A Few Projects I've been Working On

First of all I have a project for the Paper Dolls challenge this week. The files were created by my fellow My Thoughts Exactly Design Team member, Belinda of Bee's Hive O'Drama. I used the adorable house to decorate the front of a box that holds a soap bottle or lotion bottle.

I then used the cute little flowers to decorate a gift card holder that is ties around the box.

Of course I used Trendy Twine to tie some button to the flowers and tie the gift card holder to the box. My boyfriend and I have spent our weekend building a light box for my pictures, I'm still learning to use it...

Next I have two ATCs that I have been working on for another swap on the MTC forum. There are two themes this time, where I'm from and the year I was born. For the where I'm from ATC I did a play on jokes about the wonderful North Dakota :-P I'll let you see if you can pick out the two jokes before I explain them after the pictures.

The inside even has some state facts about North Dakota. Ok so the jokes...the main joke is that when you cross the border between Minnesota and North Dakota in Fargo you see this little itty-bitty object on the horizon. You drive all day just to find it's the welcome to Montana sign, North Dakota is VERY flat! The other joke is that we have so few trees they are all numbered. We had a good laugh one day when we took the dog to the park in town and noticed that the trees really were numbered LOL!

Ok the second ATC was for the year I was born and I added a little narrative on the back explaining all the events depicted. It reads, "I was born in 1985. My favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo, was introduced on 11/18/1985. Krista McAuliffe and the rest of the Challenger crew were commissioned in July. On 10/3/1985 Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on its maiden voyage. 23 years later I graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering." You could say that year shaped my life in many ways right down to what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Father's day!

Happy crafting,
Jessica

A DESIGN TEAM!!!

So first of all I am SUPER excited that I was chosen to be on a brand new design team over at My Thoughts Exactly. Alyssa has some super cute stamps her and her husband have been working on. All I have to do is create projects to showcase how adorable they are! I am so honored to on this team of AMAZING and TALENTED girls:
1. Thienly Azim of Mod Paperie
2. Lenae Gem of Sugar Gem
3. Jennifer Rzasa of Our Change of Art
4. Belinda Brown of Bee's Hive O'Drama

5. Bee Burg of Dare to Bee Creative

Be sure to stop by their blogs and say congrats!

Now I have a few projects that I created just for this design team application. I had so much fun creating them that I just had to share them. First I have an envelope card using the cherry blossom SVG set from SVG Cuts.

 Next I have a simple everyday card, I didn't have trendy twine with me at the time I made this card (I know I should travel with it at all times, I learned my lesson) so I substituted embroidery floss. I just love the little brad in the middle of the flower, it's a flower with some bling in the middle!

Then I have a cute little scrapbook page, I just loved the sewing theme of the paper and stamp. My parents dog and our dog love to lay together on the couch in my mom's craft room, so it was only fitting.

 Finally I have a fun step card, instructions can be found here. Alyssa's instructions are awesome!

Last but not least, I got one more surprise this morning! Aimee of Tucker Family of Five sent me an email that I won blog candy! A GC to my favorite online SVG shop, Lettering Delights, YAY!!! I will have a blast shopping especially since they are having a sale right now, eek!

Happy crafting everyone,
Jessica

Life and Paper Dolls Challenge

It has been so long since I've posted. Where have I been? Well we spent a week in Las Vegas taking a firearms training course, it was super fun (just don't tell my boyfriend, that would be admitting he was right AGAIN)! I almost want to take up competition pistol shooting now...maybe when I'm done with school and have a 'real' job :-)

Yup that's me! My boyfriend took the picture and he even caught my spent shell flying out of the chamber (just below the 'b' in blogspot). I thought that was really cool. We also spent a few days visiting our parents. Now it's back to work and attempting to write my thesis, blah.

Ok on to what you really what to see some crafting! This is for the Paper Dolls challenge this week. The provided SVG was a 3D house that you had to use in some form. I chose to make a shape card with it. Of course I used MTC to modify the SVG. I think it is super fun!

Of course I used Trendy Twine, my newest crafting obsession. The door even opens up with a little message.

  

The paper, stamps, ink, and buttons are all Stampin' Up products. I didn't add a sentiment so that I can use it for any occasion that may pop up. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Crafting,

Jessica

Cricut-Tastic Award!

I am so excited that Teresa over at Totally Love Cricut gave me the Cricut-Tastic Award! Thank you!

