First Day of School

I finally got a chance to whip out and use my Nifty Fifties Cartridge.  It goes perfectly with the Echo Park Happy Days Collection.  This collection is so my style. I used it to create a page of my kids first day of first grade and their new school.  They acted like it was just another day but it was very emotional for me. My little boys are getting so big. Time really does fly by.

Jet Skiing

Have I told you lately that I work for the best company in the world!!! This is a layout.  We were on our IT retreat and we all went jet skiing.  It was my first time and it was so much fun! I didn't want to stop.  Can't wait for next summer so I can go jet skiing with my husband.

More Recipe Swap Layouts

Here are the last 2 recipes for the cricut circle recipe swaps that I have done.  They are finally finished and ready to be shipped.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
•  1/2 cup peanut butter
•  1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

 

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

2.     Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.

3.     Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Ingredients

·         4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped

·         1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

·         6 tablespoons butter

·         3 eggs

·         1 cup white sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·         2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1/4 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.     In the microwave or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the butter stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whip eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and the chocolate mixture until well mixed. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill for at least an hour or overnight.

2.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets so they are 2 inches apart.

3.     Bake for 9 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Snow Fun Layout

Here is my Snow Fun Layout that was featured in the October 2011 issue of Cricut Magazine.
Living in Los Angeles we don't get snow where we live.  But we can drive 2 hours and have a snow day in Angeles Crest with the family.

I am published =)

Here is my layout I did of my kids Taekwondo Belt test and Ceremony.  It was featured on a 2 page spread in the November 2011 Edition of Cricut Magazine. I am so excited. I really like how it turned out!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bar Layout

I just got finished with my last recipe for the recipe swap.  I really enjoyed doing this swap.  I can't wait to see what others did for their layouts in the circle swap.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars


Ingredients
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In blender container, blend
   strawberries until smooth. In saucepan, combine strawberry puree
   and cornstarch; cook and stir until thickened. Cool.
2. Combine graham crumbs and butter in small bowl;
   press firmly on bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in
   sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs, lemon juice
   and vanilla; mix well. Pour over crust.
4. Drop strawberry mixture by spoonfuls over batter. Gently swirl with
   a knife or spatula. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until center is set. Cool.
   Cut into bars. Chill. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Sour Cream Cookie Recipe

I am taking part in a circle recipe swap. So I decided to make the layout correspond with the circle recipe contest. This fits the requirements of A title, 3 buttons, 2 cricut cuts. Hope you like and wish me luck! Mama needs a cricut cake =) This layout actually has a pocket so you can pull out the recipe. It has the cookie recipe on one side and the frosting recipe on the other.

I have added the recipe to share at the bottom of this post.  Enjoy!

Sour Cream Cookies

      Cookies

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook for 10 minutes. Cream shortening & sugar. Add salt, vanilla, eggs & beat well. Add sour cream alternately with sifting dry ingredients. I do 1 cup flour, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder & soda vs. 1/4 cup sour cream. Do this 4 times. Chill dough thoroughly. Roll dough flat and cut out with cookie cutters.

Frosting

• ¼ cup melted shortening
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Milk
• Food coloring if desired

Directions

Mix shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, add enough milk to give the consistency you want. If you add too much milk, add a little more sugar. Add food coloring if desired to make the cookies festive.

Crazy Delicious

My hubby and I went to San Francisco and found the most amazing restaurant for breakfast, Mama's on Washington. The breakfast there is amazing and apparently everyone in the city already knew it because you had to wait a minimum of an hour to eat. We met some great people in line and the wait was well worth it.

Products Used: Echo Park for the record collection Cricut Carts: Paper Lace

A Day at the Aquarium

My family and I went to the aquarium of the pacific on Labor Day. We had a great time. For this project I used the pack your bags cartridge and Bo Bunny Double Dotted Paper that I am truly obsessed with.

I used to only scrapbook my boys and do masculine layouts. I think I am really finding my scrapbooking style when it comes to using pink and lace on little girl pages =). Isn't my beautiful niece a great muse!

I got to do a layout today while my family and I are hiding from the 107 degree weather. This layout is of my precious niece Lizzy. I did this layout for the Cricut Circle Magazine Challenge. This month it's all about two of my loves Cricut and Cosmo Cricket. So it was a must that I made a layout and entered.

