Two More Days until the CKC Convention!!!

It is almost time to head to the CKC scrapbooking convention this week!!!  The gang thought it would be a great idea if we had matching shirts this year-not to mention it would be easier for us to spot each other in between classes and drooling...ummmm I mean shopping at the vendor fair!!  Wendy B. came over to my house last Saturday and we sat at the computer scratching our heads trying to find a design for the shirts.  This is what we came up with:

Of course we had to have Cricut GREEN shirts!!!!  The background was actually a design that we found off of the Google images site for scrapbooking.  It looks like an actual scrapbook layout page!  The photo was taken this past June at the Great American Scrapbooking Convention that we attended.  I had to bling it out using my I-Rock tool and gems.  That's me to the far left, Kelli in the black shirt, Wendy B. wearing hot pink, and Carol in purple on the far right.  Wendy B. came up with the cute saying "Girls Gone Scrappy" and we each came up with cute nicknames and/or sayings based on what we like.  Kelli likes to use Stickles so we came up with "Stickle me Kelli" sorta like "Tickle me Elmo"!!! LOL 

This shirt belongs to Carol-as you can tell she is a super duper huge fan of Tim Holtz and his Distress Inks so she came up with "Go Ahead....Distress Me!"  Fits her to a T!!!

This is Wendy B's shirt- she has a fetish for stickers!!!!  We have to rip her away from the sticker booths or else she starts to foam at the mouth.  We may need an intervention for her after the convention!!! LOL

Well, last but not least here is my shirt!  I have a love and passion for paper...ok, ok, actually a passion for paper and the way it smells!!!!!!!  The gals laugh at me every time I go into a store and start smelling the paper packs!!!!  I think the manufacturing companies really know how much I love the way new paper smells so they make it smell even more......they know I will buy out the store!  Yes....I confess....I am a paper hoarder as well.  I will be entering a 12 step paper hoarding sometimes snorting program once I return.  I just gotta get my last fix at the convention!!!!!!!!  LOL  ;)  Alright, I know you are laughing BUT I know some of you out there fully understand the addiction.  See you at the 12 step program hahahahaha!!   

CHRISTMAS IN JULY BLOG HOP CELEBRATION!!!!!!!!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE

Giselle - http://crossmyheartpapercrafts.blogspot.com/

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to Day # 5 Of Christmas In July Celebration!! The theme for today's projects is "Homemade Gifts". Please visit Giselle's Blog  to see all the wonderful projects being showcased throughout the day.

 It is NEVER too early to start working on those Christmas gifts!  I chose this gift for the blog hop because it can be pre-made in the summer months!  For all of those gardeners out there who grow zucchini-shred it and freeze it OR make and bake this fantastic bread and freeze it.  It should keep for up to 6 months.  I was Leary the very first time I made this bread, but after I baked it-there was not a crumb to be found!!!!!!!!!!  The gooey chocolate chips, nuts, and moist cake/bread melts in your mouth!  What a wonderful treat to surprise your child's teacher, bus driver, or babysitter!!  Not to mention your family, friends, and neighbors.  I hope you have a chance to try this easy and delicious recipe.

Here are the details:

I printed my own cardstock on the Imagine using the "Snow Angels" cartridge

I cut the cardstock at 12' by 6 "

Used a Martha Stewart loop punch

Added Christmas red ribbon to the top

Cut out the tag at 3 1/2" using the Imagine "Snow Angels" cartridge

Used a 1 inch hole punch for the tag

Added Christmas ribbon to the tag

**You could even add the recipe to the back of the tag or create a pocket tab

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 cups white sugar 

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

   2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
• In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix well.
• In separate bowl, combine sugar and eggs; beat (I whisk) until well blended. Add oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in zucchini. Add flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into loaf pans.
• Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
• Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pans; cool completely on wire rack.

         ** THIS RECIPE MAKES 2 LOAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!  yummo :)

ENJOY!

Imaginations Design Team Call Entry!!!!!!!!!!!

The Creative Critters Imagination is looking for some new Imagine designers and I would certainly love to be a part of that design team!!!!  I love my Imagine....well I love ALL of my Cricut machines!!!!  Here is my project:

Back to School Notebook

I decided to make myself (I can't believe I did) a Back to School Notes notebook.  I always make my team and teacher friends something to welcome them back to school  (which I will still do) but I decided to be selfish and make something for me!!  At the beginning of every school year we (teachers) usually have a lot of meetings to attend to try and get ready for our new kiddos!  I am always running around with sticky notes here and there and end up losing information that I need.  So here is the perfect solution!   

Materials used for the project:

Imagine More Imagine Cartridge-for the printed cardstock (love it!) the decorative scroll and word "Notes"

Enjoy the Season Imagine Cartridge-for this super cute apple and worm!

My Creative Time-Teacher Stamp set "Back to School"

blue ribbon

score tape

Large Corner Round punch

1 composition notebook (Walmart has them for 40 cents!!!)

