Challenge #74: Birthday Cake, Cupcakes and/or Balloons

It's another Wonderful Wednesday here at Cooking With Cricut!  Thanks for stopping by to see what our crafty Design Team is up to today.  The hostesses for today's challenge are Debbie and Jenny J..  They chose a birthday theme to challenge the DT with -- but wait!  The projects must include a cake, cupcake and/or balloons.  Check out what our talented DT came up with -- and don't forget to click on their names to visit their blogs for more details and to leave 'em some love and encouragement!

Debbie used Create-A-Critter for this super cute birthday card.

  

Jenny used the Art Philosophy cartridge and this adorable Birthday Turtle

digi stamp from PaperCraftingWorld.com.

Kemma used the Imagine - Yummy cartridge to make her very yummy card!

Jenny R. created this precious 12" x 12" scrapbook layout

using the Birthday Bash cartridge.

Nita used Everyday Paper Dolls and Boys Will Be Boys

cartridges for an "out of this world" easel card.

Madison used the Pooh Font and Cricut Lite Cupcake cartridges

to make this sweet card for her Grandmother.

Court created this clean and simple card using the Create-A-Critter cartridge.

Michelle used the Sweet Treats and Plantin SchoolBook

cartridges to create bright and cheery birthday card.

Felicia's adorable center step card was created using the Celebrations cartridge.

Charlotte used the Wild Card cartridge for fun card!

Elizabeth used the Art Philosophy cartridge to create her delicious card.

Now it's your turn!  Link up your birthday project including cake, cupcakes and/or balloons - you just might be this week's Top Chef!  Here are some guidelines . . .

• Must follow the challenge topic.
• Must be a NEW project for this challenge, please no back dated posts.
• Must have a link back to this post on your blog.
• Must link your project through Inlinkz and not just your blog.
• Must use your Cricut in some capacity.
• Must have fun.
• You may gladly combine challenges . . . we love to pile it on TOO!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by and crafting with us! Make sure you stop back by tomorrow to see what Chef Mindy has whipped up for our Thursday Cartridge Showcase.

~ CWC Design Team



Melin & Jen Are Monkeying Around!

It's just another Monkey Monday . . . no Cartridge Showcase today . . . just Melin and Jen monkeying around!  We decided to collaborate and bring you some fun projects with a "monkey" twist.  One of Jen's nephews just turned one and his mommy always calls him her" little monkey."  So a monkey party was an obvious choice!

Did you know that there are monkeys on 17 different Cricut cartridges?  So many to choose from . . .

• Animal Kingdom, pg. 45 and 49
• Birthday Bash, pg. 36
• Birthday Cakes, pg. 45
• Create-A-Critter, pg. 46
• Creative Memories - Storks Delivery, pg. 64
• Disney's Dreams Come True, pg. 66
• Everyday Paper Dolls, pg. 75
• Imagine - Buccaneer, pg. 10
• Life's A Party, pg. 36, 46 and 56
• Lite - B is for Boy
• Lite - Carousel
• Lite - Sugar & Spice
• Nate's ABCs, pg. 57
• New Arrival, pg. 56
• Paisley, pg. 30, 31 and 32
• Sweethearts, pg. 43
• ZooBalloo, pg. 37

Jen used monkeys from Create-A-Critter, New Arrival and ZooBalloo for her banner, party decorations and cake.

The pennant and pennant mat were cut using the Girl's Make-Up Party cartridge
the text is from Cake Basics, the monkey on the left is from ZooBalloo
and the monkey on the right is from New Arrival.

These little monkeys and vines are from the Create-A-Critter cartridge.

Jen used her Cricut Cake to cut the fondant decorations for the cake.
The monkey on the left and the  palm tree are from Create-A-Critter.
The monkey on the right, grass, vines and party hats are from ZooBalloo.
The text was cut using the Mickey Font cartridge.

Isn't this little monkey "smash" cake the cutest thing ever!!!
The text was cut using the Mickey Font cartridge
and the stars are from Plantin SchoolBook.

For more details on sizes and the papers Jen used visit her blog.

Melin created this layout using the sweet little monkeys from the Sweethearts cartridge. She used the "flip" feature on her Expression to create the mirror images.  

Here is a close up of the cute little title.

Melin created this adorable birthday card using the Birthday Bash Cartridge. She also used her Gypsy to "weld" the face pieces together.  The smaller the "Cricut" faces, the less appealing they are to Melin, so she will use her Gypsy to "hide contours" and add her own eyes and nose. Just find an oval or circle on the same cartridge you are using and re-size it make your eyes and nose fit your face....easy peasy!

Last but not least, Melin created this card using the Paisley Cartridge. She also used her Gypsy to "Hide Contours" for all the monkey's body pieces and face. She used a couple of EK Scallop punches and a circle punch to add the sentiment.

Thank you so much for taking some of you crafty time to join us today! Be sure to do a little "Monkeying Around" yourself and create, create, create!  Join us tomorrow as we have another great post with more inspiration from our PCW girls!!!

Jen and Melin

Two Crafty Sales Alerts

Good Morning all! Just a quick post today to share with you a place to find some crafty supplies. Who doesn't like shopping for crafty supplies? :)

Our wonderful Design Team Coordinator and CWC right arm leader Jen is moving.....soooooo she is selling off many of her old supplies, and other crafty treasures. Please head over and check out her "crafty garage sale".  There's a variety of crafting goodies just waiting for you to scoop them up. CLICK HERE.

