Favorite Things

Several blogs are having linkup parties to post your "favorite things" from 2011--your favorite card or crafty project.  I have to agree with some others that it's hard to pick just one.  I have several that I'm posting below.

I made this for my daugther's 23rd birthday.  She grew up with cats, and she now has one of her own named Charlie.  I thought this image was so adorable, I couldn't resist it--especially since "she'll always be my little girl."  I later found out that this card didn't stay a keepsake too long.  Her cat got hold of it and tore the head off the little girl!! You can see the original post here.

This was the first mini-album I made from scratch all the way to binding it myself.  I was real pleased with how it turned out.  You can see the whole album at my original post here.

Here's one of the 3-D projects I made in 2011.  A woman at work used it for a gift box and card for her sister's birthday.  The cupcake is a card image from Hello Kitty.  Another 3-D project I really liked was a purse set from Forever Young. You can see more photos of that here.

And here's some decor for the kitchen.  This actually came out better than I imagined (although I apologize for the blurry picture).  It was made for a blog hop; the first one I ever participated in with Georgiana of Carson's Creations and still my good blogging buddy today.  Isn't that the best thing about blogger world?  Finding new friends who have the same interests as you?  You're ALL terrific, and I appreciate your friendships!

I made this card for my husband for our wedding anniversary. Loved the design and how it turned out to look like a wallpapered bathroom wall!  Love the inside too.

Sorry this is so long, just one more because it's just so darn cute.  How many of you like Create a Critter as your favorite cart!?  Well it's no wonder; it has the cutest images!  This is the kitty from that cart.  At the time I made it, I had no one particular in mind, but wound up giving to my niece for her birthday.  I just love this cut.

I am linking this post to the following blogs:

    Lezlye's Ink and Paper Creations

    Whimsical Wednesday Challenge

    Cooking with Cricut

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Customized Baby Card

I made another boy baby card for the girl at work who likes to give them to her friends.  I get the name and statistics typed on patterned paper and then cut the image around that.

All images are cut from the cartridge New Arrival.  I like the way it turned out.  Sorry the colors don't match in the pictures, but they do for real--the real color is closer to the inside paper than the cuts on the front of the card (more gold-ish than orange-ish).  I think one picture was taken with a flash and the other without.  I really need to learn how to use the settings on my camera better!!

Christmas Gift Holders

I made these gift holders for the ladies at work.  There were two kinds--one to hold a candy bar and one to hold a packet of cocoa mix (these cocoa mixes are long and skinny; a little different size from traditional ones), so I searched Youtube to find this easy to make cocoa holder. 

Here's a close-up of the candy bar holder.  This is actually a gift card envelope, and is cut from Wild Card cartridge, pg. 46 <allinone>, fit to length (I think; sorry didn't write it down).  Then cut some cardstock and embellished it with Merry Christmas Sizzix folder.  The mice are cut from Winter Frolic, pg. 56, border.

And here is the cocoa mix holder.  The ribbon threads through a slot at the top (hidden behind the sentiment) on both sides, and actually holds the cocoa packet in place.  After tying a knot in the ribbon at the top, you can use the ribbon to pull up the cocoa packet.  Sweet!!

I made 5 sets using different patterned papers.  Here's all of them.

And a closeup of another set--you can really see the Merry Christmas embossing folder on the green cardstock in this one. 

 

  

And a few more of the cocoa packet holders that I made from the same patterned paper.

I'm entering my projects into the following challenges/linkup parties:

Robin's Creative Cottage Link-up Party - favorite project made within last month

Craft Junkie Too - link up party
Die Cuttin Divas - Create any Holiday Celebration idea...wall hangings, centerpieces, ornaments, layouts, gift boxes/bags, etc
Joyful Stamper - linky party

Another Christmas Tree Card

I wanted to share just one more version of the card I made using the tree from Winter Frolic.  I think this tree is soooo adorable.  Found this striped paper in my DCWV Christmas Matstack (great Xmas paper designs!!) and it matched the tree so perfectly.  I think it pops! Cut an oval and embossed it with Divine Swirls folder, and voila, an easy peasy card.

Gee, it's been a week since I last posted, and a very busy one at that.  Worked 3 days, took off today and yesterday.  We had a holiday luncheon at work and played Secret Santa with gifts. That's always fun.  Yesterday, I did all my wrapping, some cleaning, and today I did my food shopping.  My family (brother, sister and their kids) are coming tomorrow for Christmas Eve lunch, so I'm looking forward to that.  But I'm also looking forward to Christmas Day when I can "relax" with just my immediate family.  It should be nice and quiet, and we'll get to "try out" our new Christmas presents!

So how about you?  Are you ready??  Do you remember when you were a kid and you actually didn't mind going to bed early on Christmas Eve; in fact you probably wanted to! And then waking up the next morning at 5am, only to have your parents tell you to go back to sleep for a while!  Sleep, who could sleep?!  Then my mother would say to me, go open your stocking, and I would reply, "but I already did that!"  Oh to be a kid again.  How fun.  I'm at that in-between stage where our kids are grown and there aren't any grandchildren yet, but hopefully someday there will be little ones to make Christmas so much fun.

I hope all my bloggy buddies have a very Merry Christmas.  Enjoy the time with your family and friends! -- Pat

Typecast Creative Challenge

I'm entering this card into the Typecast Creative Challenge.  Deadline is tonight. You needed to use one of the cartridges of Curt Jensen, one of Provocraft's very talented creators.  I used the Father's Day cartridge where the comfy lounge chair came from.  The table is from Kate's ABC's; wreath from Celebrate with Flourish; cake from From My Kitchen; glass of milk from Simply Charmed.  The "wallpaper" is embossed with Sizzix Powdered Sugar (don't know why it's called that!).  And I even installed some baseboard moulding.  Oh, can't forget the Christmas lights!!  Hope you like it!