Made by Cathy DeRouche

Honoring My Great-Great Grandparents

My grandmother, Grammy, asked me to create a wall grouping that would feature her grandfather's cane. He used this after he went blind. I decided since it was so big that using a shadow box wouldn't work. So instead I framed it without glass and used burlap behind the cane for interest. I tied the cane with brown ribbon that I wove through the burlap to hold it in place. I added a picture of my great-great grandfather and great-great grandmother who immigrated here from Italy and a frame with family information to complete the wall grouping.
I was happy with the way this turned out and I think it tells a nice story about my family. Thank you Grammy for giving me the chance to put this all together for you:)

~Madison

I Miss Crafting:)

Hi everyone. I will be away from my crafting supplies for a week as I complete in a volleyball tournament. I am so excited for my day off (still a couple of days away). I found a Hobby Lobby!! We don't have one where I live so I have never been to one before. What would be the first thing I should find when I get there? Any suggestions??? Have a great week.

~Madison

Scrapbook 2 page Lay Out-

Creative Time Throw Back Challenge Episode 54-

This is a two page side-by-side scrapbook layout for a book I am currently making for my brother, Dalton. Thank you Emma! I needed a kick start! I have neglected my poor scrapbook as you can tell. I want to finish it for Dalton before he leaves for the Navy. As you can see I have a ways to go! For my throw back cartridges I used Plantin SchoolBook for the journaling circles and Zooballoo for the lettering. I added an Easter Bunny from Winter Woodland and a BBQ from From My Kitchen. The BBQ accessories were made from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge. Now just a few more pages and I can give this to Dalton:) Yikes, I'm running out of time!! I am going to miss him!!!

~Madison

Cool Sketch Challenge!

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #31

This week at the Peachy Keen website the challenge involved working with a sketch. We had to design a card around this sketch. This is what I came up with. I have been making a lot of cards for my upcoming craft show and I get a lot of requests for sympathy cards, so this idea popped into my mind:) Cricut cartridges used: Plantin SchoolBook- flowers, circle and shadow; Tear Drop- cross (just used the letter "t" and cut the bottom off). Added some gems for color and to complete the required sketch. I was happy with how it turned out. Thanks for looking. If you are not a follower of my blog, please consider joining me:) Thanks.

~Madison

Summer Time at the Beach

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog: Challenge #15

I was in charge of making invitations for our beach party for the Fourth of July. I wanted them to be cute, yet simple, since I had to make more than one. I don't have any Cricut cartridges with beach stuff yet, so I used the Everyday Paper Dolls Cricut cartridge to make the umbrella and chair. The Zooballoo Cricut cartridge and the Gypsy were used to make the words "Summer Fun." I tore the tan paper to make it look like the sand. The invitation was computer generated and punched with a Martha Stewart punch. I like how they turned out. I still can't believe it is almost the Fourth of July:)

~Madison

Fun All Occasion Card

Still making cards for my craft show:) I used a stamp I received as part of my prize from a recent blog challenge win. The flower was made using the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge. I just love reds and pinks:) I little ribbon and a Spots and Dots Cuttlebug and there you have it:) A card you can send just for fun to a friend.

~Madison

Fun Thanks!

I am getting ready for a craft show so I am making cards:) I love making lots of fun and different thank you cards. This one was made using the Create a Critter Cricut cartridge, Spots and Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder and a Martha Stewart punch. It is bright and cheery and a perfect way to say "Thanks." Do you have time to craft this summer?

~Madison

Thursday Throw Back Challenge

My Creative Time Throw Back

Since I didn't have the Paper Dolls Dress Up Cricut cartridge, I created this thank you for a little boy's birthday party using the ZooBalloo Cricut cartridge. The cartridge came out in 2006 and I LOVE the font on this cartridge:) The background: Cuttlebug Spots and Dots and the right edge: Martha Stewart punch.

~Madison

Rockin' Birthday Card

I made a new birthday card for a young rockin' woman of 75:) I was given the woman's photo, was told she loved everything 50's, and was asked to make her a special birthday card. So, I superimposed her picture onto a 50's ad that I found online. I added a stamped sentiment, a computer generated sentiment, a touch of color with the ribbon, and used the Spots and Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder on the background paper. What do you think?

