Kickin' Off Christmas Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to the Kickin' Off Christmas Blog Hop!  You may have arrived here from Penny Duncan blog.  This blog hop will feature SP and Company Products and Amy Chomas Products.  Both companies off have wonderful and unique crafting tools. 

Now that I have finally begun my Christmas shopping I have also begun to think about packaging and wrapping.  I love nice packages and bows and tags.... And I love the look of the packages under the tree.  This year I thought I could craft a few personalized boxes and bags just to make things a bit more special.

For today's box I used the square box on the Bags, Tags, Boxes, and More cartridge.  I cut the box in red cardstock and covered the top and side squares with fun Christmas scrap paper.  

Using Stampin' Up Red Riding Hood red ink and SP and Company Christmas tree stamps, I stamped red trees onto smooth white card stock.  I used micro tipped scissors and cut out the trees.  The trees where then attached to the sides of the box using pop dots. 

Next, returning to the Cricut I used the Amy Chomas gel pen holder and the Create a Critter cartridge and wrote the word JOY on red cardstock.  I used the Storybook cartridge and cut a tag shape around the work JOY.  Using pop dots the red tag was affixed to the top of the box.

I also created a matching gift card to go with the gift box.  I cut a white base card and attached a red cardstock square topped with fun Christmas paper to the front of the card.  Just as I did for the top of the box, I used CAC and SB to create the red tag for the front of the card.  I also popped a stamped tree to the front of the card.

I truly think the SP and company stamps work well with my Cricut cut gift box and card set, and that the Chomas Pen holder added a perfect finishing touch to the card and box.  I really like to mix stamping in with my Cricut cuts.

Before you hop on be sure to leave a comment below.  Everyone who leaves a comment will be eligible for a Custom Crops gift voucher drawing.  Remember that Samantha is also giving away a stamp set.  And finally, I will be giving away a copy of my DVD set, It's a Kid's Life - which features 18 layouts, video and pdf instructions along with cut files.  I will choose someone from all of the Tuesday and Wednesday comments.

After leaving your comment below, the next stop on the blog hop is the Cards by Linda blog.  Enjoy your hop!!!

I will be back tomorrow with another blog hop project. 

Amy Chomas

Amber Holden

Donna Mundinger

iCopic

Maria McGuire

Stephanie

Penny Duncan

Susan Edwards You are Here!!

Linda

Jin Yong 

Calypso

Dana Ansell

Lori 

Samantha

Blog Hopping, Blog Candy, and a BBTB2 card... WOW

Happy blog hopping BBTB2 Monday!  I have a lot of information to share so I should get typing.  Welcome to the monthly BBTB2 Blog hop.  You probably arrived here from Karen's blog.  If not, think about jumping over to BBTB2 and starting the blog hop at the beginning (after you finish reading my post, of course!).  The challenge cut this week was selected by my wonderful design team sister, Penny Shuberg.  Penny chose the apron cut on the FROM MY KITCHEN cartridge. 

I decided to use a recipe card cut from the same cartridge as my base card.  I welded a rectangle to the recipe card and scored down the middle of the weld to create the card.  I used Basic Grey's kitchen line of paper.  Ironic, huh?  The base card was cut using the cupcake print.  This worked well because the back side of the paper is a nice solid medium pink - perfect for the inside of the card.  The base card was topped with two matting cuts and wrapped with a ribbon before the apron was attached with pop dots.  I printed a recipe for Pasta with Shrimp and Crabmeat that I am going to mail to my son's girlfriend.  Crissie is learning to cook and Aaron loves seafood!

 

In addition to the bow near the bottom of the card,  I also added a scalloped tag to the upper right corner of the card.  I used one of my favorite products to create the top layer of the tag - the Amy Chomas mini gel pen holder and glitter pen set!!  I love Amy's products, the gel pens and holder as well as her embossing kit.  Awesome products!!!  With the gel pens you simply remove the blade housing from your Cricut and replace it with Amy's gel pen holder loaded with a mini pen.  The Cricut will then write your image instead of cutting.  Cool, huh?

In addition to a new BBTB2 project here, I also have a new cake recipe to share on my sister blog, Busy with the Cricky Cake.  Be sure to check the cake blog today for the recipe and again tomorrow to see the completed decorated cake.

Did I mention BLOG CANDY?  Yes, indeed there will be blog candy this week!!!  Amy Chomas is sponsoring my blog hop this month and is providing  FABULOUS blog candy: an Amy Chomas Mini Gel Pen Holder and Pen set!!!  Seriously!  This is a great product and I love it.  Anything with Amy's name attached is sure to be fabulous!!

Leave a comment below to register for the blog candy.  You should go by Amy's site and see her fabulous projects using her products.

Now that you have left a comment (you did leave a comment didn't you?), your next stop on the blog hop is at the blog of the AMAZING Lori Warner.  Lori is a very gifted designer and a wonderfully nice woman - have fun at her blog!!!  Have a great day and remember to visit Amy's site!!