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Materials Used:
Tools: Cricut Gypsy, Cricut Expression, Cricut “Paper Lace” cartridge;
Paper: Papertrey Ink cardstock in Fine Linen, Basic Grey “Curio” collection decorative paper;
Adhesive: Zig 2-Way glue pen, 3M ATG 714;
Ink: Colorbox Chalk Ink in Chestnut Roan;
Embellishments: Ranger Glossy Accents, Queen & Co. Rox Jewels, Webster’s Pages Whimsey Flowers Perfect Buttons;
Here’s a card project that uses Cricut cuts from the “Martha Stewart Crafts Elegant Cake Art” cartridge from ProvoCraft. The foiled cardstock (double-sided) base of the card is from SEI’s “Windsor Collection”. It was cut at 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ and scored at 4 1/4″. I used my 1/2″ Zutter Round-It-All to cut the corners off the card.
The lattice work butterfly was cut at 4 1/4″ on my Cricut Expression. The base layer was a piece of decorative paper from Stampin’ Up!’s retired designer series paper “Raspberry Lemonade”. The top layer is cut from a 6″ x 6″ inch piece of Stampin’ Up! cardstock in Early Espresso and adhered to the base cut with Zig Two-Way glue pen. A piece of green washi (rice paper) tape was used as an accent across the top of the card, as well as some Kaiser Craft pearls on the body of the butterfly.
I thought it would be interesting to put my sentiment cut on the inside of the card (not too mention there was no room on the card face). The sentiment is from same Martha Stewart Cake cartridge and was cut at 1″. The shadow layer is cut from Stampin’ Up! Cherry Cobbler cardstock, while the top layer is Very Vanilla. Again, I used my Zig pen to put the layers together. Before laying down the sentiment, I used a Maya Road acetate doily in White for visual interest. I used a glue dot in the center to adhere the doily (which in turn was covered by my sentiment cut.
Overall, I like the bright cheery results. Oh, and don’t forget: Any of the cartridges designed for the Cricut Cake machine will indeed work in your regular Cricuts. So don’t pass-up the great Martha Stewart approved artwork on her cartridges or any of the other Cake cartridges. You’ll be sorry you did!
Today’s post is different in several aspects. One, it’s the first 12″ x 12″ layout I’ve done in what seems like ages. If you have been a reader for any length of time, you’ll know that my first love is cardmaking. Secondly, this layout isn’t of family or friends–or even about a specific event. In fact, it’s the first page in a new book I’m doing called “Future Ex-Husbands”. (I’ll wait.)
In all sincerity, I had a blast with this one. I had a lovely 4″ x 6″ photograph of the talented and handsome Mr. Robert Pattinson that called out to me. Ever since I added the “Happy Hauntings” Cricut cartridge to my collection, I fell instantly in love with the fonts. I could just visualize the Cullen name in my head since I opened the cartridge. So this morning, I set out to make it a reality.
The background paper is a die-cut 12″ x 12″ glazed and glittered sheet from BoBunny’s “Jazmyne” Collection. I used Bazzill textured cardstock for the font and shadow cuts, as well as the frame. (The font and frame are from “Happy Hauntings”.) I used Papertrey Ink Scarlet Jewel ink (and a secret technique) to create the blood splatter effect on the title and the bloody fingerprints on the photo. (I cannot even begin to tell you how much I am in love with the title lettering on this page!). The epoxy embellishments are from Creative Imaginations and the super-talented Marah Johnson. The paper tape handwriting strip is from 7 Gypsies. I grabbed my Gypsy, my papers and adhesive and went to town. (Note: The letters and shadows were cut at 2″; The frame and its pieces were cut at 7″.)
Have a Super Friday Crafties! May you find some “Future Ex-Husbands” in your weekend ahead! 
I have a confession to make. When I first found out about the two new exclusive Cricut cartridges to be released by Creative Memories, I thought for sure that my favorite of the two would be “Reminisce Accents” hands-down. Don’t get me wrong–I adore both of the cartridges. But, I have to say if I were going to recommend a great “basic” shapes and themes cartridge to a Cricut newbie, “Cheerful Seasons” would definitely be it. This cartridge is bursting with great seasonal images, alphabets, titles, and lovely (and easy) layering pieces.
I thought I would share one of the card projects I created with “Cheerful Seasons”. This time it’s a Thanksgiving card (though there is a pumpkin involved…imagine that!). I used my Cricut Gypsy to layout the pieces of the pumpkin cut and sentiment that I wanted to use. The pumpkin pieces were all sized at 4″. The “Thankful” sentiment was cut at 1 1/2″.
Again, I adore my Gypsy because you can layout your pieces on the mat where you want them–grouping similar color cuts and ultimately saving paper. For a color palette, I used all Stampin’ Up! colors: Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, River Rock, and Peach Parfait. (TIP: Peach Parfait seems an odd choice at first thought, but the color is really brilliant for pumpkins, squash and the like.)