~Madison

Father's Day

FCCB Challenge #14: Celebrate Dear Dad/Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #30 Shadow Box

Since these challenges were designed to be for a shadow box and for a Father's Day gift, I decided to combine them into one project and use them for both challenges (a shadow box for my mom to give to her father). Ok, she asked me to do this for her and I accepted the challenge! My grandpa is full-blooded Italian and I decided to add a touch of culture to this project to honor his Italian heritage. My mom found this great photo of her dad and her when she was just a little girl. I added current pictures of them. In the middle you can see the words to the song As the Years Go By.

The background for the project is green, white, and red, the colors of the Italian flag. The sentiment says, "Loyal Father," "I Love You" in Italian. I used the Gypsy to weld the letters using the Gypsy Font Cricut cartridge. I added hearts from the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge and the pasta and fork using From My Kitchen Cricut cartridge. My grandfather is known for his wonderful cooking skills and his pasta feeds:) I hope he loves this!

~Madison

Heartstrings Design Team: Red, White and Blue

My inspiration for my first design is all the young men and women who are graduating and leaving home for the first time. My brother, Dalton, just graduated from high school and is going to serve in the US Navy. I thought this stamp designed by Shelly and sold at My Heart Stamps For You says it best. Mothers Hold Their Children’s Hands for A While…Their Hearts Forever.

I made two gifts, one for my mom to keep and one for my mom to give to my brother when he leaves. In keeping with this week’s red, white, and blue theme, I decorated a picture frame to hold a keepsake picture of my brother’s high school graduation. I used the stamp from My Heart Stamps For You as the main decoration. I colored in the word “Mothers” to emphasize the word, cut out and glued hearts around the rest of the frame, stitched around the hearts with a gel pen, and added an anchor I made using the Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge to represent the Navy.

The stamp repeats on the goodie bag tag as a way of reminding by brother that my mom will always love him as he goes off to serve his country. On his stamp the word “Children’s” is colored in to place the emphasis there. In addition, the tag has his ship date and a picture of the flag that was waving at his high school graduation. Even though all of this is done in red, white, and blue, it can be done in the color of any country.

My brother will really love getting this bag of treats from my mom as he leaves!

I am sure he will take off the tag and keep it with him:)

Be sure to check out the other Heartstrings Design team members' Red, White and Blue projects and enter your project for a chance to win this challenge! The challenge closes 6/30/10. You can check out their individual blogs or get additional information at Heartstrings Designs. If you purchase a stamp from our sponsor (My Heart Stamps For You) and mention the Heartstrings Design Team, the owner will send you a free stamp (of her choice).

Heartstrings Design Team

Anne

Beth

Gaby

Mariam

PJ

Thanks for being a part of this challenge:)

~Madison

Brown, Blue, and Red Throw Back Challenge

My Creative Time Throw Back Challenge #2

Brown, Blue, and Red

I have been getting a lot of requests for sympathy cards, so I made this one out of brown, blue, and red so that it would qualify for Emma's Throw Back Thursday Challenge #2. I used the Sweetheart Cricut Cartridge to cut the background for the stamp and Tear Drops Cricut Cartridge to cut the cross. The brown paper is from the Martha Stewart "Complete Boy" paper stack. I also used a Martha Stewart paper punch on the blue paper. You can't see the white border in the picture that goes all the way around the card.

~Madison

For The Bride

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #13: For The Bride

What a perfect time for the challenge! My mom was invited to a bridal shower this weekend for her cousin Elizabeth, who happened to be the flower girl in her wedding!! I decided to make some monogramed note cards for Elizabeth as a shower gift. The something old is a picture of Elizabeth from my mom's wedding that I added to the tag:) The cards themselves are the new. The borrowed, well, that is up to my mom as to what she wants to attach. For the blue, I used blue letters on the tag and blue ribbon to tie up the cards:) Congratulations Elizabeth! You will be a beautiful bride!

