Fabulous Shadowbox Card

I had a few moments to myself today and wanted to enter a few contests, so here is a cute idea I have been working on. I call it a shadowbox card because the frame is raised to make the card components look like they are inside a shadowbox. I used the sentiment, "Fabulous" because being told I am fabulous will ALWAYS make me smile!! Hope you like it!

Panda Hugs!
J-

Recipe

Card base

I cut a piece of purple Recollections card stock to 5" x 10" and scored at 5" to make the fold.

Frame 

I used a pretty paper from the SEI Crafts Couture pad and cut the frame shape from the Cricut Classic Font cartridge <Waytogo1> p. 72 on the italic function with shift selected. This gives you the entire frame in one cut. I cut on Real Dial Size at 5" to make sure it fit the card base perfectly.  I added all of the components first and then added 2 layers of square dimensionals to the back of the frame corners. I doubled them so the frame was raised even higher and then added it on top of the card base at the end.

Woman, shoe and sentiment 

Woman - Cricut Forever Young cartridge <Model6> p.29 cut at 3". I used the regular cut and the shift cut (twice to get the dress and purse in different colors). I added green Studio G glitter glue to the little purse.

Shoe - Cricut Forever Young cartridge <Heels1> p.54 cut at 3" on regular and shift cut. I only used 1 of the two that cut.

Sentiment - I cut the two bases for the sentiment from the same button as the woman, <model6> on the emblem function at 2" and 1 3/4".  The word fabulous is cut from <Flower7> on page 70 on the word function. Then, I added each base with pop dots in between and then added light blue Stickles to the word fabulous.

Finishing Touches

I added a tiny Recollections pearl to the dress and green Recollections crystal to the patterned strip for some bling - they come sticky so you don't need to add adhesive. For the shoe, I added a purple jewel from a set my son found in a crafting kit in the house and then layered a small green jewel on top of it for dimension. I added monoadhesive to the back of the jewel and it was perfect to stick on the high heel. Finally, I added 3 tiny pearls under the word fabulous....for emphasis!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #100 - Color Challenge (I chose the colors & sentiment just for this one!)
Party Time Tuesdays Challenge #57 - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #92 - Words of encouragement 

Posh Pancakes, Pajamas and Purses Party

Purse cut at 1 1/2" - Lipstick & Polish at 2 3/4" - Posh at 1"

It's been a long time between posts and although I was sad not to blog, I have been VERY busy with life in general. Lots of grading and family time activities. BUT...I was working on a fantastic project that I am excited to share. My bunny (daughter) is turning 6 and it is time to celebrate!  In true Glitter Panda fashion, I decided to use my Cricut to come up with fabulous invites for the super fun party theme we came up with. Bunny's party is going to be a Posh Pajamas, Pancakes and Purses Party. It will be a pretend sleepover featuring breakfast for dinner (one of Bunny's favorites), nail polish for all the girls, a movie with popcorn, and S'mores!

Since the party will be a smaller gathering, I decided I could make all of the invites myself using my Cricut. I chose the Wild Card cartridge and bravely attempted the Pinwheel card!!  The nail polish, lipstick, purse and the word posh on the card all came from the Forever Young cartridge.

I used my favorite Recollections card stock (Butterfly Wings package) for the cards, the round turning circle and the base of the lipstick. The envelopes were all made using a 12X12 pad from Me and My Big Ideas. The style is called Bliss. The brads I used to connect the wheel to the card are Recollections as well, and I found them in the clearance bin at my local craft store. Some are flat, and some are super glittery!! Finally, I added Cotton Candy Stickles to the word "posh" and to the lipstick for a little bling!!

By trial and error, I have learned that cutting the card 1/4" smaller than the envelope ensures a better fit for the card. So, the card was cut at 6 1/4" and the envelopes were cut at 6 1/2" (both on the blackout feature).  The cupcake with the actual invite info was created by running the card stock through my laser printer. Then, I used the center point function on the Cricut to cut around the words in the shape of the cupcake. Pop Up Glue Dots gave the dimension to the cupcake on the inside (and the purse, lipstick and polish on the outside). See below for sizes and more pics!

