On The Monogram Wagon

Had some fun this weekend playing with my Silhouette Cameo and vinyl. Decided I was in need of monogramming some "stuff". I now have a very happy tote, planner cover and ipad case.

How fun are they! Can you tell I like flamingos? LOL  In case you missed my post on Technique Junkies, here is the planner divider I did:

Stay tuned for new projects!!!

Til next time,
Keepin' It Inky! (and Vinyl-y)

FCCB #186: Sparkle & Bling

Challenge #188 Sparkle and Bling

Make a project that sparkles

~This Weeks Sponsor~

Winner will receive a free class of their choice!

Be sure to visit our wonderful sponsor and the FCCB blog to join in our challenge so you can be eligible for the prize.

This weeks challenge over at Fantabulous Cricut is to use some Sparkle and Bling on your project. Well, since this little elf has been busy working on Christmas gifts, it just inspired me to get one of my Granddaughter's gifts done a little quicker.

My little Kai (rhymes with eye, short for Kaileigh) is a budding artist herself. She's not quite 4, but has the vocabulary and understanding of a six year old, I swear.  Since one of our favorite activities is making "stuff", what better gift for her than a cart full of craft supplies, all for her!

Top of Cart

Front of Cart

I started out with a plain black plastic cart, and busted out my glittery vinyl.  A short time later, I had a cart full of sparkly goodness.

I used Cricut Alphabet to cut out all the words, using my Gypsy to design (Apple and Cricut still not playing nice) and my Cricut Expression to cut.

I even made a little apron for my girl using a piece of acetate for a stencil.

I've filled it with goodies galore and will probably be adding things here and there as I pick them up.

The best Christmas gift I ever received was when I was about 11 or 12.  I received a big box full of art supplies.  It was the best gift for a budding artist, and I've always remembered that wonderful feeling I got when I opened it up and saw all the oil pastels and charcoal pencils and paper and oil paints.  Oh! I just got a rush again!  So I am hoping I can pass that special time on to Miss Kai.  And in such a sparkly way!

Keeping it kind of short today.  Whacked out with a bad case of bronchitis and I think I have a lung or two to cough up.  Sorry, not a pretty picture, is it?

I hope you are encouraged to head over to Fantabulous Cricut and play along.  You will surely be inspired by all the wonderful goodies the Design Team has to share!

I wish all of my regular readers and all the visitors a very Blessed Thanksgiving.  If you're traveling during the holiday, be safe.

Til next time, keepin' it crafty!

FCCB #178: ABC's/123s (Vinyl)

...and they lived happily ever after.

Well, the wedding was beautiful, and despite all the hiccups with the setup and decorating, everything came out fine and the happy couple are on their honeymoon.  And we can all rest easy now.

The challenge this week over at FCCB is to use vinyl with some ABCs and 123s.  Vinyl is SO easy to work with.  It cuts so nicely and, if you take your time, your projects will come out great!

My signature wedding gift....an "established" sign....became my project to share this week.  Since I was able to give my niece and her new husband my gift prior to this post, I am able to share it with you now.  (They loved it, by the way!)  Here is the project:

FCCB #178

(I discovered just how difficult it is to take a photo of a glass project. Wow!)  Anyhow, I love how the clear glass will enable this piece to match any wall color the couple chooses.  Their theme was kind of a lovebirds thing...bare trees and birds were prevalent throughout.  So I chose images to reflect that theme and am very happy with out it turned out.

Here is how it came together:

I chose a frame from Michaels.

I then laid out my images and text using the Cricut Craft Room. I used Gypsy Wanderings, Home Decor and Cricut Basic Font cartridges. a 12x24 Cricut mat and, of course, vinyl from cricketvinylsupplies.com.

When I have a large area to work with, I cut it into sections and work with one section at a time.  

Once I have the background removed, I start weeding out the other areas in between the letters.

After all the vinyl has been weeded, it is ready to be placed on the project.

The transfer film is placed on the image and burnished so that it will easily remove from the backing paper.

Image is on the transfer paper and ready to be placed on the project.

