Back To School Personalized Binders

Hi, it's Kendra once again on this beautiful Tuesday here in Sunny South Carolina!

Now that August has arrived it is Back To School time once again here in the South.  With some of the schools around us already back in session and  my own children start school next Monday I want to take the time to share a project that you can make with your children to make going back to school a little more fun.

It still amazes me how time flies by...I am struggling with the reality that my oldest daughter, Abby is a Senior this year and will be graduating from High School...it just does not seem possible.

Where has the time gone?

My project today is actually the project I do with my oldest daughter just before school starts every year.  It is taking plain 1 inch binders with the outside pockets and making them personalized and special just for her.

Here are 2 of the folders we made her last year.  (We are still waiting to get her class schedule for this yeasr before we can make them for this year.)  They were created with the Cricut Expression, The Gypsy and the following cartridges linked to the Gypsy; Cuttin' Up, George and Basic Shapes and Cursive 101.  The neat thing about creating these with your children is that they can be customized to your child's likes.

Here is a look at the side.  Your child can put these folders in their locker and will be able to clearly read the spine with the subject on it.

Happy Scrappin'



30 Days of Creativity Challenge - Day 11 - Candy Corn Bark Recipe Layout

One of my favorite parts of Halloween is the Candy Corn!  My whole family just loves it!  I thought that it would be fun to be able to eat it in a different kind of way....Thus the Candy Corn Bark!  This layout is created using the Cricut Expression, the Mini Monsters Cricut Cartridge and the Cuttin' Up Cricut Cartridge.

I use the Oreos that have the Orange colored creme to make this candy.  Have fun making it and enjoy!

Candy Corn Bark Layout

Candy Corn Dressed Little Girl

The Candy Corn Bark Recipe

30 Days Of Creativity Challenge - Day 10 - Kitty Litter Cake Recipe Layout!

I was trying to think of some creative and kind of off the wall desserts for this upcoming Halloween Season and nothing could be more off the wall than Kitty Litter Cake! 

Warning:  This is not the cake to make for the person with a weak stomache as it look like a well used Kitty Litter Box when completed.  Little boys in particular tend to think it is cool to eat and believe it or not, it actually tastes great is you can get over the look of it!  Just imagine your guests eye popping out of their head as you go to serve it.  A true Halloween Trick!

I used the Cricut Expression, the Mini Monsters Cricut Cartridge, the Cuttin' Up Cricut Cartridge and the Walk In My Garden Cricut Cartridge to create this layout as well as a paper trimmer.  The cardstocks are from Prism, American Craft and KI Memories(Haunted)  I used my favorite glue,Tombow Mono Aqua Liquid Adhesive, to adhere it all together!

Kitty Litter Cake Recipe Layout

The adorable Cats from Mini Monsters!

The Front side of the recipe card that sits down in the "Kitty Litter Box"

The back side of the Recipe.

Ingredients: 

1 spice or German chocolate cake mix

1 white cake mix

2 large packages vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared

1 large package vanilla sandwich cookies

12 small Tootsie Roll candies

Green food coloring

1 new kitty litter pan washed

1 new kitty litter pan line

1 new pooper scooper

Instructions:

1. Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).

2. Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.

3. Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.

4. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the

5. chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.

6. Line a new, WASHED kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box.

7. Put 3 unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.

8. Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top. For the final touch, take one Tootsie Roll and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!

9. This is clever Halloween cake recipe, that frightfully resembles a well used kitty litter box, is actually delicious, despite its appearance. For the proper presentation, use a brand new (and definitely unused) plastic cat litter box and spoon it onto plates with a new (NEVER used) pooper scooper. Little boys tend to think that this is a pretty cool cake!

Happy Scrappin'

First Day Of School - Back To School 12x12 Layout

If this is your first time visiting, Welcome and be sure to Subscribe so you don't miss a thing! :-) If you are already a Subscriber, Welcome Back! 

 I have had such a blast over at Everyday Cricut this week and want to thank both Joy and Melanie for inviting me to Guest Design! If you have not already had a chance, be sure to head over to Everyday Cricut and take time to become a follower so you don't miss out on any of their Awesome Scrappy Projects and Ideas!

This week has been a whirlwind of shopping and getting everything just perfect for the first day of school; Clothes, shoes, backpacks and supplies just to name a few. I must admit though, that I am ready for the kiddos to get back into the swing of things and have life settle back down back into a normal routine. I do dread waking them up early and being out of the house by 7am on Monday though in order to get everyone to school on time, (this will be my first year of 3 differnent schools! Abby is a Junior, Anika is in the 6th grade - middleschool and Abraham is in the 4th grade.) but the excitement of it all will make it all worth it!

One of the traditions I have carried on year after year is how I take my Back To School Photos. When taking them, I always take individual photos of them looking straight at me with their backpack on and one of them from the side looking at me still with their backpack on. That way, I get the full effect of them in all of their back to school glory! Of course my children gripe and grumble about having their pictures taken but I think that sectetly they really like it. That is the primary reason all of my back to school layouts have two photo mats on them. If you don't do this, it might be a great new tradition for you to create for your family too! It is amazing how much you can see the children grow year after year. I do take a group photo also but that is for an entirely different Scrapbook page all together. :-)

To create this project you will need a Cricut Expression, Design Studio, Locker Talk, Cuttin' Up and the Plantin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridges, You will also need various amounts of Cardstock. I used American Craft cardstock and of course Tombow Mono Aqua Liquid Adhesive Glue (Blue Bottle Top)

First Day Of School 12x12 Layout By Kendra Wiggins.cut

First Day Of School 12x12 Layout By Kendra Wiggins.pdf

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check back often for more adorable Projects for you to make for the loved ones in your life!

