Little Boy Blue at BBTB2 using CTMH Artiste

Happy Monday!  This week at BBTB2, our wonderfully talented Suzanne has chosen the theme with her soon to be born, first grandson in mind.  After 2 wonderful daughters and 3 lovely granddaughters, she is excited to start scrapping in blue so our theme this week is "Little Boy Blue".  Although the projects do not need to be for a baby, they are to be for a boy using the color blue.  I opted for a baby theme anyway because there was another cut on my fabulous CTMH Artiste cartridge I was dying to try.  My little favor is actually the diaper envelope (shift on the card feature) on page 64  of the cart.  For some reason, I thought is was 3D but actually, with a teeny bit of modification it easily adapted to what I had in mind.

I stretched the length of the envelope slightly in Design Studio and instead of scoring at the score lines, I scored 1/4" out from of it and after the first scallop at the back leg opening.  This made a little flat base on which to stand.  At the sides I didn't score at all, just tucked the flaps throught the slits and secured with glue dots inside.  To gain stability, I cut the scalloped card portion of this cut (twice) large enough to make a base and taped the diaper to it.

The little diaper pin AND "It's a Boy" are also all on page 64 of the Artiste booklet.  The diaper pin and pin head are separate cuts, but I cut the sentiment twice and trimmed for the two layers there. Don'tcha just love it when you can do a project with only one cartridge?  I ran out of time, but thought that matching invitations using the card and envie as intended would sure be the beginnings of great shower decor. If you haven't purchased CTMH Artiste yet, I strongly urge you to visit my dear friend and DT sister Susan's site and check out the fabulous deal.

Now please take a look at the fabulous projects from the rest of the BBTB2 team and we invite you to play along.  Just make sure you follow the rules posted at the top of the blog and have fun!

I'm also entering this in the Come and Get It Anything Other Than a Card Challenge, the Squirrel and the Fox Celebrate the Occasion (new baby) Challenge, and the Cute And Girly September Boys/Men challenge (can't help it, this makes me giggle).

Dilly Beans Robots with CTMH Artiste

Well our challenge this week at Dilly Beans is Robots, and it seems I just can't get enough.  I had this ancient Scenic Route DP I'd been hoarding and thought it would make an adorable party invitation for a boy.  I used #436 Gear Robot, #435 Sparks Robot, and removed the frame from #437 Bolt Robot Framed so they would all look alike.  They are colored with Copics and the sentiment is computer generated.  The invitation pocket and invitation itself were cut on the Cricut with my CTMH Artiste cartridge.  (Can't seem to get enough of that either.  LOL)

Here's the shaped invitation pulled out of the pocket (also cut with Artiste). That happy guy is #439 Wired Robot Framed.  Doesn't he look excited!  I used DS to fit a gear from Artiste to fit over the mat.  The bolts were punched from a piece of mat metallic card stock that was embossed with one of the Cricut Companion Robotz set.  I stacked the embossed punches with plain ones to give them dimension since I didn't have appropriate brads both here and on the front corners of the mat.  Kinda loved how that turned out and cheap, too.

The back side of the invitation has the room for the pertinent information as well as some cool gears, also cut from Artiste.  Like I've been saying all along, there's something for everyone on this cartridge. (Steampunk, anyone?)  I finished the back side of the pocket envie with the embossed cut out from the Cuttlebug Cogs and Wheels Embossing Plus folder.  Be sure to stop by Dilly Beans Challenge Blog to see the rest of the DT's fab creations and the Shop to see all of the new Halloween stamps and MORE Robots.  And if I haven't convinced you with my projects, please visit my dear friend and DT sister Susan's Blog to see more great example of the fabulous things you can do with this cart.  View more cool CTMH stuff HERE on her website.

Although this isn't as elaborate as most of my shaped cards, I'm also entering this in Charisma Cardz Shaped Card challenge (and thank them very much for choosing me among the Top 3 last week), Divas by Design for a Child, Celebrate the Occasion Getting in Shape, Use it Tuesday Anything Goes (my beloved Scenic Route DP which I still shudder thinking that I actually CUT into it!), and Hooked on Crafts Cards for Men (I'm assuming boys are ok since the DT had boy cards, too).

