BBTB2 Baby carriage

Happy Monday, Everyone!  It's the last Monday of the month of January and I can't believe it.  How did we already run through the first month of the New Year?  Unbelievable!  Well, anyway, since it's the last Monday of the month that means it's Blog Hop time at Bitten By the Bug 2.  You should have arrived here from my ever sweet friend Shelly's blog.  Wasn't her card just darling?  Well, I totally have to admit my mistake.  I missed the part of the challenge Carol set for us this week that said to use the New Arrival cartridge.  But not to worry, as with all our challenges at BBTB2, if you don't have the New Arrival cartridge you can use a baby carriage from another Circut cartridge.  I used an oldie but goodie, Stretch Your Imagination.  I love going back to an old cartridge to create.  It just so happens that I needed to make a baby card.  Our financial planner and his wife are expecting their first child within the next two weeks.  It's very unusual in this day and age to find a couple that doesn't want to know the sex of their child, but this couple opted to be surprised.  So I couldn't make a pink or blue card and decided to go with a neutral yellow.  I wanted to make a shaped card this week and I used my Gypsy to do it.  I welded two shadow cuts together, flipping the second cut.  I cut the base card from white cardstock then added my yellow polka dot patterned paper from Authentique.  I did add a touch of pink with the heart and I hope that doesn't make it look too girly.  A small piece of lace, a white bow and a little doodling finish the card off.  My sentiment is from a brand new stamp set from Cardz TV Stamps called Sweet Things.  The next stop on the hop is the ever so talented, Susan here.  Just wait until you see her adorable creation.  Have a super fun time with the rest of the hop.

Cardz TV Stamps It's A Guy Thing

Nothing is more challenging to me than making a guy card.  That's just what Mary gave the Cardz TV Stamps Design Team to create this week.  I used the It's A Guy Thing stamp set for the sentiment on my card.  Of course, nothing went better with the You're TEE-rific! sentiment than a golf ball and golf tee.  I cut them from the Cricut Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge.  My background paper is from Authentique.  It's a standard A2 (4.25x5.5") card from black cardstock.  I topped it with a white mat (4x5.25") then the polka dot mat (3.75x5").  I added a strip of white (1.25x3.75") strip with the sentiment stamped on it with Memento Ink.  I tied black and white twine around this strip before attaching it.  Then I added the tee and golf ball above it.  That's it clean and simple, quick and easy.  Mary will be giving a stamp set away this week to one lucky participant so get those guy cards made.

The Cutting Cafe Animal and Bug Mini Colored Circle Set

I got to use one of my all time favorite Cutting Cafe files this week.  Regina asked the Design Team to highlight the Animal and Bug Mini Colored Circle Set.  I just love this set.  The images are so darn cute and versatile.  This set features 47 images.  Yes, you read it correctly, 47.  The word circles include both 1.5" and 2" images.  There are some fabulous backgrounds and solid color circles that punch out at 3".  I'm still working on Valentine projects.  I decided that all my projects this year would be brown, red, pink and kraft in color.  There are some fabulous design papers out this year in these colors.  My heart paper that I used today is by Doodlebug.  I made a treat bag using the 3x6" heart cutout bag, another Cutting Cafe file.  This particular treat bag is going to my puppy friend, Freddie.  He's the most adorable dog that belongs to our friends.  I added a punched scalloped border at the top of the bag and punched two holes in it to thread my ribbon through.  Of course, I filled it with some doggy bones for my puppy pal.

I printed my circle sentiment onto kraft cardstock, I used the 1.5" circle, then mounted it onto a scalloped circle I cut from my Mini Monograms cartridge.  I added some doodling with my white gel pen, which wasn't working very well and kept clogging up.  I've never had problems with it before so don't know what was going on there.  Another quick and easy project made thanks to Cutting Cafe files.

