Thinking of You Card - Cricut

How about a circle card?  It's the next shape on the first page of the Art Phlilosophy Cricut cartridge.  Almost every page of this book has unique shapes of cards for you to make so why not spread your wings a bit and try some new shapes for your cards.  This is one of the easiest, just a simple circle card folded in half.  What's really wonderful about this card is the shapes on this page are already perfect for your card decorating, just cut out a bunch of circles. 

 

I'm using the Chantilly paper pack on this card.  You'll need to start with some sweet leaf paper to cut out your card base.  Cut it at 4 1/2 inches and use the "circle 1"  key (that's the first one on the upper left of your keyboard) plus the "card" key.  Distress with blush ink then fold in half.   Now cut a blush cardstock circle at 4 1/4 inches by using just the "circle 1" key.  Cut a piece of buttercup cardstock at 4 and 1/10 of an inch.  (See video following this post for how to change your Cricut machine from quarter inches to tens of an inch).  Cut white daisy cardstock at 3 and 9/10 of an inch.  Now distress and layer them on each other centered on your card.

 

 

 

Use the flowered pattern paper in your kit (with green print on back) and cut at 3 3/4 inches.   Cut it into three pieces (measurements don't matter, it's up to you), distress and flip the green print to the front on the two outside pieces, fit them altogether into a circle shape again.

 

Handcut a pennant shape out of sweet leaf paper about 1 1/2 inches long and then make a mat out of white paper.  You can cut this out on the Cricut machine too but it seemed silly when I could cut it quickly myself without having to put two different pieces of paper into the machine.  Distress, attach to each other and glue down as shown here.

 

Cut a circle at 1 3/4 inches out of white daisy cardstock.  Cut a piece of blush cardstock circle at 2 inches.  Both of these can be cut easily by just hitting the key.  Using the Casual Expressions stamp set, stamp "thinking of you" using blush ink onto the white circle.  Distress both pieces and attach with 3-d foam tape to left of pennant. 

 

Using the Artiste cartridge you can cut out this flower shape using white daisy cardstock at two inches and the buttercup cardstock at 2 1/2 inches. If you do not have the Artiste cartridge, simply stamp the image first on white daisy scrap paper and cut it out yourself.   Stamp the flower from the A Flowering Bunch (future stamp of the month) set  using blush ink.  Use our markers in pink, green and yellow to color in the flower.  Add a green button that you've threaded with waxy flax and attach with a glue dot.   Put the flower on the card with 3-d foam tape. 

 

Lastly color some clear sparkles with the pink marker and add just below the Thinking of You piece and you're finished. 

 

Here's how to change your settings from quarter inches to tenths. 

 

Warm Wishes Treat Tube - Cricut

Our brand new My Creations Treat Tubes are adorable and such great little treats especially this time of year with Easter coming up.  You can see them HERE. 

 

We're working today on the first shape page of the Art Philosophy cartridge book.  We're doing a different shape each day.  Today it's the tag which actually has a little hanger at the top for a ribbon.  To make it you'll need to use the "circle 1"  key, with the tag key AND the shift.  I hit all keys before pressing down on the actual shape key last.  Always check in your screen to see if you are cutting out the right shape.  Using the Later Sk8tr paper pack, pull out the outdoor denim cardstock and cut the tag at 1 3/4. 

 

 

I am using the little boxes that came with the Whooo's Your Valentine kit.  I do have some of these kits still available with enough materials for 12 tubes plus they include the cutest owl stamp set for just $12.00 plus shipping to you.  Let me know if you want one. 

 

 You can make these treat tubes without a box though, any box with a 1 1/4 inch hole will work as will sticking them in a bowl of jelly beans or such.  I used the cute owl set to stamp on this box with outdoor denim ink.  Stamp before making the box, of course.

