Happy Birthday Cake Box!

Hello everyone!  Looks like I am becoming a once a month blogger. :(  I need to work on posting more often as I am actually creating more often!  I will try to do better!

Today I bring you a project that I am most proud of.  The cut file comes from MyScrapChick.com.  I purchased this months ago knowing it would take a while to put together along with many other projects I have on going.  My wonderful oldest daughter turned 16 last week and I wanted to make it special.  Don't misunderstand, we are not the "My Sweet 16" reality TV kinda folk.  No-No!  She invited 3 friends over, we went to see Monsters University (a must see if you like Monsters Inc.) then came home and went moonlight swimming, had cake and ice cream and then they watched TV til they couldn't keep their eyes open.  So, the paper cake was a special treat for my girl!

There are 20 boxes that make up the cake.  I printed the papers on my Imagine machine from the Blast Off cartridge and the Mr. Frosty cartridge.  I used paper by Colorbok from Walmart.  It cuts really nice.

 Each layer was very unstable so I tied each one up with some cute bakers twine and it made it nice and round.  One warning, slip a cardboard square under the entire cake to pick it up and move it, if not the pieces slip down and the lids come off easy and after you have tied the twine around them it is hard to get the lids back on.  Just an FYI!

 What would a sweet 16 cake be with out a bit of sparkle?  So I used my go to Stickles, Fruit Punch, Diamond and Yellow to add a bit of sugary sweetness.

She is a real girly girl, so in each box she found bracelets, fingernail polish, lip gloss, chewing gum (she is a bit gum crazy) earrings, etc.  Anything that would fit.  You could add gift cards, money, special notes from friends and family, etc.  THEN...her daddy came home, AFTER I had it all stuffed and tied up, with a very special present.  So it got wrapped in the tiny box below.

A very sweet pair of white 14K gold diamond earrings.  Her first "real" diamonds were from her daddy.  That's the way it should be. :)

So to add it to the gift cake, I wrapped it in matching paper and tucked it under the cake topper.  It made a real nice surprise.  Sorry for the blurry picture but I realized I never photographed the little box ON the cake so I found this one from the party.

I try to teach my children that although gifts are nice and can be really special, there is no gift better than the gift of eternal life they have received from their Holy Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ.  That is the best gift any person can ever be offered.  All you have to do is pray to receive it and it will NEVER be taken away.

Many blessings,

Jana

Simply Sunday Challenge at Getting Cricky

Well Hello everyone!
Long time no see.  Do you ever lose your mojo??  Well, I kind of lost mine for a while so I took a bit of a break to do some other creative things (which I will share with you another day).  I woke up this morning craving paper crafting!  I mean I really wanted to dive in and make something nice.  Good timing because it is the Simply Sunday Challenge at Getting Cricky.  The challenge was to make an Easter project.  Not a tough one, Easter is my second favorite holiday after Christmas so I was excited about this one.
Not only was I hopping (Easter pun :) hehehe!) to make a project, I was even willing to once again try to tackle a project using the Cricut Craftroom.  I have a Cricut Imagine and the craftroom has had a LOT of bugs when it comes to the colors, patterns and printing using the Imagine and it became really frustrating so I decided to just back off and let them work on it for a while before I tried it again.  Well...I had GREAT success for the first time ever!  I was able to weld, design my own shape, fill with patterns, print and cut!  Woohoo!!!!

Here is what my computer screen looked like as I was designing the card.

I made the cross by welding two rectangles together and then filling it with brown.  Look how well you can layout the shapes, nice and close together so you don't waste paper!!  It was wonderful.  I did this entire project using only one piece of paper in my Cricut and one folded card for the base.

Here is what it looked like right after printing and cutting...

I used many cartridges, let me see if I can remember what they were...the eggs are from Doodlecharms, the flowers and leaves are from A Walk in My Garden, the rectangle, wonderfully resized to exactly the dimensions I wanted for the blue background and all the long strips (which I have been wanting to be able to do for a LONG time with my Imagine), they were cut from the Storybook cartridge.  I used patterns and colors from the Blossom, Lori's Garden, and Nursery Tails cartridges.  Oh my, do you know how long that would have taken if I hadn't used Cricut Craftroom!