BBTB2 Bloom Dimensional Flower

I am hosting this week's challenge at BBTB2.  I asked the Design Team to create a dimensional flower using the six petal flower on the Cricut Lite Bloom cartridge.  This card shows how a dimensional flower can dress up the simplest design.  I simply took a preprinted element from Jillibean and added my flower.  I used six layers for my flower cutting them at 1/4" increments starting at .5".  My flower is made from red polka dot paper from Doodlebug.  I distressed the edges of each layer before attaching them and curled each petal up a little.  I hope you can  join our flower challenge this week.  Please make sure your project is something new that you've made just for this challenge. 

Everyday Cricut Guest Design Day 4

I'm feeling a little sad today since I'm showing my last project for my Guest Design Spot at Everyday Cricut.  I'm so grateful to Joy and Melanie for allowing me the privilege to share my projects with their followers.  They are both so very talented and I've drawn so much inspiration over the years following them.  Now I hope that I've given some inspiration to them and their loyal fans.  Today's project was made using the Sweet Tooth Boxes cartridge.  It's the toolbox cut.  It doesn't look much like a toolbox when you make it out of girly paper and it looks a little more like a lunchbox to me.  I made this box for my granddaughter, Payton, to put on her desk at school to hold her Valentine cards at her classroom party.  It would also make a fantastic box for presenting Valentine sweets or treats.  I cut the box as big as it would fit on the Cricut mat which is 9.5".  My patterned paper is double sided Bo Bunny.  I have a bit of advice to make your box sturdy enough to hold a heavier treat.  I cut it out twice and then placed pieces of chipboard between the layers.  I think that made it strong enough to hold a bunch of yummy cookies or even a loaf of nut bread.  I also advise you to first cut it from inexpensive cardstock so you can see how it all goes together before cutting your good paper.  I often do this with my Cricut cuts when I'm not sure of sizes.  I'm a real visual kind of person and need to see it in person sometimes instead of on the manual pages. 

This front view shows the embellishments I added to the handle and how I decorated the front of the box.  I used the bee from Create A Critter (cut at 1.75") and the Bee Mine (cut at 1") sentiment from the Simply Charmed cartridge.  I cut the sentiment twice because it actually cuts be mine.  Cutting it twice allowed me to make my sentiment say Bee Mine.  I cut an extra "E" off the second cut and added it on.

I hope you've enjoyed my Guest Design projects this week because I sure enjoyed creating them.  It's always wonderful to share  my papercrafting passion.  Thanks so very much to Miss Melanie and Miss Joy for allowing me to be a part of their fantastic blog.  It has been an extreme pleasure.  Thanks to all of you who left sweet comments for me.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

Everyday Cricut Guest Design Day 3

Welcome Everyone!  Today is my third day as Guest Designer at Everyday Cricut and I'm following through on yesterday's theme of Animals and Animal sentiments.  Today I've made lollipop treat holders using the Create A Critter cartridge.  I started with 3x4 rectangles cut from pink cardstock.  Then I used my Sweethearts cartridge for the shaped mats (cut at 2.75") from white cardstock and the frames cut from red.  Again, I printed my sentiment right onto the white cardstock mats then added the red frames. I've had some questions about the printed sentiment so I'll tell you how I do it.  I use my word processing program on my printer and just type the saying and print it on regular copy paper.  I usually print the sentiment around the middle of the page so there's plenty of room for the next step.  I take the cut paper I'm using on my card, in this case the red framed mat, place it over the printed sentiment on the copy paper, tape it in place, then run it through my printer again.   I added pink brads on each side.  I cut my animals from Create A Critter at 1.75", assembled and added them to the framed mats.  I taped the suckers onto the pink cardstock and then I used Tacky Tape to attach the framed animals over the top.  That's it---sweet and simple. 

