CCC # 100

This week, we start the new challenges for 2012 for Cardz TV. This week is to make a card using any cartridge or colors with the theme summer.

Both of these cards were made using the Smiley Cards cartridge. The card bases are each 3 1/2 square. The sun was cut at around 2 1/2 inches and the cone was cut at 3 inches.

On the second card I used the Welcome Baby cuttlebug folder and a Give a Hoot embossing folder.

The stamps are from Sweet Anna Bee Designs.

Hope you join us for the challenge.

Snowflake box made with Silhouette Cameo

Here is a box I cut out using my new Silhouette. I downloaded the file from the Silhouette website for only 75 cents. I cut the base to fit a 12 x 12 page and then the top was small enough to fit on a smaller standard size paper. It was easy to put together and I am rather impressed with the results.

The best part is that the box is pretty big. 5 1/2 inches wide (from side to side, not point to point) and 3 inches tall. I think I am going to put some clear acetate inside to seal off the box before I use it.

Now just what treat should I put inside.

Cricut not so much my way

When I first got my cricut, it was so long ago that there was only one choice.  I researched and I loved it from the moment I got it.  And I still do today.  


Six months later, I picked up  a Silhouette.  I returned it because I hated it.  I became that day a very loyal Cricut user.  
However, today I used the new Silhouette Cameo.   Can I say I love this machine.  I bought it for the print and cut versatility.    I will say that my expectations were high and it indeed meets everything I wanted it to do.  I just have not been sold on the imagine and this ended up being a better fit for me.


Above is the first thing I tried after a brief learning curve.  Basically 20 minutes after it came out of the box.  I was able to make the image above.  I used the shield that came with the cameo and a font on my computer.


Next, I tried opening a jpeg and seeing if I could do the same thing.   Here next thing I printed and cut.


It did it perfectly.   I love this machine.  Any thing that can be made in Photoshop can be cut.     I made these Hot cocoa sundaes a few weeks ago.  The idea came from the family fun magazine.  I ended up cutting this tag square, because I didn’t want to hand cut it all out.   Now I can do it any way I want.


Lastly,  I wanted to be able to cut a shadow (not on the printed line, as I did above).  Can I say “Cameo, where have you been my whole life?”

     











Cameo, you have earned your spot next to my cricut.  Welcome home. 

CCC #97

Are you ready for Cricut Cardz Challenge #97? This week "A Caroling We'll Go!" Make a card for Christmas based on your favorite Christmas song, using any cartridge(s) and using any colors you'd like.

My card is Noel card for the "First Noel" I have so many favorite songs this season, and this is one of them.

Hope you join us for this challenge at Cardz TV.

Advent Calendar 2011 gold and silver boxes

I do an advent each year. Most years it is done nightly by candlelight.  Scripture, 4-5 songs and a Christmas story.  This year I thought I would mix it up  a bit by having a theme.   I thought I would share our plan for this year. This was adapted from an advent I found on Sugardoodle.  We will also still read some stories too, as this is a favorite part of our tradition.  

Here is the link to what we did last year here.


Each of these below is put in a handmade box and place on our tree.


O = Ornament
S = Scripture
T = Theme for that day
A = Activity

DAY 1:
O: Christmas Tree
S: John 3:16; Moroni 7:22-23
T: Represents eternal life, evergreen needles point heavenward
A: Sing "O Christmas Tree", "I'll be Home for Christmas"

DAY 2:
O: Mary 
S: Luke 1:26-38
T: Gabriel visits Mary
A: Sing "Silent Night", "Mary's Lullaby", "Picture Christmas"


DAY 3:
O: Joseph
S: Matt. 1:18-23
T: Joseph's dream
A: Sing "Picture Chrstmas",  "When Joseph Went to Bethlemhem"

DAY 4:
O: Instead of an ornament, they find the chocolate gold coins
S: Luke 2:1-5; Micah 5:2
T: Caesar's tax/Bethlehem
A: Sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Once Within the Royal City"

DAY 5:
O: Baby Jesus
S: Luke 2:6-7; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7
T: Birth of Jesus
A: Sing "Away in a Manger", "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel"

DAY 6:
O: Instead of an ornament, they find a cocoa packet
S: Luke 2:6-7 (again!); Matt. 25:31-40
T: "no room in the inn" vs. "I was thirsty--and ye gave me drink"
A: Drink cocoa and let kids choose a family to serve on "red bow day" below....
Sing "12 Days of Christmas", "Drummer Boy"


DAY 7:
O: Angel
S: Luke 2:8-14
T: "Good tidings of great joy"
A: Sing the Angel songs--"The First Noel," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Far, Far Away," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing..."

DAY 8:
O: Shepherd
S: Luke 2:15-20
T: "Let us now go to Bethlehem"
A: Sing "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Far, Far away on Judea's Plains", "The Shephard's Carol"

DAY 9:
O: Bells
S: Psalms 66:1-2
T: "Make a joyful noise"
A: Sing "Joy to the World", "I Heard the Bells", "Silver Bels"

DAY 10:
O: Candle
S: Luke 2:25-38; John 8:12
T: Simeon and Anna ("a light to lighten")
A: Sing Christmas carols by candlelight tonight everyone pick one song each

DAY 11:
O: Wisemen
S: Matt. 2:1-12
T: Seeking Jesus
A: Sing "We 3 Kings"

DAY 12:
O: Star
S: Helaman 14:1-6
T: "A new star arise"--a Heavenly promise to ALL of God's children
A: Drive around to look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood
Sing "Stars are gleaming", "Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus", " O Holy Night"

