Disney Character Art

New artwork from Carrie's Character Creations. You can find more info at: https://www.facebook.com/CarriesCharacterCreations

Lifebook Lesson - Week 2

I am having such a great time playing with all my new art supplies and have thoroughly enjoyed my first 2 lessons. This week the teacher did a piece of art with circles, paint and lots of doodling. this was my interpretation of the class carrie style. Can you tell I have Disney on the brain. We we're supposed to be there next week, but after we heard that "thunder mountain" was still down for refurbishment we are changing the dates. Thunder Mountain is me and my hubbies all-time favorite ride. Hope you enjoy my new piece.

Top 5 Tips for Capturing & Sharing meaningful family Vacation moments

Growing up my family didn't have too many opportunities to take vacations. So now that I am older I really cherish the moments when we do. We try to get at least 1 big vacation each year. Research is the most important thing when wanting to get the most out of your vacation. I know that any time a vacation is getting close on the calendar I go into research mode.

Here are 5 ways to research your destination and find all the fun things to do.
(For all my examples I will use a Disney Vacation as the destination)

1. Internet (Locations Main Website): Depending on where we are heading, my 1st stop is the internet (you can find practically everything you want on the internet these days). I am the type of person who wants to experience everything and I don't like to miss out on new experiences because I didn't know about it. So of course I go to disney's main website address (www.disneyland.com) first and read about everything. Including what rides will be down during the time I will be there. It is the worst feeling when you get to this magical land and find out your favorite ride will be down the entire time you are there. Remember also if you are bringing little ones to check out height requirements (most rides all your kids should be able to go on.)
2. Internet (reservations & vacation companies): this tip is about researching your options for lodging and vacation packages. I have booked my vacation a number of ways over the years. You can go through disney themselves, they have lots of options for packages that meet many price ranges. Then you have companies such as www.getawaytoday.com that do similar packages but are fantastic to work with and have many add on options for things like a pirate dinner show or tickets to lego land.  One great thing about the packages is how easy it is to add on a character breakfast, these are located at different restaurants inside the park where your kids or you can experience having breakfast with some of there favorite disney characters. and you get some great photos too. Or last but not least you can book the hotel, tickets and everything else yourself.
3. Disney Blogger Websites: Now  a day's you can find tons of disney fans that love disney so much that they have made it a full time gig by blogging about nothing but disney. These people have some great ideas and info that you normally wouldn't find. Here is where you can find out more facts about the rides or buildings or little extras. Here you will find personally experiences and tips about what not to do and some helpful tips like tying a colorful scarf to your stroller so that you can find it easily through the mass of identical strollers or that if you go to a food vendor if asked they will give you a free cup of ice water. You will also see polls on what restaurant has the best hamburger or ideas on keeping your child safe (they have come out with these cool rub on tattoos that have your phone # on them so that if your child gets lost they can call the number and find you). Also there are plenty of posts out there about saving money on these kind of vacations, some of the ideas are fantastic.
4. Guest Relations: We always stop at guest relations located at the front of the parks
   . these people are awesome (they are Disney Concierge) and they can tell you about so many fun things to do while you are in the park. To start out with you can take your child in there and they can call and talk to a disney character on one of there old timey phones. You can grab a button that tells people you are celebrating and event (anniversary, birthday, etc) while you have this button on, the cast members will be extra nice to you when they see your button. Also you can not only pick up maps of the park but you can also get special maps (there is one that tells you where every penny press machine is in the park). they can also set up special things such as tours, princess makeover, pirate makeover or jedi training. They can tell you about the parades and extra little shows that go on through out the day and give you times and tips on how to make the most of them.
5. Cast Members: I talk to these people a lot and see if there are things they may know about that are not widely known. We scored with this one a couple years ago. By asking a cast member this question they then told us that if you talked to the captain of the mark twain there was an opportunity to ride the boat in the captains box. So we asked and we're then invited up to the top room, where we were not only allowed to blow the horn, but steer. at the end of our voyage we we're able to sign the captain's book and we're given official license's to drive the mark twain. Disney has tons of ways to get around. Make sure you try a ride on the double decker bus, horse drawn carriage, old automobile and don't forget the train, it is fantastic to use to get around the park with a little less walking. Cast members are always willing to take photos so don't forget those photo ops. We all want to remember the fun for years to come.

