Mailbox Makeover - Cricut Vinyl

My mailbox just looked sad. No frills, no muss, just a lonely, black mailbox. With hubby at softball practice tonight, I decided it was high time that mailbox got a face lift.

Enter, Circut and Vinyl. Man, I love Vinyl. So many ideas, so little time. Just a quick google search will  reveal to you the wide variety of projects that are made possible when the Cricut and Vinyl unite.

I'm a little crazy over monograms, so I called up my trusty Design Studio to create a design. I used 3 different cartridges - Plantin Schoolbook, George, and Tie the Knot to make this spiffy layout:

My 24x12 mat came in handy for this particular project. I set my cricut to speed 3, depth 3, pressure 3, and away she went. With my design cut, I headed out to brave the bugs and the setting sun to apply my new pattern. I must say, I am pretty pleased with the end results!

Check out my "before" and "after"...

Tomorrow I'll add a coat of clear to make sure that baby stays put.:)

A Pizza Bridal Shower Gift

My good friend Jess is marrying the man of her dreams, Nick, this coming September, and I have been honored enough to have been chosen as a bridesmaid! I am really looking forward to Jess & Nick's big day!

Jess's shower is tomorrow and I really grappled with what to choose from their registry. I remember when we got married, the most memorable gifts were those that had some special meaning, or were wrapped/presented in a unique way. While the more utility-type gifts were received were much appreciated at the time (dish towels, pot holders, etc.) I couldn't tell you who gifted them.

I noticed that Jess & Nick registered for a pizza stone, a pizza cutter, and two oven mitts, and a light bulb went off in my head. I sense a pizza-themed gift!

I purchased these items off of their registry and headed to my local pizzeria to ask for a box. I offered to pay for one, but they insisted on just giving it to me. Score! I created a personalized pizza label with my Cricut and used it to cover up the Pizza logo. (I played on their last name for the wordage) I packed the items inside along with some pretty paper and voila - a pizza-themed bridal shower gift! Hopefully when Jess & Nick have homemade pizza night, they will think of me and my husband with fondness instead of saying " I don't know who the heck gave us these, but we sure love 'em!"

Bridal Shower Card made with my Cricut:

Pirate Banner

My friend Adrienne's son, Caleb, just turned 8. He had a pirate-themed birthday party, so I made him this banner!

Recycled Window Pane Picture Frame

The other day, Scottie and I were driving home and saw some old window panes lying by the side of the road. Someone was throwing them away! We picked one up and brought it home, got it all cleaned up and washed the window up, and I made a picture frame out of it!

Super Bowl 2011

We had a party this year for Super Bowl. I made a table cloth football field and a few other themed decorations:

Easter 2011

Again, another late post! This past Easter we hosted family for a luncheon at our old house in Peoria. We had lots of delicious food and an easter egg hunt. I made baskets for our nieces and our next door neighbor's little girl

 The girls dashing around the backyard to get all the eggs

 Happy Easter Banner

Adorable cake made by my husband's Grandma!

Halloween Cards

Halloween cards for my little princesses Hannah & Taylor

Here's our creepy staircase!