Merry Merry Christmas

It is Christmas Day and I am sending big Christmas wishes to one and all.  With the BBTB2 team on a little holiday vacay, Carole has been sewing.  Nothing in particular and everything in general.   I made some double sided napkins (such fun), some coffee themed potholders and coasters and a LOT of coasters with left over fabrics.  Those are soooooo easy.  A front, a back, some batting, sew around and pink the edges.  I can't toss even the tiniest of fabrics and those usually end up in a baggy and later become a mixed up quilt or lap throw.  When I am not sewing, I am knitting or crocheting.... can't keep the hands idle.  I hope each of you are enjoying family and festivities and you are surrounded by love.

BBTB2/Santa

Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and good cheer to one and all

Happy Monday everyone.... this week at BBTB2 our hostess is sweet Brenda who asked us to dive into the holiday spirit full force by creating with Santa himself.  If you follow my wanderings, you know my penchant for doing wall hangings and so here I am again with a cute Santa wall hanging.

I chose my Santa cut from Doodlecharms, that oh so wonderful cartridge that has a little bit of everything for us to design with.  The sentiment on the sign above Santa was cut from Simply Charmed.  I've added some Sizzix stars.  The decorative corner is a punch.  I embossed as usual, and added some small little fur baubles for Santa's hat.  This hanging looks really festive on my front porch. 

We love it when you join in, so please create a new Santa cut from a Cricut cartridge, name the cart, give us a shout out when you post.... remember our challenges close in a week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Joyful Baubles

Happy Monday.... Christmas is nigh.... just around the corner!... Aren't we all so excited?  Our BBTB2 hostess this week is the sweet Julie from across the Pond.  She has asked the design team to create something with baubles.  I selected the Christmas Cheer cartridge ornament.  I mounted an embossing folder from Marianne's Designs to the base card and it was a perfect setting to set upon the ornament.
I cut the ornament out in black cardstock, and then two layers of a pretty turquoise Christmas pattern, I added some pearls and jewels and a pretty golden ribbon.  The sentiment is a clear stamp.

We so love it when you join in on our challenges.  Just follow the simple rules.  Remember, it must be a Cricut cut with the basic theme, give us a shout out on your blog when you link up, and oh please disable any word verification you might have.  I love to leave a sweet comment but I simply cannot read the letters from WV.

BBTB2/Gift Giving

Happy Monday .... our BBTB2 hostess this week is the lovely and oh so talented Suzanne.  She asked us to design with the theme of gift giving, tags, bags....  I made a little stand up box that would allow me to pack in some cute little Christmas tags for packages.    The cute little Christmas Stocking is from Christmas Cheer cartridge.  The tag base is from TBB&More.  The tags have stockings and Christmas trees as embellishments, and I tied each tag with twine.  The box is covered with white cardstock that has been punched with the decorative Martha punch.  

Thanks for taking a peek at our BBTB2 challenge for the week.  Hope you all join in for this fun theme.  Just follow the simple rules posted on our blog.

A Little Holiday Vacay....

Happy Monday visitors.... today BBTB2 is taking a little time off.  I hope each of you that celebrates the holiday had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  My son and daughter in law and their cutie patootie dog, Daisy, came to visit for 4 whole days.  They cooked a wonderful meal and pampered lil' ole' me.  We had some Mexican Food dinners out, a marguerita here and there, and a lot of fun, love and laughs.  I hope your week is wonderful....

BBTB2/Gratitude

Happy Monday.  Our BBTB2 hostess this week is the lovely and talented Susan who asked the design team to create something that shows gratitude.  We have so many things we can be grateful for.  I made a little list on a sign post that captures just a few things to be thankful for.  There wasn't room to count them all. I used two cartridges for this creation; Gypsy Wanderings and George and Basic Shapes.  I've done my typical embossing on several areas.  I hope you will take a moment to create something new for our challenge, follow our simple rules posted on the BBTB2 blog, uplink your card with Mr. Linky.  Be sure to give BBTB2 a shout out AND list your Cricut cartridge.