Those are my 5 top tips. I hope you all enjoyed and learned some new things.

Carrie

Bucket List - Disney Project

Bucket Lists can be so much fun not only to create but to fulfill. I have had many items on my list over the years and have been able to check a couple off along the way. Including: riding an elephant, riding on a dogsled in Alaska, taking a ride on a airboat, seeing a moose up close, creating my own quilt pattern line, visiting both disneyland and Disney World and so many more wonderful things.

There are so many things I would love to accomplish this summer and so many more that i wish I had a house of my own so I could do them. I would absolutely love to have my own garden and get down and dirty. 

My Bucket List choice that I would like to share with you all is a craft project I have been dying to create. Every year since me and my sweetheart have been married we go on vacation and it usually is to Disneyland or Disneyworld. Each time we go we always come home with ticket stubs, buttons, disney dollars, pressed pennies and this last time we also went to "the animation academy" in Disney California Adventures and learned how to draw jack skellington. So my plan is to take all these mementos arrange a fantastic collage and frame it, leaving room to add to it each year. 

If you would like to make something like this. save all the little things that you get while at disney. Stop in at the guest relations office near the entrance of the park and grab a button. They have one for every occasion including: Happy Birthday, Happily Ever After, Just Married, Happy Anniversary, Just Engaged, First Visit, I'm Celebrating, Family Reunion, My Magical Triumph (for marathon runners) and Honorary Citizen (this one you have to repeat an oath and then they make you an honorary citizen. We also have an official certificate saying we are licensed to drive the Mark Twain Riverboat. We received this certificate after going up to the top cabin withe the captain and she let us honk the horn and turn the wheel. After our ride we signed the captains guest book and she rewarded us with the certificate. It was a great experience. If you ever want to do this. You must ask the captain before the ride if you can go up to the top cabin, if she/he gives you permission she will instruct you of what to do and where to go. Highly recommended. When it comes to some of the other items. you will always have an entrance ticket, we also save unused fast pass tickets. For the Disney dollars you can usually get these at any of the shops or guest relations. A disney dollar is equal to a u.s. dollar but can only be spent as real money in a disney park or store. Last but not least are the Disney pressed pennies. there are a number of locations for these and each machine has different designs. If you want to know where all of the machines are go again to guest relations and ask for a map for the pressed pennies. This map will tell you where every single machine is and which designs they hold. 

 If you need any more info or want to send me pictures of your collages. come on over and see me at craftynightowls.blogspot.com

Thanks

Carrie

Indiana Jones Disneyland Facts & Tips

This week I am going to fill you in on the Indiana Jones Adventures that is only located in Disneyland.

The Ride

Not only does this ride have a fantastic que where you will see fantastic artwork depicting scenes you will find in the Indiana Movies. But the ride itself is top notch. You'll board a 12-person troop transport that will take you through some rough and ragged terrain, where you better buckle up because you will be shifted up, down, backward, forward and you don't want to fall off the bridge or get left back and shot with arrows.

On this adventure you will take a cliff-hanging journey through the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. With Indy's help, you will get through giant Gates of Doom. Pass molten lava in the Cavern of Bubbling Death and avoid the undead mummies of the temple's past victims and swerve to avoid lava eruptions, swarms of insects and evil wraiths. 

Next you will cross over a rickety bridge and come face to face with a giant snake. Just when you thought you were past all dangers you will have to outrun a giant boulder.

The Que

The adventure really starts in the sue. Where you will work your way into the attraction area which is the site for an archaeological expedition. After crossing over a wooden bridge, you will finally reach the temple, here is where the waiting can begin. One great thing is that you can download the below decoder card and look for the mara-glyphics on items and the walls. These originally were part of a AT&T sponsorship, disney cast members would hand these decoder cards out at the beginning of the que, but after a while they stopped doing this. If the line is moving more quickly take a picture and decode later. 

