Sorry for the brief hiatus but....

my DH and I have spent the last several days watching a 7 season marathon of "Breaking Bad".   Since the HD and power source on our other computer decided to permanently retire the day my DH came home from having his hip replaced (12/16),  his physical healing has been accompanied by boredom.  So we had several days of together time watching TV; DH icing, elevating, exercising; and me actually sitting doing nothing with a bit of crocheting thrown in too.  I did make a couple needed cards and just got a new Quick Card magazine yesterday with a new card fold in it that I'm working on (converting from square to A2 size).  The marathon is over.  DH is getting around better and has retired the walker in favor of a cane, which he barely needs.  The computer repairs should be completed soon.  And I thought I'd sneak in a quick post between cleaning this room and the next.  The dust was not on hiatus!!!!

I did get Layla's birthday card made and in the mail.  She was a New Year's baby - 6 this year.

Joyce and Sybilla will be pleased to see I used the CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge for this card.  First I cut a small cupcake card in pink.  Then cut just the cupcake wrapper out of DP.  (Layla was headed to the San Diego zoo on her special day to see pandas and koalas, so I used an animal print.)  I scored the DP and distressed the score lines before gluing it to the front of the shaped cupcake card.  Then I adhered the card to the blue embossed CS A2 card.  I glued one card on top of the other so the bottom portion of the cupcake card opened easily to reveal a gift card.  The 'Birthday Girl' was also cut on the cricut using the same Artiste cartridge. The frosting is CTMH sheer rosette ribbon and the candle a brad.  Of course, there is a birthday sentiment inside the main card. 

Challenges to which I'll be submitting this card include:
The Alphabet Challenge - 'x' for x-traordinary  (the card style is my x-traordinary feature)
Brown Sugar Challenge #75 - Use ribbon or twine
Card Makin Mamas Challenge #78 - Anything Goes
Crafty Hands Challenge #5 - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #240 - Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz Challenge #1 2014 - Happy 5th Birthday to Us!
Milk Coffee Challenge - Celebrations
Creative Moments Challenge #33 - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions Challenge #140 - Anything Goes
A Little Bit Crafty Challenge - Celebrate
Natalie's & Amy's Challenge - One for the Girlies
Mema's January 2014 Challenge - Bingo

(I chose diagonal upper left to bottome right: ribbon,dry embossing,brad, free)

Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge - Birthdays


Time to return to the dust and vacuuming.
Tip - Navy Blue carpet looks like velvet for approximately 5 minutes after it is vacuumed.  After that it looks like a navy blue lint magnet!