Smell My Feet Bag Topper! LOL!

Could it really be........Witch legs????

NO.... they're dipped pretzel rods silly!  No Tricks! Just Treats this Halloween!

Printable template with instructions available for download in our Etsy store.... or  if you use Sure Cuts Alot (SCAL) and a Cricut, download the SCUT  and sentiment tags below.

Smell My Feet Sentiments

Witch Legs Scut

Halloween Boo! Bear Banner

Good Morning!  The calendar tells me Fall is here in South Dakota, however the weather is making me wonder if Spring has returned!  2" of rain registers in the rain gauge at our home, however just 15 miles away they received 6" and it is STILL raining!  I wonder how many popsicle sticks it would take to build an ark big enough to fit the two mini donkeys, 3 chicks, 1 rooster, Jake (dog), Charli (cat) and Jay & I... the waterway is running like crazy (has been since 4pm yesterday).....

OK... on to the FUN stuff!

Teddy bears and Halloween just seem to go together!  (I prefer 'cute' Halloween things....otherwise I need a blanket to cover my eyes!  --brings back too many memories of monsters under my bed.....!!!)

I designed the bears in inkscape and imported in to SCAL (Sure Cuts Alot), then cut the pieces using my cricut, pieced together, and set aside. 

Topnote pieces are cut using Accent Essentials (blackout) at 4".  I used the Eerie paper set for the next layer, accented, sewed and traced/colored bats, spider webs, etc with glitter pens. Then set aside.

 The bears are chalked, inked and pieced. (eyes are hand painted)  When finished, I sprayed them with sealer to prevent smudging/smearing the chalk.  I used small squares of coordinating paper for the ghost's patches.

The letters were cut using SCAL (Tan Patty), inked with ColorBox fluid chalk (LOVE that stuff), outlined with black glitter pen and coordinating ghost brad added to !. 

When all pieces were finished, I glued layers together, punched holes in each top corner and tied together, leaving about an inch between each, with twine (LOVE twine!);  tied coordinating ribbons to the twine between each pennant, and finished with hot gluing a tied bow and button on each corner!

Enjoy your day!

Tractor Easel Birthday Card

Jay's father has great love for the land and tractors.  Thus the inspiration for easel this card! 

I found the instructions for the easel card here!   Following the tutorial, I put the card together, then selected the graphics, lightened the background using paint shop pro, added the sentiments and printed.  Using glitter markers, I colored in the cornstalks in the background and traced over 'The Greatest Gift', which added a little sparkle.  The tractor and 'Dad' are cut with the Cricut and SCAL. I punched holes in the red/black layered rectangle then strung twine through the holes and tied on the backside before adhering to the background.

Using the same corn graphic design on the inside, I printed and colored with glitter markers.

I got a pretty good giggle when Jay went to sign the card for his dad..... he didn't want to 'ruin' the sparkling cornstalks, so signed the card up on top, under the flap!!! :)

This card was entered in the 'Old McDonald had a farm' challenge over at Challenge Up Your Life.

Enjoy your day!

Writing on our walls....

We are having the time of our lives mixing the cricut and vinyl! 

Personalized words add so much warmth to a home! 

For this project we used SCAL to layout the words and the cricut to cut them out on Black Matte vinyl.  The matte finish really gives the right 'feel' in our down-home country rooster kitchen! 

We used medium speed, blade depth of 6 and medium pressure.   It gave us just the right kiss-cut meaning it cut through the vinyl but not the backing, which made it easy to transfer to the sticky transfer paper.  Once on the transfer paper, it was a breeze to adhere to the wall!   

Check back soon to see more writing on our walls!

Get the cut file here!  word.art.the.johnsons.scut2

Let's Go Racin' Boys! - SCUT2 File added!

Being avid Nascar fans, it only seems right our basement bathroom would take on a racing theme!

Using SCAL, I cut 3.5" letters using Glider Girls font from glossy black vinyl.  This was my first attempt at vinyl on the wall!  I KNOW there will be LOTS more!  I really like the way the letters shine..  (hard to see in the photo)
Gives the effect I was looking for!!

I haven't cut the 'Let's go racing boys' yet.... not sure if I want it just below the 'boogity boogity boogity' or on the mirror....   (the words reflect in the mirror) 

Any thoughts out there??  What do you think??

Get the SCAL SCUT2 File here! boogity....scut2

Graduation Pretzel Rod Bouquet

What a fun little gift to give graduation party guests! 

Supplies used:
Pretzel Rods
White Almond Bark
Waxed Paper
Wilton Candy Melts
Small Wilton Squeeze Bottles (one for each color candy melt)
Tall mug
Cellophane Pretzel Bags
Curling Ribbon
Cardstock (I used prism)
2" punch

Using the tall mug to dip pretzels into the almond bark works great!  I like to dip as much of the pretzel as possible!  Lay dipped pretzels on waxed paper until dry. 

Put candy melts in small squeeze bottles and melt in microwave.  I filled the squeeze bottles about half way and it took about a minute & a half to melt.  (watch carefully so it doesn't scorch!!)

You could also use a plastic baggie.  Just cut one of the bottom corners off the bag. (keep the cut small!!)