With the challenge now highlighted, I wish to announce some changes to BBTB2.  Donna and I have stepped down as leaders of this wonderful blog because we want to aim ourselves at some other projects.  Donna has left the team so she can concentrate on wonderful creations in other areas, while I will stay on the design team.  I may not be posting weekly but I will be involved.  Donna and I are soooooo happy that Susan Edwards has taken the reins to move the BBTB2 blog forward.  I started with Regina at her Bitten By The Bug design team in October 2007 and I have loved every moment designing for this respected site.  We were delighted when Regina wanted to step down to see Heather take leadership so we could continue on.  When Heather had to resign as leader because of family duties, Donna and I happily stepped in.  Now we applaude Susan.  She will do a marvelous job watching over the design team.

Family Stuff

My brother, C. B. and his delightful wife, Edie, just celebrated their 25th year of weddedness.  I had the great blessing of being at a little family reunion on Friday to celebrate this year.  Here is a picture of my brother, C. B., my youngest sister Cheryl, and sitting next to me is my wonderful sister Shirley.  I love these wonderful people and they love me.  

An Anniversary Pillow

My brother and sis in law are celebrating their 25th wedding anniverary.  When they married I made a cross stitch pillow with lovely ribbons and ribbon roses.  It had their names and wedding date.  Now they can add this pillow that I made yesterday.  I will visit them this weekend for a family reunion.  I am so excited....

BBTB2/Turkey

Happy Monday one and all... I am so glad you have stopped to visit this morning.  Our sweet Brenda is the BBTB2 hostess this week and she has asked the design team to create with a turkey design.  Perfect time of the year for us to be inspired with a cute little turk.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  I love this holiday because my son and daughter in law arrive from CA to spend it with me.  They are so special to me and I love them with all my heart.  

I used Animal Kingdom for my turkey.  The cartridges offer many turkeys and I had a hard time landing on one.  But I think this little guy is cute.  I added a few of the dazzle dots and when I found a little snippet of the colorful ribbon laying to the side, I decided he needed a bow tie. 

Stop by BBTB2 and be inspired.  

BBTB2/Circle Challenge

Happy Monday....welcome to my blog... Today at BBTB2 we are hosting a project designed with circles. This week at BBTB2 our post is for inspiration only.  There will be no challenge. 

So ...here you see a wall hanging and if you visit often, you know I love making these.  They look great hanging here and there, now and then.  This could also be a cute little table centerpiece except I have added a hanging accessory with a ribbon.  

The circles are from good ole' first on the market George and Basic Shapes.  What would we do without George?.... the leaves are from Give A Hoot, and I've done my usual embossing and added some gems to give the project a wee bit o' bling.  The center of each circle flower is a thin strip of black cardstock wrapped tightly around some tweezers.  A jewel is in the center. 

Riley The Piano Cat

When I sit down to play the piano, no matter where my cat Riley is, here he comes running....he hops up and lays on the left side of the piano.  He watches me play and now and then he will reach his paw down to touch my hand.  Perhaps he is trying to play as well.  He is so precious...and this never fails to make my heart melt when he wants to share a little tune or two with me.   In the last photo, you can see a photo of my Uncle Jack sitting at this very piano in California.  I always get up from playing and I never fail to touch the photo and say "thank you, Uncle Jack, for leaving me your precious piano".

BBTB2/Halloween is here...

Susan is our hostess this week at BBTB2.... she asked us to design a project featuring a witch, and we could use any cartridge.  

I had a hard time with this one....seems like I have been having a mojo issue lately.  I am getting ready to do 2 craft shows in October and November.  I haven't done shows in many years but these two shows will give me the opportunity to get some of my stash of fabric projects and paper projects out of the house.   That accounts for the switch in mindset to sewing instead of making cards.  

I did several witchy cards and I didn't like any of them for the challenge.  I can use them, certainly, by sharing them with friends on the Halloween mailings I do.  Finally a little idea of a design crept into my head and here it is.  I cut the big moon out of New Arrival.  The different size witches are  cut from Happy Hauntings, the featured Witchy chick  is done in several colors of paper while the other "gals" are flyin' by in silhouette.  The little frame that features the sentiment "Girls night out" is also from Happy Hauntings.    

On Halloween night, can't you imagine the night sky filled with flying witchies, out for a night of witchery, mayhem and spooky fun. The blue stars are cut from a Sizzix die. Inside it says simply "Happy Halloween".  I like the end result.  At last I can relax now.

Thanks for visiting.   Consider joining us on our Witchy challenge.  Follow our simple rules and link up your new project.  Have a wonderful week.