Ok,OK, here is the final product...

 So, what do you think????  I am really proud of it.  Now I must confess, the design is not my own (gasp!).  I am the ultimate scraplifter on the planet but I like to give credit where credit is due.  This idea came from Kiwi Lane Designs blog.  I changed a few things to make it my own.  They had a chick and I replaced it with a cross which I feel is THE most important aspect of Easter.  Which is also why I chose the stamp that I did.  With out the sacrifice that our Lord and Savior made on the cross, and then rising again on the third day...we would not have an eternal home in heaven.  Trust me, the Easter bunny is cute and so is Santa but with out Jesus neither holiday would exist.
The awesome stamp is from my wonderful friend K. Andrew at K. Andrew Designs.  You can see the entire set below.

I really enjoyed the basket weaving, it gave the card some dimension and texture and it was oh so nice to print and cut these strips instead of printing out a bigger rectangle and then cutting it down only to have leftover scraps I might never use.

Here is the Scripture Sayings set I used.  Feel free to click on the image to purchase it or to see more wonderful stamps from Kristal.  She has just released several new sets that are ADORABLE!!!! And best of all, a portion of each and every purchase is donated to very worthy charities.

Now, I hope you will head on over to the Getting Cricky and link up your Easter project for all to see!  There just might be a prize in it for a lucky linker :)

Blessings to all,

Jana

Cabin Fever Blog Hop!

Welcome to the "Cabin Fever" Getting Cricky Blog Hop!!

We're so happy you could join us for this month's Getting Cricky Design Team Blog Hop!!  We have an EXTRA SPECIAL hop for you this month -- All week long, the Design Team has been featuring many of Kristal's stamp sets as well as an array of Cricut Cartridges, SVG cuts, and more in anticipation of the hop...  If you've missed out on any of the week, be sure to check out our previous posts for MORE THAN 100 CREATIVE IDEAS and PROJECTS as well as giveaways, promotions, tips, and tutorials!!

If you've hopped along from Larelyn then you are in the right place!! If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via email, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Kristal's blog (you'll want to catch up on all the FUN!!)...

Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, Adopt a Classroom, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store: K Andrew Designs:



Kristal's stamp sets are perfect for cards, layouts, and so much more...
For my project, I'm featuring the Hoot Owl Image Set.  For more details or to make this set YOURS, please click on the preview:

Hoot Owl Image Set

Owly Hoo Sentiments

Now, on to my project.  The theme is "Cabin Fever" so I created a memory game using the cute owls in the stamp set.  It is called "You Whoo!"  :)  It makes me smile. 

 The cards were printed and cut on my Imagine machine using the Blast Off! cartridge.  I printed 20 of the 8:10 rectangles built into the Imagine sized to 2" and filled each one with a different pattern.  Then I turned them over and stamped 2 cards to match, using 10 different owls.

The "You Whoo!" was stamped using the Owly Hoo Sentiments set.  So fun!Thanks so much for stopping by, blessings,Jana

Now you can hop on over to your next stop: Jennie

Cricut Cartridge Challenge Day Five!

Hello everyone!
Welcome to the last day of the Cricut Cartridge Challenge week.  I have had a blast making projects this week with one of my many seldom used cartridges along with the great stamps from K. Andrew Designs.  I hope you have been able to click on the link ups below and visit some of the other bloggers and designers participating this week.  Leave em' some bloggy love, it will make their day!
Today I decided to create a layout I have been thinking about for a long time.  Who says Kristal's stamps are just for cards, right???  The cartridge usage was minimal but I got so excited about the fabric strip flowers that I didn't have much room left for cuts.  I think it adds just the right touch though.

