National Exposure on HSN today 11am viewing!!!

Ok!! I am so so soooooo excited that one of my 2 layouts was shown on HSN today by Jinger spokeswoman for Provo Craft. My layout is the first one she is holding of the robot. I am super psyched to see my hard work on national TV!!! I am walking on cloud 9 and I almost shed a tear...

Yes, I took pictures of my tv too! I am over the moon!! Check out my original blog post with the robot layout http://cestla-viedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/provo-craft-birthday-layout-challenge_23.html  and here is the other girl themed birthday layout I submitted  http://cestla-viedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/provo-craft-birthday-layout-challenge.html

La-Vie

Cricut Expression 2 - 5th Anniversary BIG Giveaway!

http://www.cricutholiday.com/2011/04/enter-here-to-win-new-cricut.html

Joy and Melanie at Everyday Cricut blog are giving away the new Cricut Expression 2 tonight! There is still time to enter. They have offered ways to gain 26 entrires to the contest! Check it out ASAP and get to work! This is actually one way I am entering the contest by posting this message to my blog!

La-Vie

Provo Craft Birthday Layout Challenge - Cricut 5th Anniversary

I am excited to share my second layout submitted to the contest. It is a challenge for me to do boy layouts because I started scrapbooking for my daughter. This Birthday Boy layout is my greatest page yet! The robot is cut from the Boys will be Boys Cricut cartridge - pg 64. I used the fit-to-page button which cut at 11 1/4". Die Cuts With A View - the Metallic Stack (silver). The black layer is cut from the same cartridge at 10 1/2". The robot's clothes are cut from stripped paper from Darcie's Country Folk.

• 

Recipe

• The base layer is blue bazzill premium cardstock
• The eyes of the robot are made of white Bazzill premium cardstock and large google eyes from Hobby Lobby
• The gift is cut at 3" from Create A Critter cartridge pg 27 from Die Cuts With A View paper. It was cut with the real size dial on.
• Birthday - cut from American Crafts foil cardstock and Create A Critter cartridge pg. 27. Boy is cut at 1 1/2" from Graphically Speaking Cricut cartridge pg 41 with the jumbled button on.
• The mats on the robot's body are cut from Die Cuts With A View safari kids matstack
• Balloon and Party hat layer are cut from Create A Critter at 5"
• eyelets, white paper clips, blue brads and metal arrows, brown twine and white wired pompom ribbon are from my stash

La-Vie

Creative Critterz Imaginations Blog Easter Challenge

I'm throwing my hat....oops my project in the ring for the Creative Critterz Imaginations Blog Easter Challenge. Wish me luck, this little card was made with Nursery Tails, Cuttlebug swiss dots and ribbon from my stash.

La-Vie

Provo Craft Birthday Layout Challenge - See this layout Live on HSN

This is the big one y'all! It's the 5th Anniversary of Cricut and Provo Craft is launching the Cricut Expression 2. They called for birthday layout subnmissions to help with the launch and I entered two layouts. They will use some of the layouts while showing the new Cricut on HSN. There are 5 showings starting at midnight on Monday. I am taping it all and am fully expecting to see my layouts on tv! But the best part is they will judge all the layouts received and choose 5 winners to receive the new Cricut Expression 2!!! I am super excited!

My first layout is called - Happy Sixth Birthday - it was a true labor of love and a tribute to my oldest daughter who turned 6 this year. She also is the reason I began scrapbooking. When she saw this layout she said "Aww mommy this will definitely make it on tv!" I almost shed a tear...

This is a close up of the title. It was cut from the Celebrate with Flourish Cricut Lite Cartridge from Walmart at 3.5" with different colored papers. I added Glam Pink Stickles for that extra oomph!

The six border was cut from Cricut Cartridge Graphically Speaking pg 73 with the fit to length feature on and set to 9 3/4" (which cut the border at 2.5" wide). The paper is from Die Cuts With A View. I added Glam Pink Stickles to the word six to accentuate it as part of the title.

