Celebrate the Occasion #22 - Christmas in July (shape card)

It's Christmas in July over at Celebrate the Occasion!  Design Team #2 is showing their talent and inspiring you to get a head start on the holiday season (which will be here before we know it)!  The challenge this week is a Christmas Themed Shape Card.  Here is what I came up with for my last CTO project!

Products Used:

• Stampin' Up!
• Night of Navy CS
• Very Vanilla CS
• Dazzling Diamonds
• StazOn Ink
• Dimensionals
• Cricut E2 and Gypsy
• Inspired Heart
• My Craft Spot
• Click HERE to order
• Vintage Vanilla Crinkle Ribbon
• Vintage Blue Bakers Twine
• Pink By Design Christmas Stamp

I'm sad to say that my time at Celebrate the Occasion has come to an end!  Celebrate the Occasion was my first Design Team and I will forever be grateful of them for giving me the opportunity to share my talent there and for the friends I have made!Thanks for your support!  Be sure to stop by and see the inspiration at Celebrate the Occasion and link up your Christmas in July Shape Card by next Sunday!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Celebrate the Occasion #20 - 4th of July

Hello Everyone!  It's Design Team #2 day at Celebrate the Occasion!  This week we are Celebrating the upcoming 4th of July!  The twist is you must use Red, White and Blue in your project!  I have another LO for you today!

Just a simple LO today!  This one is my Middle Es first 4th of July.

I used Stand and Salute for all the cuts on this LO.  The red polka-dot ribbon is from Stampin' Up!, the white is Hand Dyed Crinkle Ribbon from My Craft Spot, and the blue is from Michael's.

I outlined the Statue of Liberty and popped her up.  The fireworks are glittered up with Stickles.

I love her crazy smile in this pic!  I added some more ribbon, a button, bling and some My Craft Spot Bakers Twine for an accent.



Products Used:

• Stampin' Up!
• Whisper White Cardstock
• Brilliant Blue Cardstock
• Real Red Card Stock
• Gable Green Cardstock
• Red Polka-Dot Ribbon
• Cricut E2 and Gypsy
• Stand and Salute Cricut Cartridge
• Michael's Blue Ribbon and Bling
• Basic Grey Button
• Stickles
• My Craft Spot
• Snow White Crinkle Ribbon
• Click HERE to Order
• Cherry Red Bakers Twine
• Click HERE to Order

Other Challenges:
My Sheri CRAFTS #63 - Independence Day or Canada Day

Make sure you stop by and Celebrate the Occasion with us this week!  The Design Team has some fantastic projects to inspire you!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Celebrate the Occasion #18- Birthday

It's Tuesday and another fun challenge at Celebrate the Occasion!  This week we are celebrating Birthday's and most of you know, I love Birthday projects!  The challenge is to make a birthday project but it must have a Party Hat!  I have had several request for my Party Hat card so I thought I would show it off in a different color scheme!

I have more details HERE on how to make this fun card!  The Crinkle Ribbon was so much nicer to work with for the bottom ruffle than the ribbon used on the last card.  It is from My Craft Spot and you can check out all the fabulous colors for sale by heading to My Craft Spot!

 I do like the old color combo better but my daughter is in love with this one (can you guess what her favorite color is)!

 Product Used:

• Stampin' Up! Solid CS, Ink, Dimensionals, and Punches
• Cosmo Cricket Pixie-Licious Paper Line
• Doodlecharms Cricut Cartridge (Party Hat)
• B is for Boy Cricut Cartridge (Background)
• My Craft Spot Sweet Sentiments #1 Set "Happy Birthday" Stamp
• My Craft Spot Hand Dyed Crinkle Ribbon
• Signo White Gel Pen
• Michael's Ribbon

I hope you'll join us this week at Celebrate the Occasion for your chance to win the monthly prize!  Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrate the Occasion Pool Party Blog Hop

Hello Everyone!  It's summer time here and we are Celebrating the Occasion with a Pool Party Blog Hop!  My CTO friends and I have some amazing projects to inspire your Pool Party crafts and there is BLOG CANDY to be won at every stop!

