First Project for Design Team-Altered wooden blocks for fall

The first projects have been posted at the
Whimsical Scraps and Bugs blog and they all are great!! My project was altered wooden blocks using the required colors, red, orange, yellow, and brown, and of course a Cricut cut.

Here is the supplies that you will need to complete this project:

9 wooden blocks 1 1/2 inches
paint and brush
6-8 co-ordinating papers
Modge Podge
Sandpaper
Stickles
ribbon
George, All Mixed Up, Stretch Your Imagination carts

Start by painting your blocks the base color. I used Brick Red for mine. These can be bought at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. My hubby helped me make these, and if you make your own, make sure to sand them before you paint. Select 4-5 patterned paper and 1 or 2 solids. Cut papers to 1 1/2 inch squares and randomly glue to blocks using Modge Podge. Use the sandpaper to clean up the edges and to give paper a distressed look. Arrange the nine blocks in a square so the paper on the front is pleasing to the eye. Glue them together using the Modge Podge. While the glue is drying, cut the tree from Stretch Your Imagination at 2 1/2 inches and FALL from All Mixed Up at 1 inch. To add the leaves to the tree, cut Flower 1, two times from one color solid cardstock, and two times, from a second color at 1/2 inch. Then cut from between the petals to the center to make leaves. Arrange randomly on the the tree. Add Stickles to highlight some of the leaves. When finished decorating the front of the blocks, use a wide ribbon to tie them together. Very cute and easy project to do! Happy crafting!

1.5 Million Butterflies

Someone on the Cricut Message board posted about a wonderful project that is perfect for all crafters alike. The Holocaust Museum in Houston is working on gathering 1.5 million paper butterflies to remeber the innocent children that died during the Holocaust. The butterflies will eventually become a breath-taking exhibition that is currently scheduled to be completed by Spring 2012. Please join me and others to help make this possible. Here are some of the details:

Butterflies should be no more than 8 inches by 10 inches.

They can be of any medium that the artist chooses, but they prefer that they are two dimensional.

Glitter should not be used, but glitter pens should be fine. (This will be a hard one for me to pass up!!)

Food products should not be used.

If possible, e-mail a photograph of your butterflies, to butterflyproject@hmh.org

Please send or bring your butterflies to the Museum by June 30, 2011, with the following information included:

Your name,
Your organization or school,
Your address,
Your e-mail address, and
The total number of butterflies sent.

Mail or bring your butterflies to:

Holocaust Museum Houston
Butterfly Project
Education Department
5401 Caroline St.
Houston, TX 77004
USA

For questions or additional information, please e-mail butterflyproject@hmh.org or you can visit the site at www.hmh.org/minisite/butterfly/index.html

I will be sending some myself. If you would rather send them to me, I will forward them, along with all of your information to the museum. Crafting for a good cause. What could be better? Happy crafting!

Whimsical Scraps & Bugs Design Team!

I am so very excited to be a part of the new Design Team for Whimsical Scraps & Bugs. It's a new challenge blog with members from the Cricut Message Boards!! I am ready to get started and the first challenge is a color challenge. Fall colors of red, orange, yellow, and brown on a layout or card. And of course, Cricut cuts!! I am ready to get started, but I have to work fast! I am off to take my kids on a little vacation! So check out the new blog, Whimsical Scraps & Bugs to see what great ideas the design team comes up! Happy crafting!!