.com

Brie: http://vintage53.blogspot.com/

Erin: http://www.spantastikreations.blogspot.com/

Tanya: http://www.ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/

Amanda: http://www.scrapanddash.com/

Kimmare: http://kimmarieskorner.blogspot.com/

Jackie: http://jackrabbitscrappin.blogspot.com/

Lori A: http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/

Gina: http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/

Monica: http://scraps2treasure.blogspot.com/

Anita: http://anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/

Sue: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/

Gaby: http://www.gabycreates.com

Debbie W: http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/

Jen R.: http:/www.memorieswithjen.blogspot.com/

Deborah: http://www.scrappingmamma.net/

Ellen: http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/

Gill: http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/

Lori: http://lorisartsyobsession.blogspot.com/

Krista: http://www.kristaspapercafe.com/

Carol: http://www.cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/

Nancy: http://fancywithnancy.blogspot.com/

Vicki: http://paperandprims.blogspot.com/

Emily: http://www.createserendipity.net/

Kristal: http://gettingcricky.com

Amy: http://amychomas.blogspot.com/

You might remember this card that I made as a sneak peak:

Supplies used were Stampin' Up Ink,stamp set and Pearls, Sizzix embossing folder and 2 step die.

For the hop I made another card with a little change...

The differences are that I used different Sizzix dies and punch. I have to say that I love this one more!

If you made it this far, then you will know that I will be giving away a $10 gift card to Michaels, AC Moore or Joanne's Fabrics and Crafts. All you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy don'tcha think .

You can help out our cause by doing the following:

Please make sure that you stop by each blog and share some blog love. Your next spot will  be Gaby's blog. Happy Hopping .....

Royal Purple Freedom Blog Hop Coming June 10th!

What do Peachy Keen Stamps, K. Andrew Designs, Verve, My Creative Time, Our Daily Bread Designs, Pink Cricut, Erin Lee Creative, Robert's Crafts, and numerous other people have in common...they've all sponsored my Royal Purple Freedom Blog Hop....be sure to visit Faithfule Creations blog at midnight tonight to see what my incredibly talented line up has in store for you!Here is the lineup for the Hop tomorrow:

Faith: http://faithfulecreations.com/

Raven: http://love4stamps.blogspot.com/

Linda: www.thefruitofmyhands.blogspot.com

Brie: http://vintage53.blogspot.com/

Erin: http://www.spantastikreations.blogspot.com/

Tanya: http://www.ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/

Amanda: http://www.scrapanddash.com/

Kimmare: http://kimmarieskorner.blogspot.com/

Jackie: http://jackrabbitscrappin.blogspot.com/

Lori A: http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/

Gina: http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/

Monica: http://scraps2treasure.blogspot.com/

Anita: http://anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/

Sue: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/

Gaby: www.gabycreates.com

Debbie W: http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/

Jen R. http:/www.memorieswithjen.blogspot.com/

Deborah http://www.scrappingmamma.net/

Ellen: http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/

Gill: http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/

Lori: http://lorisartsyobsession.blogspot.com/

Krista: http://www.kristaspapercafe.com/

Carol: http://www.cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/

Nancy: http://fancywithnancy.blogspot.com/

Vicki: http://paperandprims.blogspot.com/

Emily: http://www.createserendipity.net/

Kristal: http://gettingcricky.com/createserendipity.net/

Amy: http://amychomas.blogspot.com/

I cannot wait to share with you the cards that were made. Please make sure that you hop all the way through and share some blog love with all these talented ladies :) Until next time...

Some challenge cards.....

We got some movie time in this weekend and that meant time in the Crop Cave for awhile. I have to say that I had a lot of firsts this weekend. I finally got to use my new Sew Easy, a new stamp sets and new sizes of cards that I have never used. I plan on entering these in the M.A.G. Challenge #29, the Made It Myself Monday's Challenge and the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. Here is what I came up with:

M.A.G Challenge #29: Gypsy Wanderings Page 68


These two cards use a new stamp that I bought with my 55% off AC Moore coupon! It was inspired by Stacy's Creative Corner card found HERE.


This card is being entered in the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge. The criteria is as follows: "Use something new on your project - it can be a new product, technique, embellishment - even a colour combo that is new for you - show us what you got!!". I had never used my Sew Easy before and I have never made a tall card before either! So this qualifies on two fronts :)

Here are some other cards that I made this weekend also:

This card was inspired by The Daily Scrapper. I made some changes to this and am thankful to my friend Erin from Comfy on My Cloud for lending me the Preserves cartridge to make this card. I have an idea for little notecards too using this cartridge.

This card was also a product of Erin's generosity. This Belle sticker came from my goodie bag that Erin gave me from the Scrapbook Expo here in Jersey. The card was in a pack I got from Michaels that I ran through my Cuttlebug.

I have some other challenges and cards that I want to make as well. That is in between job searching :) Until next time....

Spongin around......

I had planned out my 5 card swap fronts for our monthly group. Of course, as the phrase goes, "the best laid plans of mice and men...". Well, I had to improvise a little. I decided to sponge the card base and the attach my creation. Here is what I came up with..
..

I also received on of my blog hop prizes from Jill of The Scrapaholic. Look at her card she made! I cannot wait to play with these items...

And lastly, I have a wonderful hubby who took me shopping because they had an AWESOME sale. Here is what I got for next to nothing...

I have a few more ideas in the works as well. I scored cards at Michael's for $1 a pack. Stay tuned for more fun. Until next time....