This is a terrible photography job, I apologize.  I usually end up taking my pics at night and the lighting is really hard to deal with.  The glare makes it look like I used a flash but I didn't.  Oh well, I wanted you to get to see the entire layout.  I printed the paper and filled all the cuts with the Blossom Imagine pattern cartridge.  It's a really pretty cartridge.  I embossed the blue swirls in the bottom corner using a fun stamp that I have no recollection of where I got it :)

 This is my sweet daughter at her first dance ever.  She was in 6th grade and the boy she was with, yes that is a boy, was a nice kid but a real goober.  They had fun, but the pre-dance primping that occurred was somethin' else.  It was sad and fun watching her be so excited.  This was the picture that they had taken at the dance.  Notice the fold lines.  She pulled it out of her pocket when she came home from school one day!  She had no idea the plans I had for it.

 She had her first pair of heels that she was determined to wear even though it made her taller than her "date".  She is 14 and still doesn't date.  She met him at the dance.  This is the perfect sentiment stamp for this picture.  It is from K. Andrew's set called Fashionable Friends.  I have used it in all my projects this week and LOVE it!

 These fabric strip and ribbon flowers are so fun to make, I might have to teach you some day if you don't already know how to make them.  They are SUPER easy!

Here is the pretty girl from the Forever Young cartridge.  I just love these silhouette girls on this cartridge.  Thanks a ton to those of you that have stopped by each day this week.  I hope you have been inspired to be creative in some way or another.  Please stop in at K. Andrew Designs and check out the wonderful stamps.  With each purchase Kristal donates money to various charities.  Also, don't forget to visit some of the awesome blogs that are linked up below!
Thanks for stopping in,
Blessings,
Jana

Cricut Cartridge Challenge Day Four!

Hello Again!
I hope you all have been following along with the Cricut one cartridge challenge this week.  I decided that today, since I have been devoting WAY too much time to Pinterest, that I would actually create one of the projects that I pinned!  Novel idea, I know!  Anyway, this card was great with colors I really liked, especially the black as the accent.  I found it at nikiestes.typepad.com, where she has a lot of great designs and a style I really like.  So there is credit due..now on to my version of her cute card.

 I used the Forever Friends cartridge, as I have been all week on the challenge along with the Fashionable Friends stamp set from K. Andrew Designs.  They go super together.  I used regular black cardstock but then I printed the strips using the Hopscotch Imagine cartridge.  One of my FAVS!  It is full of the sweetest patterns.  I cut rectangles that I had to trim in half for the long strips then I used a round punch to make the scallops at the bottom.

The round tag is cut with my Nestabilities and embossed with them too.  It was fun to take the sentiment stamp and stick it to my block in a curve so that it matched the curve of the scalloped circle I cut out.  I am telling you people, these are GREAT quality stamps.  It's not hard to get a perfect stamped image every time. The finishing touches were put on using my trusty Bernina.  It's a bit sad I have not sewn or quilted in such a long time so I didn't want it to feel neglected.  I love sewing on paper, I just usually don't take the time.  I am glad I did with this card.  Now, to just decide who to send it to :)
Now if you want to play along, you can just pick a cartridge, use a K. Andrew stamp on the project and link it up!

Cricut Cartridge Challenge Day Three!

Oh my goodness, have we been having fun at Getting Cricky with the one Cricut cartridge challenge.  If you are just now tuning in you MUST click on the links at the bottom of this post to see all the fun projects the Getting Cricky design team and other followers have come up with using one cartridge paired with K. Andrew Designs stamps for the whole week.  I have chosen to use the cartridge Forever Young and this will be my 3rd project using it and I LOVE this card.  I have never made a step card before so I decided to try it out.  Since I had no idea how to get started I did a search and found a TERRIFIC lady that not only has a video on how to do it but she has the pattern!  Her pattern and video make it the easiest card to make, try it out by visiting her blog at www.mycreativeexposure.com. It was the easiest to follow that I found and the pattern is printable.  So here is my 3rd project for the challenge...

So as I mentioned before, I used the Forever Young cartridge and it pairs very nicely with the sentiment stamps that are both from the Fashionable Friends set from K. Andrew.  I used the Imagine cartridge Elise to fill the shapes and the background papers.  I love that cartridge, the patterns are all so sweet and I really like how the Imagine changes the scale of the pattern to the appropriate size for the cut.

