The More the "Mary"er with Laura Dennison Designs

You may recall that last year I started Laura Dennison Design's Nativity for my sister's Christmas gifts.  It took me a while to make the box portion, so I decided to add pieces every year.  Thanks so much Laura!  This year, I made all my sisters the holy family, Joseph, Mary and Jesus.  I love that all of my sisters are named Mary and I got to make them all a Mary this year.
I noticed that Laura's patterned did not have a halo for Joseph and thought my family's tradition called for him to have one too.  So, my Joseph's all have halos. 
Next year, I plan to add the wise men and animals.   I must confess that I was a last minute crafter this year and spent the last week before Christmas in the craft room every night.  So, this year one of my New Year's Resolutions is to finish my UFO's (Un Finished Objects).  And to keep myself accountable, I am starting a UFO Challenge Group on Facebook.  I will have a weekly challenge and a monthly prize for anyone who participates in the months challenges.  Want to join my group on Facebook?  Just ask to have yourself added as a friend (if your not already) and drop me a PM that you want to be added.  You can find my FB account on the right hand side of the blog, underneath my Networked Blog box.  Check back on January 1, 2016 for more info on the UFO Challenge group! 

#CircularBargello with Dohene Ruler

I have a new niece  and wanted to make her a baby quilt.  I don't often quilt, but when I do, I love a baby quilt for color and size!  I have been wanting to make a circular Bargello and when I heard I was to be an Aunt, I got started.  My sister loaned me the Doheny Circular Bargello Rulers.  I purchased to jelly rolls by Moda in the Bandana Floral fabric. 

 

A big thank you to my sister Marge for letting me quilt this on her long arm and helping me with the white corner piece quilting.  I really struggled to do squiggles and hearts.  So, I quilted the circle portion and she quilted the corners and the center medallion.

For the white ground in the side corners, I found a ditzy print with tiny hearts.  To help repeat the hearts, we quilted it with a random squiggle with hearts in it.   We also, used a heart in the purple center.

@Cricut Christmas Ornaments

I love when my creative work matches a challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2!  This week I am making ornaments for co workers with my A Child's Year Cartridge.  For my co workers with grand children I used children silhouettes from A Child's Year and in the photo below you will see poor photos of  other ornaments made with A Child's Year and Nursery Rhymes.  Don't forget you can add two images together to get the right amount of children for your ornament!  And if you make an ornament for more than 5 children, try cutting two images and placing pop dots between them.  Show some one each side of the ornament to complete the family!

A comment on the glitter I used for snow...I recommend the Art Glitter Faux snow OVER Martha Stewarts glitter!  I was running low on my AG Faux snow and decided to try Martha's, as I can purchase it locally and was in a hurry.  Martha's glitter clings to the inside of the globe (notice the fuzzy photo).  The Art Glitter snow laid softly on the bottom of the globe and let the Cricut cut shine through (I used only AG in the ornament in the tree photo and it was the best!).  I used the Art Glitter Sticky sheet to cut the three girls with my Cricut and used the Ultra fine glitter on them.  To add some stability to the children and keep the glitter in place while assembling the ornament, I cut a circle of transparency paper from Art Glitter.  I stamped a delicate snowflake on them with white ink, but it is hard to see in the photo.  The photo never does your work justice, does it?

Supplies
Cricut A Child's Year Cartridge (3 girls ornament)
Cricut Nursery Rhymes Cartridge (5 and 6 children ornament)
Cricut CTMH Artiste Cartridge (Tree in 5 children ornament)
Art Glitter Faux Snow
Art Glitter 373 Fairy Dust Ultra Fine Transparent Glitter
Art Glitter Transparency Sheets
Art Glitter Sticky Small Sheet
Martha Stewart Glitter
CTMH White Water Based Ink
Inkadinkadoo Snowflake stamp
Papertrey Ink Globe ornaments
White Ribbon
Hot Glue
Buttons (for the bottom of the ornaments)

#CampinCritters is for Christmas Too!

It's been so long since I have posted to the blog, but I had to post this fun project!  Have you ever bought a cartridge for only one cut on the cart?  Well Campin' Critters was my impulse buy for one cut and the one cut I wanted was the backpack with the sleeping bag on top.  Don't worry, I have found I love several more cuts once I got the booklet in my inky little hands!
We're having a Secret Santa exchange at work this year and I needed some special gift boxes.  I wanted my backpack to have a candy cane top instead of a sleeping bag, so I used American Crafts Holiday Red Suit paper for the peppermint roll on top.  I cut white paper to cover the oval, so that the side appeared like a candy. I used sticky Velcro at the seam so, the roll is a gift box too!  I used sticky Velcro in the side pockets and will add a little  Inside I put a roll of mints but it would be perfect for your favorite lip balm too!  Anything Goes challenge at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog.

The backpack body is made with K and Company BW Evergreen paper.  I added ribbon instead of paper straps for the roll, some buttons on the side pockets, a sparkling buckle and American Crafts black velvet ribbon, and a sprig from Michaels.  I am entering this in this weeks Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog's Anything Goes challenge. 

 

Here are some dimensions for you:  I cut the box at 11 3/4" and had to hide some of the straps to fit in on the mat.  My finished backpack portion is 4 3/4" high and 3" x 2 1/2" wide.  With the roll on top the finished height is 6 1/2".  Side pockets are too small for a gift card, but I will put find a little something special to put in them!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Thanks for stopping by!

#WearWhatWendyWears

I love to watch Wendy Williams' Hot Topic segment and love her fashion sense.  Today she had on a fabulous dress which I knew immediately it was a Maggy London.  If you loved it too, find it at Nordstrom here.   It's available in regular and petites.  Gotta to love an engineered print dress with the petite in mind! 

#BabyShowerCard for Couple

Do you need a card idea for a couples baby shower?  I made this for some friends who are having a girl using AChild's Year, Suburbia (boy), and Art Nouveau (frame).  Now I have a card for both Mom and Dad!  Stamp is an old Angel Company Set.

#WearItWell Wednesday: The Statement Coat

Perhaps because I live in the Midwest where the season change, and we must all bundle up, my favorite Fall/Winter Trends this year is the statement coat!  If we have to stay warm, we should still look fabulous doing so!  Statement coats stand out with texture, pattern, silhouette or color.  But how to wear it well? 
Start with a coat that makes a statement with fabric, texture or color, like this Fringe Hooded Wool Coat by Rebecca Taylor (photo above).  Eyelash like fringe adds great texture and warmth to this classic coat silhouette.  Pair it with solids in neutral for a glamorous look.  What a great way to wear Winter White!

The statement coat can also be about fabulous pattern, like this Alice + Olivia Coat at Saks Fifth Ave (photo above).  Pair this with solid coordinating colors and avoid other prints.  Keep the pant dark to length the look. 

Another way to wear a statement coat is to choose a coat with a statement silhouette like this Belted Boucle Cape by Jessica Simpson at Nordstrom.  This is my value pick for every woman! Pair these capes with slim trousers, skinny jeans or leggings and great boots!  For a more upscale belted cape, try Ralph Lauren's Belted Cape with leather trim at Bloomindales (pictured below). 

And finally the color statement coat can let you showcase your favorite color in outwear.   Pink lovers might like this Notch Collar Betsey Johnson Boucle Coat.  Pair your Color Statement coat with colors that work with it according to color rules and your coloring.  A stylist can help you with these color rules and what color looks best on you!