Unique Envelopes cut at 6 1/2" on Blackout feature - 12X12 Me and My Big Ideas "Bliss" Pad

Cupcake created with Celebrations cartridge - cut at 5 3/4" using Center Point

Crazy Fantabulous Purple People Eater

Hello everybody! Today's post will be a quick one because I am hard at work grading papers, however, I wanted to participate in the Fantabulous Cricut Monday Design Challenge #82 and the Crazy About Cricut Monster Mash Challenge, SO...I went literal this one (based on the Fantabulous description), but blinged him up a bit...here is my recipe for this cute little guy:

• Monster - cut at 6" from the Best of 2010 Cartridge, but originally on Mini Monsters (4th monster on the top row)
• For the medium and dark Purple paper I used Canvas Home Basics 3 lb scrap pack
• I flipped the monster over to the side without all of the scoring and cut off one horn
• Instead of using both eyes, I used one to match the song!
• I cut the eyes and fangs using the scraps I had left over from the apple goodie bag I made the other day. 
• For the hand in his mouth - Forever Young Cricut Cartridge - Gloves cut at 2" on Shadow feature
• I used the notch for the glove design to fold the hand under the monster's mouth layer - this made it look like he has the hand sticking out of his mouth! Love that part :)
• I thought it would be funny to write delicious on here - I used Graphically Speaking and cut it from the yellow paper in the scrap pack at 1"- Image28 using the Type feature
• Finally, I glittered him up using Stickles in Stardust for the word delicious and in lavender for his cute little wings

I hope you like my one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater! He will make an excellent lunch bag for my son tomorrow!!!

Other contests I have entered with this project include:
The One Stop Craft Challenge
Cupcake Inspirations

My Pink Stamper Blog Hop Project!

My goodie bag!

I decided to use My Pink Stamper's Blog Hop as an excuse to give myself just the push I needed to get my own blog up and running! I am super new at this, so I hope you enjoy it! I got my Cricut just a month ago, so I am still in the basic stage of using it. After watching MANY videos, especially those posted by My Pink Stamper, I have begun to build a repository of tips and tricks that are starting to pay off. For my Blog Hop project, I combined the challenge of creating a goodie bag with an idea that I had brewing in the back of my mind. One of my favorite "treats" to give at a party is an iTunes gift card. I buy them in packages of 3 $10 gift cards and they make great prizes for baby or bridal showers!! At my sister-in-law's baby shower this month, I used the Cricut to create little wood purse goodie bags for the winners of the Baby BINGO game. Those were simple, as you can see below left:

For this challenge, however, I thought I would pay a small tribute to Steve Jobs with my goodie bag creation. I just got the Wrap it up cartridge and as soon as I saw the little apple on the cartridge, I knew I had to use it! I used the same bag as above, the Flower9 purse on the Forever Young cartridge. I took a 12x12 sheet of Recollections Precious Metals card stock in silver and cut the purse using the Fit to Page button. That cut the purse at 6 1/2". Before assembling the goodie bag, I used a white American Crafts galaxy marker to create the faux stitching. I used the Wrap it up cartridge to create the 3 layers of the apple and cut them all at 2 1/2". I added the stitching to the apple and then I assembled the apple using Pop Up Glue Dots to add some dimension. I attached the apple using one more Pop Up Glue Dot and then realized I hadn't added a stamp. I REALLY want to get some My Pink Stamper stamps, but I don't have any yet and wanted to participate, so I grabbed this little "sweet" stamp at A.C. Moore this morning when I tried to take my daughter there for a cupcake class (I didn't realize I had to sign up in advance so the class was canceled because nobody else signed up!). I used a silver pigment ink pad and stamped "sweet" in the middle of the apple. It was hard because it was already attached to the bag, but next time I will stamp it BEFORE I attach it! So the finished product is below and I hope you like it. You could add little apple flavored candies to this, but since I am allergic to apples, my gift card is the perfect option. I added one picture of the finished product and one with the little gift card sticking up so you can see the bitten apple logo on it. The card fits PERFECTLY in this little bag. Definitely a keeper! Thank you Robyn, My Pink Stamper, for being my "teacher" and (without you even knowing) giving me the push I needed to start blogging for real! Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.

The little gift card is sticking out when the bag is open