Cosmo Cricket

In The Spotlight

Hi Cosmo Cricket fans! We hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. For today we would like to put an "older" line under your attention :) We are showing you projects with one of our old time favorite line, Girl Friday!

Here are two fun layouts made by Gudrun Loennecken

 

This lovely card is done by our own Debbie Olsen

Wendy Sue Anderson came up with this cute layout

The next two layouts are created by Amy Parker 

 

Last in line is Natasja Verbeek with also two layouts

 

   

 We hope we inspired you a bit with this post. To make it even a bit more fun, two of you can win a Girl Friday paper crafting kit!! Leave a comment at this post and next Saturday we will announce this winners.

  

Schools Out!

HOOORAY!!!!! I love not having the pressure of homework, catching the bus and filling out reading sheets.......... BUT.......... the kids are driving me crazy already.

Lindsay is getting a good laugh at me. I've been telling him how I can't wait for school to get out, how I love having my kids home, etc. Well, this is our first day of summer and we seem to have hit it off with a rough start.

It all started with a partially used bottle of salad dressing. We have got to be the only family around that only uses a bottle of Ranch one time. This is not because we use up the bottle in one sitting, but because my kids can never seem to remember that Ranch is stored in the fridge, not the pantry. I can't tell you how many times I've told them and how many bottles I've thrown away! And, dang it, those are pricey little things!! So, when I encountered the latest just barely used bottle sitting on the pantry shelf it sort of set me off.

Tell me I'm not the only one who can lose it over something so inconsequential. 

Since then, Kate and Abby have found themselves as permanent fixtures on our bench. Yep, every time they fight with each other, they have to plant themselves on the bench by our front door. Eventually they'll learn, RIGHT?!?!?!?

Why am I telling you all this? Well besides the need to vent a little steam..... because I think real life should be told. Not everything is perfect. Not every photo shows a smile. Not every day is bliss. Life is messy. My kids are messy. Their outfits rarely match our paper! But they are wonderful, imperfections and all and I want to remember them.

Hmmmm, maybe I should make a project like this journal by Alyssa McGrew so I could remember them in a less public way. ;)

Sisters and Borders

So, I just got off the phone with my little sister, Becky. She is the photographer. You see, a funny thing happens when my parents go out of town. Becky calls me.

Becky is eight years younger than myself and the surprise baby of our family. When I was growing up, she was like my doll. I did her hair everyday in the most elaborate braids and ponytails. I dressed her up. I read to her, etc, etc, etc.

When she was older, Eric and I would stay with her when my parents went out of town, driving her to work and school events and cooking her dinner. 

Even as an adult, I get the occassional, "Mom's not around and I need to know what to do" phone call.

I secretly love these phone calls because in a way they are like going back in time to revisit myself eight years younger. The two of us are quite a bit alike! I hate to tell her this, but I can imagine just exactly what she'll be saying in the next eight years.

I've told you before about how we order the same lunches, buy the same shoes and generally think alike. Well, here's another example of our similarities. Do you remember the Hobbly Lobby sign photos? I thought it was such a fun idea to put a title right in the photo!

Well, what I didn't know is that the same week, Becky shot this photo.

Of course, her photography beats our cell phone snap shot hands down. But I love the idea of using the border strips as a prop in the photo. There are some great ones too.

I am now imagining shooting my Kate holding, "I'm not your average girl" from Girl Friday, Jack holding, "No girls allowed" from Lil' Man, Ethan with, "My mom says I'm awesome, therefore it's true" from The Boyfriend and Abby with, "Curiousity often leads to trouble" from Jack's World. I don't know why I never thought of it before!

Oh, and now for the name you are all hoping is your own: PamD. Pam said, "I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but it's such a BEAUTIFUL line!!! :)" Well Pam, send your info to kristen at cosmocricket dot com and you'll get your chance to DeLove DeLovely!

Have a great day everyone!

DeLovely DeGiveaway

Everyone is making fabulous projects with DeLovely. We've shown amazing stuff from our design team. Our interviewees even knocked this line out of the park. And, now that's it's out on the store shelves, we are getting great projects from fans.

Well, I wanted to get on the band wagon. Actually, since I had the paper before anyone, since I new what it would look like before anyone, I thought I would make the very first project. I started it approximately two weeks before the line was released. And here it is:

Yep, for the last month this has sat on my desk just so. I really love how it is looking, but I can't ever seem to find any time to finish it. Every time I sit down, something happens.

In fact, one day, early on, as I was just getting to work on this, Lindsay called in a panic. To make a long story short, the photo I was planning on using was taken minutes later and placed on an emergency layout that Lindsay needed RIGHT THEN.

