My CTMH Cricut Display Board: Art Philosophy

It is time to wrap up my series on the Close to My Heart Cricut Cartridges...and I saved the first for last.  The Art Philosophy Collection was the very first cartridge that Close to My Heart and ProvoCraft teamed up on, and it is like an old friend--always there when you need them!  I just love the creations I have included in this section of my display board...

Here it is once more...the bunny bag and doorknob hanger are both on Art Philosophy.

The font is a pretty type-style with a coordinating detail layer...

Need poinsettias?  Get AP!  :)

The leaves on these are from Artiste...

The flowers are actually stamped with a looooong-time favorite stamp set of mine--a hidden gem on my website--called....Snowflakes!  ;)

Now is actually a fantastic time to remind you that all of our cricut shape coordinating stamps are still available and won't retire!  Just click HERE to browse the ones you might not be familiar with since they haven't been in an Idea Book lately.

Did you notice these great monogram letters?  They make a fantastic gift along with custom cards!  :)

Don't forget to check out the Planner Bundle available at a discount this month!  :)

Freshly Made Aqua Shimmer Trim

Do you ever just NOT have enough time to make everything you want to with your paper stash?  I have totally been in those shoes lately, but feel like I made it out a little slump today.  I was able to use the fabulous sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches to make a darling little card for my Aunt.

I usually don't give this mush sway to the shapes on a sketch, so I am kinda proud of myself for stretching my imagination on this one.  :)   Would you believe that every single piece of paper/vellum on this card was already cut or lying on my desk?  Yep.  It all came together in a shabby chic sort of conglomerate, lol. 

I used my alcohol ink marker to color in one of the Gold Bling Gems.

Here is a list of supplies I used to make this one...

Close to My Heart:
For Family My Acrylix Stamp Set
Artfully Sent (flowers), Artistry (twigs), and Art Philosophy (sentiment shape) Collections
Hopscotch, Snowhaven, and Seaside Paper Packets (retired)
Black and Lagoon Inks
Aqua Shimmer Trim
Glacier Extra Thick Twine
Gold Bling Gems
ShinHan TouchTwin Alcohol Ink Marker Peacock Green

Other:
My Creative Time Doily Die

Get Twinkle in October!

Spreading Some Sparkle One Card at a Time

Alright, you guys, I have a mission for you!  I stumbled upon this little boy with inoperable cancer on my Facebook feed yesterday.  He is turning 6 on July 25th but all he asked for this year is a BOX full of birthday cards!  It wasn't too long before I realized I had a way to help!  I MAKE cards.  Of course I can send him one!

Danny Nickerson age 5

Then it hit me again...I have a CARDMAKING BLOG!!!  I can write a post to get more cardmakers to send him a card!  So here I am sending my fellow crafty peeps out into the world to spread some sparkle by sending Danny a birthday card for his birthday on July 25th.  Remember, when you spread sparkle, you are bound to get a bit on yourself, and let me tell you it is definitely the truth! 

Here is the address to send the cards:

Danny Nickerson
P.O. Box 212
Foxboro, MA 02035

If you want to read about Danny's story, follow this link:   http://abc7chicago.com/society/5-year-old-boy-with-cancer-hopes-for-birthday-cards/201492/

Whatever you do, PLEASE just take a moment to find a bright, happy, cheery, birthday card to make this little fellow's wish come true!  It sure would do his momma's heart some good to be able to see his smiling face as he opens each one, don't you think? 

Here is the card I sent...

I admit that I already had this card made and in my stash--but I JUST made it this past week and had a ton of fun coloring it in with the new ShinHan Touch Twin Alcohol Markers that Close to My Heart will be featuring in the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  

The stamp set is a special My Acrylix from Close to My Heart called Hoppy Birthday was made especially for our Australian Consultants and friends down under!  It doesn't show up normally on my website, but YOU can get it by following the link above.  :)

I used the Skylark Paper Packet, Aqua Dots, Lagoon Ink, and a great little SPARKLE shape from the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection.

Happy Birthday, Danny!!!!  May your wonderful wish come true!!! 