If you are hopping today, you should have arrived here from Nicole's blog Nadia's World.  If you just happen to be stopping by to see me (thanks, that makes me feel special) you'll want to start at the Celebrate the Occasion Challenge Blog and see all the fun Pool Party projects! 

Lately, I feel like I've been neglecting my scrapbooks so I figured I would make a Pool Party themed layout for you today!  I have been wanting to scrapbook these pics of my Oldest E for the longest time.  This was 2 years ago when she was three and she was having a pool party (by herself)!!  It was one of those priceless moments caught on camera!

I'll apologize now for the terrible pics! Baby E is getting another tooth and she is has been screaming at me all day!  I took these pics with her on my hip and most are uneven.  Also, she has sabotaged my camera again and now there is a black spot on every pic! Sorry!  OK, no more chatty, on with the layout!

I used Bo Bunny paper for my LO.  I've been hoarding this collection since last year and it was screaming out to be used!  

The title is cut from American Alphabet and the postage stamp cut on the bottom right is from B is for Boy.

My poor Cricut didn't get used much with this one, but I think this LO turned out pretty cute!

I hand cut the flags because I was using up the tiniest scraps of my Double Dot!  I was thrilled when the mail came Friday with my new Baker's Twine!  Don't you just love the bright colors!  It is a Twinery collection and it is the newest product over at My Craft Spot! 

Speaking of My Craft Spot, would you like to know who my sponsor is for the Hop today???  You guessed it...It's Kimberly from My Craft Spot! 

 Kimberly has given me an extra set of this bright and summery colored Baker's Twine to give away to one lucky winner!  Thank you Kimberly!!

Now the blog candy rules...

1. You must leave me a comment telling me what your favorite part of summer is! 
2. You do not have to be a follower but if you like what you see today, you are welcome to become one! 
3.  If you are one of my followers, you may leave a second comment letting me know that you are (because I truly appreciate all your encouragement and support)!!  
4. After the hop, make sure you stop by and check out all of the great product and inspiration at My Craft Spot!  
5. I will draw a lucky winner on Tuesday afternoon so make sure you stop back to see if you won! 

OK, I've taken enough of your time today!  Your next stop on this Pool Party Blog Hop is one of my Best Bloggie Friends, Rayna at Purple Peep Techniques!  If you are hopping and have lost your way, you can go back to Celebrate the Occasion to find the line-up! We Celebrate the Occasion every Tuesday, so please stop by and join us!

Thank you for stopping by today!  Have a great day!

Products Used:

• Bo Bunny
• Sun Kissed Chillin'
• Sun Kissed Stripe
• Sun Kissed Squeeze Me
• Grape Dot
• Kiwi Double Dot
• Buttercup Dot
• Orange Citrus Dot
• Paprika Double Dot
• Sun Kissed Cut-Out
• H2O + Sun Cardstock Stickers
• Buttons & Bling
• Stampin! Up!
• Crumb Cake 12x12 Cardstock
• Soft Suede Ink for Sponging
• StazOn ink on the Stamps
• Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker
• Cricut E2
• American Alphabet Cartridge
• B is for Boy Cartridge
• My Craft Spot
• Lilac, Honey Dew, Lemon Drop Baker's Twine (Click HERE to order)
• Sweet Sentiments Set #1 Stamps (Click HERE to order)

Challenges: 
I've been missing out on some fun challenges so I thought I would make this LO with a few in mind!  Thanks for the inspiration!  I hope some of you can find the time to hop along too!  There is really great blog candy at every stop!  I just hopped and it is really good stuff too : )!!
Getting Cricky with K Andrews Simply Sunday Challenge - Banners and Pennants

Getting Scrappy Challenge #9- Use a Stamp on your Scrapbook Page

Whimsical Wednesday Challenge #9- Fun in the Sun Must Include a Stamp on your Scrapbook Page

I'm also going to link this up at You Had Me at Craft Made it Myself Mondays

Thanks for stopping by!!

Celebrate the Occasion #16 - School's Out

Hello Everyone!  It's Design Team 2 Day at Celebrate the Occasion and this week we have a fun challenge!  School is out and we are celebrating the occasion!  YAY Summer Vacation!!!  Our challenge for week #16 is School's Out but you must use an apple somewhere in your project!  This couldn't have come at a better time because I needed to make some end of the year awards for the preschool class!  Here is my School's Out with an Apple project!