 

Using the same key with the layer key and cut out a "hoop" shape like we used earlier in the month and cut outdoor denim cardstock at 1 1/4 and it will fit around the circle in the top of the box.  Put the box together then glue the circle at the top.  Add a strip of glitter trim around box (not shown in this picture, see further down on the page).

 

Now here we're skipping to the Close to my Heart Artiste cartridge to make a "yo yo" flower.  You can make these without a cartridge too by cutting two strips of paper about 6 inches by 1 1/4 inches, scoring them at every 1/8 of an inch.  Fold them back and forth like a fan.  I used some of the pattern paper from Later Sk8tr for this one.

 

Use liquid glass to attach the two ends of the paper like below.  Let dry while you work on the rest of the tube.

 

Once it's dry, cut out a basic circle about 1 inch wide and push down the yo yo in the middle.

 

Squeeze the center together and glue it down to the circle with liquid glass.  Hold until tacky then let it dry.

 

 

Once dry, cut out a white 1 1/4" circle from the same "circle 1"  key and a 1 1/2 inch circle in outdoor denim ink.  Stamp on the white circle using the Perfect Fit - Holidays "Warmest Wishes" phrase in lagoon ink, the circle around it in outdoor denim.  Attach to yo yo with glue dots.

 

Cut out a piece of paper (I used silver glitter paper) at 1 inch out of the same "circle 1" key and attach to top of tube. 

 

Glue your tag to some white paper and trim the back.  Attach a pretty gem to the center. 

 

Tie a bow to the top and attach to the front of the box.  You can see the glitter trim here.

 

Cut out two 1/2 inch by 3 inches outdoor denim strips.  Cut the "tails" on the end of each and glue to the back of the yo yo.   Attach yo yo to top of tube just below the top with liquid glass, let dry.  Fill with candy and stick the tube into the box and you're done!  

Life's Sweet Card - Cricut

Here's a little video discussing the quantity and auto fill keys.

 

  

Today we will be working on a cute little tag that is almost like a buckle or a slide to me.  It's just perfect for sliding ribbon or even a paper strip through.   On this card we'll be using Buzz and Bumble paper, great paper set that is perfect for spring.  Pull out your paper pack and find the cocoa cardstock in it.  Using your Art Philosophy cartridge, cut the tag using the "circle 1" key and the "tag" key at 2 1/4 inches. 

 

 

 

Next cut a piece of champagne cardstock 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches.  Distress with cocoa ink.  Cut the bee paper in your set at 1 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches.   Cut crème brulee paper 3/4 by 5 1/2 inches.  Cut brown pattern paper 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.  Distress with cocoa and then attach the bee paper at the bottom of your card and then the crème brulee and brown strip as shown below.  Using the Bugs and Hugs stamp set, stamp the "life's sweet" phrase in cocoa ink just above the brown strip all the way to the left.

 

 

String your ribbon through the tag and glue across the top of the bee paper.   Make sure to cut the ribbon longer so it folds around the back, that way it won't fray.

 

Stamp the bee on the stamp set in cocoa ink on a piece of champagne cardstock you've cut 1 1/2 by 1 1/2.  Distress it with cocoa ink and then use 3-d foam tape to attach it to the center of the tag.   Attach whole card front to a card base which you cut 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 and folded in half.  Add some small brown sparkles just to the right of the Life's Sweet phrase.

 

Now use some bronze glitz gel to spice up the bee, you can't have too many sparkly embellishments!  Let dry and you're done!

 

Did you hear about the three day crop I'm running with my team in Shipshewana, Indiana August 9-11?  It's going to be a blast, for more information, shoot me an email at caldreamin05@comcast.net.

Awesome Pillow Box - Cricut



This is going to be a fun project.  Have you seen our new My Creations Clear Pillow Boxes?  This is the first time I did one and it was super easy!!   We're working on the Decorative Layer key today, still on page 21 of the Art Philosophy Cricut book.  If you've been following along my blog since March 1st you'll see that I'm doing a series on the Art Philosophy cartridge going one page at a time using as many of the shapes as I can in a creative way. 