On the tag, I used the Sweethearts Cricut cartridge to make the bride's dress, veil and "The Bride." I hung the veil on a mini hanger. I used the Tear Drops Cricut cartridge to make a frame for Elizabeth's picture.

I see I didn't crop this picture. Oops! The monogramed letters on the cards were made with the Winter Woodland Cricut cartridge. The letters can be tricky to cut, but I really like how they turn out. Thanks for looking at my project. If you are not yet following my blog, please consider becoming a follower! Thanks...

~Madison

Fabric Card

My Creative Time: Throw Back Thursday Challenge

Ok. There are so many creative crafters out there. I had to try to come up with something different to catch Emma's eye. For this throw back challenge I decided to make my card out of fabric:) The background, the flower in the upper left hand corner and the bird are all cut out of felt. This was the first time I ever used my Cricut to cut fabric. It was an interesting experience. To fit the throw back theme, I made the bird using the Animal Kingdom Cricut cartridge. I also used the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge to cut the flower. This cartridge came with my expression so it is the oldest cartridge I own:) I cut off the top of the card in the photo. The border is orange all the way around and is actually card stock (and quite even in person!).

~Madison

Picnic Recipe Challenge

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #29: Picnic Recipe

I would never go to a picnic without brining my favorites, Ginger Snap Cookies!! This challenge was to create a recipe card with your favorite picnic recipe and present it any way you wanted. First I cut out two gingerbread men from the Paper Dolls Dress Up Cricut cartridge. I then added my recipe and directions for the ginger snaps. I cut out the words using the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge using the Roly Poly font. I made a 10 1/2 plate for the entire project to sit on using the From My Kitchen Cricut cartridge. I stitched around the cut outs to add a punch of color. Now I am hungry. I think I will go make some cookies! Enjoy your day.

~Madison

New Baby Gift

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #12: Shower the Baby

This week I created a wall hanging for a new nursery:) The wonderful family a babysit for is expecting a new baby boy. He is due later this summer. His room is decorated in blues and greens with monkeys. I am giving this handmade wall hanging to his family as a shower gift. It was created using 4 empty CD cases and 4 wooden sticks (the ones that look like tongue depressors) covered with ribbon.

Since I don't know his name or actual birth date yet, all the information on this is fictional:) I just wanted you to see what it will look like when it is done. I cut out his name using the Roly Poly font on the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge . I used my computer to generate the birth information and attached it to an oval I cut from the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge as well. The background paper is from the Martha Stewart Complete Boy paper stack.

This photo will change. Currently it is a picture of the big bro, the one I babysit. After his new little bro is born, I will change out the picture to include a photo of the two of them. I added a monkey and tree from the Create a Critter Cricut cartridge. I stitched around the stars with my gel pen to bring out the colors on the paper. I finished off the panel with a computer generated sentiment attached to an oval I made using the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge.

This is really my brother Dalton! I will change pictures after the new baby arrives. I included the banana from the Create a Critter Cricut Cartridge and "Oh Boy" from the Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge using the Roly Poly font.

Such a lovely family. Once the new baby is born, I can add a picture of the four of them:)

Once I completed the four panels, I attached them together with the wooden sticks. I had already covered the sticks with ribbon. It is hard to see in this picture, but the ribbon is a decorative brown. I attached a red ribbon to the back to secure the wall hanging.

I had so much fun creating this for them. I hope you enjoyed my project.

~Madison

Giveaway:)

Check it out

Heartstrings Design is having a giveaway and you don't want to be left out! CLICK on the link and see what all the excitement is about. Hurry for your chance to win the brand new Independence Day Seasonal Cricut cartridge.

If you haven't added your name to my blog as a follower, now would be a great time to do so. Lots of fun things in store for you this summer:)

~Madison

Encouragement

For You McKenzie

A request went out for cards of encouragement for a young girl who was recently diagnosed with MS. They are being collected and given to her at a party held in her honor in mid June. This is the card I made and sent in the mail. I used an image from a Victorian Calendar called Victorian Year. It is made by Hometown Graphics and DayDream. When I found the words of encouragement online and I thought they were a perfect fit.

~Madison