So glad you stopped by and thank you so much for the sweet comments you've been leaving me.  I enjoy reading each and everyone.  Tomorrow I wrap up my Gruest Designing gig with a fabulous three dimensional project.  I can't wait to show it to you.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #100

Wow-Cricut Cardz Challenge #100 at Cardz TV.  I can't believe it's been 100 challenges.  I've been on the DT from the start and it sure doesn't seem like I've made 100 cards.  Seems like yesterday when it all started.  Anyway, for our 100th challenge Mary asked the DT to move ahead a little and think June in January.  We could use any cartridge and any colors to make a summer themed card.  I used my Pack Your Bags cartridge to make this cruiseship card.  I used the card feature on the cartridge.  I love the postage stamp frame on this cut so I think that's why I picked this card.  After I finished it I thought I should have gone with something more summery (is that a word, probably not).  I guess cruising is not necessarily a summer thing.  In fact, there are probably more people cruising at this time of year trying to get away from the cold.  Oh well, it was done and there you have it.  I cut my base card from white cardstock and topped it with a black mat.  Then I cut the postage stamp/ship top layer from aqua cardstock.  I used my Gypsy so I could size the cruiseship pieces to fit exactly on the top.  I wanted to use all the layers for color.  I placed a scrap of yellow print paper behind the ship but I'm not sure what brand paper it is since it was a scrap.  I cut the sun from the Pack Your Bags cartridge, also.  I hope all the summer themed cards from the DT warm you up and make you think of sunny days to come.  I'm so lucky to be in Florida for the winter where the sky is almost always blue and the sun is shining.  It sure has made a difference in my mental health leaving the cold and snow of Michigan behind.  I know you'll want to join the challenge especially if you're living in a cold climate right now.  It will give you a chance to think WARM.

Everyday Cricut Guest Design Day 2

Hi Everyone! It's my second day as Guest Designer at Everyday Cricut.  I still can't believe I'm Guest Designing. I must be dreaming.  I want to thank all of the wonderful visitors I've had and I'm so appreciative of the sweet comments on yesterday's post.  Today I have some mini valentine cards that are perfect for kid's to use for their classmates and friends.  It's another long post so pull up a chair, grab your cuppa Joe and enjoy.  Depending on the ages of your children this could be a project that they help with.  My granddaughter Payton, who's five, loves helping me create with my Cricut.  She started creating with me in my craftroom when she was three.  Every time she would come to visit that was the first place she wanted to go.  Last year when my husband and I sold our home so we could live and travel full time in our RV do you know what she said to me when she saw my empty and packed craftroom?  "Nana, where are we going to make things now."  I still get teary eyed thinking about it because Payton is in Michigan and I'm in Florida.  It will be awhile before we can craft together again.  We won't head up into Michigan until spring.  So I can't craft with her, but I can craft for her.  I made a whole set of these little Valentine cards for her kindergarten classmates.  I can't wait to send them to her.  All the cards were made with the Create A Critter cartridge except for the bunny which came from the Winter Woodland cartridge and the elephant which came from Holiday Cakes.  Using a 12x12 piece of red cardstock I cut it in half and then cut each half every three inches.  This gave me eight cards from one piece of paper.  I scored them in the middle and when they're folded they are 3x3".  Then I cut scalloped squares from the Elegant Edges cartridge at 2.75".   I printed my sentiments with my computer right onto the scalloped squares.  I used silly little phrases that tied in with the animal I used.  Some of them are phrases that I found on the cartridge, some are phrases I made up, some are phrases I've seen before and some are phrases I got off Valentine cards at the store.  I went to Target one day and wrote down some of the phrases I saw in the boxed Valentine cards and the card section. 

If your child is old enough to help you assemble the animals after you cut them that would be really fun.  Payton's favorite part of creating with Nana is pushing the key for the animal and then the cut button on the Cricut machine.  She knows she needs to wait until the picture of the animal shows up in the window before she pushes cut.

Anyway, these are all very simple assembly.  Of course, I've added some of my signature doodling to them, but that isn't neccessary if you're in a hurry and need to make a lot of them.  I made all the animals just using scraps of paper.  We all have scraps laying around to use up, right?  I also made envelopes for the cards using my Don Juan cartridge.  I used regular copy paper for these.  I put my blade depth on 3 and pressure on medium.