Tip: If you want to make an embellishment but don't have the right color cardstock. Cut it out in white and then find the matching copic markers and color away. This is what I did on the flowers. I also embossed them with the Candy Cane Strip Embossing Folder.

Products Used:
Plantin Schoolbook Circut Cartridge
Paper Lace Circut Cartridge
Mother's Day Bouquet Circut Cartridge
Candy Cane Stripe Embossing Folder
Cosmo Cricket - Circa 1934 Paper Collection
Copic Markers YR23 & R27
Sharpie White Poster Paint Marker
Pearls

Yeah I have finally had a chance to scrapbook last weekend. I did a few layouts. this layout is about out family walk. When we were walking we found Damon Street. My son Damon was so excited. I am also entering this layout in a Cricut Circle challenge.

Here is a simple card I made using Seeing Spots Embossing Folder and Floral Embellished Cartridge and new Bo Bunny dotted paper.

Here is a cute layout I made for a recipe swap. This pasta is so delicious. You can find the original recipe www.eatingwell.com.

Carts used: Paper Lace & Audrey
Rosette made using tim holtz sizzix die.

Here are cards I made using Swiss dot embossing folder and tie the knot cricut cartridge. The first one is personalized with monograms because I am going to a wedding and the next one is just a general one with a wedding cake on it to use up the paper and add to my card collection. Every scrapper should have premade homemade cards ready when needed. =)



Here is the inside of the cards. I just used scraps.

This project is featured on the CreativeXpress.com blog.

Boys will be Boys Frame by Janee Fakhreddine

Products:
• Boys Will be Boys Cartridge
• Qty. 2 - Frame Jen's 12 X 12
• Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12
• Winter Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12
• Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12
• Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12
• Valentine Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12
• Yellow Rhinestone Spiral by Kaiser
• Yellow & Blue Paint (Making Memories Banana & Cornflower)
• Recess Chipboard Shapes or a sheet of chipboard to cut out
• Recess & Academic White Rub-ons By Basic Grey
• Dimensional Dot Circles by American Crafts
• Expression Machine by Cricut


Alien Frame
1. Take one Frame Jen's 12 X 12 and paint it yellow (I used Making Memories Banana)
2. Use a piece of blue cardstock out of the Winter Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12 and cut it down to 11" 1/4 x 11" 1.4 and cut two edges with a serious rounded corner.
3. Do the same as step two but use a black piece of cardstock from the Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12 and cut it down to 10" 3/4 x 10" 3/4".
4. Glue each piece of cardstock to the frame and cut out the window each time.
5. Cut the a 7" arrow using in orange cardstock (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12) for the shadow and Basic Grey - Classmates from the Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 and adhere to frame.
6. Cut 1" strips of Orange Cardstock (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12), Classmates, Answers and Lecture (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ). Layer them an cut off extra edges.
7. Using the pencil die shape (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ), glue to cardstock and cut out or Recess Chipboard Shapes. Add on orange cardstock from step 6.
8. Using the Boys Will be Boys Cartridge, cut out 3 1/2" using grey & white (Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12), yellow & orange (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12). I used a black pen to make the black eyes instead of cutting out tiny black dots with my cricut. Assemble and adhere with Dimensional Dot Circles by American Crafts.
9. Using blue cardstock (Winter Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12), Grey & White Cardstock Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12, cut out 3 1/2" . Adhere with Dimensional Dot Circles by American Crafts.
10. Use Yellow Rhinestone Spiral by Kaiser to make the "fly"
11. Cut a 1 1/2" Block Font title using blue cardstock (Winter Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12) and yellow (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12). Adhere
12. Using the star die shapes (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ), glue to cardstock and cut out or Recess Chipboard Shapes and adhere.
13. Add the District no.12 Academic White Rub-ons By Basic Grey.