 

For this project we'll be making that pretty flower on the upper right of this page in the book.  It's really my favorite shape on this page.  Cards aren't the only way to show this cartridge off.  Close to my Heart has so many different types of paper crafting materials that we're going to have a lot of fun this month.  So, for your first task, grab a pack of Later Sk8tr paper and pull out the outdoor denim cardstock.  Cut two flowers at 1 3/4 inches using one of the stamp sets that comes with the Art Philosophy cartridge,   The stamp set uses the basic shape on page 43 and it tells you what size to cut it, HOWEVER, I cut it slightly bigger because I don't have to be so super accurate with my stamping that way.  I cut it at 2 1/4 inches instead of 2 inches using lagoon paper.  You could also just cut a 2 1/4 inch square if you like too. 

 

Using Later Sk8tr paper, cut out a strip of outdoor denim cardstock 2 1/4 by 10 inches and a piece of the plaid paper in the kit 2 by 10 inches.  Distress with outdoor denim ink and fold around the still flat pillow box.  Use a strong glue because pressure will be pushing against your decoration once you put actual treats into the box.  Liquid glass or glue dots work well.  Fold the paper strip so that it overlaps in the center on the back of the box, looks neater that way.   

                                               

After making this piece it still needed something so I added a strip of silver shimmer trim.  It would be much easier to add it before attaching the following decorations so do that now.  Cut it about 10 inches too and run it over the bottom strip of outdoor denim cardstock (scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to see how it's supposed to look.  Using the "For a Special...." stamp on the Cricut stamp set, stamp it on your lagoon tag in outdoor denim ink.  Cut the zip strip from the top of the plaid paper and trim it to just say "awesome" then glue that to the left side of your box and put the stamped image on the right side, just tilted. 

 

Now add your flowers.  Don't feel you have to glue down every petal on the flower.  Just get a good glue gripping the center and that will work.

 

Add some shimmery buttons to the center of the flowers with glue dots.  Can you see the shimmer trim I mentioned before?  It wasn't easy to slip it under those flowers so make sure you took the easy way out as I instructed above.   Once you've let everything dry, fold the bottom of the box up first then add your candy until it's full and close the top of the box, notch side in first.  I actually went to the store with my box to the local Walgreens to find candy that would match perfectly, a little obsessive but, oh well!!

 

Does what I do seem like fun?  It is!   I would love to start you off on an adventure with Close to my Heart like the one I'm on.  If that sounds great to you, you can immediately sign up HERE or give me a call or email and we'll talk about how it will work for you.

Barbra (989) 906-6420  caldreamin05@comcast.net

Hip Hip Hooray Card - Cricut

Today we're going to take yesterday's card and make it again with the same paper pack but a different stamp set, shape, embellishments.  It's so cool that we can turn the paper over and have a completely different card.  We're going to move onto the Decorative Layer shapes on your Art Philosophy cartridge.  You'll need to cut ruby paper 2 1/2 inches by hitting the Decorative Layer key and the "circle 1"  key (first key on the upper left of your keyboard).  Also cut a regular circle out of the pink floral patterned paper in the Chantilly set. 

 

 

Use ruby cardstock for your card front, cut it 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches, distress with ruby ink.  Cut a piece of the patterned paper from the Chantilly set (remember you can use any of the paper and make a cool card).  Distress it and cut to 5 1/4 by 4 inches and attach to ruby cardstock.  Cut two strips of crystal blue cardstock, one 5 1/2 inches by 1 inch, one 4 1/4 inches by 1 inch.  Distress with ruby ink and attach as shown here.

 

 

Cut ruby cardstock 4 1/4 by 3 inches and distress.  Cut pattern paper 4 by 2 3/4 inches.  Distress and attach to the ruby cardstock.  Glue piece to center of card.

