Stars and Stripes Challenge

Hey everyone!  It's time for a Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge!  This week Brenda has chosen a patriotic theme in honor of 9/11 coming up.  She would like us to use stars and and stripes to honor those men and women who risk their lives for our freedom from the military to law enforcement to fireman.  We just want to create a project to show our appreciation.

I created a quick card using Artbooking, and I really like how it turned out.

Supplies:

Artbooking for stars and star border

Cardstock from Papertrey ink and Recollections

White gel pen

Swiss dots Cuddlebug folder

Pattern paper from my scraps

So we hope you'll join in on the challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!!

Get to Know Me Blog Hop

Hey everyone!  I'm here today doing something a little different on my blog.  This week I am participating in a "Get to Know Me Blog Hop."  Several bloggers have recently started sharing a little about themselves and their hobby and then tag a few people to do the same on their blogs.  I was tagged by Laura at Crafty Chicks Creating.  

I am tagging two of my favorite crafty bloggers to do the same next week, so be sure to check them out:

Michelle at Cricut Crazy Scrapper  (I love her layouts...they always give me inspiration!)

and 

Mayra at Mayra's Designs (She creates the most beautiful 3D projects ever!)

So here's a little about me and my hobby and what I've been working on:

I am mostly a scrapbooker as you can probably tell from the amount of layouts I make versus cards.  I do love to make tags and cute 3D boxes.  Oh yeah and I love making treat bags!  I just recently made this cute cupcake tag for some treats I sent to a blogger friend in Florida as part of something called The Leftover's Club.

In addition to my craft blog, I also have a food blog:  Diary of a Recipe Collector

So how does my work differ from others and why do I create what I do?

Like I mentioned, I am primarily a scrapbooker.  I make layouts with kid and family themes.  I create layouts for my kids' albums.  My older two kids have albums for each year of their first few years.  Since this has become overwhelming to keep up with having 4 kids, I am now going to make sure my little ones have their own first year album, and start just making a combination family album for the rest of my pictures.  

I truly love creating these layouts.  It is so rewarding when I see my older two kids pull out their baby albums and look at them!  That is what makes me keep making them.

How does your writing and creating process work?

I am a huge fan of the Cricut Craftroom.  I love how I can change my colors and see what works.  I can completely design what I want before I even cut anything.  This makes the actual creating process quicker for me. 

I am also a huge fan of Pinterest.  When I  am stumped or in a creative rut, I just look at my Pinterest board and get inspired!  You can follow all my boards here or just follow my scrapbooking board here.

Well I've enjoyed sharing a little bit about my blogging life with you!  Be sure to check out Michelle and Mayra next week!

"Sun" Challenge

Hello everyone!  I'm back this week to share a "sunny" layout with you all for this week's Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge.  This week is super easy!  All you need to is use a "sun" die cut from a Cricut cartridge.  

I knew exactly what I wanted to do for this one!  I have a ton of summer photos of my kids, so I of course made a layout!  

I used Artbooking, and I must say that I LOVE this cartridge!  The possibilities are endless!  I combined these cuts from different pages in the book.  I love how it came out!  

Sizing is a bit tricky with this cartridge, but by using Cricut Craftroom, I can easily see the size I need for a 12 x 12 layout.  

Most of the background cuts were sized at 10.5 in.

So we hope you will join us this week for another fun challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!

And if you are in the mood for dinner and dessert, check these out over on my food blog:

Strawberry Lemon Dump Cake

 

Patty Melts on Texas Toast

Back to School Apple Challenge

It's hard to believe but it is time to go back to school.  In fact, my two older children start back this week.  It's kind of bittersweet.  On one hand I know they need to get back to their routine, but on the other, I don't feel like I got to do very much with them since having the baby.  But I know they've really had a great summer...Disneyworld vacation, new baby brother, sleepovers with friends and cousins, and TONS of swimming!  I'd say that's a fun summer!

So in celebration of back to school, our challenge this week over at Bitten by the Bug 2 is to create a card or project using an apple Cricut cut.  Just be sure to tell us which cartridge you used.  