Payton will be able to sign her name in the cards and then place the cards in an envelope and write her classmates names on the envelopes. 

If you would like to make similar Valentine cards for your children or their classmates here is a list I compiled of animals and sentiments to go along with them.  I'm sure you could probably think of others or you may have stamp sets with some good sentiments on them.

Bear-You're My Honey, You're Beary Sweet

Bee-Bee Mine

Bird-You're Tweet, Feathered Friend

Bunny-Some Bunny Loves (Likes) You, You Make Me Hoppy

Cat-You're Purrfect, Smitten Kitten

Cow-You're Moovelous

Deer-Deer Friend

Dinosaur-You're Dinomite

Dog-Puppy Love, You're Doggone Great

Elephant-Tons of Love, Tons of Valentine Wishes

Fish-You're Fintastic, You're a Great Catch

Fox-You're Foxy

Frog-Can I Be Your Prince

Horse-Howdy Partner

Lady Bug-Love Bug

Lion-You Make Me Roar

Monkey-I'm Bananas for You, Let's Hang out

Octopus-Ahoy Matey

Owl-Owl Always Like (Love) You

Panda-Lucky You're my Friend

Pig-Hogs and Kisses

Seal-You have my Seal of Approval

Sheep-Crazy About Ewe

Skunk-So Stinkin' Cute

Tiger-You make me Wild

Turtle-You're turtley Awesome

Whale-I Whaley Like You

Squirrel-I'm Nuts Over You

Thanks so much for coming by and I hope these cards are an inspiration for you to create some of your own.

The Cutting Cafe Heart Treat Box

This week at The Cutting Cafe the DT is featuring projects made using the Heart Treat Box, the Hershey Kiss Treat Box, Heart Pockets, Heart Tic Tac Box or the Heart Goodie Bag.  Plenty of projects to help you with your Valentine projects.  I know I've said it a bazillion times, but Regina's Cutting Cafe templates and cutting files make creating so easy.  I put this adorable treat box together in less than ten minutes, no kidding.  I cut the box base from brown cardstock, added the top polka paper layer (Pebbles, Inc.) and the trim piece at the bottom.  I embellished with a piece of ecru lace, ribbon, bow, crochet flower and heart button.  Then I printed the tag words from the Cutting Cafe's Valentine's Day Mini Words file and punched it out with a Marvy label punch.  Finally, the most important part, I filled the box with yummy Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses.  Okay, I admit I sampled a few kisses to make sure they were as good as the last time I had them.  You'll want to be sure to visit The Cutting Cafe Blog on Wednesday to check out the rest of the DTs projects.  Fabulous, I tell you!

Bitten By the Bug2 Number Challenge

Happy Monday!  It's been a long time since I've done two posts in one day.  If you didn't see my first post of the day I hope you'll scroll down to my post below to see my first project of the week as the Guest Designer over at Everyday Cricut.  For today's BBTB2 challenge our very talented and fearless co-leader, Donna, asked the DT to use numbers in their design.  That sure worked out perfect for me because I need a 50th Anniversary card for some friends.  I started by making a shaped card using Elegant Edges.  I just love this cartridge and use it sooooo much.  I used the oblong feature key (shift on) and the cut is in row number 5, key number 3.  I welded two shapes together with my Gypsy for the base card cut from white cardstock.  Then I used the up/down arrow key to make the same image a little smaller for a top mat.  I cut this in blush Stampin' Up cardstock then embossed it in my Cuttlebug with the Divine Swirls folder.  Over this mat I cut a scalloped oval frame in white.  This is also on the Elegant Edges cartridge row 5, key 5 with the Oblong feature key and shift pressed.  My 50th image is cut from the Hertage cartridge.  I added some Martha Stewart fine crystal glitter to this cut for a little sparkle.  That's it---a pretty quick and simple, but elegant card.  I hope you'll join in our BBTB2 challenge this week.  You can use any number from any cartridge, but remember it must be a knew project made especially for this challenge, please.