 

Next I used the Cricut Artiste Collection Birthday stamp and cut a piece of white paper 3 3/4 by 3/4 inches and stamped the Hip Hip Hooray stamp on it in ruby.  I cut the ends to make a pennant but if you have the Artiste cartridge, it will cut it for you.  Use 3-d foam tape to pop up the Hip Hip Hooray on the left hand side of card about 1 inch from bottom.  Take your pink patterned circle and glue the red decorative layer ruby flower over it.  Attach to card on upper right as shown.  Add a large brad or button to center.  Attach some pretty glitter gems to the upper left.  Cut a piece of white cardstock 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches, fold in half and attach card front to card base.  You're done!

 

Here's yesterday's card next to the one you just made, same paper set, same pattern but different cards.

 

Here's another quick Cricut tip.

 

 

 

Wishing You Peace Card - Cricut

Here's a quick tip to get us started today.  

Okay, now let's work on the next section on page 21 in your Art Philosophy book. Change your size wheel to 2 1/2 inches. First cut out two flowers on the basic key (don't forget to shift) in twilight and crystal blue cardstocks. To get the layer for the flower, hit the layer button, the shift button and the circle key (first key on the upper left of your keyboard).   I cut this flower in buttercup cardstock.

For the card front, cut out buttercup cardstock 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches.  Cut two strips of twilight cardstock 5 1/2 by 1 inch and 4 1/4 by 1 inch.  Distress with twilight ink and glue down the strips in a plus sign like this.

For this card I used Chantilly paper, so pretty and spring-like.  Cut one of the sheets 5 1/4 by 4 inches, distress and glue down to card front.  Cut a piece of twilight cardstock 4 1/4 by 3 inches.  Cut another piece of patterned paper (I used the pastel sides of these papers) 4 by 2 3/4 inches.  Attach these two together after distressing and attach to center of card.    

Cut white daisy cardstock 3 1/4 by 3/4 inches.  Stamp on it with phrase of your choice, I am using the Lovely Lily stamp set.  Use twilight ink, distress and attach about 1 1/4 inches from bottom of card and flush with the largest pattern paper.  Distress and attach the crystal blue flower down to the upper right of card as shown.  Add a piece of 3-d tape.

Add the twilight flower next, then glue the layer flower (buttercup) to the top. 

Use liquid glass in the center of the flower and add prisma glitter, let dry.  Once it's completely dry, attach to a piece of white cardstock you've cut 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches and folded in half.  If you see anything you'd like to purchase here, just click on the links and it will take you directly to my website.  See you tomorrow!

                                      

Be Still and Know Card - Cricut

Today we're going to be working on the "Layer" section of the Art Philosophy cartridge book, page 21.  Yesterday we did the base shapes, the circle and flower, today we will layer over the circle shape with a "hoop" that will make the circle really pop out.   To prepare for this card, use white daisy cardstock for your circle and cut it at 3 1/4 inches.  Remember all you have to do to get the circle is to hit the first shape key on the upper right of your keyboard.  Next use black cardstock and this time, hit the layer key first and then the circle key (upper left, first key as before).  Keep the size at 3 1/4 inches. 

  

Once you've cut out your circle, it's time to stamp.  I'm using the "Be Still" stamp set.  I want to let you in on a tip about black inks by Close to my Heart.  We have two that I like a lot, first up is the black ink pad.   To me it's best for distressing and when you want a softer black look.  For actual stamping I like the Archival Black ink which I don't think a lot of people know about.   It's a very dark ink that stamps so crisply and I have taken to using it whenever I stamp.  It however does not make a good distressing agent, it has a strong chemical smell and is a bit harder to clean off stamps (although I still just use a wipey with it).   In the next two pictures you can see what I mean, the first one is with the regular black ink, the second, with Archival black.  See the difference?

Now cut some ruby cardstock 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches.  Cut For Always patterned paper 5 1/4 by 4 inches and distress both with the regular black ink.  Glue patterned to the ruby.