I knew that I wanted my cardbase to be made of Kraft cardstock. The trick was finding just the right background paper. I actually took several of my paper pads from their (humongous) storage shelf and flipped through them. (Aside: Can I just say what an absolutely fun and relaxing activity flipping through paper pads is? Is it just me? Nah…I know you addicts get my vibe, lol.) I finally narrowed it down to this gorgeous piece of velvet flocked decorative paper from K & Co.’s “Handmade Garnish” collection. The texture and finish on this paper is amazing (and probably difficult to discern from these photographs).
With all the choosing completed, all I needed was my trusty Zig Two-Way glue pen and my 3M ATG 714 adhesive gun to start layering my card together. The sentiment I cut from River Rock cardstock was too light (in my estimation) when I was putting my card together. So, I took a Papertrey Ink Vintage Touch ink block in Chai and sponged the top of the sentiment. The final touch was a sequin and pearl flower accent from Creative Charms. When it was all together, I was really pleased with the end product. I usually only make one-off cards, but I may actually make several of these because I really love them.
Finally, a whole-hearted recommendation: I have to admit that I was fairly ignorant to the company and line that is Creative Memories. When I heard about the exclusive release of these two cartridges, I had no idea how to go about getting them for my collection. Luckily, one of the weblogs that I love and visit frequently happens to be run my a wonderful woman who is a Creative Memories Consultant. If you don’t already have a consultant or need an outlet to purchase these wonderful Cricut Cartridges, I highly recommend shopping with Ms. Diane Campbell Payne over at Capadia Designs. She has a great storefront and is a dream to work with.
Until next time, Crafties!
I have to admit I felt like Charlie discovering one of those very rare golden tickets as I unwrapped my Wonka Bar special Cricut box. I wanted to share a few pictures of the unveiling and share a bit of my virtual joy. I have to tell you this critter is so shiny, it is nearly impossible to take flattering photographs of all his curvaceous bootyliciousness. But, I hope these give you a decadent taste.
A couple of notes:
This box arrived on my doorstep on Friday afternoon. I promise I’ll post a couple more photos in the near future. It’s so shiny, it’s nearly impossible to photograph. But, he’s beautiful.
Just a bunch of odd and ends running through my head….
01. Today in the mail I received three Cricut Lite cartridges that I ordered via Walmart.com. I added ‘Cupcake Wrappers’, ‘Sugar and Spice’, and ‘Handy Man’ to my collection. I am now only missing one of the Lite cartridges–’Wildlife’–which is also on order from Walmart. I wasn’t sure I was going to get them all (or so goes the delusion I tell myself), but like everything else I cave.
02. I also received my set of Fall 2010 Limited Edition Mini-Cartridges (‘H2O’, ‘Pumpkin Carving’ and ‘October 31st’) that I ordered from Scrapper’s Must Haves. There are some great images that will be ultra fun for Halloween cards and decorations.
03. When I went to register my new cartridges and enter my Cricut Rewards certificates, my point total crossed that magical line. I had 8010 points. I stopped and thought for about ten minutes before I did it. I placed an order for the infamous Gold Cricut Expression machine. I hesitated for a moment, since I already have two Expression machines (the original, and a green one). But, I knew that if I didn’t order one, I’d be kicking myself. Not to mention, it would be my luck that they would go out of stock tomorrow. So, I figured I shouldn’t wait. So, I placed the order and it went through. So, I’m hoping that I’ll be finding a golden box (lol) on my doorstep in the near future. When I get him, I’ll be sure to let you know. Now, the dilemma becomes: Should I use it?
04. I also received a box of some the new 2010-2011 stamp set offerings and ink colors from Stampin’ Up! So, I’ll have plenty of new images to play with. But, one of my favorite things I received is the new storage case for the Stampin’ Up! acrylic block set. I’ll share some pictures and information about it in an upcoming posts. It is a handy and useful storage case though–and I think I’m really going to love it.
05. Have a wonderful Tuesday wherever you are. The humidity is terrible here at the moment. I hope that provides the impetus for me to stay in and craft. Make something for someone who isn’t expecting it. It’s the best feeling when you know that someone is thinking about you in this dog-eat-dog World we all live in.
(To no one’s surprise) I sometimes think there is a fourteen year-old girl trapped in my 44 year-old body. (Wait, that’s sounds really bad doesn’t it?) So last night, I thought I’d try to channel that spirit and do a “girly” card. Now, I have no problem being in touch with my feminine side. But, doing a tween card is something I don’t do on a regular basis. I thought it would be an interesting challenge. I’m not really sure if was a challenge conquered or not. It may be a bit too much…but nonetheless, here’s what I came up with using the new Cricut Lite cartridge ‘Slumber Party’.
* MATERIALS & TOOLS USED: American Crafts decorative cardstock from the “Teen” Collection; Stampin’ Up! cardstock in Cherry Cobbler, Pink Passion, Basic Black; Die Cuts With A View cardstock from the “Shimmer” Collection; Cricut Expression, Cricut Gypsy; Cricut Lit Cartridge “Slumber Party”; Sakura Glaze pen in Black; Imaginisce I-Rock heat tool; Imaginisce Glam Rocks in “Mirror”; Zutter Round-It-All 1/2″ corner tool; Zig Two-Way glue pen; Carl RT-200 trimmer; Scor-Pal;
Today’s card project was so much fun to put together. It’s the first time I’ve used my ProvoCraft Cricut “Mini Monsters” cartridge–and I have to say these little monsters will make the hardest heart smile. So I pulled out my Gypsy and my Cricut Expression and got to work with no real game plan in mind. Additionally, I experimented with more of the new cardstock color palette that will be available from Stampin’ Up! on July 1, 2010.