ATG Gun

*Book spine cut at 9 3/4" by 3"

*Front and Back spine cardstock cut at 9 3/4" by 7 1/4"

*Patterned paper cut at 5" by 7 1/2"

I really enjoyed making this project for the Design Team Entry-wish me luck!!!!!  Stay cool friends :)

United We Stand, United We Learn 2011-2012 school theme

Well, as much as I enjoy my lazy days of summer -I know I will be back in the classroom before you know it.  So why wait?  I started working on my classroom decorations so I will have nothing to worry about when my family goes to Disney World in August!  Our school theme this year is United We Stand, United We Learn-red, white, and blue!!!!  I made this banner to place outside my door so this will be one of the first things my students will see before entering their classroom.  This project took me a while to finish but I really love the way it turned out. 

Here are the materials I used for this project:

Birthday Bash Cricut Cartridge-banner cut at 6 inches

Independence Day Cricut Cartridge-for the fireworks

Stand and Salute Cricut Cartridge-for the stars

Cricut Classic Font-for letters (welded on the Gypsy)

Cardstock paper found at Michael's-Love this paper!

1 silver star brad

Gelly Roll glitter pen

Martha Stewart star punch 

Pop-Dots

Zip Dry glue

ribbon found at Michael's on clearance (bonus!)

I have more ideas swimming around in my head that I will be working on this week.  Stay cool my friends!!!

My Pink Stamper Design Team Call!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven't already heard the news, Robyn with My Pink Stamper, is requesting submissions for her upcoming 2011- 2012 Term My Pink Stamper Design Team! All you need to do is add a project for this challenge by next Wednesday, July 20 11:59 pm CST on her site: http://mypinkstamper.com.  She will be choosing a handful of crafters to serve 6 months on her upcoming team! Here are some of the requirements.... *You will need to have a blog that you regularly post on for at least 3 months.*You cannot already be serving on a DT that has product that is a conflict of interest (most DTs are just fine as long as they do not sell product that is similar to My Pink Stamper Original Cricut Stamps idea)*Your project must be made just for this challenge*Post a pic on your blog with a full recipe along with what the challenge is about*This needs to be a new project that you make just for this challenge*Only one entry per person, please*You do not need to be a professional but you must have a love for the craft! :) The challenge is to make a card, scrapbook page, or other Cricut project with your favorite Cricut cartridge using the following colors......OrangeTurquoise GreenBrown(other optional color of your choice)

Here is the list of materials that I used to create this 2-page scrapbook layout:

Storybook Cricut cartridge-to cut the large scallop (used fit to page 10 1/2)

Gypsy Font Cartridge-welded the letters on the Gypsy

Gypsy Wandering cartridge-for the scrolls

Ashlyn's Alphabet Cricut cartridge-for a scroll

My Pink Stamper stamp sets-Punny-licious, More Punny-licious, Simply Sweet Occasions, Family & Friends, and Buggy Punnies

BoBunny paper-Mango Luau Slang and Juicy Orange Popsickle

Basill Paper

Fiskers scallop punch

Stampin' Up Word Window Punch

Basic Gray Brads

White Gelly Roll pen for the stitching

Memento-Rich Cocoa

I really enjoyed creating this 2-page layout because I didn't have a plan in place.  I just grabbed some photos I had printed and went with it!!  Sometimes it makes for a great project in the end.  I took my time and used everything that I could get my hands on.  I really enjoyed using all of the different stamps sets from My Pink Stamper.  I think it added a special touch to the photos!  I remember this day with my Mother-In-Law, her dog Felix, and my younger son Ryan.  They had a blast swimming together!  It was a perfect summer day!  :) 

Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More cartridge

I love waking up to sunshine :) I created this birthday cake box within minutes! There are such a variety of ways that you can utilize this box, Weddings, Anniversary's, etc. It was a lot of fun to make and very easy. If you don't have the Tags, Bags, Boxes and more cartridge I would recommend you try to find it and grab it quick!  It is a retired cartridge and can be very hard to locate.  Here is what I used to complete this project:

Birthday cake box: Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More cartridge-used for the cake box; Celebrations cartridge-used for the birthday hat (cut at 2 3/4 inches); DCWV The Glitter cardstock stack; DCWV The Sweet Stack; Martha Stewart punch; ribbon, Mono adhesive; and pop-dots are the materials that I used for this version of the cake box.

I have been working on quite a few projects for my classroom so stayed tuned this week!  Have a super great day everyone :)

Hoot & Holler card

Didn't have a lot of time today but I was able to crank out this super quick and simple card!  Hope you like it.  I really love the Create a Critter cartridge-it is truly one of my fav I will be working this week on creating some things for my classroom for the upcoming school year.  Still sketching out some ideas....:)  wish me luck!

MATERIALS USED:

Create a Critter cartridge

DCWV Flower Spring pack

My Pink Stamper stamp set

Ribbon

ATG 714 gun

2-way glue

Close to My Heart "Chocolate" ink pad

 

Calling all teachers!!!!!

I was so very happy when I went to my local Michaels store and found out that they are now offering teachers 15% off of your entire purchase every day!!  This discount also includes sale items!!!  All you have to do is present your valid educator ID.  I currently have a JoAnn Fabrics teacher discount card which I totally love!!!!  I am glad to see that Michaels is now on board-before you were able to receive a 10% discount on Fridays only.  Just wanted to share the good news if you already didn't know!!!  Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!!!!!!