The background certificate is cut at 8" from Plantin Schoolbook then mounted on black 8.5x11 paper.

The apple on the stack of books comes from Hello Kitty Greetings.

The scissors, crayon, and glue are all from Locker Talk.

I outlined each of the cutouts and popped them up so they stand out on the award.

This special award is for our outstanding Classroom Helper!  I can't believe the school year is over already!  It's amazing to see how much these kids grow at this age and I will miss many of them dearly!

I hope you'll join us this week at Celebrate the Occasion for your chance to win the monthly prize Spring Holiday Cards Cricut Cartridge!  Just a reminder that we are having a blog hop this weekend at CTO!  There will be blog candy to be won at every stop, and I must tell you that I have some delicious goodies for you!  Make sure you hop on over this weekend for our CTO Pool Party Blog Hop!  Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #14 - Anniversary

Hello Everyone!  It's Design Team 2 Day at Celebrate the Occasion!  Last week we focused on Wedding projects and now we are challenging you to make Anniversary projects!  It just so happens that my hubby and I are celebrating our 6th Anniversary this weekend so I thought I would make him a cute little card!

For the longest time I couldn't figure out what was missing then I realized the turtles looked too much alike so I added a little bow to the girl turtle made from My Craft Spot Crinkle Ribbon! 

I made the blue pattern paper using a mini bacground heart stamp (I thought it would go perfect with the stamp) then I popped everthing up!

The stamps come from My Craft Spot Inside & Out Set #1 and they relayed the perfect message to my wonderful husband!

He is a wonderful husband and the best father to our three beautiful little girls!  Happy Anniversary B!

Products Used:

• American Crafts Cardstock
• Create A Critter Cricut Cartridge
• Doodlecharms Cricut Cartridge
• My Craft Spot Inside & Out Set #1 Stamps
• My Craft Spot Pink Bumblegum Crinkle Ribbon
• Stampin' Up! Sprinkles Stamp Set
• SU! Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set
• Peachy Keen Critter Faces
• Stickles

I hope you'll join us this week at Celebrate the Occasion for your chance to win the monthly prize Spring Holiday Cards Cricut Cartridge!  Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #12

This week at Celebrate the Occasion we are celebrating the quickly approaching Graduation Season!  I assist at my children's preschool so we are celebrating Preschool Graduation in our house!  My Oldest E is one of those little ones graduating this month.  Yes, she will be entering the world of Kindergarten in the Fall and Mommy doesn't know what she'll do without her little crafting assistance!  Here is my creation for this week.

I am making these for the little girls that are graduating.  The boys are getting Hello Kitty too but I am using my gypsy to weld the hat in the bow location.  Theirs will also have a different background paper.  (Sorry but I just haven't been feeling well enough to get them done and photographed)

 Products Used:

• Stampin' Up! Cardstock
• Pattern paper and bow are scrap pieces (brand unknown)
• Hello Kitty Greetings Cricut Cartridge
• My Craft Spot Baker's Twine (Click Here to Order)
• My Pink Stamper More Faithful Sayings stamp set

Please join us for our Graduation Challenge at Celebrate the Occasion this week!  Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #10

Good morning Everyone!  It's Design Team 2 week at Celebrate the Occasion and this week our challenge is a sketch challenge.  I'm not that great at sketches because I do not like to follow any rules when I scrapbook.  Yeah, I could have just made it easy on myself and made a card but that wouldn't be a challenge, would it!  Here is my layout for CTO Challenge #10.

I finally cut into my Green Stack from DCWV.  It was hard because I just wanted to keep it forever (yes that is the paper hoarder in me talking), but it matched the sketch pattern so well!  I had started out with several other ribbons for my tag, but they left too much bulk on the page.  I finally pulled out some of my new Hand Dyed Crinkle Ribbon from My Craft Spot.  It tied beautifully and because it is so delicate, it didn't leave a big bulge in my daughter's scrapbook! 

 This pic is from a camping trip several years ago.  My Oldest E, who was 2 at the time could not stay out of the trees for the entire hike.  She climbed one every few steps!  My kids are monkeys and they've had the surgeries to prove it!  My two oldest have both had displaced elbows from falls that required surgical pinning (thankfully it didn't happen on this fun camping trip).  You would think that would be enough to keep them grounded but no!  They climb every tree and everything else they possibly can!