BBTB2/3D Halloween Treat Container

Happy Monday dear friends.  I am so glad you stopped by to see the BBTB2 challenge for this week which is hosted by Jeri.  She asked us to design with a 3D Treat container with a Halloween theme.  I always take little gifties into my office for the 3 friends so I knew instantly what I was going to design.  I cut the 3 treat bags from Tags Bags, Boxes & More.  I used a little hole punch on some of the scallops so that I could add some bright orange ribbons.  The little bats are cut from 2 choices on Haunted Halloween. the orange stars are a Sizzix die cut.  The sentiment is a rubber stamp. 

 The little red eyes on each bat are the Stampendous Class A peel dots (I love these, you will see them on a lot of the things I create..and I always want to give a shout out to my dear friend Pat who has shown so many new little embellishments I can use. )  Each little treat box has some purple tissue paper shoved inside and I will fill them to the brim with ...what else?.... Candy corn.

Thanks to visiting ...and if you leave me a comment, I will love it.  I hope that you have viewed all of the lovely creations from our wonderful design team gals here , and that you will consider joining us on our 3D Treat Container for Halloween.  Link up your new creation, give us a shout out, be sure to mention which cartridge you used for the 3D treat container.  Have a lovely week.

Breast Cancer Awareness

 Our BBTB2 sweet design team sister Brenda has asked us to pay honor to Breast Cancer Awareness month for October.    I purchased the Pink Expression a few months ago and with that came the Pink Journey cartridge so I chose to use that for most of my design.  I designed a box that I call "Box of Hopes"...I have so many cherished friends who have battled this horrid disease and I am so glad that many of them have won their battle...Just after my father passed away in 1984, my step mom had a double mastectomy.  She passed away in 2001 but it was from other afflictions.... Inside the box I have cut many words significant to anyone who has battled Breast Cancer.  Believe, Hope, Dream.  The box has a clear cover so that the words inside can show.  I decorated the top of the box with two sizes of Nestie dies, added a corner decoration from Cheery Lynn Designs (oh wow are these great) and I added the PINK RIBBON with a Cheery Lynn butterfly.,  Pink and white pearls have been added.  The 4 sides of the box are decorated as well.  Three sides say HOPE, while the front of the box has the two love doves.  All of the additions to the box have been embossed.

 We hope you will join us on this challenge to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.... just follow our simple rules.  I know you will get a lot of inspiration when you see the wonderful projects our team has offered to you in this challenge.  Thanks for stopping by.  Happy Monday and have a wonderful week.

BBTB2/Pumpkin

Welcome my crafty visitors.... we welcome you to the BBTB2 Monday challenge hosted this week by our talented Glenda. She asked us to design with a pumpkin but we were NOT to create a Halloween theme.  I love all of the pumpkins available on my cartridges but I selected Gypsy Wanderings.  The pumpkin cut is on Page 54, and the cute little fall leaves are on the following page, Page 55.
The base card is A2 size in white, I used a wonderful vintage looking design paper for mounting the die cuts, the top little pumpkin smiles with a jewel.  The title "fall" is cut from Blackletter cartridge.

I know you've found some inspiration on the BBTB2 offerings for our Pumpkin challenge.  Why don't you join us.... follow the rules, uplink your new pumpkin card, give us a shout out on your blog and mention the cartridge you used for the selected cut (pumpkin).  Please... no word verification!.... It makes my heart sink when I visit a blog to comment on a cute card and I have to leave because I can't read those difficult words.

Just for giggles, here is the project  that didn't make the cut.  I will use this to hang outside on my porch.

BBTB2/Tree

Happy Monday to each of you.... Welcome to the Monday challenge for BBTB2.  Our hostess this week is our talented DT sister Jayne who designs for us from across the pond.  She asked us to design with a tree.  There are so many tree die cuts available on our wonderful Cricut libraries and I selected several from Simply Charmed.  What a darling little cartridge this is.  I also used the sun and the cloud from the same cartridge.  Several of the trees, the sun and cloud are pop dotted for that lift effect. everything has been embossed, and the inside of the card has a rubber stamped sentiment that says "wishing you sunshine and smiles all day long".  Sometimes I have friends who need a little smile and this is a perfect card to send out...This is an A2 sized card with the gate fold design.  I cut the base card 4-1/2x11, and I scored it at 2-3/4ths inches at each end.  Fold those to the center and you have the gate fold design.