Attraction Tips

• Ride is considered a fast, rough and dark ride
• make sure you always correctly fasten your seat belt.
• the height requirement is 46"
• You can get Fastpass's for this ride.
• Ride duration time: 3:15 minutes
• each time you ride this ride you will get a different experience. because of the countless variations, there are 160,000 possible ride combinations.

Fun Facts

• This ride opened in March 1995
• the entire site features more than 1,300 props, including the actual troop transport from the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. (you can see this on the right hand site when exiting.
• Over 600 strobes simulate lighting inside the Tunnel of Torment
• the Cavern of Bubbling Death measures 50 feet high
• Mara's power can cause nearly 60 pounds of rubble to tumble every 18 seconds
• wind speeds inside the Mummy Chamber can gust up to 60 mph
• the Rolling Boulder in the attractions finale is 16 feet diameter.
• The Temple of the Forbidden Eye has over 2,000 replicated skulls
• 
  
  
  
  
  Go and Enjoy the Adventure!!
  
  
  Carrie

Resources:
Disneyland.com
touringplans.com
allears.net
themeparkinsider.com

Disney Countdown Frame

We are Disney fans and love going to Disney (either park, we have been to both). We celebrate our wedding anniversary each year with a disney vacation. We are celebrating our 5th year and decided to splurge for a disney resort hotel this time. We have always stayed at good neighbor hotels or hotels farther out. I have seen many creative ways to keep track of the days left tip we pack up the good ole' car and head out on the highway. I wanted to do a framed countdown that I can set on my desk and look and dream about everyday. 

I am also on a washi crusade. everything I look at lately I ask myself "should I washi that, or not"? This was a perfect project to washi like crazy. I had the perfect washi tape for it. "Alice in wonderland" washi and a nice white and turquoise stripe wash. 

Supplies I used:

• 8 x10 frame (you can get 2 of these frames for $8.99 at costco)
• Alice in Wonderland Washi Tape
• Turquoise and White striped Washi Tape
• Exacto Knife
• Scissors
• Glittery chipboard letters
• mounting tape
• Scrapbook Tape
• 2 sheets of pink card stock
• 1 sheet of white card stock
• 2 Turquoise Brads
• Hole Punch

First I removed the mat from inside the frame. Then taking my Turquoise washi tape, I applied a strip over the burgandy inside stripe on the mat. Using an exacto knife I was able to trim down the excess tape and to also cut the corners (see photo above)

Next I grabbed the alice in wonderland washi tape (this tape was wider) I layed a strip down the left side then the right side. Now lay down 2 more strips one on the top and then on the bottom (these 2 strips will overlap the 2 side ones). In the photo above the left photo shows how the tape is hanging off the sides because it is too wide. take scissors or your exacto knife and trim excess. 

The bottom 3 photos (from above) 

Left Photo: show how I took the turquoise washi tape again and layed layers onto the front of the frame. similar to the way I applied it to the mat. then I added 2 strips to each corner .

Middle Photo: I put the mat back into the frame and this is what it looks like.

Right Photo: I added pink glittery chipboard letters. spelling out: Disney Countdown, mounting them on with 1/16 inch mounting tape. 

Cut a white piece of card stock the side of the mat. this one was 6"x8"

Photo 1: taking the 6x8 I laid the mat on top of it and traced the open rectangle onto the paper.  Then 

because my number pages are 2"x2 1/2" each I traced 2 boxes inside the 1st.

Photo 2: taking Turquoise washi tape I applied it the areas that would still be scene after mounting and adding the number pages. (it is ok if you overlap the lines, they will not be scene.

Photo 3 & 4: tape 2 (2"x2 1/2") boxes into the 2 spaces allotted for them.

Photo 5: Tape mat board onto bottom sheet you just finished making.

The last thing you need to do is to attach the number cards. punch a hole in the top of each card (you are going to need a card for each number). Take a brad and poke it through the holes and into the back sheet. and now you are finished. 

Happy Disney Days!!!

Carrie

Pin Inspired by:

click here to see original pin 

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Matterhorn Bobsled Disney Facts & Tips

I have had a long time affair with one of my favorite loves... Disney.