Once the images have been placed, it is burnished again, then the transfer film is removed, slowly, while keeping it close to the project base.  Note how the film is only held an inch or so above the glass. 

This shows the depth between the glass and the table top.  Just thought it looked kinda cool! lol

And there you have it!

Hope you like the project!  Time to head on over to FCCB and check out what the other Design Team members have to share with you!  But before you go......

Winner, winner!

It's time to announce the winner of last week's FCCB Blog Hop!

The random number generator selected #13, Janice, who said:

"Very nice project....love the message, too.

How lovely of you to offer blog candy! I am a brand-new follower by Google Blogger. Yippee!!!"

Congratulations, Janice!  I will be contacting you!

Until next time, keepin' it crafty!

FCCB #177: Vinyl Education

LET'S CRAWL!!

Welcome to Toodle Noodle Creative and the FCCB Vinyl EDU Cricut Crawl - Fantabulous Cricut's version of a Blog Hop!!

This week we are challenging you to create a project using vinyl you have cut using your Cricut. We have a fabulous sponsor: Cricut Vinyl Supplies. And here is some great news! If we get 100 participants in this challenge, Cricut Vinyl Supplies will give away a Cricut Expression package that includes a Cricut Expression machine, deep cut blade, Jasmine Cricut cartridge, ten 12” x 12” assorted sheets of matte vinyl and one 12” x 12” gridded transfer tape. How exciting is that??

Save 15% off your vinyl order by entering the code: fantabulous.

If you've come from Amy HS at http://thestampingtree.blogspot.com, you're in the right place! If you've just happened across my blog and would like to see all the fabulous Design Team creations, head on over to Fantabulous Cricut HERE to start at the beginning.

Make sure to check out each DT member's blog! There will be Blog Candy along the way at ALL our DT members' blogs, and there will be a Grand Prize up for grabs at FCCB for one participant who submits a project using vinyl at FCCB!

And here is my project:

As you may remember from previous posts, my niece, Britanie, is getting married this coming Saturday, September 14th.  They live several states away from me, so I am extremely happy that I get to help with this wonderful event.  Being so far away makes it difficult, but not impossible!  

Before I get into the details of this project, let me show you a couple other things I have been able to work on for her wedding:

Thumbprint Tree (16 x 20).  Guests will add their thumbprint instead of signing a guest book.

Wine Cork Letter (using corks from the winery where the Groom works). They will tack pictures of the couple on it for the wedding, then it will be a part of their home decor afterward.

Vinyl Directional Signs (did six of these, two sided).  These will be put on lawn stakes and placed to direct guests to the venue (out in the wayback! lol).

Ok, now here's the nitty-gritty on how I did the "choose a seat" sign.  I was looking through samples of wording and none of them quite worked.  So I tweaked it a little so it rhymed without sounding....well....DUMB!  Once I was satisfied with the wording, I searched for some leaves and found them on the Thanksgiving Table Decor set from the Cricut Craft Room.  After adding several of them in several sizes and orientations, I duplicated them to fill my sheet.

The leaves laid out and cutting away!

I then cut out several sets of leaves (one color on the top half and another on the bottom half) so that I had lots of leaves in lots of colors.

The leaves after they've been weeded.

For the lettering, I used my Silhouette (gasp!) since I couldn't find a font I really liked in the cartridges I owned and didn't want to have to spend the money on a new cart.  This is how it looks (it will be the same process no matter which cutter you use) after it comes out of the machine before you "weed" it.  Here are a few photos that show the process of how to "weed" your vinyl cuts.  It's really quite simple.

This is how it comes out of the cutter.

Peeling off the vinyl that will be discarded.

With the background removed, ready to be weeded.

Weeding the center of the letters.

Transfer paper placed on top of vinyl and burnished so that the letters will stick to the transfer paper for placement on the project.

Slowly remove the transfer paper with the vinyl so the backing is removed.

After placing the transfer onto the project, burnish again to be sure the letters will stay where you want them, then carefully roll off the transfer paper keeping it close to your project.  This helps keep the letters from pulling up with the transfer sheet. 