I hope that you've taken a look at the BBTB2 blog to enjoy all of the wonderful designs our design team offers you for inspiration.  Please join in on our challenge, just follow our simple rules posted at the top of our blog here.   Remember... our challenge is now just a week long.

Card Kits/Slam dunk cards...

I am getting ready for a craft show in November, so I am organizing, sorting, packaging, pricing and yes even tossing some stashed piles and boxes.  I used to do 4 annual craft shows each year and then I just flat out ran out of steam for all of the required steps... I am destashing BIG TIME with all of the projects I've held onto for what reasons I have no clue...

First up I am doing my little dance called "slam dunk"...picking up this paper, grabbing that embellishment, stamping this sentiment and slam dunking a card together.  With this process it is absolutely amazing how many cards you can put together in a sort of assembly line process.  I had two little boy die cuts, cut long ago from my Sizzix dies.  I don't have the clothing die anymore because I sold 95% of my Sizzix die system.... so I drew some shirts and shorts for the two little guys, dressed them up with a cute button to boot and plopped them on papers and call these done done done.  In the same photo below, such an easy set of 4 cards by using some squares of pretty pattern papers, adding a MS punch flower on a Nestie embossed shape.  The sentiment is rubber stamped. 

 I had a package of 10 Mr & Mrs. cuts from one of the Cricut Sweethearts cartridge ... and I decided I could make some pretty note cards.  I had a pack of wonderful black and white cardstock so I used each of the patterns for the 10 cards.  I like the striking effect of the die cut on the black Nestie mounted on the larger Nestie in red.

This is one of the Wedding cards from a kit of 9.  I taught this class 4 times and eventually ended up with the 9 left over kits.  Each of the cards have a wee bit of different embellishments on the front in the way of ribbons or flowers.  

 This is the inside of the Congratulations card with the bride and groom featured as pop ups.  The bride and groom were created from Sizzie dies, the dress has been embossed and the little jacket and veil are cut on vellum.  Her dress and veil are embellished with a pretty little ribbon, I've added a white embossed heart from a punch and a rubber stamp "Love blooms here".  It's fun to open this card and have the little bride and groom pop up in view.

Another card class with a different color theme.  The bride and groom are applied to the inside of the base card while the sentiment is the pop up.  JOY is also a Sizzix cut.

 This is the front of the card.  The little silver packages with the gold ribbon are Sizzlits die cuts.  The hearts are Sizzix as well.  All sentiments have been rubber stamped.

Thanks for taking a peek at my slam dunk cards and the assembled kits.  Have a great day, my dear friends.

Little Boy Blue

Our sweet and talented design team sister Suzanne is our hostess at BBTB2 this week. 

She asked the design team to use a theme of little boy blue to celebrate the birth of a grandson after 3 granddaughters.  We celebrate that with her.

My card looks ornate but was so simple to design.  The base card has been embossed with the bahy theme embossing folder, I've added some EK Success decorative edge punches.  Once the base card was ready, then I added a small baby blue Onesie cut from New Arrival, and a blue ribbon.  The little outfit is featured in a beautiful frame from Elegant Edges cartridge (wow, everyone should have this cartridge, it's fabby).  I added a little diaper pin, some blue pearls.  All done... fit for a sweet little baby boy.

Please join us in the challenge.  Follow our rules and remember our challenge is now just for a week, not two so get your craft on.  Thanks for stopping by.

Things That Fly in Nature

Happy Monday one and all.  Our BBTB2 hostess this week is our talented friend Sandi who has asked us to design with All Things that fly in Nature... that means dragonflies, bees, butterflies, ...yep, even a sweet little ladybug.  

I decided upon a butterfly.  I am having lunch with a dear friend in a few weeks and I wanted to make a little extra something for her birthday.  I decided I could make a Post It Note Easel Card that features a beautiful butterfly ... she can set this on her desk at work and find glee each time she takes a small blue post it note.  

I created a rather sturdy Easel Card so all of the different panels are enforced with an extra strip of cardstock, and then of course each layer is topped off with the pretty pattern paper cardstock. 

The small white strip at the top is a MS edge punch that has a beautiful butterfly cut.  The little blue flowers are punched from a MS punch, and little flower jewels are added for the bling...The base butterfly is cut from Indie Art...and is the reason I actually bought this particular cartridge.  I had added some punch butterflies to the top of the Cricut b-fly so that I have a rather ornate design.  A little flower jewel has been added as well. 