How do you not love Disney.  So I have decided to highlight a ride, 

attraction from Disneyland or Disneyworld each week.

Today I am going to start this series with the Matterhorn Bobsled Ride @ Disneyland California

the Matterhorn bobsleds attraction is one of the oldest rides in Disneyland. 

Opened June 14, 1959

The mountain is actually a scale replica of the real Matterhorn in Switzerland. It was originally going to be a rock candy mountain, but the Swiss Alps impressed Walt Disney so much that he wanted to make his own mountain in Disneyland. You can only find the Matterhorn in the Disneyland park making it a one of a kind attraction.

Renovation

 The matterhorn currently went through a 6 month renovation back in the beginning of 2012 that cost $1 million dollars. The mountain was repair rocks repaired, new entrance for single riders only added and new bobsleds.

The last known refurbishment was in 1978

Now, Matterhorn Mountain sparkles! To mimic the snow patterns on Switzerland's original mountain, more than 800 gallons of paint have been used to create "heavier" snowfall on the northern side of Matterhorn Mountain and less snow on the granite-colored southern side. Realistic, yes — but not without a touch of magic. Using a new, environmentally friendly technique, glass beads have been fastened to the façade to reflect sunlight and glisten like actual snow. Also, more pine trees have been planted to add to the atmosphere.

The Matterhorn reopened on June 15, 2012. 

June 16, 2012 the Matterhorn Mountaineer's returned. Mickey Mouse is known

 to ocassionally join the mountaineers to climb the mountain.

Bobsleds

The difference between the original bobsleds and the new bobsleds are:

The Orginal: These bobsleds to seat up to 8 people, 4 people single file per sled (with the second person sitting in front of the first person). Each bobsled had two large compartments. also they used seatbelts which we're not retractable, instead they we're a long strap that buckles into a shorter strap on the opposite side and you would have to pull or loosen the strap to adjust it to fit.

New:  These bobsleds seat 6 people , 3 people to each bobsled (there are 2 bobsleds attached to each other). You have your own compartment and you never have to share. These do not have seat belts, instead they have lap bars.

Tracks

 There are 2 separate tracks on this ride. One is on the Tomorrow land side and one on the Fantasy Land side.

Tomorrow Land side (Left Track) : Is the faster side. It has a larger dip in the beginning of the track, it is run on the inner track so it can be a rougher ride. 

Duration Time: 2:07 minutes            Length: 2,037 feet

Fantasy Land side (Right Track): Is said to be the slower side and is a smoother ride. It is run on the outer track

Duration Time: 2:26 minutes      Length: 2,134 feet

video of both tracks

During the ride (either side) you will have 2 opporunity's to see Harold the yeti/abominable snowman, and nice views of the park when you aren't rushing through the ice caves.

This was a cool breakdown of how it was built.

Facts

• built 1/100th scale of the real matterhorn
• 147 feet high versus the 14,700 feet of the original
• max speed 27mph
• This was the 1st steel roller coaster in the world. It opened along with the Disneyland Monorail and the Submarine Voyage.
• It was the first roller coaster to employ a tubular steel track and an electronic dispatch system which enabled more than one car at a time to be on the track.
• The attraction was inspired by the disney film "Third Man on the Mountain". The movie was filmed in Switzerland, on and around the real Matterhorn. Guests who look quickly look while in the caverns may spot mountaineering supplies and other evidence of the Wells Expedition. One of the crates says Frank Wells after an experienced mountaineer and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Walt Disney Company for 10 years ranging from 1984-1994.
• When creating this attraction they planted larger trees near the base of the mountain. the higher up the mountain the smaller the trees until the disappear all together. 
• There is an actual Basketball half court in the top 1/3 of the mountain.

Basketball Court Video

Hope this post was informative.

Happy Disney Day!!!

Carrie

Some of the places I found my info are the following.

disneyland.com

maggie blake: yahoo contributor

allears.net

Disney Park Videos

Snow White Name Door Hanger

I have a fantastic craft to share today. Who doesn't love disney, yet alone a disney princess.