Products Used:

• DCWV Green Stack
• Stampin' Up! Card Stock, Punch and Buttons
• Lyrical Letters Cricut Cartridge
• Wild Card Cricut Cartridge
• My Craft Spot Hand Dyed Crinkle Ribbon

Here is the sketch for this week and we would love if you played along!  The rest of the design team has some wonderful inspiration waiting for you over at Celebrate the Occasion so swing by and check it out!  Link your project up by Sunday April 24 11:59pm EST for a chance to be entered into the monthly drawing!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I actually messed up on this challenge!  The challenge is supposed to be a birthday sketch.  Oppsies...I told you I don't do well with sketches!  They get me everytime!  Anyway, if your playing along, make sure it is a birthday themed project! 

Celebrate the Occasion #8

Happy Tuesday Everyone!  It is time for Design Team 2 to wow you again this week at Celebrate the Occasion.  The challenge for week #8 is Anything Birthday (must include a flower).  I have a very special LO for you for this challenge!  It is my "Over the Hill" LO. 

Now, I do not consider myself anywhere near being over the hill!  I just turned 30, but I have a friend who is loving this LO so it may be going to her for her hubby!  I have had this LO building in my head ever since I saw my fellow DT member's Feathered Friend Card over at Crafty Jar  and I thought this challenge would be the perfect time to bring the LO to life! 

Here is a close up of the vulture....  

and of my requirerd flowers.  I thought it would be fitting to have my page "pushing up daisies"!

Products Used:

• Bazzill Paper for Background Gray
• Stampin' Up! all solid CS
• Cosmo Cricket Striped Paper
• Life is a Party Cricut Cartridge (Vultures and Title)
• Happy Hauntings Cricut Cartridge (Graveyard)
• Planitin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridge (Flower Border)
• Fearther Boa is from Target Christmas Section

Thanks for stopping by.  Make sure you check out the rest of the inspiration from the Design Team and link up you Anything Birthday (with a flower) at Celebrate the Occasion by Sunday April 10th (11:59 EST) for your chance to be entered into the drawing for the monthly prize!

I'm also linking this up to Getting Scrappy #5 Tummy Tickler Challenge! 
Scraps 4 Fun Use Your Scraps Challenge

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #6

***Click HERE for tutorial***

Hello Everyone!  It's Tuesday, so it's time for another challenge at Celebrate the Occasion!  This week Design Team #2 has some wonderful inspiration for you!  The challenge this week is Thank You and the twist is, it must have a tag.  Here is my project.

I made a special thank you gift. It is a little gift bag!  I made a basic open-ended box and sandwiched it in between two watermelons (Simply Charmed).  Add a little ribbon, a tag, some goodies and voila...a sweet little gift bag!  I have those delicious watermelon slice candies in the cello bag!   

Products Used:

• Stampin' Up! CS, Ribbon and Cello bag
• Simlpy Charmed Cricut Cartridge (watermelon)
• Tags, Bags, Boxes and More Cricut Cartridge (tag) 
• Stickles
• My Pink Stamper Fruit & Veggie Puns

I apologize that I do not have more pics, but my Baby E really messed my camera up last week.  I will post more pics, and details on how to re-create this fun little bag later this week, so please stop back!  Make sure you stop by Celebrate the Occasion to check out the rest of the Design Teams projects and link your "Thank You with a Tag" project by this Sunday March 27th (11:59pm EST) for a chance to be entered to win the March prize "Rock Princess Cricut Cartridge". 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Have a Great Day!

Welcome Home LO

This week is Design Team #1's week to inspire you at Celebrate the Occasion!  The DT came up with some beautiful projects for Challenge #5!  The theme this week is New Arrival (new baby or puppy).  I love joining in the fun with my fellow design teammates so here is my New Arrival project for this week.  I made a 2 page LO using my Imagine and the Nursery Tails Cartridge. 

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear New Arrival is laundry...lots and lots of laundry!!  How does such a little bundle of joy create so many dirty clothes!!