I like the way it turned out, although I wish I had put maybe one more thing alongside the front hat.  That spot is a little bare.  A button maybe???  I hope you will try out a step card and pick a cartridge and join in on the fun.

Cricut Cartridge Challenge Week!

Wow!  I can't believe I have gone this long without posting.  I have missed you all.  I have been swamped at work and my girl's basketball schedules have taken over our lives.  If we are not at the gym, we are at church so I have had very little time to create.  But I am back and ready to go!
This week at Getting Cricky with K. Andrew we are challenging our followers to choose ONE Cricut cartridge (or SVG set if you don't own a Cricut) that you have not used in a long time and create a project with it each day this week.  We also ask that you use K. Andrew stamps on your project if you want to link it up at Getting Cricky.  So one Cricut cartridge and ANY K. Andrew stamps that you want to use.
So this week I am going to use the cartridge Forever Young.  I remember when this cartridge came out in 2009 that I HAD to have it!!!!!!  And I got it!!!!!  But I haven't USED IT!!!!!!  So now is the time.  I thought it would be a fun one.  It reminds me so much of my sweet 14 year old daughter.  She is SO about fashion (like every other 14 year old girl).  I am also going to use the K. Andrew stamp set called Fashionable Friends. This cartridge and stamp set were made for each other!  If you will come back each day this week, you will see me use a different cut form Forever Young along with a different stamp.  So, on to my first project...

I made a purse.  Forever Young is full of these darling little handbags that you can make and put a small little treat in.  I used the fit to page feature on my Imagine and it turned out a pretty nice size.  It is 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall.   

I flood filled the purse cut with a pattern from the Ancestry Imagine cartridge.  I love the sweet little birds on this pattern and the colors are nice too, kind of muted but still pretty.  As I mentioned before I used a stamp from K. Andrew's called Fashionable Friends. This one cracked me up, one you would want to use only with one of your besties :)  I think I will be able to use that stamp set this whole week with this cartridge.  This was a super simple, fast and very easy project.  I hope you will link your project up with us.
Don't for get it is also the Simply Sunday Challenge at Getting Cricky.  Click here to see that challenge and join in.  It has a wedding theme and will be going on all week.
Here are the projects linked up for the cartridge challenge week already...come on.....join us!

Owly Preview Week Day 5 - Last Day!

Hey Everyone!
I hope you have had as much fun this week as I have.  Today is the last day of the preview then the "U R So Sweet Blog Hop" will start tomorrow night at 8pm CST.  So make sure you scroll to the bottom of this post to see the many ways you can enter to win a K. Andrew Stamp set of your choice! This is the last day to comment on this weeks posts, visit Facebook, become a follower and the rest listed below!  Now get on it people!!!!  You NEED  some K. Andrew Stamps!!!!!  (Sorry, got a little passionate there for a bit :)
On to my project...

Today's project is a layout that I made using the Cricut Imagine cartridge Blast Off.  I love everything about this cartridge.  It's bright colors, fun fonts, ability to layer the fonts, even though I chose not to on this project.

The flowers or rosettes were made by cutting two scalloped circles, scoring them, folding them and putting them together.  One of these days I will get some tutorials going and show you how I made them.  I'm not quite ready for that yet :)
I love the buttons, who doesn't like buttons but what I really like is the puff ball ribbon I came across in my stash!  Cute eh!

Of course the sentiment is from the Owly Hoo  set and was absolutely perfect for this.  My daughter is truly a hoot!  Or maybe better said, a goober!  She is so fun and the stamp was so fitting.  So, below you can see the whole set and you can click on it to head over to K. Andrew Designs to get one of your own.  If you enter JANAFREESHIP upon checkout, you will get free shipping, what a deal!

Want to win a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice? At the end of the week I will be totaling up the number of times you do one of the following and entering your name into a drawing.  You can only comment on my blog once a day but there are other ways to enter.   Here are ways that you can enter to win:

1.  Be a follower of my blog, if you are not already

2.  Leave a new comment on each new post this week (Sunday through Thursday)

3.  Add my button to your blog, then comment to say you did

4.  Visit the Getting Cricky with K. Andrew Facebook page, "like" it and say that I sent you

5.  Follow me by email (enter your email address at the top right of this blog and comment that you did so I will know!

Each time you do this I will enter your name into a good old fashion random drawing.  I will pick 5 names and each person will get to choose a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice!  Woohoo!