Recipe (in addition to what I already mentioned)

• 12x12" pink patterned paper (my stash)
• flower paper lace - Cut from Wild Card pg. 40 "icon" with fit-to-page on - using Die Cuts With A View glitter stack - yellow
• Martha stewart punch - cheers colored with Copics (B05, Y06, RV13)
• Picture mats - Die Cuts With  A View Safari Kids Cardstock matstack
• mat inked with Clear & Simple Stamps Hybrid Ink (paint the town pink)
• balloon - Celebrate with Flourish cartridge cut at 3.25"
• ribbon form Micheal's - Celebrate it basic-basic
• tools/adhesives: Provo Craft Cricut toolkit, Creative memories corner rounder, Scotch Pink ATG gun, Zig squeeze & roll 2 way glue pen, EK success 3D dots

La-Vie

Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge #29 - Handmade flower challenge

This week's Cricut Circle challenge was to create handmade flowers using the Cricut or Cuttlebug on a project. I started with pink Bazzill premium cardstock. The card folded measured approx 4 1/4" x 3 3/4". I added a leaf layer from Sei Poppy paper stack. I then created two handmade flowers cut from the Wild Card Cricut Cartridge from patterned paper. I used the fiskars stylus to score the leaves and bend them in and up for a more realistic look. I then layered 2 different colors and sizes of the same flower. To finish it off, I fastened the flowers with Doodlebug Designs Inc. braddies - red: ladybug blossoms, brown: bon bon blossoms. The flowers were attached to the card strategically with Thermoweb zots 3D glue dots. It didn't seem complete so I added some wired silk leaves from my stash. Versamark and the blossom border stamp from Repeat Impressions finished of the bottom of the card. The sentiment is from my stash and was stamped in Clear & Simple Stamps Hybrid Ink - Espresson Your Style. The stamped impressions were made easily on top of the Darice rubber stamp pad. It is thick and gives the stamp a flexible surface to stick into. And Voila!

La-Vie

Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge #28 Creepy Crawlies Challenge

The rules: create a scrapbook page about the things that bug you and use a bug somewhere on your project. Include at least 2 Cricut cuts.

My layout entitled Party Time, is about how it bugs me to have to go home when I am dressed up and out with friends. I printed and cut two borders and an owl with my Cricut Image machine. This simple layout was out together by layering cardstock, paper and stickers from my stash. The flower is punched from metallic papers. Wish me luck!!

La-Vie

Cricut Circle Magazine March Spring Cleaning Contest

Today I am entering the March Cricut Circle Magazine Challenge. They are looking for unique ways we store our Provo Craft machines and accessories. We had to showcase at least 4 different products and how we store them. I have shown more (just in case). I would love to win a challenge! Wish me luck!

My first storage solution is for my growing collection of Cuttlebug embossing folders. This idea came from a blog I follow The Paper Boutique and she got it from yet another person's blog. As soon as I read the post I went to my craft room and created mine. I used a file folder cut from Cricut Cartridge Graphically Speaking pg 59. I cut it at fit to length at 10 1/2". I had to cut off 2 1/2 " from the end and used my corner rounder from creative memories. I then embossed the image of each folder on the front so I could see how it looks. It really makes a difference when I am looking for that special something.

I keep my Cricut Expression and my Cricut Expression on a desk and I add my cuttlebug as needed. I store my mats and 12x24 Cricut Cardstock on the keyboard tray underneath. That way my long cardstock doesn't get bent or crumpled.

This is my favorite new storage item. Scrap 'n Tote from ContainYa Crafts. I have three that fit all my cricut cartridges. Each binder holds 36 cartridges, books and overlays. It's very handy. I can see everything I have at a glance.

the clip it up is in the upper left hand corner

Lastly, I love my clip it up by Simply Renee shown at the upper left. The two-tier carousels spin around and I have all my embellishments categorized. I keep my Cricut cutables, Cricut tools, ribbon etc. in the white and gray bins on the left bottom a system from Office Max. Lastly, I bought the paper storage system from Jo-Ann fabrics where I keep paper sorted by color, theme, style etc. All of these storage ideas keep my ideas flowing and my frustration low.

~La-Vie

Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge #27

Today I am entering a contest with the Cricut Circle called "make a game plan." It challenged us to create a sketch before making our project. I created my sketch on the back of an index card. I wanted to create something I hadn't before and use medium I hadn't previously used. For me, this was a 2-for. I created an Artist Trading Card that I will trade at a craft expo this weekend. The Theme is "The Quilting Bee." Since I know nothing about quilting or sewing, I resarched this theme and found out that way back in the day, women congregated to hand sew quilts. I am representing the artistry and social aspect of the theme on my card.

ATC cards must be the size of a baseball card 2.5" x 3.5" include the main images on the front and include specific contact information on the back. I started with my sketch, deciding that a quilt is made of squares. I wanted to fit 9 squares on the card. I also decided to add images to represent the women on top of the quilted squares thus the long images on top.  The sketch was a spring board for creating the ATC. I added additional elements as needed along the way.