I have to share 5 Cricut facts about myself.
1. My wonderful Auntie got me hooked by letting me borrow her baby bug way too many years ago.
2. My first bug was the expression and it was a Christmas gift from my parents!
3. My newest bug is the Cricut Cake and it was an 'Easter gift' just this year, thanks mom!
4. I own way to many cartridges so I bought a Gypsy just to not have the cartridges taking up space in my craft room :-)
5. My cricut went from having a home in my closet to having a permanent spot on my desk once I bought Make-the-Cut. I use it almost everyday now.

I am sharing the love by awarding this blog award to the following 10 people. All you need to do in return is wear it with pride and share the love with 10 other blogs. Don't forget to share 5 cricut facts about yourself!

1. My Thoughts Exactly http://www.mythoughtsexactly.co/
2. Happy Life Crafty Wife http://happylifecraftywife.typepad.com/blog/
3. Alvina's Creations http://alvinascreations.blogspot.com/
4. Crafty Shell http://crafty-shell.blogspot.com/
5. Crazy About Cricut http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
6. Creativita http://creativita-jovi.blogspot.com/
7. Savory Sweet and Sparkly http://savorysweetandsparkly.blogspot.com/
8. Scrappin 5 Little Cupcakes http://scrappin5littlecupcakes.blogspot.com/
9. Squirly Girl Creations http://squirlygirlcreations.blogspot.com/
10. White Ruffles http://whiteruffles.blogspot.com/

Happy crafting!
Jessica

And the winner is...

Lucky number 13, I used a program called Matlab to generate my random number, yes it's a nerdy math program.

That's Curly Girl with her comment: "I absolutely love the word book!!! Forgot to tell you that! MTC curly girl"

Congratulations Curly Girl, I will be contacting you soon to pick your prize. Thanks everyone for all the wonderful comments. Most of you got it right Darja is our puppy. I have to give the most creative answer award to Alyssa Leanne with "Ok, I also had to take a guess at Darja... I want to say the dog as well but since everyone has said that that feels like a cop-out... So I'm going to go with horse since the pictures were all taken on a little horsey thing. Though if we are being judged on accuracy that is probably incorrect :P" Very creative answer!

If you haven't heard about the Link Up Love Party hosted by K Andrew at Getting Cricky you should check it out, it's a lot of fun. You can see my entry here.  To get more info on the LULP there is a link to K Andrew's blog in my LULP post.

Happy Crafting,
Jessica

Link Up Love Party with K Andrew!

If you don't know what the Link Up Love Party is all about head over to K Andrew's Blog to learn all about it. In short it is a fantastic way to find new blogs, make some new blog friends, and get some great crafty inspiration. Once you link up your blog post about your favorite project take in all the inspiration that has been linked up. It's that simple and fantastic!

If you are here from the Link Up Love Party, welcome to my little spot! I am very happy you stopped by.

Picking my favorite project is like picking your favorite child...I think I'm gonna have to go with an altered painter's tray. It is hanging in the hallway that leads to my craft room and it makes me smile every time I walk by. I apologize for the photo the light here today is awful and it's raining so I couldn't get outside to take pictures like I like too. Maybe I'll post some better pictures once the weather clears up.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a gander at my project. Feel free to look around at the previous posts and as always, happy crafting!

Jessica

Make-the-Cut Blog Hop: Day 18!

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the internet. Today is May 18 which means it is the 18th day of the Make-the-Cut (MTC) blog hop and my day! If you are just joining us please go to Christy's blog, (http://everdaylittlethings.blogspot.com/), to catch up.

I'd like to start off by introducing myself. I am a graduate student studying bio-based composite materials. In short I spend my days creating new composite materials using agricultural by-products (like the shells from sunflower seeds) that will hopefully someday be in all your vehicles, in particular under the hood in your engine bay. As I work in a lab, I don't get to be very girly at work...my outlet is crafting and baking. Lucky for me I work with mostly guys who will eat anything I make :-) As for the crafting, that's what I have a blog and the MTC forum for. Although I have just recently entered the both the MTC and blogging world please look around at my previous posts, everything you see has been created using MTC!

If you have been following along with the hop you know by now how wonderful MTC is. If not, please go to the MTC website for more information regarding what machines it works with and to download a free trial. Or if you'd like to see more of what can be done with MTC take a gander at the forum, I warn you though it is very addicting.

Now on to what you really came here to see, some projects!

First I have a shaped chipboard book. It is a Mother's day gift for my mother who spent Mother's Day in Germany (she just got back on Monday), so if you are reading this mom...Happy Mother's Day, I love you very much!

The owl is from the Lettering Delights' Felt Owl Right SVG set and the MOM text is Lettering Delights' Kracken font.

Next I have a word book for you.