Easy right?

I chose to create a layout for my kids' first day pictures for this year.  I know...I feel so ahead of the game!!  I made a layout before the event even happens!  I really love how it came out.  As I normally do, I went to Pinterest for inspiration.  I love this one.  

Don't forget to follow me for more scrapbooking inspiration.  

 Recollections paper and cardstock

Birthday Bash-Titles- "Second" and "First"

"grade" Gypsy Font

Create a Critter for apples

Scallop border punch

buttons

Hope to see you link up!!

And I just have to share one of the most awesome cookie recipes with you all!!  These are our new favorite cookie.  They are perfect for the approaching holiday season too!

Cinnamon Pecan Ice Box Cookies

Happy Campers Challenge

Hey everyone!  How's it going?  It's Monday and time for a new challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!  This week Emily has chosen a "Happy Camper" theme for us.  I chose to do a layout to scrap some camping pictures in the future...we are not camping a lot these days...too many little ones right now.  However, I know my older kids would love to go camping, and my husband can't wait to take them.  

Supplies:
12 x 12 Kraft cardstock

11.75 x 11.75 Navy cardstock

Cuttin Up - Title-1.75 in.

All other cuts - Paper Dolls for Everyday - 4 in.
Papers-Recollections Basic Bolds Paper Stack

Chalks

So we hope you will join us this week in out "Happy Campers" challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!

And if you are looking for great summer treats, hop on over to my food blog:

White Chocolate Cereal Snack Bars

Strawberry Lemon Dump Cake

Bee-utiful Summer Challenge

Hey everyone!  It's Monday and time for a new Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge.  This week the challenge is to use a Cricut "bee" cut.  The design team came up with some cute projects so be sure to check them out.  

For my project, I chose to make a shaped card.  I really love how it came out!

Cartridge:  Create a Critter

 The hive is cut at 4.5 inches and connected with a brad.

The bee is cut at 2.5 inches.

Paper and cardstock is Recollections
Diamond Stickles
Scrappy Moms-Simple Sentiments
Bakers Twine

So we hope you will join us this week over at Bitten by the Bug 2!!

Look Whoo's Here!!

Hey everyone!  It's been a few weeks since my last post, and I have some exciting news!  We finally welcomed our 4th child, Landry Miles on July 10th.  He was 8 lbs and 20. 5 inches long.  He's just so sweet too!  Seriously, he is the best baby!  He only wakes up one time at night to eat, and all the noise from the other kids really doesn't bother him too much. We are so blessed!

I'm also excited because he is 11 days old, and he already has his first scrapbook page!  That is a record for me!  I made this layout for the Bitten by the Bug 2 Owl challenge this week.  All you need to do to join in is create a card, project, or layout with a owl Cricut cut.     

I kept my project super simple with by using an Artbooking pre-designed page.  I skipped out on using the overlay, and I decided to add his name to the top.  I really like how it came out.  (You might notice I forgot to finish the little owl's eyes).  Whoops!

The photo mats are 4 x 4.  All cuts are 11 inches except his name, which is cut at 1.5 inches.

Pattern paper is from K&Co. Snuggle Bug stack.  Solid cardstock is Recollections.

So we hope you will join us this week over at Bitten by the Bug 2!

And I wanted to share some photos of all the excitement:

The kids have been really good with him.  They love to hold him!  It's definitely never a dull moment lately!

Travel Challenge and Pregnancy Update

Hey everyone!  It's time for a new challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2!  This week Pam has selected a travel theme.  All you have to do is create a card, layout, or project using a Cricut cut and a travel theme.  

I knew exactly what I was going to do for this challenge.  We just got back a month ago from our surprise Disneyworld trip.  I wanted to create a layout for the beginning of my Disney album.  I have three photos that show the surprise box I put together, what was inside, and our decorated van.  We had so much fun surprising them!  Click here for that post!