I decided to use thin, yet sturdy metal as the base for my card. I have had this in my stash for quite some time and hadn't used it. To add dimension and to bring across the theme, I embossed it with the cuttlebug argyle folder which showcases squares and stitching. I then cut squares of fabric less than one inch and hand sewed them together with blue thread. It was quite a feat. I don't know how those ladies do it! Keeping with the theme I added decorative stick pins and a printed spool of thread and needle printed and cut with the Cricut Imagine. The women were cut with the Cricut Expression machine and sprayed with frost shimmer spritz. I love a little bling or shimmer on my projects! Lastly, the title was added to the back and my information. This is 1 of 1 and original...

The sketch gave me a road map to use as I created my materpiece today. The Cricut Circle is giving away great prize selections too! The winners are randomly chosen so wish me luck! I really want to win something....

Recipe

• 2.5" x 3.5" metal sheet
• embossed with Cuttlebug embossing folder - argyle
• 5 different fabric patterns
• Cricut Cartridge - A Child's Year - Pilgims 2.75" (one regular and one using the flip feature)
• Cricut Imagine Cartridge Imagine More - printed and cut - spool of thread .7" and "a stitch in time" .4"
• Black cardstock
• Tsukineko sheer shimmer spritz - Frost
• Blue thread
• Pins from my stash

La-Vie

Thank you card - Stamp La Jolla and Just for Fun

I love tools that allow me to create a card on the fly. This one was created for a neighbor who brought me the nicest house warming gift when we moved into our home last year. One of my favorite stamp companies, Stamp la Jolla http://www.stamplajolla.com/ is the maker of the thank you stamp used on this quick card. If you look closely, you can see a hint of a floral image on the front of the card. I used an ink that creates a watermark look - Versamark. The floral stamps used are from another favorite stamp retailer Just for Fun http://www.jffstamps.com/. I also used versamark on the inside of the card with the small flower stamp from my stash. The punched design around the card is from a Martha Stewart punch around the page product and the ribbon is from my stash. Using an opaque white gel pen to write inside a dark card always does the trick. Inkessentials makes a great one. The corners were rounded on the sentiment using the best corner rounder on the market from Creative Memories.

La-Vie

Wedding Invite & Placecard

A friend of mine asked me to create a wedding invitation for her parent's surprise 30th wedding anniversary. This would be their vow renewal and a very special one because their first marriage was performed by the justice of the peace. It was an honor and a priviledge to be a part of their love celebration.

As this was my first paying customer, I learned a lot about what it takes to craft for a living (the good and the bad). With a tight deadline, color changes, design issues I had my share of hair pulling moments. However, in the end, I am very proud of my work and can definitively say I can take my passion and put it to work!

It was an emotional experience for me as I have not worked outside the home in a few years. Taking care of my children is the most important job I'll ever have. However, there is something about earning your own money. That intangible feeling of freedom. Tasty... Anyhow, when I delivered my finished product the customer cried at how beautiful they were to her. That made me cry because it was touching that someone could be moved by my handiwork and that I had made some money independently. Then when her parents learned of the big day by receiving my invitation, her mother cried. wow wow wow! God is good. I have received many customers and blessings since I made this invitation. The start of it all...

Here's the recipe

50 Invitations:

• 8 1/2" x 11" black premium cardstock - the paper company - bought from A.C. Moore


• 8" x 5" silver inside layer - american crafts foil cardstock - bought from A.C. Moore


• 7 3/4" x 4 1/2" plumberry inside layer - open stock paper - bought from A.C. Moore


• 7 1/2" x 4" white inside layer 110lb cardstock with lazer printing done at Staples copy center


• text layout done in MS word


• silver eyelets 3/16" - recollections - bought at Micheal's


• ribbon - wine - 12" offray spool o' ribbon


• 5" x 7" Cuttlebug embossing folder from love is in the air 6 piece set bought from Hobby Lobby


• white invitation envlope with silver foil lining - bought from Staples

100 Reception Placecards

Except for the black layer, the placecards were made from the left over scraps from the invitations. the customer applied white address labels with the name of the attendees and their table number

• black layer - cut at 4" from Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge pg 80 (shift and shadow applied)


• silver layer - 3 1/4" x 2"


• plumberry layer -2 3/4" x 1 1/2" cut from Plantin Schoolbook pg 74 (shift applied)


• embossed with Cuttlebug love is in the air folder

La-Vie

Forever Young card

To brighten my little sister's day, I created this stylish card. The image of the fashionista made me think of her. I love making quick cards with ribbon, simple embelishments and a nice sentiment inside. I love this Cart because it has very girly images and silhouttes of women wearing dresses etc. Recipe: Cricut Cartridge Forever Young - lady and clothing cut at 4" Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page - Bubble bath Orange cardstock and red ribbon from my stash foam tape La-Vie