I am so jealous of you all that have time to work with this line. I am dying to get to it!

Take a look at these fun project Cosmo Cricket fan, Angela Mansfield created. I love the photo frame the most. It is so vintage feeling.

So what about you? Have you dug into DeLovely yet? Have you cut into that sunny yellow and vibrant turquois? Does that hot pink make your heart flutter? What projects are you planning?

Tell us about it and you could win. We're giving away a paper pack of DeLovely along with some other coordinating Cosmo Cricket products that you may have forgotten about. Did you know that our Victoria Ready Set Chip letters match the line nicely? Also, the yellow velvet from Jack's World is perfect with it along with some of the other ribbons in that line!

So, leave a comment and we'll pick our random winner tomorrow morning.

Tuesday's Projects

I love these projects! I wish we had a better picture of the Butterfly mobile below, because frankly, it is off the charts cool, and the picture below just doesn't do justice to it. This project was so cool that it was featured in May-June edition of Paper Crafts magazine. Kim Kest was the genius on this one.

The next layout is one where Carole Janson demonstrates very well how Earth Love, Nutmeg, and Mr. Campy can be used together.

The third project come from Janet Lebeau. She created a quick and easy project that not becomes not only a home decor project, but also a keepsake.

The card comes from Carol Bloomberg. Stamps, stitching, buttons and she used Girl Friday and Material Girl. I love it when two lines come together.

And finally Carol Janson makes Material Girl her own with this fantastic layout.

Hope you were inspired!

 



 

Early Bird Tote and Matching Card

Well, I'm mostly recovered from our trip to NY. I see Lindsay filled you all in on our lovely accommodations. What he didn't tell you is that Eric and I were upgraded to a suite.

Here's how it happened. We were first given a room on the fourth floor. When we went to it, there was a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. We looked at each other nervously wondering if this was someone else's room, but we decided to try the key anyway. It didn't work. Then we thought we heard someone on the other side of the door. Needless to say, I think we managed to run down the hall and around the corner before they got their door opened.

We went back down to the check-in where the gal took one look at Eric's 6' 6" stature and said, "You should have been given a king size bed. There's no way the two of you are going to be comfortable in a full." Not wanting to argue we waited for her to find a larger bed. She said that she would have to upgrade us to a suite. Sounded good to me! But, upon arriving in our suite, we realized it was just much more dingy, rundown surfaces to look at.

Lindsay, feeling jealous about the upgrade came up to see it. Even he thought his own room was nicer! So, if you are going to stay in a horrible hotel, I think you may want the smallest room possible. Less is definitely more in this instance!

Now onto something scrappy....... fabric scrappy that is. We showed one corner of Debbie's cute tote bag the other day. Well here it is in all it's glory. I am dying to make one for myself now! Eric and I love the Farmer's Market every weekend in Logan and this bag would be perfect for taking home all our goodies.

A new tutorial

Hi everyone!

Remember this project Natasja Verbeek made for the color challenge on National Scrapbooking Day?!

 

 
Well a specially for all of you she made a little video tutorial on how to make one for your own!

Have a great weekend!

Being a part of it......New York New York

We have told you before that it's always an adventure at Cosmo Cricket. So why should our trip to New York be any different?

We left last Saturday for the Surtex licensing show at the Javitz center in New York. We know that most of you are familiar with CHA (Craft and Hobby Show), but probably not to familiar with what Surtex is. Surtex is a show that showcases surface and textile design, hence the name Surtex.

As most of you are aware, our designs are used, not only in scrapbooking but in other industries. This show is a show that we are able to meet different people from different companies that might want to use our artwork for a specific product that they had in mind. 

Now is where it gets interesting. After last years show, Eric wanted to stay somewhere nice and reasonably priced in New York, so he booked a hotel through a booking agent last November to make sure that we could get what we wanted.

Friday night we were all scrambling to make sure that we had everything we needed for this trip and Eric decided to call the hotel to let them know that we had a reservation and that we would be arriving the next day. Well...............and now is where it gets really really interesting. The hotel had no record of our reservation.

He called the hotel booking agency and their phone had been disconnected. We found out that the company that we booked through had totally scammed us. The hotel where we thought we had booked, really wanted to help us, but they nor anyone else in New York had rooms available. It was graduation weekend and the networks were in New York to pitch new television series for the fall.

I called my friend Trevor who works for Marriott and he did everything he could to find us a place but even he couldn't.

Well..........We did find a place. Take a look at the picture below:
This is just a sampling of what it had to offer at $215.00 per night per room. The lobby of this hotel was fantastic but the rest was a little scary.

