Chirp Spotlight...

I'm excited to say...I made this week's Cricut Chirp Spotlight with my barn shaped explosion box
 http://www.cricut.com/newsletters/volume.aspx?ID=276.
  To see lots of pictures and get all the details scroll down the page or click link... http://bugjunkie.blogspot.com/2010/08/explosion-box-with-twist.html.   Thank you all for the many wonderful comments on this project! 

Super, Super Simple Fall Card

This really is just a super simple A2 sized card, but I really like the colors and thought I would share.  All cuts are from Doodlecharms Cricut cartridge and all paper is from Stampin' UP!

Explosion Box With A Twist...

This is my first try at making an explosion box.  Of course I had to add a Bug Junkie twist to it!! ; )  I decided to try making it a shaped explosion box and this is what I came up with.  You can use the same idea to make a cute spook house, gingerbread house, Santa's workshop and so on.  Lots of possibilities for sure.  Free cut file now posted on left hand side of my blog.

Love the open loft complete with a laying hen

The weather vane is a charm, but the new Country Life Cricut cartridge has a weather vane on it

The hay stack is made with the Martha Stewart branch punch

Remove the lid to find a cute scene on the inside...Complete with tags and photo mats

Love this little pecking hen and the cute ears of corn...both from Country Life

Bushel basket and leaves are from Doodlecharms...tractor is from My World, but there are tractors on several other cartridges as well.

I designed this box in Design Studio, but you do not have to have DS or the Gypsy to make this.  You can take a 12x12 sheet of chipboard and cut out the four corner squares,  each square is 3 3/4 x 3 3/4.  Then score and fold the remaining squares to make five 3 3/4" squares.  The roof is an 8" x 3 3/4" piece of chipboard...score at 1", 1 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2, 6 1/2 and 7".  A scoring board makes this much easier.  Do the same for your decorative paper and adhere to your chipboard.  For the lid cut a 5 3/4' square and score 1" in all the way around.  Make a diagonal cut at the four corners and fold.  Hopefully I've not confused you. : )   Decorate as desired.

Working On Something New...

for you!  It's an idea I've seen around for awhile now, but I've never made one.  I'm really excited because I've added a new twist to this old idea and I really like how it's coming together.  The fun part is there are so many possibilities on how to decorate and personalize it.  I've already got ideas for a Halloween one and a Christmas one.  So, any guessers out there? : )  I won't keep you waiting too long.  I hope I can finish it and get it posted for you this weekend...maybe even yet today, but don't hold your breath, LOL.  I do think it's something you all will have fun making so be sure to check back. ; )

And The Winner is...

Number 11...Congrats Tammie, you are the winner of my Back to School kit giveaway!!

Tammie said...

Very cute layout! Thanks for the chance to win....Tammie M.

Thank you all for playing along!

Back to School Giveaway

It's that time of year once again.  In honor of back to school I am giving away one Back to School layout kit.  Please note this is the kit and not the completed layout.


Click link for all the details on this kit   http://bugjunkie.blogspot.com/2010/07/super-cute-back-to-school-layout-kit.html.


This was a super fun kit to make and is a perfect representation of that first day back to school.  All you have to do to be entered in the random drawing is leave a comment on this post.  Be sure to leave an email or blog where I can contact you if you win.  I will draw a winner this Sunday afternoon.  Good Luck!

The Polar Express Layout

Here is another example of how the adorable train from the New Arrival Cricut cartridge can be used.  It's so versatile and I just love it.  The train, tracks and photo mats are all cut the same size as in my Welcome Baby layout below.  Now I must admit, I'm not completely satisfied with how my "snow" turned out.  I wanted this to be a very shimmery, snowy layout and I was playing around with how to achieve that look.  If I were to do it again...I would do it a little different.  To get the snow and ice on the train I used a combination of glitter and Stickles and it's ok, but not great.  Love how the track turned out though.


Tip...when adding glitter to a project I like to run the image through my Xyron first.  This gives a very even layer of adhesive for the glitter to stick to.  That's how I did the train tracks.

This is not necessarily THE Polar Express from the movie, but rather just a fun toy filled train coming from the North Pole.  However, if you've watched the movie you will get the significance of the jingle bell on the photo mat.  My friend Wende and my DD Kara said I must add a jingle bell and I agree it's a great touch.

Notice I did mix some unexpected colors such as pink & brown with the red & green.  If you look close there is a faint pink stripe in the background paper so I decided it was ok to do. : )  That's part of the fun...mixing colors and patterns and making them look right together.

Cricut Cuts

Paper Doll Dress Up - tree @ 3 3/4", the gingerbread man and the rocking horse both cut at 2 1/2" with REAL DIAL SIZE ON.  Train @ 5"

Joys of the Season - gifts @ 2" and 2 1/4", sled at 1 1/4",  bell on photo mat @ 1" and the tags at 4 1/4"

Winter Frolic - mouse at 2 1/4"


Every Day Paper Dolls - train track @ 2" and weld two together or just lay end to end on page.  

Correction on New Arrival Layout...

I am so sorry, but I just realized I posted the wrong size for the train.  It should be cut at 5 inches.  I posted 4", but that is wrong.  With all the video problems and such I guess I got confused.  I apologize for this.  I am working on yet another project using this train and that's how I caught my mistake.  I think you will like what I'm working on so stay tuned!

Embellishing Your Die Cuts - New Arrival Layout

Using larger die cuts and making them work...For this layout I wanted big, chunky cuts that really made a statement on the page without overpowering it.  I like how it turned out even though I mixed some unexpected colors and patterns (I wasn't so sure about the background paper with the polka dots).  I had some issues with this video and it turned into quite a chore which made me a little silly.  Hope you don't mind.  ; )

Cricut Cartridges

New Arrival...train @ 5"

Everyday Paper Dolls - track @ 2"...weld two together

Create a Critter - lion, seal & hippo - all @ 2"

George & Basic Shapes - tags @ 4 1/4"


Photo Mats


The base photo mats are as follows below.  Each mat that is layered on top is approximately 1/4" smaller than the mat you are adhering it to.


1 mat - 5 3/4 x 4 1/2
1 mat - 5 3/4 x 4 3/4
1 mat - 5 x 3 3/4
1 mat - 4 3/4 x 4 1/2  


The monkey & train brads on the tags are by the Paper Studio's Spare Parts line.