For my layout, I got my inspiration from Pinterest.  There are so many great Disney layouts on there.  I used the basic look/background from a site called The Scrapinator.  I really love how it turned out and how quickly it came together!

As always, I used Cricut craftroom to help me layout the design:

Then I just hide all the mats that I will cut by hand, rearrange all the cuts to cut on a sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock:

Supplies:

2 -12 x 12 sheets black cardstock

Red background mats - 11.5 x 5

Yellow background mats - 11.5 x 4.5 (Recollections Basic Bolds Pattern Paper)
Red pattern mats- 11.5 x 1.75 (DCWV School Stack Pattern Paper)

Title and Mickey Hat - Mickey Font 

Hand Border - Mickey and Friends
Journaling Tag - Plantin Schoolbook
Solid cardstock-Recollections

We hope you will join us this week over at Bitten by the Bug 2!

So onto baby news...I am 38 weeks and I go to the doctor today to find out some more news.  He has been telling me this would probably be the week!  My last day of work was last Wednesday.  We had an early birthday party for my son this past weekend, so now I feel like I'm ready.  I know my body feels ready!!  So I'll post some pics or updates soon!

And if you are interested in making any good grilling suppers, try these:

Bobby's Bolo Burgers

Bacon Jalapeno Lime Shrimp

Summer Fun Cricut Challenge

Hey everyone!  It's time for a new challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!  This week is a Summer Fun theme using your Cricut cuts, which has to be one of my favorite things to scrapbook.  So of course, I decided to do a summer layout of my two older kiddos when they were 3 and 2.  I remember thinking how those days were crazy, and it is hard to believe I am about to be there again except with 4 kids this time!!  Two kids at 3 and 2 seems pretty simple right about now. 

For my layout I used two of my favorite cartridges:

Simply Charmed (Such a good year-round cartridge)

and 

Artbooking (Great for year-round with awesome titles)

Title:  Artbooking cut at 11 inches
Sun:  Simply Charmed cut at 4 inches.

Ice Cream and popsicles are from Simply Charmed and cut at 4 inches.

Face Stamps are Peachy Keen Happy Lashes Assortment set(one of my favorites)

Journaling card came from paper stack

Pattern Paper-Echo Park Summer Days 

Solid cardstock -  Recollections
chalks for inking edges
white gel pen for title

Baby Update:  Right now I am 36 weeks pregnant and cannot wait to be done with being pregnant.  I'm swollen, not sleeping well, and just pretty miserable.  I start my weekly check ups this week, and I am anxious to see if I've made any progress.  Even though this is my fourth child, I am still so nervous and praying for a healthy baby boy.  

On my food blog, I've put together a great round up of summer lunches to beat the boring lunch rut I sometimes have.

20 Easy Summer Lunches

And these really are the Ultimate Chicken Salad Rollups perfect for showers, picnics, vacations, or just a good lunch.

Graduation Challenge

Hello everyone!  It's time for a new challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2!  This week we are challenging you to make something with a graduation theme.  You can make a card, layout, or papercraft using a Cricut cut with the graduation theme in mind.  

For my project I wanted to make a graduation card for a young man, so I wanted to keep it relatively simple.  I used his school colors too.  As soon as I saw the overlay in the Artbooking cartridge, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  This card would be really easy to mass-produce if you have multiple graduates.  

The card base is 5 x 10 folded to be a 5 x 5 card.
The overlay from Artbooking is sized at 4.75 x 4.75 using the Cricut Craftroom.

The numbers are cut using the Cricut Craftroom Basics file available to everyone for free.

I ran them through my cuttlebug using the swiss dots folder.

The striped paper is from Recollections Basic Bold Stack.

Solid cardstocks are Recollections.

The inside contains a white 4.75 x 4.75 mat with a "Congrats" sentiment.

So we hope you will link up your graduation theme projects this week over at Bitten by the Bug 2!

And if you are a lemon lover or know someone who is, I have some lemon treats to share over on my food blog:  Diary of a Recipe Collector.


Lemon Burst Muffins

Lemon Blossoms

Have a great day!