 Cut black cardstock 5 1/4 by 2 1/2 inches.  Cut ruby cardstock 5 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches and cut For Always patterned paper 5 1/4 by 2 inches.  Distress with black and layer on each other.  Glue vertically centered on the card.  Cut a piece of ruby cardstock 3 1/4 by 2 1/2 inches and another piece of For Always cardstock (you can mix and match these at will) 3 by 2 1/4 inches.  Distress and attach to each other.  Attach to card about 1/4 inch down from top and centered.

Glue your black circular frame to your circle and stamp "Be Still..." inside it using Archival Black ink.  Using 3-d foam tape attach the stamped circle piece onto the card about 1/4 inch up from bottom of card, centered.

If you know me, you know that I like to use up old supplies to make room for new products!  I found this old red ribbon that's not a Close to my Heart product but it works beautifully with this card so just simply tie a piece of red or black ribbon around the back of the card, add a little bit of adhesive to keep it in place.  Tie a bow in front.  Now attach the whole card to a card base that you cut 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches and folded in half and you're done! 

If you like any of the products pictured, just click on the links and check them out on my website.

Mother's Day Card - Cricut

I've been thrilled with both of the Close to my Heart Cricut cartridges, Art Philosophy and Artiste BUT I feel like I've barely scratched the surface when it comes to using them.   I've decided to challenge myself and hopefully you this month (and maybe beyond) by going through the cartridges page by page.   I want to make cards, scrapbook pages and paper crafts all using the cartridges beginning with Art Philosophy.  I will give you a few techniques about using the Cricut machine too because I've met so many people who have no idea what the buttons on their machines do!   I plan to venture into the world of YouTube when necessary, to help show you all the things your cartridges and machines can do.  So let's get started! 

Here's the cartridge and booklet from the Art Philosophy cartridge. 

You can see my booklet is well used (I love this cartridge!!!) so here's the first page and my goal is to really use a lot of the shapes on this page on my paper crafting.  It will test my creativity but imagine all the possibilities if I (and you) really stretch ourselves!  

I'm going to start with the first two basic shapes that are on the first key.   Here's a little video to show you what I'm talking about.

 

So, using the Claire paper packet and the Art Philosophy cartridge, here's how to make this card.  cut a card base 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches in white cardstock and fold in half.   Cut a card front 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches out of white cardstock too.   Using the patterned paper from the Claire pack, choose the floral paper and cut it 4 1/2 by 2 inches.  Cut the striped paper 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches TWICE.  Cut the denim patterned paper 2 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches. Out of the hollyhock cardstock cut a square 2 5/8 by 2 5/8 inches.  Cut outdoor denim cardstock 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches. 

For the Cricut pieces cut a white circle 1 1/4 inches.  Remember that will be the first key on your keyboard with the picture of the circle.  Now change the paper to sunset cardstock and change the size to 2 3/4 and cut TWO flowers by pushing the circle key and the shift button.  If you make sure to check your Cricut screen before cutting, you'll make less mistakes.   Now distress all pieces with outdoor denim ink if you like.

Turn card front vertically and attach the floral paper flush with top and sides first.  Add skinny striped strip of paper next keeping it flush too.  Continue on with the blue denim patterned paper and the final strip, easy!

Add your outdoor denim cardstock square to the hollyhock square and attach about an inch from the top and right hand sides of the card.

Layer the flowers onto each other turning the top one just a touch to make the flower full.  Use 3-d foam tape to attach to the center of the square.  Use your outdoor denim ink to stamp the word "mom" from the Perfect Fit - MOM stamp set onto the circle.  Attach to center of the flower.  Add three orange brads (these are retired) to the lower left of card.  Attach whole card to the card base.

I love glitter so you can prisma glitter up the word "mom" and the edge of the skinny strips of striped paper or anywhere else you want to.  Let dry then brush off and you're done!