Everyday Cricut Guest Design Day 1

I'm so very excited to be the Guest Designer this week at Everyday Cricut.  It's like a dream come true as I've been a follower of the site for a very long time.  I'm so very thankful that Joy and Melanie have given me the opportunity to share my papercrafting passion with their followers.  I hope I'll have lots of new visitors to my blog and I'll give you all some inspiration and ideas to carry into your own designs.  Since Valentine's Day is less than a month away all of my projects this week will be Valentine themed.  For my first project of the week I'll be showing you a home decor project.  However, I'd also like to say that this would work as a scrapbook page by substituting a photo where I have my image cut from A Child's Year.  It would make a great layout for a wedding album, too.  Sit back, relax and grab your favorite beverage because this is a rather lengthy post.

I'll list all the supplies I used at the end of my post.  This project started with a chipboard frame that I found at my local scrapbook store.  I decided to flip it to the back since I wanted to use some dimensional elements and I could then place them inside the frame.  I started by tracing the shape of the frame onto a piece of 12x12 paper.for my background.  Starting in the left hand corner and working clockwise--I started with 12 mini spools that I wrapped with red jute and layed out in the shape of a heart. 

For my next element I wanted to make a banner to drape across the right corner of the frame to incorporate the word LOVE.  I found the banner with the sweet scalloped bottom on the Cricut Lite Sugar and Spice cartridge.  I cut the banner pieces at 2".  I wanted a dainty, feminine looking alphabet and thought that the letters on the Cricut Lite Lovely Floral cartridge would be perfect.  I also found the pretty scalloped oval to place behind the letters on the same cartridge.  The ovals were cut at 1.25" and the letters at 1". I attached the banners with red and white twine then tied the twine around a decorative mini clothespin at each end. 

In the right hand corner I placed a white doily and made a rosette to place on top of it.  I cut a 1.5" strip of patterned paper then used a scalloped border punch on one side before using my MS Scoreboard for pleating.  For the top layer I made a flower using the Cricut Lite Bloom cartridge.  This flower is in the fourth row, last key in the row, the flower with six petals.  My flower has eight layers cut at .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.25 and 2.5".  I distressed the edges of each petal before attaching them and added a pearl brad to the center.

The last cut element on my project is from A Child's Year.  This cut is in the first row, key number 3.  I simply cut it from red cardstock and then placed it in a frame I cut from the Elegant Edges cartridge (row 3, key 8 with oblong and shift keys pressed). 

At the bottom of the frame I added four rows of trim--a row of lace, two strips of patterned paper and red polka dot ribbon.

I thank you for your patience and for seeing this long post through to the end.  I hope you'll leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite element is on this project.  Tomorrow I have some Valentine cards to share with you that are perfect for kids, whether it be your own, your grandchildren or your children's classmates.  I hope you'll join me tomorrow to see them.

List of products and supplies:

Cricut Cartridges-Bloom, Lovely Floral, Sugar 'n Spice, A Child's Year

Chipboard Frame-Beyond the Page by TPC Studio

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Papers, Mini Clothespins-Pebbles

White Lace Doily-Martha Stewart

Mini Spools

Red Jute

Red and White Twine

Lace, Polka Dot Ribbon-Hobby Lobby

Exciting News and sneak peek

Just a quickie post today to say I'll be the Guest Designer this week on Everyday Cricut.  I've been a follower of this site almost from it's beginning.  Joy and Melanie have given me so much inspiration and now I hope I can give their followers some inspiration, too.  My first post tomorrow will be a home decor project, so I hope you'll be there.  Here's a sneak peek at tomorrow's project.

Cardz TV Stamps Encouraging Thoughts, Ribbon, Rhinestones, and Rick Rack

Well that's a long title for a post, isn't it?  Mary asked the Cardz TV Stamps DT to design using one of her stamp sets. I used the set called Encouraging Thoughts.  You can find it here. Then she asked us to use the "three Rs"---you guessed it, ribbon, rhinestones and rick rack.  With Valentine's Day coming up I decided to get started on my cards and here's what I came up with.