Do join us on our challenge.  If you are new to our blog and the challenges, be sure to read up on the simple rules posted at the top of our blog, link up your card back to your blog, give us a shout out, be sure you have the chosen cut from a Cricut cartridge... We also ask everyone to please disable any word verification you might have.  Sometimes we aren't even aware that WV is active on our blogs so just check out your "preferences" on your blog and make sure that difficult lettering is disable.
Thanks for visiting.... have a great week.

Blue Birds

 I am so proud of me.  I tend to keep cards I make that I really like.  They sit in a tray and I look at them now and then to admire.  I have several groups who come to my house to buy my cards which are in the "slam dunk" trays.  I would never never never let them walk out with one of my "best" cards.  My friend Pat and I scoured the internet to find the folder out of Marianne's Designables series for the folder called "Romantic".  We quickly found the folder had been discontinued, and by luck Pat found a small shop in another state who happened to have two of these folders left.  Woot woot.... I paid 

$25 for this folder and ya know what?.... I didn't care.  I wanted it that bad.  My first design was the little Elephant challenge a few weeks back.  Here are 5 more designs using that wonderful embossing folder that also is a die cut in just the right places.  I added a pink insert behind the white embossed card front so it could peek through the open areas.  I cut some flowers from Walk In My Garden, and I believe the cute little blue bird is from Create a Critter...  Why am I proud?...because I have given each of these cards to friends.  They aren't sitting in a tray not to be shared.  

We honor...

Welcome visitors ... it's Monday and you know what that means... our talented design team scurried to create our hostess Brenda's challenge to recognize 911 and to honor our service men and women. I know you will find wonderful inspiration visiting BBTB2 and the design team's creations. 

My card was designed from Independence cartridge except for the additional yellow letterings from Blackletter.  I added a rubber stamp that says "thanks".  We love and cherish our Red White and Blue, we are so blessed for our freedom, and we honor those who serve their country and countrymen and women.  In summary my card simply says "Thanks for our freedom".

Once again I used some of those Stampendous "dots in red which you will find dotted on the word RED.  A little bit of white dots, some doodling and it's a done card.  Hope you like it.

 Be sure to join up with our challenge.  Just follow our rules posted at the top of our BBTB2 blog.
Thanks for visiting, and have a wonderful week.

Shape It Up

Our talented BBTB2 hostess this week is Stephanie who asked us to design with a shaped card.  I went instantly to Wild Card and one of my fave cuts on that cartridge is the doily card.  I cut the shape out with one of my wild pattern cardstock papers.  It is double-sided paper so the inside is decorative as well.  I added a clear stamp about Friendship and then I added the blingy stuff.  My round embossed scalloped mount is from a Nestie, and on that I added some punch MS flowers, with some cute little flower blue jewels.  The green leaves are a MS punch as well, and then I punched out a sweet little butterfly to sit upon the flowery scene. 

Hope you join us on our challenge this week...just follow our simple rules and again, please note the change in challenge duration.  Our challenge now runs  one week, not two so hurry over and link up your cute shaped card.

Foxy Girl

Now and then I send a pair of glitsy little socks to a cherished friend.....  The other day while I was sorting cards from design team challenges and published cards, I ran across my Foxy Girl card.  This was published in Ready Set Create magazine.   I loved this little card with the darling girly fox prancing across the page.  The next day I found a pair of socks with a cute little fox knitted at the top.... and instantly I knew what I was going to do with both.  This is a perfect combo for a little giftie for my friend. 

Paper Painting....

I used to paint...I did oil paintings, acrylics and water colors .... It's been 20 years since I've painted.  But in my destashing when moving from the old craft room to my new room, I found a canvas.  I had high hopes that suddenly an urge would come over me and I would sit down and do a painting with pretty turquoise flowers, lovely bright green leaves and some do-dahs to fill it all in.  Sadly the urge never arrived to paint but I decided to use some paper and create with that.  It isn't the most wonderful thing I've ever done but it fills a spot on that big wall and it sort of gives me a little smack of cheery welcome when I walk into my beautiful new room.  I don't think it's finished.... I will add some more words I think...maybe "sew with glee"....  I had a cartridge already in the Cricut, the flower was there for the picking (pardon the pun)... I cut several layers, curled the petals, added some gems.  I am sorry I can't tell you what cartridge I used but the flower is very pretty. 