Dilly Beans Owl Challenge with Cricut Artiste

WooHoo!  Our challenge this week at the Dilly Beans Designers and Challenge Blog is OWLS!  Whoooo doesn't LOVE owls, eh?  And Megan has so many cute ones at the SHOP  (along with a fab new Halloween release that you don't want to miss).  I decided I wanted to do something different than a card, so I pulled out my Cricut and CTMH Artiste cartridge and cut the owl treat box on page 77.  I thought this would be perfect with #304 Heart Owl (scroll down the page to find him and his friends).  The tree branch they're sitting on is Dilly Beans #302 Tree Branch #1 (further down the page).

I printed the little guy 3 times and fussy cut his feet heart and body to add some dimension.  There's glossy accents on his eyes along with some adhesive beads to make them POP.  The digis were all colored with Copics and after fussy cutting the branch I colored the back side too since it showed from behind.  I love combining Cricut with digis.  It gives the project a whole different feel.

The box itself only has the scalloped eyes to specifically go with that cut.  However, on page 76 in Artiste, there's another owl with all sorts of layering features so I sized them in DS to give him a little more personality.  His wings and tummy feathers were embossed with my Cuttlebug and the sentiment was computer generated.  Yeah, I know, 3 of my last 4 Cricut projects were from Artiste, but I'm lovin' this cart.  I'd say it'a a "must have" and if you don't, please hop over to my dear friend Susan's CTMH website and have a look around.

My Dilly Beans teamies have some fab owl projects so be sure to check them out HERE and come and join us.  All kinds of projects are welcome, but please do use a stamp of some kind.  It doesn't even have to be Dilly Beans (although we LOVE seeing them), and you just might win some.  WooHoo!

I'm also entering this in My Mum's Craft Shop Anything Goes Challenge,  Papertake Weekly Anything Goes (with the option of not being square), Charizma Cardz Seeing Double and Make it Monday with the Kraft Outlet Shape it Up Challenge (his wings are inked kraft).

BBTB2 All Shaped Up

Happy Labor Day!  Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend. Perhaps you'll have a little extra crafting time and can join in our new challenge All Shaped Up at BBTB2, chosen by our sweet and talented Stephanie.  Stephanie is asking for shaped cards.  Well, right up my alley, eh?  I live to do shaped cards with Design Studio, but I want you all to remember that many of the Cricut cartridges have shaped card options that do not require any welding at all so check your manuals.  You may be surprised.  Usually when doing shaped cards I use a number of different cartridges to pull it all together but there are so many cuts on my new CTMH Artiste cart that I was dying to try, that this one came together completely from that cartridge.  It started with the wings.  Beautiful, eh?  Although there actually is a heart shaped card option on page 72 of the manual, I welded 2 regular hearts together (with the wings on the back side only)because I wanted mine to open that at the top instead of the side.  Here's another of the fab bow options, embossed with the Cuttlebug brocade folder and this is the first time I've actually made a Cricut cut rolled flower.  WooHoo!  There's a bunch of them on this cart (page 54).  Can't wait to try more.

Although I'm really pleased with the front of this card, it's the inside I'm really excited about.  On page 51 there are a couple of these pop up words easily cut with Artiste and ready to add that extra surprise inside.  Although I've actually done some from scratch, they're a royal PITA to do manually in DS and here on Artiste was the perfect word.  After cutting and prefolding, I inserted the cut in my welded card, traced around the edges to get the right shape and trimmed it to fit manually.  It's embossed with Swiss Dots and the sentiment is complete with the "u" from the full font, also available on Artiste.  I highly recommend this cartridge for the huge variety of motifs, sentiments, cards, and 3D items included for every occasion along with fab extras like chipboard and coordinating acrylic stamps.  My dear friend and DT sister Susan is a CTMH consultant and has tons of inspiration on her Blog using this cart so be sure to check out her CTMH website for the specials running this month.  Now hurry to BBTB2 to see the fab projects by my teamies and come play with us this week.  We love to see your creations, just play by the rules, ok?

I'm also entering this in The Crafty Cardmaker's Winged Things challenge, The Catered Crop In the Pink Recipe Swap, Allsorts Anything but Square, the In the Pink Winged Things Challenge and the C.R.A.F.T. Shaped Card Challenge.