I started with a base of brown textured cardstock.  I added a mat of blue damask printed paper from My Mind's Eye Stella Rose Hattie collection.  Then I used my Plantin' Schoolbook cartridge to cut a white scallop border.  I separated these two papers with a brown polka dot ribbon. My scalloped heart is cut from the Sweetheart cartridge.  The mat is brown and the top is a scrap of leftover Christmas paper.  To finish the card off I added the required rick rack at the top and three brown rhinestones.  The sentiment is, of course, from the Encouraging Thoughts stamp set and I used brown chalk ink to stamp it.

You'll want to take part in the challenge to win a stamp set.  You'll be required to use the "3 Rs" on your card.  Please make sure it is a creation that you've made just for this challenge.  This challenge will run from Friday to Sunday and the winner will be announced on Monday.  Good luck and have fun!

The Cutting Cafe Long Sentiment Tag

This week at The Cutting Cafe the DT is highlighting the Long Sentiment Tags printable stamp set.  Boy, am I proud of myself for getting this card done.  I'm a notorious procrastinator when it comes to birthday cards for my four teenage grandsons.  I just hate making boy cards.  They absolutely drive me crazy.  Thank heavens Regina makes my life so much easier by making such fantastic printable stamp sets.  I knew when she assigned this set as soon as I saw this birthday tag I could use it for a guy card.  I bought the DUDE Cricut Cartridge hoping to find some images I could use for my grandson's cards.  The first birthday of the year is not until February and look, I already have the card finished.  Pat me on the back!  Since Tyler is a snowboarder this cut was perfect.  My base card is black cardstock with a white mat and a grey diagonal stripe mat from a paper stack by      .  I used the mini birthday tag.  This printable stamp set comes with two sizes of tags.  The larger tags are perfect for long, tall cards that fit in business size envelopes. The mini tags work well on more standard size cards.  There are a total of 8 different tags in the two sizes.  My photo corners are a Quik Kutz die.  I cut a gold star with my Cricut (don't remember which cartridge) to place on the tag in the "all of the above" square.  You'll want to be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's designs on The Cutting Cafe Blog on Wednesday's Design Team Inspiration.

Bitten By The Bug2 Walk In My Garden Caterpillar

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.  It's time for a new challenge at BBTB2.  This week Carole chose the challenge and she asked us to use an oldie but goodie cartridge, Walk In My Garden.  I love this cartridge because it's one with a card feature.  I love using the card features.  It's kind of an instant gratification thing.  Carole asked us to use the caterpillar cut.  I decided to use the window card with the caterpillar cut into it.  My flower patterned paper is from Studio G, the blue polka dot paper is from Colorbok and the yellow check is from  my scrap pile.   I used my Gypsy to design this card so I was able to hide the contours of the caterpillar's face.  That allowed me to use my Peachy Keen stamp for the happy face.  This card is going to my granddaughter so I'm sending her Big Bug Hugs.  I made the sentiment on my computer and printed it on a label and frame I made with the Elegant Edges cartridge.  I fussy cut a few flowers from the patterned paper to place around the sentiment and used some foam dots to pop them up.  I hope you can play along this week.  If you don't have the Walk In My Garden cartridge you can use a caterpillar from any other cartridge, but please make a new creation for the challenge.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

My Creative Time Sport Challenge

It's not often I get the chance to participate in a challenge but I had some time today.  My Creative Time is having a challenge for the chance to win Emma's upcoming stamp release.  She's asking for a sport themed card.  I made a shaped card using the football from 3 Birds Life's a Party cartridge and the 3 Bird's on Parade cartrige for the sentiment,  football player and cheerleader.  I also saw that Our Creative Corner is having a challenge for a shaped card.  I love making shaped cards and they're so easy to do using my Gypsy.  I made the base card by attaching two football shapes at the top and welding them together.  I cut the base from white cardstock.  Then I cut the top layer from brown textured cardstock.  The sentiment, football player bird and cheerleader bird are all cut at 1.25".   I wish I had known which two teams will be playing in the Super Bowl because I am going to make a few invitations for a little gathering of friends to watch the game.  I'll make them using two football player birds and make the uniforms in the team appropriate colors.  Won't they be adorable?

