Nothing says birthdays like..

CUPCAKES! :) And that's the challenge at Cricut Cardz.. to create a card with a cake or cupcake on it, using any cricut cartridge. I love these challenges... Mary and the rest of the design team inspire me to use my cricut more. We'd love if you joined us, too!

I used the latest sketch from Card Patterns to design my card:

My name is Suzanne and I'm addicted to Create A Critter, LOL! I think I've used it on the last 3 challenges at Cricut Cardz. If you are a new cricut owner, or don't have this cart.. it's a MUST have. So versatile! All papers are from the Basic Grey "Lemonade" line! Another favorite :)

I used a lot of sparkle on this card! First off, the cherry was "stickled" to match the darker red base. Before adding my cupcake to the rosette, I sprayed the entire card with my "gold" glimmer mist. I wish I could capture the sparkle! It really brings out the sheer ribbon, too.

Head on over to Cricut Cardz to check out the delicious cake & cupcake cards and enter your own!

I'm also sharing this card with

Card Patterns - sketch

Birthday Sundaes - "messy" birthday card

Scraptastic Club - misting

Have a great day!

Oh CRAB!...

When I saw the latest CAS-ual Friday's challenge to make a punny card, I knew I wanted to use my latest Paper Smooches "Chubby Chum Pals" stamp set. It is too cute!

This little card uses some patterned paper scraps from My Minds Eye's "Lime Twist" 6x6 pad. I love stamping an image on patterned paper and cutting it out :)

I'm also entering this cutie in "My Craft Spot's" funny challenge. What's more funny than a crabby crab?? ;)

Have a good night!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Many of you know that I'm a first grade teacher. This week, we're celebrating  BIG birthday - Dr. Seuss! So when I saw the Scraptastic Club challenge to use a children's book title on your project, I knew I would honor this fun author  my student's love so much! I chose..

I love this book. And love this quote.

The reading teacher in me :)

Anyway! On to the card :) I used the color challenge at Fantabulous Cricut - purple (wish I had a brighter purple on hand), blue, and green.

It's hard for me to match color combination challenges, so I used all cardstock and added interest by embossing. I ran the purple layer through  my "Traffic Jam" folder (get it lol! that's first grade humor for ya ;) I ran my blue layer through my "Seeing Spots" folder.. a favorite!

I printed my sentiment on the computer and popped up my image. It was cut with my Boys Will Be Boys cricut cart :) I'm enjoying using my cricut more!

Thanks for stopping by!

*Shabby Chic* Blog Hop! :)

Good Monday morning!! 

Welcome to the Shabby Accents blog hop! :)

If you arrived here from CallyAnn's blog hop you are in the right spot! Welcome! However, if you are just stopping by my blog, you'll want to start at my friend Theresa's blog so you can enjoy the hop from the beginning. You won't want to miss an opportunity to win prizes from our sponsors:

Sa Crafters-$20.00 Gift Certificate

The Funkie Junkie-$15.00 Gift Certificate


I created a "shabby chic" wedding layout for the hop, inspired by the last sketch at Colorful Creations.

I used the Lost and Found II collection by My Minds Eye:

I used my doily lace punch to give it that "shabby accent" effect. I used it both as a traditional border in black, as well as a faux paper lace in white around my photo.

Before you move on to the next blog on the hop, I'd like to offer some blog candy to a follower who leaves a comment :)

Authentique's Journey collection is one of my favs!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today; I hope you'll be back again! :) Your next stop on the hop is.. LINDA!

In case you get lost, here's the line up:

Theresa Neubaum - http://www.scrappyartcrafters.blogspot.com

CallyAnn Cornwell- http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com

Suzanne- http://scrapwithsuzy.blogspot.com

Linda Coughlin - http://thefunkiejunkie.blogspot.com

Ashley- http://proudusmcwife415.blogspot.com

Amber Johnson - http://pixiperfectcreations.blogspot.com

Michele Eickholt ~ http://chelescrafts.blogspot.com/

Melissa Pinter- http://pinkpolkadotscrapping.blogspot.com

Janet Nagai http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

Barbara Babe-http://barbarab3.blogspot.com

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

Kristen http://huneebcreations.blogspot.com/

Erica Smole http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com

Monica - http://scraps2treasure.blogspot.com

Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/

Liz Mullen - http://scrapiliciouslife.blogspot.com

Have a great week! :)

Precocious Paper Features

Thank goodness it's the weekend! Yesterday I was featured on the Precocious Paper blog :) I'm so excited to showcase the "For Like Ever" add ons!

I altered a wooden monogram with papers from new My Minds Eye "Miss Caroline" collection and the "For Like Ever" felt roses:

It looks so cute hanging in my scraproom :)

Maybe I should start making a few more "decor" items.. 

Second, are the butterfly doilies. I just LOVE these unique embellishments. I decided to use them on a pair of "just because" cards:

This card uses some leftover patterned papers from Simple Stories' "100 Days of Summer".

The second features leftovers from my Fancy Pants' "Love Birds" line.

Both sentiments (aren't the adorable??) are from the Paper Smooches set "Giddy Bugs"

And the last project I wanted to share was a layout is another layout for my Colorado album, for my sister-in-law's wedding:

I paired my favorite DCWV "Lemon Flower" stack with the For Like Ever "Sweet Spots" :)

You can find all these fabulous embellishments in the PRECOCIOUS PAPER etsy shop and see more inspiration on TESSA's blog :)

Have a great weekend!!