DAY 13:
O: Oxen
S: Abraham 4:24-25; Isaiah 1:3
T: Savior as Creator "Ox knows his master"--do we?
A: Bundle up good and go on a walk together to appreciate His other creations!
Sing "The Nativity Song"

DAY 14:
O: Donkey (that carried Mary)
S: Matt. 21:1-9
T: Triumphal Entry
A: Sing "He Sent His Son",  "The Nativity Song"

DAY 15:
O: Candy Canes
S: Ezek. 34:11-16, 31
T: Jesus will seek out His flock
A: Give away a Book of Mormon/Church video to a nonmember family today!
Sing favorite Christmas songs

DAY 16:
O: Red bows
S: Isaiah 61:1-3
T: "BIND UP the brokenhearted"/ tied in bonds of brotherhood....
A: Put red bows on tree, and n top of a treat that you deliver to someone who needs to be loved
Sing "We Wish you  a Merry Christmas", "Deck the Halls"

DAY 17:
O: (Today they just find the scroll in the box), but it's EGGNOG day!
S: D&C 38: 17-20
T: God's blessings to His people--"land flowing with MILK and honey"
A: Drink eggnog and take turns expressing a blessing you're grateful for

O: Candy Canes
S: Ezek. 34:11-16, 31
T: Jesus will seek out His flock
A: Give away a Book of Mormon/Church video to a nonmember family today!

DAY 18:
O: Stocking
S: Luke 10: 38-42
T: Do we "sit at His FEET" or are we busy with parties?
A: Discuss how we can think of Jesus and serve Him
Sing " I stand all Amazed"

DAY 19:
O: Gingerbread men
S: John 6:28-35
T: "Bread of Life"
A: Make Gingerbread men/house
Sing " A Holly Jolly Christmas", "Frosty the Snowman"
DAY 20:
O: Holly/Mistletoe
S: Mosiah 3: 5-11
T: Red berries/ green thorns-- "blood cometh from every pore"/crown of thorns
A: Hang mistletoe above the door
Sing favorite songs about Jesus

DAY 21:
O: Snowman/ icicles
S: Isaiah 1:18; Revelations 3:5
T: Forgiveness ("white as snow")
A: Sing "Let it Snow!" or make snowman/snow angels, cut out snowflakes....

DAY 22:
O: Poinsettia
S: D&C 49:22-28; D&C 133:46-51
T: Second Coming ("blossom as the rose," "red apparel")
A: Make or buy a poinsettia and display in a prominent place

DAY 23:
O: Pannetone (or fruit cake)--pannetone or favorite Christmas treat
S: D&C 135:3
T: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSEPH SMITH!!
A: Sing happy birthday to him and eat his birthday (fruit) cake

DAY 24:
O: Gifts
S: James 1:17-27
T: "Every good gift from above"
A: Think of a meaningful gift to give to Jesus this year

Read Luke 2 Nativity Story

CCC # 96 Christmas card that starts with an "S"

Welcome to the challenge on Cardz TV for CCC # 96.   This time we were make a Christmas card with something that starts with the letter "S". 

I chose to do snowflakes.

I welded these snowflakes from the Cricut Cake Basics cartridge that I just go this last week.  It is one of my favorite snowflakes right now.

I also used some paper from from the My Mind's Eye paper stack "Merry Little Christmas"

It is really cute paper.  I think I like all of them.

The solid red is core'dinations paper

White and silver embossing powder  (wish I had solid white, but this will do)

Stamp is from Sweet Anna Bee Designs,  "Joy to the World" collection

Stickles

Test

Cricut cookies

So here are the pictures of the cookies I cut with the cricut cake. Leaf was from create a critter (cut 4 1/2), snowflake and butterfly are both from Cake Basics (cut 3 3/4).

I was very pleased with the cutting, but the glaze was better on the leaves. I need a thinker one next time for  the decorative glaze.  Here is the recipe I used and here is the recipe I want to use next time.   This one has the same ingredients, just more powder sugar. 

A new toy

When these first came out, I thought they were cool.  I had seen what people had made with the regular expression before the cake ever existed.  However,  I just did not want to spend the money on something that I would only use occasionally.  However,  when I saw this listed for $49.99 online with free shipping (that ended up even being express shipping),  I just could not pass it up.  It came with a cartridge too.  Now a days I try not to spend more then $25 on a cartridge, but I remember the day when I thought $40 was a good deal.  So to get a cartridge and a machine for $50 is pretty hard to pass on. 

However,  I have not made fondant before and I live a ways from any craft store, so I did what I could easily do today.   Sugar cookies of course.

I used the recipe on cricut.com site for cookie dough.  I had heard you have to freeze the sheets of dough first and after you cut, so I did, in addition to using parchment paper to cut on.  I found a pressure set at 2 was perfect.

The cookies turned out cute, but my frosting glaze could use a bunch of help.  I am going to try a new recipe next time.   I was hoping to use royal frosting, but I am not one who likes to use raw egg for anything.

Maybe I will take some pictures of the finished product tomorrow, before they are all eaten.  Or maybe I will have to just make more. 

Overall after a few youtube videos, it really was easy to use.  So glad I got to give it a try.  I hope to make many more fun edible treats soon.

Halloween treat bags

Last Christmas I requested these stamp faces from Peachy Keen, after seeing so many cute Halloween projects. Now 10 months later I am delighted to have an excuse to use them. I heard my daughter's 3rd grade teacher was going to have a celebration (too old for a Halloween Party), but I could send a treat to school. So my daughter and I together made 33 treat bags (yes that is a big class of 8 and 9 year olds). We both had fun. I got to do the stamps and she embossed and did much of the gluing.