Easy Graduation Centerpiece for Tag (You're It!) Tuesday

This week is one of those times during the year when you can't remember which day it is all week.  I am especially confused since I have been playing catch up for a while since graduation last weekend.  I think I have just a couple more project to show you from the festivities. 

First up, I made some very easy centerpieces for table decorations that you can easily make for a celebration of any kind...

I used an empty cylinder-shaped container that used to hold glow-sticks to make the main centerpiece.  I put some old glass rocks in the bottom for stability.  The rest is easily made with a spray of fake flowers (orange is one of her school colors), balloon on a stick, and tissue paper.  Then I used some ribbon to tie an adorable little tag around the top of the cylinder.  I used a die cut chipboard tag from the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection, my black glitter paper, Congrats Graduate My Acrylix, and the dies from MCT. 

Then I just used the rest of the tissue paper from the package, candy, and ribbon to make these for the rest of the tables...SOOOOOOO unbelievably easy!

Here is the main centerpiece on my kitchen island...

Now I have to go finish dealing with the rest of the May craziness--the end of the school year!  We are down to two days here, how about you?  :)

Another Smoochie Snowman

Like I said, I love to make Christmas tags!!!  I have another one that I absolutely adore to show you...

I used my Paper Smooches Freezy Fellas again along with some of my Close to My Heart Kraft CS, Sparkle and Shine Paper, and the Art Philosophy Collection to make this little guy for my next Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog Entry! 

Here is the fun little tag...

I really love this set of snowpeeps.  Here is a complete list of supplies I used for this one...

Close to My Heart Art Philosophy Collection
CTMH Sparkle and Shine Paper Packet
CTMH Kraft CS, Garden Green CS
CTMH Olive Exclusive Ink
CTMH Black Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
CTMH Black Sparkle Button (retired)

Paper Smooches Freezy Fellas stamp and die set--http://www.papersmoochesstamps.com/
Lawn Fawn Gold Sparkle Single Cord
Teresa Collins Enamel Dots

Operation Write Home Blog Hop!

Welcome to my blog!  This entire Memorial Day Weekend hop is listed HERE.

If you are are a past, present, or future soldier, then THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!  This hop is all about giving thanks to the men and women who serve our country, so thanks for joining us! 

I am a newbie at participating in OWH, and here are my cards that I made using OWH Sketch #75!

If you are new to my blog, (first of all, WELCOME!) you might not know that I am addicted to adding sparkle of all kinds to my projects...it is just the way I am.  :)  Unfortunately for my sparkly side, OWH cards may not contain any kind of glitter that will come off, for the safety of the men and women who use them.  It is a major No-No!  To be on the safe side, I was taking no chances here and made a no-glitter-whatsoever rule for myself.  I had to improvise, so I used my Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge from Close to My Heart to make a star burst instead!  You get all the hint of shine without the sparkle!  ;)  The sentiment tag is also cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge and the stamp is included with the collection.  It is one of my favorites!  This ticket shape reminds me of dog-tags, so I knew right away this was the one I would use.   

I am so glad to be participating in this year's Memorial Day Hop!  I am using it as the kick-off to my OWH support and super-excited to be scheduling an Operation Write Home Card Workshop soon!  :)

God bless America and enjoy the hop!  If you ever get lost, just head to the beginning of the hop right HERE!

If you want to see another card made with a different OWH sketch, then keep scrolling to my post from yesterday.  I made it for the Color My Heart Color Dare!  This is a challenge blog that you can join in on by creating a paper project using the specific (or similar) Close to My Heart colors for that week.  Check it out at http://colormyheartcolordare.blogspot.com/  We would love to have you join us by playing along!

Here is my complete creative formulary for this card.  All products are from Close to My Heart unless noted:

Cricut Expression 2 from Provocraft
Cricut Art Philosophy Collection available exclusively from Close to My Heart
Fanfare Level 2 Paper Packet
White Daisy A2 Card Base
Pacifica CS
Pacifica and Cranberry Exclusive Inks
Buttons Red Assortment
Baker's Twine Neutral Assortment
Stars Embossing Folder from Hobby Lobby
Sanding tool

Stamp of the Month Playtime!