It's a Girl with CTMH Artiste

I've been playing with my new CMTH Artiste cart and was excited to use the sweet baby shoes on page 63.  Our nephew's wife is expecting and although we don't know the sex yet, I figured I had a 50/50 chance.  I cut them at 4" in the sweetest flocked DP from Me&My Big Ideas and then set out to find something to do with them.  I loved the cool box on page 74 and used DS to determine how large I wanted the top to fit the shoes with room to spare.  I was surprised to find out it was 2".  Must be measuring from the height of the box.  At this size, you need a 12x24" mat and you still can't fit the top, bottom and side cuts on one piece of 12x24" card stock but the box was then a substantial size, with the interior being approximately 5" square.  I chose to do the top and bottom cuts out of white, instead.  The assembly instructions tell you to glue the shoe upper flaps to the top of the soles, but I wanted a more finished look inside so I cut the soles again at 3 7/8" and glued the flaps under the smaller soles and then glued the 4" soles on the bottom.  This was a bit tricky and I ended up doing a teeny bit of trimming, but I preferred the clean look both inside and out.

I made a second layer for the top, again using DS so I could add another layer of DP.  The sweet bows on the toes are another cut from Artiste, (page 56) which I embossed (along with the shoe straps) with Swiss Dots.  They started at 1" but I shrunk them down to fit with DS.  "It's a Girl" is another fab cut (on page 64 at 2 1/2") and I cut it twice, embossed the top layer and offset them slightly and popped them for a little more dimension. 

I have to say my fave cut of all on this is actually the bow.  Couldn't help but use it again cut at 1", and embossed with the Cuttlebug Polka Dots folder. This is cut in a single piece with holes cut with your Cricut for a brad for easy assembly.  Too cute!

For a finishing touch I lined the top and bottom sections of the box with DP.  I just cut a square at 5" and attached inside which not only added strength, but also hid the flaps used for assembly.  I'm really loving CTMH Artiste because it really has fabulous 3D projects  and cuts for all holidays and occasions as well as coordinating chipboard and stamps.  If you haven't already purchased it, please visit my fab friend, DT sister and CTMH consultant Susan HERE.  Also be sure to visit her personal blog HERE for many more inspirational projects from this versatile cartridge.

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp and Show No Rules Challenge, the Allsorts It's a Gift Challenge, and the Divas by Design Anything Goes challenge.

Bermuda Bag Using the New CTMH Artiste Cartridge

Here I am with 3 DT projects due by Monday and I'm messing with my new Close to My Heart Artiste Cartridge but I just couldn't help myself.  The whole package of goodies is a crafter's paradise filled with chipboard pieces and coordinating stamps as well as the Cartridge, but while flipping through the book, one little bag in particular caught my eye and sent me on a trip down Memory Lane.  My first love in high school had a sister whose hubby was in the Navy and they were stationed in Bermuda.  On one of her trips to visit them, his Mom came back with the most adorable handbag for me as a gift.  It had wooden handles and was made of white embroidered linen which buttoned to the frame so you could actually switch out different fabrics.  I adored that bag and when came to page 32 of the handbook, I had to recreate it.  I chose to make it white on white becasue that's what my bag was, but I also cut it in a light brown and trimmed it for the handle and embossed it with the Tim Holtz Woodgrain folder.

To add interest, I used two different textures of white card stock and cut the bag a second time, slightly smaller for a second layer and trimmed and embossed it with Swiss Dots.  The beautiful motif on the front is also from Artiste (Accent 3, page 44).  The shadow was cut with the base texture, the top layer with the other.  To add more dimension, I popped the motifs.  Then I added buttons along the top, just like my bag had.  I'm really thrilled with how it came out.  Now I can't stop thinking about island breezes, gorgeous sunsets and the pink sand of Bermuda, as I was lucky enough to visit with his family the next summer. 

Hope you like my little bag and my little story.  There are tons of fab 3D projects on Artiste and really something for every holiday or special event.  I can't wait to play with it some more.  My dear friend and DT sister Susan is my CTMH consultant so please stop by her blog to see some amazing projects using this cart.  She has info about the special CTMH deals this month that I'm sure you won't want to miss.

I'm entering this in the Sugar Creek Hollow something Old (the embossing folders), Something New (my Cricut Artiste cartridge) Challenge, Dutch Dare Anything but a Card Challenge, Fab 'N Funky Anything but a Card Challenge, Anything Goes Let's Not be Square Challenge, and Ruby's Rainbow anything but a Card Challenge.