The letters are all in place.

Transfer sheets are added to selected leaves and burnished to the sign.

Once all the leaves were in place, I added it to the wire lawn stake and now it's ready to go.  Since this is an outdoor wedding, I don't have to worry about anything on the sign "running".  

I hope you enjoyed this project and are inspired to try doing some vinyl projects on your own.  It's super easy and very satisfying.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you leave me a comment and become a follower, I will enter your name into a drawing for some vinyl.  The winner will be drawn and posted on my next FCCB blog post on September 16th.  I will even throw in some transfer sheets!

So now, head on over and check out Lynn at http://mycardsnstuff.blogspot.com. Make sure to visit all the stops along the way and when you get done, make sure you link up your project to FCCB's Fantabulous Cricut Crawl post!!

Happy Crawling!!

Here is the line up in case you get lost:

Robin http://robinscreativecottage.blogspot.com

Jilliene http://jillienedesigns.blogspot.com

Heather http://scrappingrunnercreations.blogspot.com

JoNeita http://createwithjoneita.weebly.com

Jackie http://luv2scrappp.blogspot.com

LB http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com

Connie http://www.conniecancrop.blogspot.com

Amy T www.craftingwithamy.com

Missy http://www.quickchickdesigns.blogspot.com

Cindy http://www.cindyvernon.blogspot.com

Rebecca craftingmisfit.blogspot.com

Catarina http://blog.docerelashop.com/

Kim ogdendoll.blogspot.com

Emily molliemugsblog.blogspot.com

Amy HS http://thestampingtree.blogspot.com

Ro http://rodonner.blogspot.com/ (---ME---)

Lynn http://mycardsnstuff.blogspot.com

Michelle http://justanutterpapercrafter.blogspot.com

Til next time, keepin' it crafty!

Fantabulous Cricut #175: Heat Wave

Chillax!!!

That's my mantra for today.  It's gloomy outside, I have a ton of things to do, and I have a headache. So I'm telling myself to just "Chillax".

The theme this week over at Fantabulous Cricut is Heat Wave.  When I think of summer heat, I think of the ocean, and when I think of the ocean, I picture shells and crabs.  And what better way to represent a heat wave then with this adorable "cool crab"?

I started out with a BIG card base (kraft cardstock: Recollections).  It measures 7.5" x 5.5" folded.  I cut some of the blue Cricut cardstock for a mat at 1/8" smaller and then the top piece of kraft cardstock at 1/4" smaller.

For the elements on the card, I used the Cricut Craft Room and set up the images like this:

Cartridges used:  Cricut Craft Room Basics (letters); Just Because Cards (sun); Create A Critter (crab); Paper Dolls for Every Day (sunglasses).

I used Cricut cardstock (I love the way this cardstock cuts!) and planned where each image would be so I didn't waste any of the cardstock.

I tossed the "dots" for the "i" and used Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest) to add my customary bling.  I inked the crab and sun to add a little dimension and added a little white highlight with a gel pen on the sunglasses.  I popped the center of the sun up on some dimensional foam and added an Action Wobble to the crab for a little "jiggle".  His cheesy grin was hand drawn.

I hope you enjoyed my card today and are a little inspired to do some chillaxin' of your own.  Now pop on over to Fantabulous Cricut and see what the other DT members have to show you.  And, please, feel free to play along.  The more, the merrier!!!

Presenting.......

Vinyl Education Week

During the month of September, FCCB will be featuring Vinyl University and some wonderful vinyl projects and education.  For more information, check this out:

Order your vinyl now with a special discount code.  Click the link above to get more information and your special code!  We are looking forward to this fun, educational, inspirational challenge!  Hope to see you there!

Til next time, keepin' it crafty!

Supplies used:  Cricut Cartridges (Cricut Craft Room Basics, Just Because Cards, Create A Critter, Paper Dolls for Every Day), Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest), Action Wobbles, Ink (Stampin' Up!), Gel Pen, Cricut Expression 2, Cricut Craft Room