My oldest E was 16 months when we brought her little sister home and she was thrilled with her.  The first thing she did was grab her new sister's hand and gave her a High Five!  Then she took notes and started taking care of her baby too!

My favorite part of being a new Mommy is all the snuggling!  I love the way newborns curl up on your chest in their fetal position and you can cup them with one arm.  That feeling is priceless and I am so blessed to have had three little gifts from heaven to snuggle!

I really wanted this LO to make an impact so I popped everything with dimensionals!  I just love the layers and I love the little wooden cloths pins that I found in my stash too! 

Products Used:

• Stampin' Up! CS, Dimensionals and Ribbon
• Nursery Tails Cricut Cartridge
• Nursery Rhyme Cricut Cartridge (title)
• Martha Stewart Lacey Punch
• Jolee's by You Clothes Pins
• Signo White Gel Pen

If you haven't done so already, go to Celebrate the Occassion, check out the Design Team's beautiful projects and link up your New Arrival project by Sunday March 20, 11:59pm (EST).  Invite a friend to the challenge too!  We love to see all your cards, layouts and projects!  The winner will be entered into the drawing for this month's prize!  March's prize will be a Rock Princess Cricut Cartridge!!! 

Thanks for stopping by today!

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #4

I am sooooo excited today!  Do you know why?  That's right, it is my very first Design Team Day at Celebrate the Occasion!  Even though I was quite sick last week, I still made something very special for the occasion!  I could not make it to the craft store so I was limited to what I had on hand (although my mother-in-law did stop by ACMoore to pick up some shamrock pattern paper for me...thanks Mom)!
Challenge #4 for Celebrate the Occasion is St. Patrick's Day and the Design Team has some inspirational projects for you!  I created a 2 page layout for the occasion.

I used my sewing machine to stitch the shamrock paper as well as the photo mats.  I embossed with Divine Swirls Cuttlebug folder on the photo mats and added a strip of green glitter ribbon to tuck my pics under.   

I welded a bunch of clovers from Paper Dolls Dress Up together with my Gypsy to get a clover field for this cute little Leprechaun(Simply Charmed) to dance in. I sponged all the clovers and added some on top of the welded image with different brand dimensionals to get several different layers of clovers.  

Now for the bright rainbow, this element did take some thought.  There is not a rainbow on any of the Cricut cartridges that stretches well across a 2 page LO so I needed to make my own rainbow.  At first, I was going to use buttons, but I did not have enough colors on hand.  I needed to find something (beside paper) that I have a lot of and in several colors.  What did I find....RIBBON!!!!  I ran my tape runner across the entire length of the ribbon then carefully layed it out.  I really like the way it turned out! 

The pot of gold is from one of my new favorite carts, Simply Charmed!  I wanted to give it a full look so I layered it.

and for the Gold inside the pot, I cut the background out with gold paper, sponged it then adhered the top layer and stickled the edges!

Products Used:

• Stampin' Up! Solid Cardstock
• Recollections Gold Paper
• Karen Foster Design Pot O Gold Collage Paper
• Paper Dolls Dress Up Cricut Cartridge (Shamrocks)
• Simply Charmed Cricut Cartridge (Leprechaun and Pot of Gold)
• Country Life Cricut Cartridge (Title)
• Divine Swirls Cuttlebug Folder
• Michael's Ribbon
• Stampin' Up! Ink
• Gold Stickles

I did not make it out of the house to print my pictures but here are Mommy's Leprechauns.

Thanks for stopping by to see my first DT project!  I hope you like it!  Stop by Celebrate the Occasion and check out all the other fabulous Design Team projects and be sure to link up your St. Patty's Day project!

Earth Day Card

This weeks challenge # 3 at Celebrate the Occasion is Any Occasion (use the colors GREEN, WHITE, and one optional color).  When I heard green, I automatically thought of Earth Day which is next month!  In going with an Earthy theme, I chose BROWN for my optional color.

Products Used:

• Stampin' Up! CS, So Green Stamp Set and Oval Punch
• K&Company Sleepy Tree Paper Pad
• Create A Critter Cricut Cartridge

If you haven't already, stop by Celebrate the Occasion and check out all the inspiration from Design Team 1 and link up your Green, White, and Optional Color project!  Thanks for stopping by today!