Here is a bit of Cosmo cuteness. I created it for ACOT's May crop, and truly made this layout in about 40 minutes. The challenge was to use the word "cute" in the title. Obviously I have had this picture of Abby for 6+ years - her outfit has adorable little chicks on it, and I have always wanted to scrap it with this older Cosmo line and the die-cut that reads "innocent" with the chicks in the background.

I covered a Magistical Memories flower with mod podge, then a small print floral for a calico effect. If you squish the paper on there while it is wet (pardon the technical term), you will get some wrinkles and the flower looks like fabric IRL.

A few other photos to share. I folded a ribbon strip and stapled it, to mimic ribbon. Also, the crop was almost over and I was in a super hurry. The staple was there, I wanted folds, did not have time to carefully pleat and glue - staples worked, staples got it done in under a minute! Fortunately I have a long neck stapler obtained at an office sale quite some time ago. I just found a new and fun purpose for it!

To add a bit more interest to the die-cut letters I traced the outer edges with a brown Sharpe, and then lifted a few of them off with 3-D foam adhesive.

I hope you got some ideas. Followers, I admit, since being on the BoBunny design team I rarely scrap with any other product. Rarely do I have time to play with my old Cosmo Cricket stash. Since I post few and far on this site nowadays, I am considering deleting this blog. But then I see "22 followers" and I feel obligated to you to keep it up if you are using anything I have shared as a reference. Please comment - would you mind if I deleted it or are you actually finding this blog helpful? I share just about everything I do at my regular creative blog, and although it is primarily BoBunny, a Cosmo project would be added as I do one. If I get zero comments here in a month, this blog is gone. Help me decide. Thanks.

Rita S.

Cosmo's Flueriste Comes Outta da Stash!

Too many ideas for the amount of time I have to scrap! This is one of those layouts that has been in my head for a year. The catalyst to finally get it scrapped was a word challenge at A Cherry On Top to use the word "book" in your layout.

This layout is about the very first time Abby brought a chapter book home from school to read. The teachers were doing their best to find challenging books that were age appropriate. Abby was so used to breezing through her reading assignments, and she was not happy about having to bring a chapter book home. She didn't have to read the entire book in one evening, but just the image of all those words on ONE page set her off. ;-)

She lay on the couch, this way and that. Feet up on the back, then on the side rest, squirming every which way. Because of this I chose to use my Hangin' Around owl chipboard shape by Magistical Memories in an upside down position.

Rather than paint this chipboard shape I chose to color almost the entire piece with heat embossing. I happened to have my embossing powder case set out from a previous project, so I figured "why not!". I used embossing ink markers to wet certain areas, sprinkled with chosen color, and heat set. For the branch I simply used Ranger Distress Stickles, and for the body I cut the patterned paper design sample off the Cosmo Cricket Fleuriste crafting kit packaging. It just seemed appropriate to have an alphabet covered owl for a layout about reading. The googly eyes by BoBunny were perfect - reminded me of Abby's eyes the day she brought a chapter book home, rolling her eyes, and asking, "Do I have to read all this!!?"


Again, since embossing powders were out I chose to heat emboss Cosmo's blackboard letters. I chose to emboss a lighter pink on top of a burgundy color. I used Making Memories glitter stickers for the word "chapter" and used my white Signo pen to create drop shadows.

I punched circles and placed along a border strip. On these smaller circles I wrote some key information so that Abby's achievement as an accelerated reader might be remembered through the years.

Cosmo Crickets journaling cards always offer ample room if you tend to write a lot, as I do. This one in particular was the perfect choice in creating a layout about reading a story.


To this day Abby loves to read, including chapter books. She loves Magic Treehouse and has recently discovered the fun in reading Junie B Jones. She is even using her wonderful imagination to write her very own stories, using a stapler to make a "book". I am quite impressed with her story writing and ideas already - I really do think this little girl of ours is going to have a story that continues on, and on, and on...

No Turning Back with The Boyfriend!

Let's do some scrapping with Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend collection! I love this line - it's perfect for my game lovin' almost teen boy, and yes, I even see layouts of our daughter with this line. I picked up the crafting kit a while ago, but this has been my first chance to delve into it.