I finally had a chance to get my hands on the March Stamp of the Month, Floral Happiness after seeing a lot of beautiful artwork created with the set.  I had to give it a try ASAP, and I am sure glad I did!   Here it is...

not much to look at like this, but when you know how to stamp these gorgeous images...the possibilities just flow!

All of these cards use White Daisy Cardstock and some combination of  Black, Whisper, Hollyhock, Blush, Sweet Leaf, and Pear Inks or paper.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the Art Philosophy Collection.  "Thinking of You" is from the For Every Occasion My Acrylix Stamp Set.  The last sentiment is found on Card Chatter--Sympathy.

Click on the Stamp of the Month tab above to get your copy or more details about how to get it for only $5!!!  Hurry, when March is over, so is this stamp's availability!  ;)

Color My Heart Color Dare #23

Time for the first challenge of the new year!  And would you believe I didn't add a drop of sparkle???  YIKES!  This card is for the Color My Heart Color Dare #23.  We were to make a project using the Close to My Heart pastel colors Gypsy and Sky along with any neutrals we would like to add.  I added Chocolate and White Daisy to make this card for my friend.

One of the reasons that I adore the color dares, is that it gives me a starting point for a project.  Do YOU ever get overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices you have when beginning a card or layout?  Having a starting point, like a color scheme, instantly makes the task more manageable.  The color dare just happens to be a fun way to have a starting point too! 

Another sure fire way to narrow down your options is to choose a single stamp to use as the focal point of your project.  Here, I chose to use a stamp from the brilliant Cricut Art Philosophy Collection from Close to My Heart.  I was able to cut the coordinating size image that exactly matches the stamp by looking at the size on the clear carrier sheet.

Here is my creative formulary for this card:

White 3 x 7 card base from art supply catalog
Provo Craft Script Embossing Folder
*Cricut Art Philosophy Collection
*White Daisy, Sky, and Gypsy cardstock
*Chocolate, Sky, and Gypsy Exclusive Inks
*Sparkles Red, Pink, and Purple assortment
*Buttons Blue Assortment
*Chocolate Organdy Ribbon (retired)
*White Baker's Twine (single strand tied on button)
*Burlap Ribbon (single strand tied on button)

Time for a Tip!

Here is a little tip for adding ribbon to the front of a card.  The organdy ribbon that I used here is simply cut to length and taped to the back of the Sky cardstock--there is no need to use the amount of ribbon you would need to tie it around the entire length.  I made the bow separately with my Bow Easy and then attached it with the strand of twine that runs through the button.  A nice big glue dot placed strategically underneath keeps it all in place on the Sky cardstock.  Here is a picture of what is under the bow...

I just used a little bit of string to gather the ribbon so that it appears to be one length of ribbon with the bow tied the the intersection.  This is just easier for me to get a beautiful bow and turn it the way I like while conserving my supplies.  :)

Thanks for stopping in, now get out there and sparkle!

St. Louis Regional Day 2!

I have plenty more to share with you about the Close to My Heart St. Louis Regional Celebration, so pour yourself some coffee and have a seat! 

Day two started off with one of my favorite things to talk about--the CRICUT!!!!  I have heard that there are some people who don't know what a Cricut Cutting Machine from Provocraft is, but that seriously must be a rumor.  It is one of the most amazing paper crafting tools ever!  It is essentially a machine that is designed like a printer, but instead of printing out images, it CUTS them out!  I KNOW!!!  I feel your excitement!  If you have one, want one, or want to know more about them, feel free to contact me.  The Cricut is cartridge based, and does not need a computer to operate.  I currently have two different Cricut cartridges available from Close to My Heart, Art Philosophy and Artiste.  This session at St. Louis concentrated on the Artiste Collection. 

I learned quite a bit during this session, the most important fact being this:  Did you know that to get the best cuts and longest life out of your blade you should position the black arrow on your blade housing to face FORWARD?  ME EITHER!!!   Here is the way it should line up--and let me tell you, mine was not facing this way!  I adjusted it the second I got home.