I made this personalized door hanger for one of my neice's. 

Supplies I used: Cricut, Happily Ever After cartridge, card stock, chipboard, ribbon, tulle, modge podge, hole punch, I Rock imaginisce bling and heat tool

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First things first. to make the snow white I used the Happily Ever After cartridge. set it to 12" and cut all the pieces. Once all the pieces are cut, glue to chipboard, cut around design, punch 4 holes (2 in her hair area and 2 holes, 1 in each arm), modge podge over the entire surface and let dry. Once it is dry embellish with the I Rock Imaginisce bling. I use the white pearl style and added them to the bodice of her dress.

To personalize the bottom part. I used a Disney font and Make the Cut to Design the "Cami's Room". when mounting I started out with black chipboard, glued a white rectangle piece next, then added the personalized red glittery rectangle I cut the letter's out of. Again I punched holes (4 on the "cami's" piece, 2 on top, 2 on bottom and 2 on top of the "room" piece), modge podge and let dry. then bling it up again with the white pearlized stones.

Last and final step is to connect the pieced with red tulle (through each hole) and then add red and black ribbon to the tulle. 

and Ta-Da you have a fantastic personalized door hanger for your little girls room.

Happy Modge Podging!!!

Carrie

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Disney Princess Postcard

Disney Princess Postcard

One of my nieces recently had a birthday and she like most little girls love the disney princesses. So a month before her birthday I wrote Cinderella a letter asking for her to send a signed photo and she sent me a postcard with 8 of the princesses and tinker bell all signed. It was address to my niece. She loved it.

So how this worked was send a letter to disney at:

Walt Disney World Communications

P.O. Box 10040

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

Or, if you'd prefer, you can receive a black and white photo if you write to your chosen character at this address:

Walt Disney Company

Attn: Fan Mail Department

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

Happy Disney Day!!!

Carrie

How to Organize your Embossing Folders!!

Today I decided to Organize all my embossing folder for my Big Shot.

The above photo shows you how to make your tabs.

Photo 1: I first drew the tab

Photo 2: take a 3 1/2 x 8 1/2" strip of cardstock and fold in half

Photo 3: place your template on top of card stock, matching up the creases

Photo 4: trace onto card stock, each strip you should be able to get 3 tabs

after you cut your tabs out, open and using a black marker outline the edges of the tabs.

Above photo shows you how to attach the tabs

 to your separating sheets. (the separating sheets are 7 1/2" x 4"). 

Photo 1: put to adhesive tabs onto the bottom of the tab.

Photo 2: flip over and line up with top of separating sheet.

Photo 3: flip separating sheet & tab over, place adhesive tabs, 

2 on the main body of tab and 2 on the top of the tab.

Photo 4: fold forward and press adhesive tabs to seal.

Now that the tab is on. Take marker and label the tab.

I kept all the pictures from the packaging so I could cut around the

 image and adhere to the front of each separator. 

My 1st photo in the post shows you my end result.

I used a craft memory box (I bought at Joann's)

Now because I don't have enough folders to fill this box. I placed a few of my cricut cartridge boxes into the front to take up some of the space.

Then I placed the separator and then the folder for each of my folders.

Happy Organizing!!

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Free SVG File - Goofy, Mickey and Donald

This weeks Free SVG File is:

Goofy, Mickey and Donald in Bunny Suits for Easter

click here for svg file

Happy Cutting!!

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DIY Mickey Head Embossing Folder

I recently purchased my first Big Shot for the sole purpose of adding a little more texture to my projects. I need TEXTURE and one way is embossing the paper with patterns. I received 2 embossing folders with my bundle. But hey if you knew me you would know 2 folders is not going to be enough for me, but at the same time paying the high prices on these folders isn't me either. So after doing some research on possibilities of making some folders on my own. I created a mickey head design, cut it out and mounted it. I think it is a good first try. I am going to keep fiddling with these and fill my folder box. 

To make these I used my cricut, cardboard from an oreo box, glue and tape to keep the 2 sides together. 

 Happy Embossing!!

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