Happy Scrappin'

School Memories!

This Monday will start a new school year for my children. They are all kind of excited and I am overjoyed! I love to have them home for the summer but when school starts, I am ready for them to go back to school! This is a layout that I designed today with the start of school and all of it's memories in thought! I designed the layout using Cricut Design Studio. The cartridges used were: Lockertalk, Cuttin' Up and Plantin Schoolbook. I used the Vintage Cardstock by Core'dinations as well as the Core'dinations All In The Family cardstock line. If you haven't tried Core'dinations yet be sure to, it cuts like a dream on the Cricut ! I also used a small black brad, a Signo White Gel Pen and a Black Fineline Sharpie Pen.

Close up of the Scissors and Ruler

Close up of the Glue and the Pencil

Anika playing on the Expression getting her folders decorated for school!

Anika Posing for me! She loves to craft almost as much as I do!

I have had several requests to see what my daughter Anika made when she was playing on the Expression!

Hero Saves Day!

Don't your little ones ever have the kind of days that you are so proud of? This is the perfect way to show them! Have they done something that in your eyes is SUPER? Be sure to scrapbook it!
I created this layout using Cricut Design Studio and the following cartridges: Paper Doll Dress Up Cuttin' Up and Plantin Schoolbook. I used Bazzill Bling, Bazzill, and Prism Cardstock. I used the Signo White Gel Pen to pen stitch around the words, a Black Sakura Glaze Pen for the tires and Stickles to add a little Sparkle!

Close up of the layouts!

Close up of a Super Hero!

The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care...

Every year we make a bit deal over the hanging of our Christmas Stockings! Here is the layout that I did that was inspired by the challenge over at Bitten By The Bug! I used Cricut Design Studio and the following Cricut cartridges: Plantin Schoolbook, Christmas Cheer and Cuttin Up. I used papers from K&Company, Bazzill and Prism. The glitter is provided by Doodlebug Sugar Coating. The Rhinestones are by Prima as well as the flowers. The brads are generic (Can't remember who made them or where I purchased them!


Close up of the Layout


Close up of the Stockings!

Here is the New Design Studio Version of the Trick Or Treat Layout as seen in The Chirp!

Here is the Trick Or Treat.cut file for the Newest Version on Cricut Design Studio! This is a very similar layout to the one featured in The Chirp! Please post a comment if you are downloading the file!

Close up of the Cat and Spider

Close up of the Witch!

Close up of the Frog and trick or treat bag!

Trick Or Treat Smell My Feet Give Me Something Good To Eat!!!

I think that this is a phrase that we all have said over the years. I have taken my children Trick Or Treating and they just love this phrase! Just think of all the picture you could put on this layout. In this layout I used Design Studio and the following Cartridges: Plantin Schoolbook, Paper Doll Dress Up, Doodlecharms and Cuttin' Up. This layout was a lot of fun to design and cut out. The Mummy is 4 different layers of White Cardstock and is very dimensional! I hope that you enjoy my Layouts! Feel free to comment on them!

Close up of the Pages.

Close up of TRICK OR TREAT

Close up of Princess and SMELL MY FEET

Close up of GIVE ME SOMETHING and the Mummy!
Close up of GOOD TO EAT!!!

Close up of the MUMMY!

Bugs Layout with Jar and Net

Ants and Ladybugs and Dragonflies Oh My.....

There are so many photo opportunities when it comes to being outside with your children. I cannot count how many times I have taken pictures of my children catching BUGS! There favorite way to catch them is with a Bug Net and Jar! This layout was made using the Cricut Expression and Design Studio to cut out all of the photo mats, word BUGS and the sticks in the jar. The cartridges used were George and Basic Shapes, Cuttin' Up and Doodlecharms. The bug jar and Bug net were cut out using the Quickutz Silhouette and the ladybugs, dragonflies and the mushrooms were cut out using the Quickutz Squeeze and the 2x2 dies. A paper hole punch was used to cut out the ants that you see crawling around. The paper used in the constuction of this layout was from the Mellow collection by Basic Grey and The New Core'dination Black Magic Cardstock as well as the Core'dinations All-in-the-Family Cardstock. The Black Magic cardstock was crumpled and then lightly sanded.

Close up!

Scrapbooker Extraordinaire!!

You Scrap all your family photos and memories and still you cannot wait to get your hands on the next set of pictures coming your way! You are a SCRAPBOOKER EXTRAORDINAIRE! This layout was made using the Cricut Expression and Design Studio and with the following cartridges: Cuttin' Up, Locker Talk and George and Basic Shapes. I used the white Signo gel pen to do the pen stiching on the lettering and a black pigma pen to do the black pen stitching. A metal brad was used to embellish the scissors and a real drop of Elmer's glue was used to finish off the glue bottle! This was a really fun layout to design and embellish!

Lookin For Bugs

Such pesky little creatures......So much childhood Joy!

Who doesn't remember lookin' for Bugs? As a child I even had a Glass jar with holes hammered in the metal lid with a small nail. I spent hours hunting for bugs from Praying Mantis to Lightning Bugs and my 3 children have done the same! This layout was Created using the Cricut Expression and Design Studio! I used Doodlecharms, Cuttin' Up and George and Basic Shapes to create this layout! The Cardstocks used were by Prism.

I used a Signo white pen to do the Pen stitching around the letters. The catipillar was made using a hole punch.