I like my little paper painting...  Thanks for taking time to take a peek at my artful endeavors.

BBTB2/Back To School

Our hostess this week at BBTB2 is sweet talented Brenda.  She has asked the design team to create something with a "Back to School" theme.   It seems like summer just began and now the schools are revving up to begin a new year.  In my day (dates me, doesn't it?) our schools always started up the first Monday after Labor Day.  I loved our summer months..... three long wonderful months of carefree days of swimming and gathering around friends in picnics and fun.  I loved high school, and I am so proud to say that at age 75, I am still surrounded by cherished friends that I went to grade school and high school with.  We have a luncheon reunion every April, and in October we have a picnic luncheon at a park.... our turn out is amazing.  

My card has a wee bit of a different take.  I loved Art in school, and I carried that love with me to this very day.  My card recognizes school days but it celebrates artful endeavors.  My email address is crayola58 (I was 58 when I got my very first AOL email account) and so I present a box of 3 crayons, an apple that is always good to represent school...the lettering is Don Juan, and the Crayon box is from Simply Charmed, page 52. 

Hope you all join in with our Back To School challenge.  Just follow our simple rules which are printed  at the top of our BBTB2 blog.  Thanks for visiting, and I love your comments.

BBTB2/Vacation

Happy Happy Monday.  I am so pleased to tell you I am the hostess this week for Bitten By The Bug2 ... For many folks, summer months usually mean vacation travels so I picked just that for my theme this week.  .. Folks are heading to destinations that call to them, or to visit loved ones .... they take trains, planes, buses....and if I were planning a vacay, I would climb in my car.   No, I don't own a Chevrolet anymore but I had a few in my life starting with my very first car, a 1949 Chevrolet painted a horrid color of bronze.  My next car was a 1953 turquoise Chevrolet Bel Air, followed by a 1954 Red and white Chevry Bel Air, then a 1957.  My very first brand new car was a 1962 Chervolet Nova II and I was so proud of that little sweet car...

My card was fun to make, but a little frustrating because I ran into design issues, color themes, layout but in the long run this is what I came up with.  A little street scene in some quaint city USA.  

The sign is computer generated, and I even added a tiny little license plate that says "Chev".  We used to watch Dinah Shore who sang this song so well..... The buildings are from Heritage, and the little cloud drifting overhead is from April Showers.  Hope you like my little vacation scene.     

Please join us on our challenge.  Make sure you have a Cricut cut representing some sort of vacation theme, when you link up your card to BBTB2 for the challenge, be sure to link back to your blog and mention you have joined in our challenge.  No back dating...and please disable any word verification you might have.  Oh, important news.... we have changed the challenge time from 2 weeks to a week so get your challenge entries linked up.  We want to see them...!!

BBTB2/Elephantly Speaking

Our BBTB2 hostess this week is our talented miss Shelly.  She asked the design team to design with an elephant.  I hope you've come to visit after you've enjoyed all of the cards from the design team.  We hope that we can inspire you on all levels to create using Cricut cuts.  We love creating with the Cricut cartridges.

My card honors a sweet little elephant from Celebrate With Flourish.  I cut her from gray paper, and added a pink hat with a pink button. The sentiment "a best friend is always here" is complimented by the inside sentiment that says "and here I am".  Please notice that lovely embossing folder that features some cutaways in the design.  A few weeks ago I was looking at some cards on a Pinterest bulletin board and I saw a gaspingly beautiful card that featured this embossing folder.  There was no mention of the folder, however.  I emailed the blog owner and she happily told me the folder is from the line of Marianne's Designables and she bought it from Cuddly Buddly.  I went to that site instantly only to find that although there were many pretty embossing folders, the folder ROMANTIC was not offered.  I hit the world wide web, I dove headfirst into every shop online that carried her designs only to find this particular folder had been discontinued.  I can't imagine why.  Between the net surfing, telephones and my friend Pat, she found a shop that had two "left" and she and I are now the proud owners of this embossing delight.  I would be embarrassed to tell you what we paid.  

Please join in on our challenge.  Just remember our simple rules, make it a Cricut cut, mention our name on your blog, and I hope by now the bloggy world has gotten rid of that horrid word verification. I am so disappointed when I try to comment on a challenge and I encounter that WV.  

Have a wonderful week, my friends. 

