Joanne's Blog Candy for Lime Light

This is a nice sampling of blog candy available from Joanne over at Tropic Luv for a very good cause.  She is a design team member for Lime Light.  They make cards for charitable organizations. 


Give her and them a visit and sign up for some fun blog candy, competition and a very good cause!

Purr-fect Palm tree

Two cards today.  The first day since being back, that I've actually had an idea for a card.  I've visited some of my favorite people's blogs, but I'm not fully back in the blogosphere yet.  I haven't visited the Cricut Circle in six months despite that I renewed my charter membership (or my husband did for me).

These are really basic as I delve back into my crafts and try to get them sorted and unpacked.... and put away the wedding stuff.

Purr-fect

 I was singing a Jason Mraz song when this card came to mind.  "What a beautiful mess."  Aren't we all perfect in our beautiful messes of life?  I think so.

Palm Tree

This card has a movement coil so the hand waves when it is pulled out of the envelope.

Foreign Roads of Micronesia

Hi all,

I have finished my last wedding as a wedding coordinator.  Bittersweet.  Having done Event Coordination for over 20 years now.  I'm ready.  More importantly......... my husband is ready.  He's the one who is glad I'm no longer missing in action on weekends while I "create" corporate retreats, weddings, anniversaries, changes of command, retirement ceremonies, etc....

 All the initials were done using Lyrical Letters or Storybook.  I used the deep cut blade on thick cardboard then covered it with moss.  The L&M at the front of the chapel were cut in paper on Cricut, then I cut them out  on styrofoam.

 The couple this past weekend wanted a several day wedding event.  AND they loved their initials.  We did initials everywhere.  The table cloths were made of burlap and table runners that were pieced together like quilt tops (thanks to my mother in law for sewing so MUCH).  We did Dahlias for flowers which were awful.  They wilted so fast. They were gorgeous and some of them were bigger than my head, but they didn't weather well.

 I forgot to take pictures of the cake which also had their initals on top of them.

Lastly, while in Italy, we bought a GPS unit to help us navigate the roads of Europe.  It came with the maps of Italy, France and some of Germany already programmed on it.  Rather than buy a new one right after we landed back in the U.S.  We reprogrammed it to use the U.S. maps and language.  This weekend while in Austin, TX for the wedding, we used it to get around for all the events of this weekend wedding party.  Texas has lots of FM roads (short for Farm to Market).  However, our foreign GPS interpreted the road FM to mean Foreign roads of Micronesia.  I died laughing...........  sometimes you do wonder what world you are in.

What I've Been Doing

Hi Friends,

I've been busy....  I have two weddings within 3 weeks of each other and I've been swamped unpacking and doing weddings.  Here are some pictures from the work I've done on the first one.  I did all the flowers, the boxes for the candy bar (Tags, Bags, Boxes & More) and the wedding coordination and direction.

 

You can see the black boxes we used here on the brides table.

 

One down, one to go.  Then I'm back to my cricut full-time.  That will be an enjoyable rest.

Denton, Texas

We found a place to live.  We can't move in until May 15th, so we are in a hotel room with our dog while we wait for the place to be ready.

I am so anxious to have my crafts back.  I have two weddings to do this summer and it has been hard to work on them without my craft stuff to use.   Back to using my Wedding Coordinator certification and experience.  Word of mouth is still the best way to get work in this business.  I'm doing a GRAND event in July in Austin, TX.  And one in June in Kerrville, Tx. 

Our things should arrive from Italy in 3 more weeks.

I am already missing Italian Siesta.  Oh to take life as slow as the Italians took it. :0)

OUR STUFF ARRIVED from Italy on Monday.  Very little breakage considering.  I found my cricut on Tuesday.  Once I get the boxes  unpacked, I'll be in business.  It's like Christmas at my house right now.... only not as festive. :0)  See ya soon.

Back in the USA!!!`

We have finally arrived back in the USA and are busy settling our affairs, looking for a home and starting new jobs. 

Only six more weeks until my Cricut and all my craft stuff arrives from Italy.  Call me stir crazy for crafts.  I don't even want to look at ideas because I'm afraid I'll get one and have nowhere to craft it. 

Joann thanks for the encouragement.  Hope your Dad is doing better.  Christine, miss Practical Scrappers very much! 

Hope you all have a very crafty day!

I CAN'T STAND IT!

They come to take away all our things this week.  It will be six-eight weeks before we see them again.  What am I going to do, just these past few weeks of organizing and carefully packing my cricut items and belongings has been tough!  I've made a few thank you cards here and there for the people who have been so wonderful to us in Italy.  We are grateful for our time here but I am really looking forward to home.

Anyway, while at the market today they were playing John Lennon's Lemon Tree and I just couldn't help this card coming to mind.  I broke out my little cricut, some buttons, stamps and ribbons and put it together.
Thanks for looking. --- Pen

Time for a little pick up

I feel like I have been gone forever~ Traveling, looking for a house, traveling, being ill.  But, I'm back in Italy now and have started the moving process.  When I need a little break from all that...... I have to pick myself up a little by creating with the cricut.  This is what I did today, not much, but boy it sure felt good to be back in the paper and glue.

 

So, I made a lot of trucks and wagons from the "Just Because Cards" cartridge that my friend, Crystal gave me.  I thought I would just get a lot of cards ready for me to have on hand while I travel because it will be six weeks before I get back my cricuts once they pack them up to move. 

Hope you are all happy and healthy!

NOTHING New

I've been hopping by some of your blogs and enjoying your creations.  I'm in the U.S. for another week, then we go home to Italy to prepare our move back to the U.S.  We will call home, HOME, again.  