Quick Quotes Release: Tin Type!

Good Morning! I'm so excited to introduce you to one of the newest Quick Quotes releases: Tin Type! Check out this collection kit:

I have 2 projects to share with you today, using this vintage line :)  First, a layout from our November 2010 anniversary trip to California.  It took my husband a few minutes to realize the "Full House" reference, do you?

Wake Up, San Francisco!

These photos were taken from our hotel window.. sunset, overnight, and sunrise. Just beautiful! I used the title of the morning show on "Full House" as my title ;)

I altered the foam alphas I had on hand with the fabulous Powder Puff ink, in Baja Blue. The chalk inks make it easy to create custom titles to coordinate with the papers.  I also inked the edges of the Tin Type paper. I accented the sun rays with yellow glitter.

I added a journaling block from this cardstock sheet as a photo corner.

"Wake Up San Francisco" Quick Quotes supplies:

Tin Type: 12x12 Collection Kit

Tin Type 400: Sun Rays Patterned Paper

Tin Type 500: Cardstock Elements

Powder Puff Chalk Inks: Baja Blue

Powder Puff Chalk Inks: Mango Mai Tai

Other supplies:

American Crafts White Rootbeer Float Thickers

Ranger Yellow Stickles

Orange Bazzill Cardstock

********************

My husband and his father have been cleaning/renovating his grandmother's home - and they found letters (TONS of them.. probably ALL of them) that his father had sent his mother when he was serving in the army. How cool is that? She kept them in a manilla folder, each in their original envelopes.

When I received this vellum overlay from the Tin Type collection, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into this project:

I bought a wooden box at my local craft store and painted it brown. I adhered the vellum overlay to the lid and embellished with this paper from the Tin Type collection. I added a few gold pearls for added dimension.

I inked the edges of the patterned papers in Amaretto Powder Puff chalk ink. The underside of the lid was embellished with the "Life is Full of Surprises" colored vellum quote. I thought it was so appropriate because it says "life is full of surprises; open them slowly". Perfect for this project, no?

I thought it was a special place for our family to keep some of the letters and pictures his grandma had so carefully saved.

"Treasure Chest of Memories" Quick Quotes Supplies:

Tin Type: 12x12 Collection Kit

Tin Type 200: Blue Aged Patterned Paper

Tin Type: Treasure Chest Vellum Overlay

Tin Type: Life is Full of Surprises Color Vellum Quote

Amaretto Powder Puff Chalk Ink

Other supplies:

Brown acrylic paint

Gold pearls

Thank you so much for stopping by today to check out my projects with the new Tin Type collection!! Please stop by the Quick Quotes blog to see what the rest of the design team has been creating with this line. GORGEOUS projects you won't want to miss ;)

A Precocious Paper Sneak Peek :)

Good evening! I'm SO happy to have tomorrow off school for Presidents Day. This weekend has been fun, relaxing AND even productive.. I don't want it to end just yet. I was able to complete quite a few projects for design team work - one of which I received permission to post tonight.

Are you ready for a Precocious Paper sneak peek?? You will LOVE these new embellishments from Tessa! They are called Ruffle Blossoms and they rock!

(photo from Precocious Paper blog)

They are made of fabric and I love how they are spun and sewn with frayed edges :) Tessa has left the centers open for your personal touch - so they may coordinate with any project! Here's what I did with my pink one:

I used it on a super girly layout of our niece, Alexandra, and my sister in law Kelly - from her wedding in Colorado last summer.

I just love their smiles in this photograph and really wanted to showcase it :)


I used the Authentique layout sketch for my design. I substituted the faux paper lace heart for the square mat.

The patterned papers and diecuts are from the "Uncommon" collection, which may be my favorite of their previous releases.

I'm also sharing this layout with My Craft Spot (girly) and Burlap and Buttercups (my style). My style is pretty clean and simple, with patterned papers and a cluster of embellies. I love big titles, too!

Thanks for stopping by tonight; stay tuned for lots of  projects this week! 

Love Story :)

*scroll down for the new Cricut Cardz challenge*


It's the 15th of February which means a NEW challenge at The Paper Variety :) Since this year, February has 29 days.. we thought this would make an appropriate photo inspiration :)

Have you seen the movie? It's so cute! Photo inspirations are one of my favorite challenges because there is so much to choose from! Each of the designers put their own spin on it, too. So fun to see the different takes. We can't wait to see yours!

I decided to run with the "movie" theme. Last weekend my husband went kicking and screaming willingly to see "The Vow" with me. I saved the ticket stubs and made a layout featuring a candid pic of us. I used the sketch at Boys Rule for my layout:

I kept it "clean and simple" like the design of the movie poster in the photo inspiration. I used Bo Bunny's "Crazy Love" collection:

I fussy cut the patterned paper shape (the ones that come 4 on a page on the back of the journaling blocks) to create my photo mat:

I just love the red trim I found in my stash :) Isn't the "dinner and movie" ticket (also fussy cut from patterned paper) perfect?

I hope I've inspired you to join in the fun at The Paper Variety! :)

I'm also sharing my layout at:

Bo Bunny - journaling, stitching

Scraptastic Club - fussycut

Boys Rule - sketch
Frosted Designs - "love" theme

Have a great week!! :)