Winners will be on Sunday, January 22 so check back to see if you are a winner!
BTW, you can NOW see the new Valentine sets from K. Andrew...You can also pre-order them!  Go HERE to check them out.  When you purchase during preview week, just enter JANAFREESHIP and you will get free shipping!  Go to her BLOG to see the very latest release, you will love them!

And for MORE inspiration during Preview week, check out my participating design team sisters below to see their projects featuring the stamps sets listed by their names.

Thanks for stopping by and blessings to you!

Jana

Owly Hoo Preview Week - Day 3

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to preview day 3.  If you are new today I should tell you what's up!  The design team from Getting Cricky blog is working this week to show you just how awesome and fun K. Andrew stamps are.  We each have chosen a different set of stamps to feature all week long leading up to the "U R So Sweet Blog Hop" beginning this Friday!  It is going to be awesome!  I have chosen the Owly Hoo sentiments stamp set and have also been using the Hooty Owl art and accessories set.  You can find them HERE or by clicking on the stamp set below.

Today I decided to use the stamps to make a few tags to put on Valentines for my husband and kids.  They are each very different, but so are the people :)

The black and white tag was made by printing the background paper using the Vintage Damask Cricut Imagine cartridge and I got the lips from the Love Struck regular cartridge.  The tag with the sentiment printed on it was built into the Imagine.

The pink tag background paper and the heart shaped paper also came from Vintage Damask then I used the Owly Hoo stamps to stamp "love" on the background paper.  That is one of the things I like to use stamps for, is to alter paper or use for making my own patterned paper, which I will show you tomorrow.

The yellow tag was made with the Best Friends  Imagine cartridge.  This whole design is in there, I jsut cut it with layers, put it together and stamped it.  Easy peasy!!!
Here is the stamp set that I used.

Want to win a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice? At the end of the week I will be totaling up the number of times you do one of the following and entering your name into a drawing.  You can only comment on my blog once a day but there are other ways to enter.   Here are ways that you can enter to win:

1.  Be a follower of my blog, if you are not already

2.  Leave a new comment on each new post this week (Sunday through Thursday)

3.  Add my button to your blog, then comment to say you did

4.  Visit the Getting Cricky with K. Andrew Facebook page, "like" it and say that I sent you

5.  Follow me by email (enter your email address at the top right of this blog and comment that you did so I will know!

Each time you do this I will enter your name into a good old fashion random drawing.  I will pick 5 names and each person will get to choose a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice!  Woohoo!

Winners will be on Sunday, January 22 so check back to see if you are a winner!


BTW, you can NOW see the new Valentine sets from K. Andrew...You can also pre-order them!  Go HERE to check them out.  When you purchase during preview week, just enter JANAFREESHIP and you will get free shipping!  Go to her BLOG to see the very latest release, you will love them!

And for MORE inspiration during Preview week, check out my participating design team sisters below to see their projects featuring the stamps sets listed by their names.

Thanks for stopping by and blessings to you!

Jana

Owly Hoo - Preview Week - Day 2

I hope you have enjoyed the preview week so far.  I also forgot to mention that over at Getting Cricky blog, there is the fun Simply Sunday Challenge going on. The challenge is "Let it Snow - Use Embossing".  The design team has created some really great projects.  Head on over after this and join in the fun!

On to day two of the preview week. Today I created a card that is 100% inspired and scraplifted straight from Liz at Liz's Paper Loft.  I loved it so much I wanted to see if I could recreate it using only my Cricut Imagine and my K. Andrew Stamps.  Easy Peasy!!

I began with the card base using the Best Friends Imagine cartridge color and the flower polka dot patterned paper from the same cartridge along with the cute little birdie.  The border at the bottom was punched using an EK punch and the little stamp looking shapes were built into the Imagine.  I hope you like it.  Here is the stamp set that I used.  Be sure to click on it to head over the K. Andrew Designs and pick up a set for yourself.