Also, Paper Crafting World. is having a big brother birthday celebration. You can get 50% off your purchase of $16 or more! This sale will lasts through Feb. 23. Just use code David50  when checking out.

Winners Announced

Welcome to Cooking with Cricut

Today we would like to announce the winner of Challenge

#72- Grown-up Valentine's Day Project.  The winner of the Top Chef prize was chosen by Random Organizer.

The winner is...Judy- Judy's Handmade Creations

Congratulations Judy:)

Judy created this pretty Valentine's Day cards using the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge.  You can "pick up" your top chef button on the left column and proudly display it on your blog.  As the winner Judy will receive her choice of digi stamp or cutting file from Papercraftingworld.com. 

Judy, please contact Madison at FunkyCards @Charter .net (no spaces) within two weeks to claim your prize.

The Top Three Chefs were chosen by the Cooking With Cricut Design Team. You can "pick up" your top chef button on the left column and proudly display it on your blog. 

Lisa- A Mermaid's Crafts

Paula Bee- Craft with Bee

Glenda- Glenda's Cards

Sketch and pick three!  This week pick three embellishments from the following: ribbon, brads or eyelets, glitter or stickles, ink or chalk, border punch or flowers and use them on your project inspired by this sketch:

Once again you have until next Tuesday at midnight to post your projects. One winner chosen at random will receive his or her choice of digi stamp or cutting file from Papercraftingworld.com.

Have a wonderful day!

~Madison - Prize Coordinator

Cartridge Showcase: Doodlecharms

Welcome to Cooking With Cricut's Cartridge Showcase. Chef Debbie has taken over the blog today is sharing with you some great projects she has made with Cricut's Doodlecharms cartridge.  Accessorize all of your paper-crafting projects with this all-purpose cartridge. You can choose from a variety of cute icons, including rubber ducks, snowmen, sand castles, spiders, and so much more.   This cartridge includes: Tag, Card, Charm, Border, Shadow, and Shadow/Blackout creative features.

So without further ado, here's Debbie . . .



I am not sure how exactly long I have had this cartridge but just recently began using it and cannot believe I had waited so long.  

My most recent project is using it for some Valentine treats. I cut the cute lady bug and dragonfly from this cartridge and their layers. I turned the bug into a “love bug” for my girls and added some Hershey kisses to its spots and I made my dragonfly a “fly guy” for my boys, I added some kisses to theirs as well.

I cut both at 4 inches. I gave them cute Peachy Keen face (different sizes but the same face) and I gave the dragonfly some stickles on the antennae. I wrote a little note on the back for the kids.

Another project I used Doodlecharms for is to cut out the heart shape  to use as a stencil for my daughter's Valentine’s shirt. Here is a picture of that and here is where you can find the original post if you'd like more information.

I was actually able to then use the hearts (from the stencils) on a card I made recently. Here is a look at it and here is the post about it.

My last project is some teacher appreciation treats I made. I used Cricut CraftRoom and the Doodlecharms cartridge to weld two apples together to make a bag topper. I also cut the leaves from Doodlecharms. Here is a picture and here is the original post.

Super cute projects, Debbie!  Thanks so much for sharing them with us today.  Make sure you head over to Debbie's blog and let her know how much you enjoyed her showcase.  Wishing you all a crafty weekend!

~ CWC Design Team

Challenge #73: Sketch & Pick 3

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Cooking With Cricut!  Our hostesses for today's challenge are Larelyn and Charlotte.  The challenge they put to the Design Team this week was to use a sketch, a Cricut cut, and three of nine embellishment choices.  The Designers could choose to use ribbon, brads or eyelets, glitter or stickles, ink or chalk, border punch or flowers on their projects.  Here is the sketch:

(from the January 2012 issue of Cardmaker magazine)

And here is what the Team came up with . . .

Heather created this super cute card using the PaperCraftingWorld.com digi stamp -

King of My Heart Lion.  Check out all the details at Heather's blog.

Jen used the Cricut Cake Basics cartridge and elements from the

Celebrate Sophisticate cutting files from PaperCraftingWorld.com

for this elegant card.   Check out all the details on her blog.

Larelyn created this "punny" card using the Cricut Paisley cartridge.

Visit her blog for more details.

Jenny created these sweet Easter cards using the Cricut Easter and Twinkle Toes

cartridges.  Check out more details on her blog!

Madison used the Kate's ABCs Cricut cartridge for this beautiful

butterfly card.  Visit her blog for more details.

Court used George & Basic Shapes for her gorgeous floral card!

Check out her blog for more details.

Charlotte used the Sophie Cricut cartridge for her pretty flutterby card.

Visit her blog for all the details!

Now it's your turn!  Link up your sketch inspired project using a Cricut cut and at least three of the following items:

• Ribbon
• Brads or Eyelets
• Glitter or Stickles
• Ink or Chalk
• Border Punch
• Flowers

Here are the guidelines: 

• Must follow the challenge topic.
• Must be a NEW project for this challenge, please no back dated posts.
• Must have a link back to this post on your blog.
• Must link your project through Inlinkz and not just your blog.
• Must use your Cricut in some capacity.
• Must have fun.
• You may gladly combine challenges . . . we love to pile it on TOO!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by and crafting with us!  Make sure you stop back by tomorrow to see what Chef Debbie has whipped up for our Thursday Cartridge Showcase.

~ CWC Design Team