BBTB2/Fly Away

Welcome Monday and weeklong visitors.  Our challenge this week at BBTB2 is by our talented design team sister, Jeri. She asked us to design with a theme of Fly Away...we were to use a hot air balloon, however if there were no hot air balloons available to us, we could use an airplane. 

I used the B is for Boy cartridge for this card which features travel by car, train or  airplane.... I looked and looked and there were no hot air balloons on any of the 66 carts I own. .. I've written down a promise to me to NOT buy anymore cartridges for a while.  I have some I haven't even used and that's silly.

This shows the pop-dotted travel cuts.

The lettering is from Blackletter cartridge which is such a defined calligraphy style.  The papers are from a darling little paper pad I received from my friends while in Tucson for the annual Card Camp.
I added an embossed EK Success round scallop punch to the layer below the die cut.

I sort of slammed this card together.  My new Craft Room is wonderful but as you can imagine once you move your crafty supplies from a long-standing room to a new room, one can spend a lot of time trying to find where you put what you are looking for.  It was a fun adventure but nonetheless, slowed me down.  Once I get into the swing of things, all will be well. 

Hope you join in our challenge.  You will find a lot of inspiration on our BBTB2 Fly Away posts because our DT sisters are so so talented.  Read our simple rules and join in.... Remember....we are a Cricut based challenge team so please be sure to use a Cricut cut and mention BBTB2 and the cartridge in your link up.....thanks for looking. 

New Craft Room Delight

I am so proud to present my new craft room.  I have dreamed about this room for at least 5 years, touting "if only I could win the lottery, I would build a craft room where all things crafty would reside instead of having things scattered all over my house".  I don't play the lottery and I never dreamed this would ever be a reality.  But here it is.... and it is truly beyond my dreams. 

My patio was 10x53, and had recently had Saltillo Tile laid.  Unfortunately the new room (10x16) required a foundation to be level with the house so that section of the lovely Saltillo was covered up in concrete.  Still, this is a photo of the remaining patio and it is plenty big for me, the two porch cats and a wonderful place to sit and admire.... you can see the craft room at the back, with the white blinds on the west facing 4x6 window. 

 This is a view of the left side of the closet.  My closet has only those items I use more frequently than others (and the old craft room closet is still full of other crafty things).  I had my builder place that last shelf high enough so I could shove the rolling bins of papers in the closet and not have them on the floor.  My closet has a light inside and lovely mirrored doors. The ceiling has 6 recessed lights so I no longer will use my Ott Light.

 Below  is a view of the "hanging side" of the closet...I can hang my quilts, sewn projects and I was delighted to find the Tea Cart with all of my threads for regular and embroidery machines could live in the closet as well.

 Here is my Sewing Station.  This is the new table that was built...since the former table collapsed and gashed my big toe to the bone.  This table will never collapse... The drawers (from Walmart) hold all of my fabrics, the embroidery design CD's, the hoops, and some of the stabilizers and batting... At the east end is a rolling cart that has more stabilizer, and a working drawer with all of the sewing tools I need when I am busy at the machines.  I made colorful tablecloths for each table, and this one is a bit short since the collapsed table was not as long.  I will add some length on each side so the ends of the door slab will not show. I made simply sewing machine covers ...two long panels, back with pretty fabrics, tied at each end with bright ribbons.

Below  is my Work Station...where the creativity begins. One thing is missing...the new TV set which will be set up tomorrow.  The old craft room counter was literally loaded with "stuff"... paper bins, tubs with all sorts of things to use.  I didn't want that on the new table so those 2 white bins hold the adhesives, the jewels, pearls, vinyl dots, and other things I use frequently to create. The room is entered off the master bedroom and by keeping the door open, and using the ceiling fan, the room is wonderfully comfortable.  However that AC unit works wonders should the room become too warm. The drawers hold my wonderful needs, including all of my Copics, pens, punches, glues, glitters, all things necessary. The drawers were ordered from Walmart for $49 and I love them.  They are sturdy and hold all things necessary. .

 Looking onto the patio is my wonderful Cricut Station.  My two Cricut machines, the Cuttlebug, embossing folders, Nesties, some paper and sundry tools reside here.  Also showing but to leave is the serger.  I find I don't use it like I once did and it will go to a friend.

 Here is a photo of the room capturing all 3 stations.  I love my new craft room.  Hope you enjoyed my tour.