Want to win a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice? At the end of the week I will be totaling up the number of times you do one of the following and entering your name into a drawing.  You can only comment on my blog once a day but there are other ways to enter.   Here are ways that you can enter to win:

1.  Be a follower of my blog, if you are not already

2.  Leave a new comment on each new post this week (Sunday through Thursday)

3.  Add my button to your blog, then comment to say you did

4.  Visit the Getting Cricky with K. Andrew Facebook page, "like" it and say that I sent you

5.  Follow me by email (enter your email address at the top right of this blog and comment that you did so I will know!

Each time you do this I will enter your name into a good old fashion random drawing.  I will pick 5 names and each person will get to choose a K. Andrew stamp set of your choice!  Woohoo!

Winners will be on Sunday, January 22 so check back to see if you are a winner!

And for MORE inspiration during Preview week, check out my participating design team sisters below to see their projects featuring the stamps sets listed by their names.

Thanks for stopping by and blessings to you!

Jana

Amy @ Love To Crop - Owly Hoo/Hoot Owl Image Set/Accessories

Faith @ Faithfule Creations - Food For Thought

Ildi @ The Craftin Mama - Winter Wishes

Lisa @ A Mermaid's Crafts - Owly Hoo/Hoot Owl Image/Accessories

Amanda @ Crick'tn Crafts - Food For Thought

Charlotte @ A Little Bit of Detail - Coffee & Tea/Image Set/Treats

Cheri @ DJ's Sundries - Coffee & Tea for You & Me/Image Set/Treats

Christel @ Scrappin Sista - Scripture Sayings

Debbie @ DD's Crafts - Crafty Friends

Erica @ My Cricut Craft Room -Fashionable Friends

Heather @ Heather's Crafty Blog Space -Crafty Friends

Jamie @ My Amusing Life -Fall-O-Ween

Jana @ Raining Grace -Owly Hoo/Hoot Owl Image Set/Accessories

Jennie @ Jenscrapstoo - Coffee & Tea for You & Me/Image Set/Treats

Jessie @ Sugarlips Sassy Surprises -Winged Things
Kristan @ Baby Cakes - Food For Thought
Larelyn @ Handmade From My Heart -Fashionable Friends

Letillia @ Diva of 5 -Scripture Sayings

Linda – Linda's Creativity -Positive Thoughts

Miranda @ Nana's Scrap Spot -Winter Wishes

Patti @ Patti-Lynn Creations -Pirate Tales and Fish Scales/Pirate Party

RhoLynda @ Blossoming Butterfly Creations -Winged Things

Sherry @ Up or Down They're Beautiful -Amazing You

Veronica @ Mommy's Crafty Creations -Pirate Tales/Pirate Party

New Release from Jen

Sugar N Snap!  That's what the new digi stamps are called from Jen's Digi Stamps.  They are just the cutest critters and VERY wintery.  I was excited to see these because I have a new awesome set of clear stamps from K. Andrew Designs that I was dying to use!  It is a mix and match set so the possibilities are endless when creating sentiments from this set.  Oh and by the way, the set is called Winter Wishes and the Coffee and Tea set will be featured in a Getting Cricky Blog Hop this Friday!  So stop back by Friday night at 8pm central time to hop with us!

 So here is my card I made with the digi.  He is darling!  I used my snowflake embossing folder in my Cuttlebug for the background then gently wiped over it with a white ink pad.  I tore the bottom off the blue paper to make it look like snow and added some crystal Stickles to the snow.

 The tree is made up of 24 one inch Christmas trees cut from the built in shapes on the Cricut Imagine and filled with a pattern from the Mr. Frosty cartridge.  I just turned them upside down and layered them, used a little bling from my stash and voila!

I used one of my new nestabilities to cut and emboss the tag for the sentiment and then used three different stamps from the Winter Wishes set for the sentiment.  A little bakers twine and a cute little sparkly pom pom and there you have it!

So head on over to Jen's Digi Stamps to buy this cutie pie and then to Jen's blog to see what the other designers have created!
Blessings,
Jana