Pirate Frame
1. Take one Frame Jen's 12 X 12 and paint it blue (I used Making Memories Cornflower)
2. Use a piece of yellow cardstock out of the Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12 and cut it down to 11" 1/4 x 11" 1.4 and cut two edges with a serious rounded corner.
3. Do the same as step two but use a black piece of cardstock from the Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12 and cut it down to 10" 3/4 x 10" 3/4".
4. Glue each piece of cardstock to the frame and cut out the window each time.
5. Cut out a wave using answers, 1" strips of Lecture and Teachers Lounge all from Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 . Stack like steps and adhere.
6. Using the pen die shape (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ), glue to cardstock and cut out or Recess Chipboard Shapes. Add on Teachers Lounge paper from step 5.
7. Cut a 4" using white, yellow and Equation (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ). Assemble and adhere with Dimensional Dot Circles by American Crafts.
8. Add the Notebook holes (Recess White Rub-ons By Basic Grey).
9. Cut a 2" 3/4" using orange & yellow (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12), black and white (Neutrals Cardstock Pack by American Crafts ). Assemble and adhere with Dimensional Dot Circles by American Crafts.
10. Cut Title Cut a 1 1/2" Block Font title using red (Valentine Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12) and yellow (Summer Cardstock Pack by American Crafts 12x12). Adhere
11. Using the circle die shapes (Recess Collection Pack by Basic Grey 12 X 12 ), glue to cardstock and cut out or Recess Chipboard Shapes and adhere.
12. Add the Paragraph Academic White Rub-ons By Basic Grey .

Here is a layout I did for a contest at a crop at my LSS. I had 2 hours to do a layout. This made me really realize how slow of a scrapper I was. I was rushing like crazy to get this done. I love how it turned out. I won first place and got a fabulous prize. I love the crops at Remember When in Valencia, CA.

Cartridge: Paper Lace
Paper: Stampit up

Here is a quick simple layout I did of all the grandparents with their grandchildren around thanksgiving. Paper is SEI. Cricut Cartridge is Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Here is a princess box I made for CreativeXpress

Supplies:

• Box Large Jewelry by Provo Craft
  


• Once Upon a Princess Cartridge by Cricut



• Storybook Font Cartridge by Cricut



• Sugared Collection Pack by Basic Grey



• Flower Layers Value Bag by Color Me Crazy 60 ct



• Rose Petal Paint by Making Memories, 2oz



• Avocado Paint by Making Memories, 2oz



• Rhinestones



• bazzill bling cardstock-Burgandy and pink



• Cardstock -Tan, Brown, Pink, White & Yellow



• Rich Rustics Color Box Cat's Eye Queue by Clearsnap -Brown



• Black Tulle



• Stickles



• Ribbon



• Far East Bundle (Japanese Scales Embossing Folder)



• Blue Designer Machine and Tool Kit by Cuttlebug



• Expression Machine by Cricut



• Design Studio by Cricut or Gypsy by Provo Craft



• Pop Dots

Directions:

1. Paint the top of the box Alvacado Paint by Making Memories, 2oz and the bottom with Rose Petal Paint by Making Memories, 2oz. Let completely dry.



2. Cover top of box with Basic Grey - Sugared-Dumpling Paper and sand edges.



3. For the yellow frame on the box I used the Storybook Font Cartridge by Cricut. <boy-s> It's the BdayBoy Accent frame at 11" x 8". You can use your Design Studio by Cricut or Gypsy by Provo Craft to manipulate the image. Ink edges with Rich Rustics Color Box Cat's Eye Queue by Clearsnap -Brown Chalk

1. To make priness I used the Once Upon a Princess Cartridge by Cricut . <Princss1> for the Doll and <Doll1> for the outfit. All cut at 7". I used Brown, Tan, Yellow, Pink, Bling Burgundy and Bling Pink Cardstock. After assembling the doll.



2. Assemble the dress separately. Emboss the pink bling dress with the Far East Bundle (Japanese Scales Embossing Folder) and pleat black tulle underneath the dress. I use my adhesive to hold it down. Then attach dress to doll and attach rhinestones. Attach to box with Pop Dots.



3. Apply Flowers to box (see tips and tricks on how to make the glimmer mist crate paper flower)



4. Cut Memories out using the Once Upon a Princess Cartridge by Cricut . Apply clear Stickles. And adhere to front of box.



5. Line bottom with Ribbon.



6. Enjoy your Princess Memory Box!

Wow it's been a very long time since I have posted any projects on my blog. How time flies when your having fun!

Here is an altered item I did for the April Cricut Circle monthly challenge. It's all about Recycle, Reuse or Repurpose. Here is my submission and I had a blast making it. This will be a gift that I am going to fill with bath salt.

Here is the front of my Bath Salt Gift Bottle.
The paper I used is Cosmo Cricket - Social Club
Cricut Cartridge used is Florals Embellished
Can you see my 3 Recycle, Reuse or Repurpose? It's the milk bottle, metal washers and orange and white wire from the inside of a dead ethernet cable. I love the cable. It looks like bakers twine but is stiff and can hold it's shape.


Here is the back.


And here is the side


Hope you enjoy!