Our goal each night when we finished the trade show was to stay out so late that we wouldn't have to be in our rooms.

We talked to many travelers, most of who were European, who stayed there and asked what they thought of the hotel. Mmost of them were very disappointed.

The good news? We had a great time and met some great people. One night we went to Little Italy and ate at Caffe' Sorrento on Mulberry Street. The food was fantastic and the service was off the charts! We told Joe to hold our table for next year.

 We had a great time and even met Joe, the owner and his lovely daughter Maria. Below is a picture of me and Joe:

 
(If I appear larger than normal it's because I stuffed myself with pasta the whole trip- Yum Yum!)

The buyers at the show were terrific, our neighbors at the show are now friends, Tim Holtz and his gang decided to stop in and chat for awhile, and we were able to stay away from our hotel room an average of 18 hours per day. We would say.....Another successful show!

Now for Monday's winners:

It must be the day of the J's. Jo Parker, Jen Arkfeld, and Joanna Lee. Email kristen at cosmocricket dot com your address and we will put it on the next UPS truck out!

Have a great day!

Ella Publishing Blog Swap Giveaway

Time for a blog swap, what is that you ask? Well since it is new let me explain. Two companies share products with each other, and then swap projects to share with their readers. Oh, and they do a giveaway too. Check out the projects inspired from Ella eBooks that are made with Cosmo Cricket products. Check out both blogs for chances to win, and to see more projects. Of course, your already here and can see some great projects below, but you should also go to Ella Publishing to see their projects, Wendy Sue's project and to win free stuff.

First up, from Ella's designer, Linda Barber, we have this great Joy Ride layout.

Here's what Linda had to say about it:

Cosmo Cricket's Joy Ride is cute and versatile. While at first view, it might seem boy, travel, and children oriented, it's actually very usable for any theme. The colors are a little toned down, which works great with more grown-up subjects. I created this layout about meeting up with three of my scrappy friends (we live in four different states). We all show up at this restaurant, and we are all wearing grey, white and yellow. Yes, great minds do think alike... Hee. I punched all those little symbols from one of the patterned papers, some are lifted with some pop up dots. I used a cute Cut-Apart Element Card to pull together my journaling in strips (combined two ideas from Text Tricks pages 12&13 and 16&17). I love journaling strips because I am not a huge fan of my handwriting, as in no one can read it. Not even me. The strips allow me to move the journaling around til I'm happy, then I stick them down. Easy peasy.

I think it's fun to hear someone else's take on our stuff!

Our design team had so much fun playing with Ella's inspiration.

Gudrun made this layout using the Ella e-book, Stretch your Sketch. She turned the photo into portrait but didn't turn the sketch. Instead she stretched the sketch  to fit her purpose.

Debbie Olson made this amazing card to match a shopping tote she sewed with the Early Bird fabric (we'll show the tote a little later this week on the blog). Debbie also used the Stretch your Sketch e-book.

Amy Parker did this layout.

Here's what she had to say about it:

I used a sketch from the Stretch your Sketches book. It is on page 26, the one on the top row far right. :D I used the Joy Ride collection, and did a lot of distressing (which I haven't done in a long time!). I made a journaling tag to fit behind the picture.

Last, but not least we have this darling layout by Laura. I agree with her journaling, that face is such a crack-up...... too cute!

To see more projects from Ella friends and to enter to win some great DeLovely products, go to their blog. (Just a note. If the post is not up, it's because Wendy and I misunderstood each other. I'm in NY right now and can't get a hold of her. No worries though..... I'm sure we'll figure it all out in the end!)

To win an Ella e-book of your choice, leave us a comment today to be entered into our random drawing. Have a great Monday everyone!

Our favorites

We thought it was about time to show some layouts again made by Cosmo Cricket fans. The designteam did some surfing around the internet and found the next great projects :)

Yukari's favorite

 

This funky layout with the use of "Material Girl" is by the hands of Larialbernaz

Amy's favorite:

 

Great use of "Joy Ride' by Luzma

Gudrun's favorite:

This cute card showing "Early Bird" is done by Renee Lamb

Natasja's favorite:

 

Great artistique use of "Material Girl" by Mettek

Laura's favorite:

Don't you just love a cute banner like this? "Material Girl" used by Jenny Chesnick

Debbie's favorite:

This yummie looking card with the use of "Early Bird" is made by Kristen Swain.  

I hope you all enjoyed looking at these projects as much as we did! Want to put some projects at our attention?! Just leave a link in the comment section!

Have a great weekend.