We've been searching for places in Dallas and it has been a little overwhelming.  I wish I was going to be here another week so I could go to the Cricut Stampede!  I hope there will be more in Texas when I get back to the States! 

Happy Days!

Buon Natale e' Buon Anno Nuovo

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I've spent a significant amount of the last month in and out of the hospital for pneumonia and bronchitis infections.  It's been a rough month for getting crafts done so I'm thankful for the times I was able to work ahead and for the fact that blogger lets you post ahead of time.  My DH has been my superhero, taking care of me and helping me get things posted. 

We get to move back to the U.S. in 2011 so there is much to do to get ready for an international move.  I will be sifting through all my craft stuff to get it ready for shipping and I'm looking forward to the projects I will do with the stuff I "find" while cleaning.

Last year's craft resolution was to try 12 different folds to use on cards.  I did that.  Yay~  I can't decide what to "resolute" this year.  So that's my goal for the next two weeks (along with getting well).... figure out my Crafting New Year's resolution.

What's yours?

Deck The Halls Crawl WINNER-Fantabulous Cricut

CONGRATULATIONS 

Lisa's Creative Niche said...

I love finding new ways to use my scraps up, thank you so much! Lisa

I sent Lisa an email and she has until New Year's Day to get back to me or I will draw again. 

I hope you all  have a VERY Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.  Be sure to check the Fantabulous Cricut Site for all the winners, there were LOTS!  THANK YOU for spending the year with me.  I look forward to visiting your sites and spending the new year with you!

Deck the Halls Crawl by Fantabulous Cricut

Our Merry Christmas to you!  Crawl along with us as we deck the halls at each of our sites.  Then show us what you have decked the halls with, there are lots of prizes to be won along the way and at Fantabulous Cricut.

I can't believe that I get to follow Michelle!  She's so talented! 

My project is a simple chain.  Every year in August and September I start saving up my scraps in a big tub.  At the end of November, I start cutting them to make a chain,  Going through them is a trip down memory lane of the wonderful projects I made during the year.

 Little pieces of projects I never got finished like the Once Upon a Princess elf.  I was going to do a candy land, but all I got done was her and the candy pole.  One lonely poinsettia that was left over after another project.  Snowflakes.

The chain made it all the way around the room and then some.  It brings me such joy to remember and the little kids just love it. Tip: We make one chain of 1-25 and they tear one off every day till it is time for Santa to arrive.  On the inside of each chain link is written the treat they will get, a cookie, a candy cane, a small toy I have hidden away. Nothing about the chain is perfect.  The links are not the same sizes, the colors aren't always Christmas, but all together it is so festive and means so much more!

Now onto the next stop in your journey:  Our Fantabulous Cricut Leader, Robin.

I am giving away a $20 gift certificate to Custom Crops.  Leave a comment.  You don't have to become a follower, but it would be nice to have you.  Just leave a comment to be enrolled in the drawing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

1. Andrea: http://divinedomestic.blogspot.com/

2. Angela: http://simplecreationspapercrafts.blogspot.com/

3. Angji: http://sweetpineapplescrapping.blogspot.com/

4. Brenda: http://brendasscrappyblog.blogspot.com/

5. Candace: http://www.scrapadoodledee.blogspot.com/

6. Cathy: http://sniptuck.blogspot.com/

7. Elsa: http://cricutlvr.blogspot.com/

8. Erin: http://spantastikreations.blogspot.com/

9. Helen: http://craftingcricutmom.blogspot.com/

10. Jamie: http://cutecardsandcraftsbyjamie.blogspot.com/

11. Jean: http://jeanscraftycorner.blogspot.com/

12. Jennifer: http://ascrappinaggie.blogspot.com/

13. Jill: http://thescrapoholic.blogspot.com/
14. Jordan: http://cutecuteworld.blogspot.com/

15. Joyce: http://1ashjoy.blogspot.com/

16. Kate: http://smallbitsofpaper.blogspot.com/

17. Leigh: http://www.myscrappyjourney.com/

18. Leinad: http://scrapsticklepop.blogspot.com/

19. Lori: http://livingorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/

20. Melin: http://cookingwithcricut.blogspot.com/

21. Michelle: http://scrappinwithmybug-scrappinwithmybug.blogspot.com/

22. Penny: http://lightwhimsy.blogspot.com/

23. Robin: http://robinscreativecottage.blogspot.com/

24. Saundra: http://luvscrappingtogether.blogspot.com/

25. Sharon: http://ladybug820.blogspot.com/

26. Sherri: http://sherrisllc.blogspot.com/

27. Valerie: http://craftygolucky.blogspot.com/

Similar, but different........

Practical scrappers had a challenge to use digital stamps from Stitchy Bear and they are giving away some great prizes!!!  I used the ornament digital stamp and clear dollar stamp to create this card.

It is similar to the one that I created from the cricut machine, except of course, it is digital. Stickles, Ribbon, Martha Stewart branch punch.
And I did this Snowman, also from Stitchy Bear digital Stamps:

I cut the image out close to the edge and mounted it on the poinsettia decorated gift wrap paper I had.  Added the Cheers sign, Martha Stewart Branch punch, snowflake, ribbon, buttons and the Christmas tree.  For this digital stamp there is a bunny at the bottom of the snowman, but I couldn't seem to color him right...... at least, I didn't like what I did, so I made the cheers sign, cut his arms with an exacto knife and slipped the sign under this hands and broom.  This added some nice depth to the project.