Another important bit of info is the fact that on the Artiste cartridge 3D objects, the size you choose on your dial is the FINAL size of your 3D project when it is assembled.  

We talked about using the Center Point feature key on the Cricut Expression (the BIG Cricut Machine.)  This is useful for when you need to use just a certain portion of a pattern paper, or even cutting a photograph into a certain shape.  You just place the item you want to cut on your mat, load it, move the blade to the center of the area you want to cut, and push "Center Point."  Now whichever shape you choose will cut out AROUND this center point.  Pretty nifty if you ask me!  Just a tip though--always do a practice cut on scraps!  ;)

Now, I have no clue how I did not know this, but you can change your image size increments in the settings menu on your Expression machine.  This can give you smaller cuts!  Here is how to find the screen on your Expression 2:

First click on the wrench from the home screen.

Then use the arrow on the right to advance to...

This setting icon...and click.

This will show the following screen where you can change your size increments or change from cm to mm:

Have you ever wanted to make a true 12 inch border, but could not because the largest cut will not be that long?  I learned how to do it!!!  It is simply a matter of tricking your machine, lol.  Go into the settings again by clicking on the little tool icon.  Use the arrow again to find this little icon:

Click it and you will see this screen where you can choose the 12 x 24 mat size.

You can use this setting even if you DON'T have that size mat!  It will trick your machine into believing that it can actually cut a true 12" length of a border now!  They told us to set the size to 13 inches and adjust your paper accordingly to be a little farther down, but I am not sure why you can't just make it 12"?  I will have to play around with it and see.  I would have NEVER thought of this!  VERY good info for us scrapbookers!  :)

OK, now,  the changing of settings becomes important when you are decorating our Bracket Frame.  There were a couple of consultants that shared the sizes of their bracket frame cuts that they found will perfectly cover the frame at the proper size.  One said 10.9 cm was exactly right and another said to use 10 3/4 inches.  I will try it and let you know in a later post.  Feel free to experiment and let me know in the mean time!   (Use scrap paper first!!!)   ;)

The next major presentation was about how to run successful clubs.  I was very interested in this and was able to get many great ideas from the three fabulous consultants who shared their insights with us.  Sarah Paige Gruber, Brenda Rose, and Shari Froemming were a delight to listen to and are all very successful and talented at their craft.  They each go about their clubs in in very different ways so I think one of the keys here is finding YOUR niche and doing it how it works for YOU.   Nobody could have said it better than Dr. Seuss himself:

Tomorrow I will begin to share the projects we created in St. Louis!  Well, at least the ones I have finished!!!  ;)  Here is a sneak peak!

Special Project

Happy Friday!  I have a special project that I have been working on for weeks now that will finally be put to use this weekend.  I cannot wait to share it with you!

For now, I came across a pillow box that I never did post on here and I love it, so will share it now!

 I made this for a customer who ordered a teacher gift card holder for the end of the school year.  I used the Stella Paper, Lagoon, Colonial White and Sunset cardstock, Cocoa Ribbon and Ink, and the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge Collection.  Pillow boxes are so much fun to decorate!  I thought it would be fun to thread the ribbon through the two layers of the "thanks" embellishment for a different look. 

My next post will be Sunday night or Monday (depending on how I recover!) for the reveal of my big project!  Stay tuned!  Thanks for looking!

REMEMBER!!!!  Pre-order the Cricut Artiste Collection for $99 through me by July 31st in order to receive a fabulous deal:  a free monogram stamp that is brand new for Autumn/Winter 2012!  I will also send you one of our new Idea Books as a gift from me with this offer!  But only for a limited time!  Don't wait for Artiste any longer than you have to--the orders will go in first thing on August 1st. 

Includes:

~Cricut Artiste Cartridge (only available from CTMH)

~THREE sheets of coordinating chipboard shapes 

~THREE Exclusive My Acrylix Stamp Sets (only available in this set)

ALL this for only $99 (nearly $125 value!)

Contact me to reserve yours today!