Push-Pull Gift Card Holder

Used the Push Pull Gift Card holder pattern to make these cards with gift card surprises. After finishing 3 of these, I think I finally got the hang of it! Hopefully these will continue to get easier and easier each time...want to get this one down to a science! Used the Cuttlebug snowflake embossing die for the background, Cricut Beyond Birthdays for the sentiment and Sizzlits for the snowflakes.

Holiday Paint Cans

Bought several of these cute clear pint sized paint cans to decorate and fill with goodies to give away as gifts this year. Decorated these with die cuts made with Cricut (Beyond Birthdays & Zooballoo), Sizzlits (large snowflakes) and various sized snowflake paper punches. Though I had hoped to make more, I ran out of time after only finishing ten. Filled some with cranberry butter cookies and some with butter chex mix. I'm thinking now that maybe I'll decorate the rest of the cans for Valentine's Day...

Triage of Trees

And here are 3 more trees I managed to complete this year. The tree on the far left (no teddy bears!) I made for someone who actually placed an order for one. The other two were given to two special aunties. I tried something different with the white one by adding silk poinsettias and candy canes to go with the red/white theme. These are really fun to make, but afterwards, the glitter mess that's left to cleanup is almost "un-bearable"!

A Tree For Chiemi

These are the first two trees I made this year.
They're all teddy bears and snowflakes again,
but one is purple/lavendar and the other is pink/red. Still hoping to do more before Christmas, but these had to be done pronto because they have already been mailed to a couple very special people in California.

These are unbelievably quick to do with just some wire hangers, tinsel and lights.

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas!

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

Okay, so now that I have this blog thingie, I just had to import the slideshow showing the Christmas trees I made at the last minute last year. My friend and co-worker had made a bunch of these and brought them to work to decorate and put us into the Christmas spirit. We were so awed by her creativity, and she shared the instructions to make them with us. Can you believe that it's basically just wire hangers, tinsel and lights? (Once you start the slideshow, move your curser around on the screen and see the magic!)

Paper Pups Thank You Card

This was my first attempt at a trifold pop up card. Instructions from the book "Cards that Pop up, Flip & Slide" by Michael Jacobs. Sent this card to an ebay seller I recently purchased a Jasminc cart from at an incredible price. After the auction, I noticed her feedback score wasn't too high and I worried that I had made a bad decision. Made and sent this card to her with my payment, hoping that it would encourage her to send me the cart as soon as possible. Well, so far no cart yet, but I have my fingers crossed that I will get it in the mail any day now...! Puppy and butterfly are from Paperpups, the "thank you" from Beyond Birthdays and of course my favorite swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder to add to the front panel.

Welcome to the World!

Yet another baby card, this one for Baby Torin. Sizzix Rocking Horse peeking through round window cut on Bazzill bling embossed with Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder and printed transparency.

Year of the Boar Swivel Card

From A Star For Chiemi

A birthday swivel card for grandpa... used a cute image of a boar I found on the internet & printed him up on some foil paper. Gave him a little dimension and shine with a couple coats of Diamond Glaze. then popped him up on a gold cardstock panel embossed with the Cuttlebug. Sentiment inside printed on torn & chalked parchment, secured with gold brads. Patterned paper from EK Success Paper Adventures, the Japanese kanji on the paper is "ai", the character for "love". Love 'ya Grandpa!

A Devil-ish Halloween!

Make a slide show, scrapbook or ecard

With my daughter is away at college now, I no longer have my favorite photo subject close at hand. So now my poor doggy has had to learn to take her place . . .

Happy Halloween!

Finally got a chance to play around with these neat clear paint cans. Lots of Sizzix, Quickutz and Cricut dies. The ones on the left also have gel window clings that I found at Longs. Filled the cans up with Halloween goodies for friends and family.

Surprise Pull Slide Card

Pull on the ribbon on the right side of this card and a surprise appears on the left side! The instructions for this card were shared on the the Cricut Message Board. Took a little practice to get the mechanism working just right, but the whole concept of how this works is not only novel, but pure genius! (who sits around thinking these things up, anyway?)

Decorated Pillow Box

Decorated the top of a clear acetate pillow box

with lots of pretty Sizzix flowers and a loving

sentiment from Cricut Beyond Birthdays cart.

Tucked inside with mom's special gift are lots

of cellophane confetti and pink & yellow

prima blossoms. Happy Mother's Day!

Inspiration for this cute idea came from a

Make 'n Take by Norice at Creations Unlimited.

Swivel Card

A Birthday Swivel Card, idea & instructions from "Cards that Pop Up, Flip & Slide" by Michael Jacobs. Cuttlebug Birthday embossing folder for background, QK mini Blossom font, and Cricut Mickey & Friends cart.






Inside of swivel card reveals a mirrored image of Mickey with a gift card attached for a special friend. QK mini Paige font.

Zooballoo Center Pop Up

Classic center fold pop up card for our 27th anniversary. All animals from Cricut Zooballoo cart. "After all these years, you're still King of the Jungle... and I'm still WILD about you!

Birthday Pop Up Surprise!

Another Birthday pull 'n pop up card. Used Sizzix dies for hearts, daisies, cupcake, and presents. Cuttlebug embossing folder for front panel and Cricut Mickey & Friends cart for celebrating Minnie Mouse.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

A little complicated at first, but well worth the work, a Pull 'n Pop Up card for hubby's birthday. Sizzix candle & heart dies in front and Mickey & Minnie from Cricut Mickey & Friends cart. Blue panel in front embossed with Cuttlebug Birthday embossing folder, Sizzlit decorative strip font, Wingo Zingo for "Celebrate" banner. Instructions & idea for pop up card from "Cards that Pop up, Flip & Slide" book by Michael Jacobs.

Baby Cards

Baby cards for baby Kaylee. Window Baby shower card made with Cricut Zooballoo, Cuttlebug embossed front and topped with window cut acetate. Used large Sizzix die for double teddy card.

Housewarming Card

Birthday Card for Grandma

Baby Shower

I've made many diaper cakes before, but this was the first time I used paper die cuts to decorate the cake. Lots of sizzix and quickutz dies together with pink ribbons and lace. Made for Nicole's shower.

Champagne Wedding

A simple window card using the swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background and Sizzix wine glass die on front of card and wedding cake sizzlit on the inside. Gold, pink & white vellums for the champagne glass; window cut transparency personalized with the names of the bride and groom. On the inside of card, I cut a slit behind the cake die to make a pocket money holder.

Minnie Window Card

Here's my second card using my Cricut and the Mickey & Friends cart. Also used Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background, Sizzix tag, cake & gift dies, QK Mini Maggie font and daisy dies. A card made for Mackenzie's first birthday.

My First Cricut Card

This was my first card created with my Cricut machine and the Mickey & Friends cart. Also used a Cuttlebug template to emboss the background. A friendship card made for Ryan as he headed off to design school in California.