After a quick flip through the corresponding handbook, I immediately gravitated toward this little fellow. I laid out all of the layers on a 12″ x 12″ mat on my Gypsy. (I’ve noted the different layers on the photograph.) If you haven’t considered adding a Cricut Gypsy to your arsenal of tools and you are an avid Cricuteer, you really should consider it now that the price point has fallen significantly. The ability to layout all of your pieces and layers on a virtual mat not only helps you see how the construction will logically follow, but it allows you to lay all of your cuts on one mat and gives you the exact sizes of papers you will need to make your cuts. The amount of cardstock I have “wasted” has significantly decreased since buying my Gypsy.
All of my pieces are set to cut at a height of 2.75″. Though it is somewhat difficult to see in the screen shot due to the limits of photographing the screen display, you can gauge your paper size by either counting the grid squares (which are 1″ x 1″) or using the side rulers recently added to the Gypsy in a functional update. For instance, the base layer is five squares across and four squares down–which would indicate my cardstock should be cut to 5″ x 4″ for that particular cut.
Below is the layout of my cardstock to cut this image. All of the cardstock is from Stampin’ Up! (including new colors Cherry Cobbler, Wild Wasabi, Pear Pizzazz and Daffodil Delight).
A bit of Zig Two-Way glue pen and mono adhesive, and my little guy is suddenly taking shape and is ready to stake his territory.
For my card, I chose the following papers: the card base is Stardream So…Silk! mica cardstock in Beauty Pink (5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″), the mat is Basic Grey from the Basics Manila collection: “Sphere” (4″ x 5″), and the accent paper is also Basic Grey from Nook & Pantry: “Cornbread” (2″ x 4″). I used my Stampin’ Up! tag corner punch to snip all the corners of each paper.
Adhering my layers, it was now time for my monster to find a home. I used some Copic Atyou Spica glitter pens to add some accents and sparkle. A quick sentiment and a bit more adhesive and this little monster moved right in.
If you haven’t checked out “Mini Monsters” yet–or perhaps passed it over–I have to say that I think the possibilities for this cartridge far exceed the obvious use (Halloween). It’s quirky. It’s cute. It’s monsterously fun!
I have (another) confession to make. Well, actually, I have several confessions to make. My new set of Cricut cartridges (Cindy Loo, Mini Monsters, Freshly Picked, and Wall Decor & More) should be delivered on Thursday. That will bring my cartridge total to cxxxviii. (LOL!). For you non-Romans, that would be…uhm…138.
Then, I just realized that the sneak peak pre-order for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators for items from the forthcoming new catalog started on 06/01. I’ve revised my list about four times already and it is still hitting around $250-$350 depending on the revision. So, I’m arguing with myself (and losing), but I should have my list ready to order tomorrow.
Between K & Company and Basic Grey, I’ve been buying new paper collections like a madman. Then I found some really cute acrylic stamps….and well… Tim Holtz’s new texture fade embossing folders were finally released and I had to have all of them. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I need to buy a new house–to use as a craft room. I kid. I think. But, never let it be said that I’m not doing my part to stimulate the economy (and every cash register and on-line retailer I get near).
Which leads me to another confession. I don’t really bake that much. I love breads and cupcakes and brownies…and such. I love to eat them even more. But, I rarely bake a cake. I guess being single is part of the reason I don’t. Okay, and maybe the fact that I’m too lazy plays in there too. But, that’s an entirely different can of worms. So, I don’t make cakes–or rarely. But, I convinced myself that even though I wouldn’t be interested in the Cricut Cake, I really should have the Cake cartridges to use with my Expression. So, I bought Elegant Cakes, Cake Basics, Holiday Cakes, Birthday Cakes. (Don’t judge. It made sense at the time.)
I have to say there are some really great images–especially if you love creating borders, patterns, and ornate designs in your cards and layouts. Thus far, the only cartridge I’ve played with is ‘Elegant Cakes’ (mainly because I’m so enamoured of the designs on it I haven’t stopped playing with this one on my Gypsy).
The birthday card I’m sharing with you today was made with the ‘Elegant Cakes’ cartridge. Both the floral scroll and sentiment come from that cartridge. I used Stampin’ Up! cardstock in Glorious Green and Certainly Celery to layer the die-cuts. The decorative mat is from Basic Grey’s new fabulous collection, ‘Capella’. The base cardstock in Stardream So…Silk! in Fair Blue. I used a Zig Two-Way Glue Pen to put it together and a Sakura Stardust Clear Glitter pen to highlight it. The result is a lot of card (from a design and visual perspective), but I think it works.