What I really like about this layout is the double meaning in the title, "No Turning Back". Sure, it ties in with my journaling...but what it really means is that on the first day of school Kyle was so grown up he would not even LOOK at me so I could get his picture. Sure, he had to get hoofin' to school so he wouldn't be late, but he could have at least let his mom take a picture on his first day of middle school. They grow up too fast! (LOL)

Last week Kristen, from Cosmo, sent me a package of goodies to make up for a little oversight in an order I had placed.(Thanks Kristen!) "The Boyfriend" crafting kit was included - and I was thrilled to now have a double supply of this line!


Because I now had two journaling card sheets, I could cut into the sneaker design and use it as an embellishment/sub-title holder using Pink Paislee letter stickers. I love the back side of the sneaker journaling card as well, so I could cut without guilt knowing I had a spare.

When I cropped this photo I realized there was plenty of street to be had. Rather than bring the boys down and have lots of air, I chose to raise them up and use the road as a surface for "writing" down my journaling.


Have you scrapped any back to school photos yet? I highly recommend creating some pages, or a back-to-school mini album with The Boyfriend. Picking up a crafting kit, and grab some extras of your favorites - it will make you feel guiltless when you cut into your paper. (LOL)

Congrats Julia and Diecutlady!! (update 7/27)

FYI for everyone checking - both Julia and diecutlady have given me their contact info - so the prizes are doled out. Hope to have more RAKs in the future - thanks again for playing!
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You are the new winners of the Cosmo Cricket prize giveaways - and so sorry to the gals first chosen who did not leave me contact information, or respond to my e-mail notifications after more than a week.

Julia- hope you come back to see this as I am unable to contact you as well. I'd like to give everyone a bit of advice - if you are planning to sign up for blog contests and giveaways, I highly recommend you fill out your blogger profile. At the very least provide a contact email in it so you can be notified of a win.

If I do not hear from Julia (I know of one I can ask) within a week - looks like I will be drawing yet another winner for the Early Bird Crafting Kit! (LOL)

Diecutlady will receive the chipboard alpha and Mr.Campy rub-ons. Congrats!

Shari -Where Are You???

Ok...the clock is ticking for Shari. If I do not hear from her by noon on Saturday (central time) a new winner will be chosen for the Early Bird crafting kit. Shari even included her email and it has not bounced back. Being that it is summer, I suspect she is on vacation or such. Won't she be bummed if she misses her prize!

I sent another priority e-mail - and if I don't hear from her by Sat. night a new winner will be posted. Good luck to you all if that happens!

Granted, I said by the weekend - but I really want Shari to have one more shot at her "grand prize".

However, as stated, a new winner was drawn for the chipboard alpha/Mr. Campy Rub-on combo (SORRY Angie from Ohio)........diecutlady who posted in the "cards" thread. Congrats!

Prize Winners Please Come Forward!

I have been waiting to hear from the prize winners for my giveaway, and it turns out I am still waiting. However, I don't want to keep everyone in suspense. I will post the current winners here, however, for several I have no way to contact or send them their prize.

If I don't hear from the winners by the weekend I will redraw and the prize packages will be awarded to others.

Winner of the Early Bird Crafting Kit is Shari - congrats Shari! I am waiting to find out where Shari lives, and if she is out of U.S. or Canada a new winner will be chosen.

Winner of the Cosmo Cricket chipboard, and Mr. Campy rub-ons is Angie from Ohio - I have no way to contact her a well.

Winner of the ribbon pack is Parker & Emma's Mom - Jennifer will be receiving her ribbon this week.

On the Colorfully Creating blog Sylgise from Pennsylvania won the mini album.

Congratulations everyone! I really want to thank you all for stopping in for a visit. Please come back again!

Winner will be posted Saturday

Hi all - I really want to thank so many for stopping by to check out my new blog. I really appreciate it. I am actually thrilled to see I have followers- to be honest, I almost did not put that blogger feature on my page as I feared no one would follow, and how would that look? (LOL)

I haven't gone through all the comments yet. I am going to beg my hubby to let me sit at the computer Saturday morning, while he makes breakfast, to finish up going through comments and have the drawing.

I do have a winner for the mini album posted on Colorfully Creating - my other blog, however. It is sylgise - congratulations! I clicked on her link and I cannot find a way to email her, BUT I did notice she has this blog listed in her profile as "blogs I follow" - how sweet! Of course I am hoping she will see a feed for an update and read this to learn that she won. Click on my profile and send me an email so I can mail out your album!

Be sure to keep an eye on Colorfully Creating for projects created using products for another mfr. on my Dream Team list. I just finished 2 cards and 2 layouts that I will be sharing soon, and as always, offering tips and technique ideas.