I Mustache You About Mo-Vember

Hey!  How are you guys?  Are you ready for a little bit of fun?  I made some super-quick and easy little Santa Staches with the Cricut Artiste Cartridge for my upcoming craft show.  What do you think?  I thought they were PERFECT for Mo-Vember, lol.  ;)

Plus they are super-fun for all ages!  

This little project was a wonderful distraction from a big "real life" thing going on today at our house.  Can I ask you guys for a favor?  My hubs is getting a new hip today, so please keep him and our fam in your thoughts and prayers.  Life is going to be interesting around here for a while, and we can use all the loving support we can get.  Thanks so very much, you guys!  God bless you!

Gratitude In All Circumstances with Heart 2 Heart

Hello again my crafty peeps!  I appreciate you all so much.  We don't tell each other how grateful we are for the little things quite enough, know what I mean?  I am trying to be grateful in my life under all circumstances and in all seasons, but it is a tricky thing to do.  (Except Winter, lol!  Kidding!)

Today, Team Sunset is sharing its GRATITUDE with you in our creations over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges.  We are incredibly GRATEFUL to you for always tuning in to see what challenge we might have up out sleeve.  I am extremely GRATEFUL to be serving on the Heart 2 Heart Design Team too!  It really struck me though that I am always striving for the NEXT thing, the NEXT big project, the NEXT big gig...when the ones right here in the now are important too!

So, instead of stressing, I am focusing on the GRATITUDE I have for the NOW.  Right now I have two craft shows lined up, and I am so excited to participate in them for the first time ever!  I am extremely lucky to even have a spot at ONE, so my thankfulness is overflowing.  I designed an adorable set of Santa Tags to take along to sell that I would love to show you!

The base for all these tags is Kraft paper.  I really wanted the White Daisy CS of Santa's mustache to POP!  The Sparkle and Shine Washi 3-pack is fantastic for tags!  So quick and easy!   I suppose the exact same thing can be said for the shimmer trim in all colors!  (These would be the EASY things to be grateful for each day, lol.)  I love the Perfect Fit Holidays My Acrylix stamp set that includes this darling Ho, ho, ho sentiment...

These tags and mustaches are cut on my Cricut with the Close to My Heart exclusive Cricut Artiste Cartridge.

Embossing folders are GREAT for tags.  This one is a woodgrain from Tim Holtz.

Sticking the red shimmer trim to CS and trimming it out really makes it stand out...

This final tag is my favorite!  Two little Licorice Opaques are the beady little eyes, and I colored the large Opaque Pearl for Santa's nose with my Alcohol Ink Marker in Cranberry and let it dry (this takes TIME!)  Sharpies work as well...

The sentiment is from the December 25th My Acrylix available on my website that I used Cranberry Pigment Ink to stamp.  I love this face!

Alright, I shared mine, now it is your turn!  Show us your GRATITUDE!  What are YOU thankful for?  Will you make a thank you card or gift?  Something else?  Link up with us over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges by the end of November for your chance to become top chic!!!  That would be some awesomely easy gratitude, eh?   ;)

I am gratefully linking up with Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes Challenge in hopes of being even more grateful!  ;)  

I Mustache You to Join Us, I Really Must!

Heart 2 Heart has gone the way of the mustache for their latest March Madness challenge.  This is the funniest craze, lol!  One that I really don't quite "get," but am fully prepared to jump in on.

My daughter recently celebrated her birthday with her friends, and she just so happened to request some mustaches as party favors.  For the challenge this week, I took to the task of scrapping some of her party pics!  :{  Bwahahahaaaaaa!  We had mustaches on sticks and mustaches on straws for her party.  Take a peek...I had to try them out first, you know!  ;)

She and her friends had a fantastic time with the craze during the party and at Claire's when we went to get her ears pierced.  My layout shows the fun at Claire's...

After studying the colors in my pics, I decided to use the Claire Paper Packet....and I totally just fell off my chair typing that!!!  I NEVER saw the coincidence of it being the Claire Papers for the trip to CLAIRE"S until I typed it!!!!  Woah.  THAT was weird!  *pulls herself back together*

OK, like I was saying the colors were more perfect than I realized at the time!  I will list all of the Close to My Heart products that I used in my layout at the end of the post, but for now, I just want to show some detail pics!  WARNING!!!  Pic HEAVY!

 I don't necessarily like it, but I am super-picky about lining up the elements of my pages--especially the title.  One of the ways I deal with that obsession minor irritation is to cut out my stickers on their backing and lay it out on the page to see it like this...

That way, I know it will fit and can line them up just right before committing to sticking them down.

Isn't it crazy how this straw matches up perfectly?  This was my original inspiration for my layout.  I was putting away dishes in the kitchen when I came upon the package of straws.  WHAMMO!!!  I knew exactly what to do for the H2H Mustaches Challenge!  Then again, after the name of the paper I used, I really should not be surprised that the straw matched!

I cut the mustache from the Cricut Artiste Cartridge on black cardstock twice, and then once on my black glitter paper.  I made a sandwich around the straw with the cardstock using glue dots to keep it together.  Then I layered the glitter paper over the top, only attaching it in the middle with glue dots, for a cool dimensional effect.

Here I used my black shimmer trim as washi tape, lol.

I hope you like my layout as much as I do!  I also hope you decide to play along with us for March Madness over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges.  Be sure to use mostly Close to My Heart products and link back to H2H HERE.  You have all month to play along!  I am having a blast guest designing so far.  See you next week for the last challenge!  *sniff*  ;)

Now, just like I promised, here is my creative formulary:

Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (scallop rectangle, flowers)
Cricut Artiste Cartridge (mustaches)
Claire Paper Packet
White Daisy, Black, Outdoor Denim, and Champagne Cardstock
Black Glitter Paper
C1538 Girls Rock My Acrylix Stamp Set
Chantilly Cardmaking Workshop My Acrylix Stamp Set
Hollyhock, Cotton Candy, and Blush Exclusive Inks
Claire Complements Canvas Shapes
Claire Assortment
Buttons Assortment Red
Wooden Mini Medley Assortment
Chevron Ribbon
Hollyhock Zipper Lace (on backorder, sorry!)
Black Shimmer Trim
Pink Glitter Gems
Oh, yes, and one bendy straw!  ;)