Cricut Cardz Challenge #99 Happy New Year

I'm celebrating the new year with some fun bright colors. It's the first Cricut Cardz Challenge of the year and Miss Mary asked the Design Team to make a New Year's card using any cartridge and colors. I made my card and then decided that I wanted to try out the party hat on my Life's A Party cartridge. Isn't it cute?   My card is a standard A2 made from white cardstock.  I added a mat of black then a strip of green polka dot from Recollections.  I used my Elegant Edges cartridge to make a scalloped circle, then I cut a yellow circle and a green circle to place my sentiment on.  My sentiment is a digital stamp from The Cutting Cafe's It's New Year Time set. 

Are you rested up from Christmas yet?  I am definitely ready to move on to the new year and be done with the Christmas projects.  This is my last Christmas project I'm posting.  This week at The Cutting Cafe the design team is featuring projects with Regina's fantastic Loopy Loopy Bow Flower Cutting File and Template.  I used the file to make a bow for a Christmas Gift Bag.  You can make this with paper but I found this really cool textured felt at JoAnn's and fell in love with it.  I had never seen anything like it but thought it would be fun to use for the bow.  I couldn't get the felt to cut on my Cricut so I printed the bow template onto paper then pinned the pattern onto my felt and hand cut it.  This bow has three layers using the small, medium and large pattern together.  You could make it a single layer or just use two layers if you wanted.  I had a plain white gift bag that I bought at the $1 store two in a pack.  I used a piece of red polka dot paper to cover the front of the bag.  Then I used my Elegant Edges cartridge to cut a mat to place my silhouette cut from A Child's Year. 

I assembled the bow and added a big red polka dot button to the center to match the paper.  I placed it in the top corner of the gift bag along with a little greenery.  You can kind of see the texture of the felt in the close up of the bow.  It looks better in person though. So glad you had the chance to stop by.  Head on over to The Cutting Cafe Blog on Wednesday to see the  fantastic Loopy Loopy Bow Flower creations from the rest of the Design Team.  I know you're going to want to get your own file to create one of these.  You can find it HERE.

BBTB2 Ice Skate Winter Woodland

Happy New Year, Everyone!  WooHoo 2012!  I know this is silly but I like even numbered years better than odd number.  It seems easier for me to remember what year to write on my checks when it's an even number.  I know that's ridiculous.  LOL

Today is a very exciting day at BBTB2.  Our former leader, Heather, has stepped down and the torch has been passed to the wonderful duo of Carole and Donna.  They will be co-leading the Design Team and I couldn't be happier.  They are both so amazingly talented and I know great things are ahead for BBTB2.  Best of luck to you Heather.  For our first challenge of the year our design team sister, Krista, picked the ice skate from the Winter Woodland cartridge for us to design with.  This is actually my second card I made for this challenge.  My dog ate the first one.  Yeah, I know, I'm not in school anymore making excuses for my homework, but honestly, the dog ate it.  I was extremely ticked off about it, too.  I love my dear dog, but, he has one fault.  He gets a little miffed when we leave him alone sometimes and will chew anything left around that's paper.  Unfortunately, my just finished card must have fallen off the table and I didn't realize it.  Hubby and I left to go to "happy hour" with some friends, we came back and there was my card all chewed up.  Yes, I admit, I wanted to kill him.  I swore I wasn't going to make another one for the challenge, but then I felt guilty.  So I whipped this up.  My background paper is Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly.  My sentiment is from Cardz TV Home for Christmas stamp set.  I hope you can join our challenge this week.  If you don't have the Winter Woodland cartridge you can choose an ice skate from any other Cricut Cartridge.  But please make sure it is a brand new creation and not a backlink to a previously made project.  Thanks for coming by and have a great week.