Drizzle candy melt over pretzels.....

Using cricut, cut desired shape.  I used Plantin Schoolbook and cut stars at 3.5" from Prism yellow cardstock.  I designed the circle tag using photoshop, printed and cut out with 2" circle punch.  Glue the circles on the stars, punch a small hole on top of the star, ink with colorbox fluid chalk, and thread curling ribbon through the hole. Put one pretzel in a pretzel bag, tie on tag and wala!

Graduation Fun!!

Wow! I think I may be feeling some AGE going on!  My baby is graduating from high school this year!...

I had alot of fun playing with my cricut, putting this bouquet together....   I glued a styrofoam ball in an altered snack mix can for the base.  I cut one of Justin's annoucements apart to use for the design on the vase.   I cut letters and numbers using my cricut - shadow & normal cuts and glued them to bamboo sticks ... I used Penny Duncan's Graduation Cap cut - adding a button and handmade tassle - (I used burgandy  & gold embroidery thread to make the tassle). 

I cut leaves with the cricut from Prism Kiwi cardstock.  Folded the leaves in half, inked with Color Box Fluid Chalk inkpad to give the leaves dimension.....
To Make each flower....
I cut a 4"x4" piece of cellophane paper, poked a stick through the middle, and secured it with green floral tape.  Glued a leave of each stick, and a candy on top... and tied a piece of curling ribbon on the stick, curled the ribbon and stuck it in the styrofoam ball.

Justin LOVES Reese's peanut butter cups & Dove choclates.... thus the reason I used them!!!

Just Dancing!

What a beautiful Easter morning in South Dakota!  The rays of sunshine and calm winds are a welcome gift!  Speaking of gifts, Sammie & Hailey love their dance class, so when I saw the Crate Paper Paperdoll collection I knew it was perfect for what I had in mind....a 'Just Dance' glass block light!   A while back while surfing the net, I came upon ShimmyBean's website ... which is where the pattern and inspiration for this glass block came from!  Thanks ShimmyBean!

I cut the Just Dance design from SCAL using my cricut.  Wow!  That black gloss vinyl sure picks up finger prints!!!

Then measured & cut Crate Paper to fit the edges and back of the block. Flower was cut from Plantin Schoolbook.

Happy Easter to all!  Enjoy this beautiful day!

Come on SPRING!!

The snowbanks are melting.... and the waterway is flooding!  Jay is working on the ark so we can rescue Maddie, Paedro, Scoobie, Shaggie, Daphgne and the babies!  Thank goodness they have the hillside!!

The melting snow reminds me of Easter...   I used my cricut to create an Easter Banner!

Isn't she adorable!!  I printed grapics from Cuddly Buddly and used my glitter pens to highlight her!   

You can check out Cuddly Buddly  here. 

The banner is made with basic grey cardstock & BoBunny Delilah paper pack.

There's nothing like a cute banner to Welcome Easter!!

I was SO excited to receive my March MemoryWorks Express Kit!!   Earlier in the week, I happened upon Denise's purse cut file and simply couldn't wait to use my express kit to create a purse album!

I made a few alterations to Denise's pattern and came up with a mini tag album.  Thanks for the inspiration Denise!   I LOVE this paper!  I outlined the flowers using my glitter pens and added pearls and crystals from e. 

The tag on page 2 pulls out from the flower border and the lime green swiss dot tag is hidden between pages 2 & 3. 

Pages 3 & 4 feature flowers cut from Platin Schoolbook at 2.5".  I used my glitter pens to trace around the flowers on page 3 and added pearls from e. to 'pop' the centers of the flowers.

Another hidden tag...

Enjoy your day! ~Rhonda

Expandable Keepsake Photo Box!

Good Morning!  I've had so much fun working on this expandable keepsake photo box!  Thank you Marion at a piece of craft dot com for sharing! 

This is the top and side view of the expandable box.  I machine stitched then inked with Color Box Creamy Brown Ink pad around the outside edges.  Flower is prism card stock cut with cricut using Wedding/Marriage cart and Basic Grey Button. 

I used SCAL & the cricut to cut "Memories"

I love Tim Holz's Idea-ology Trinket pins, so couldn't resist using one to attach the tag to the ribbon!  I printed the quote on coordinating prism cardstock, inked with Color Blox fluid chalk ink pad - creamy brown, cut each line out, then layered on Basic Grey Origins paper.  I punched holes and tied embroidery thread to add 'little threads' to the tag.  

Inside view ---unfinished !! But couldn't wait to share!

 Just the beginning of one tag.... yes...unfinished!

Want to make your own paper flower?

Cut 1 at 3.5", one at 3.0", and one at 2.5"

Using bone folder & ruler draw a fold line down center of each flower pedal.
Gently fold each pedal (on fold line you made) together upwards.
Beginning with the 3.5" flower, layer smaller layers on top
Punch 2 holes in center of flower
Lay Basic Grey button on center of flower
Thread embroidery thread through holes and tie knot
Ink edges and wala! You have a beautiful paper flower!

Again, thank you to Marion at a piece of craft dot com for the awesome tutorial!

Hope you enjoyed viewing the box as much as I enjoyed making it!  Have a great day! ~Rhonda