One of the best things about MTC is the ability to cut fonts that are installed on your computer. The letters of this book are from the Berlin Sans font, one that comes installed with Windows or Microsoft office. The book part is made by welding a rectangle to each of the letters. Each letter has a second page that is blacked out, another awesome feature of MTC. Another great thing about MTC, if it doesn't do something that you'd like it to...just ask nicely and Andy will do his best to implement it.

Finally I have two cards. The first is an envelope card, a tutorial can be found here. The card base itself does not require MTC, but the decorations and the insert were made with MTC. The insert also features another great feature (I know I think they are all great) print and cut. The celebrate text at the top was printed onto the cardstock and then a rectangle was cut around it! How cool is that!?! By the way the title can be found at Dana's blog.

The last card is a tent card, a tutorial can be found here, and a cut file can be found on the MTC forum here. The chrysanthemum was a freebie file I got form SVGCuts. These cards are really fun to make and hold endless possibilities.

If you are still reading, thank you for staying with me. As you can see I truly love my MTC! I am going to offer some BLOG CANDY (who doesn't love blog candy). I have decided that the winner will get to choose their prize from a short list of hand made items, you have until Sunday May 22 at midnight central time to enter.

To enter please:
1. Become a follower on the right hand side near the top of the page
2. Leave me a comment, it can be about anything you'd like
3. Leave me a way to contact you, MTC forum ID is just fine
For an extra entry:
4. Leave me a second (there must be two comments to be entered twice) comment with your guess as to who Darja is...there is a hint within one of the photographs

I will pick a winner on Monday May 23, good luck!

Until next time, happy crafting!
Jessica

P.S. Just in case you were wondering, we were at the park for the 'photo shoot'

Make-the-Cut Blog Hop Sneak Peek

I know it had been awhile since I have posted anything...the last few weeks have been a little hectic for us between birthdays, weekend company, research, and finals week. I have managed to make a few cards here and there and today started working on my project for my day of the Make-the-Cut blog hop (Wednesday). If you haven't been following along just click on the MTC blog hop button on the right side of my blog, it will take you to Christy's blog and you can catch up. The hop runs the entire month of May, that's right 31days of inspiration! Here's a sneak peek of what I'll be showcasing.

Can you guess what it is?

Here are a few cards I have made for Dylan, a nine year old boy that has an inoperable brain tumor. I thought he could use a little humor so I sent him some joke cards.

 

I think I will save the rest of the cards I've made for another day, I will say that two of them have earned me some prizes!

Until next time, happy crafting!

Jessica

Blog Hop Alert

If you haven't already, check out the blog hop hosted by The Queen's Royal Court, it starts here (http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/). PSA essentials is sponsoring the hop and giving away a prize package worth $125!

Happy Hopping!
Jessica

More ATC!

So for the artist trading card swap on the MTC forum I offered to do two sets to help fill up the last group. I finally got them all finished and shipped off. I don't like this set as much as the first ones. They came out a little darker than I wanted and my cricut was driving me crazy trying to do print and cut. My bug needs an attitude adjustment when it comes to print and cut...not likely going to happen. Someday I will be able to afford a new cutter that plays nicely with everyone. Unless someone has a magic potion to turn my bug into a Cougar...

Happy crafting everyone!

Jessica



Wedding Gift

An inexpensive wedding gift using vinyl. The white monogram is the Parchment font and the black text is Lettering Delights Shelly Script.

Happy crafting,

Jessica

Artist Trading Cards

This is why I am never allowed to start a project after 10 pm...I am still up at 2:30 am because I just can't stop! Oh well. I made these little 2.5" x 3.5" artist trading cards for a swap on the MTC forum. I used Stampin' Up ink, stamps, and paper. The owl was a print and cut from Lettering Delights.

Happy crafting,

Jessica



Scrapbook Page for the Puppy

Over on the Make-the-Cut forum there was a challenge posted to use a bunny on a card or layout that was not Easter related. Well, perfect, I've been meaning to finish some pages of the puppy and us at the park hunting for, what else, rabbits!

The text is a font from lettering delights, old typeface. The rabbit and tree trunk came from Create a Critter cartridge.

Happy crafting,

Jessica

Getting Ahead on my Card Making

Since my sweetie is working night shift, again, I thought I'd get a head start on the cards I will need this month.

This one may need some explanation, I have a bachelorette party later in the month and every girl needs some fun things to wear on her wedding night...

Front:

Back:

The sweetie and I have been together for four years this Thursday, where does time go? Unlike Valentine's Day he will actually get a card on time and I have it done days in advance (that's an accomplishment for me). He got his Valentine's Day card about two weeks late, oops.

Happy crafting,

Jessica