ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT II

Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge 

Page #1

I have decided the best way to learn all of the ins and outs of the newest, Close to My Heart Exclusive, Cricut Cartridge is to start at the beginning, and work through each page. 

This week I made the cards from page one. I chose a paper collection, so that all of my cards would coordinate. First, I pulled out the Confetti Wishes Paper Packet .   

 

  Next, I looked over the cards, and picked two solid colors for my first card. The cards came together fairly easily, though I did find the pop-up card on this page a little tricky. Hopefully, my tips will make these cards even easier for you.

If you would like to purchase the Artfully Sent Cartridge you can follow this link to my shopping site for all of the details.

 I always find videos helpful, and I hope you will also. 

Do you have a favorite Cricut Cartridge? I think this one will become a go to for cards that impress.

AWESOME DIY EASTER GIFT BAGS

  Putting a Personal Stamp on 'em

 

I hope my grandchildren think the gift bags I have made them are awesome. I picture them looking at the bags lovingly, and exclaiming "Wow! Bamma made the bags just for us?" 

Of course, that is a dream. They are not likely to spend much time looking at the bags since there are gifts inside, and they are only six and eight years old. 

However, I really enjoyed thinking of their personalities, and preferences, as I made the bags. It also gave me another opportunity to use an adorable Easter stamp set, and some of my favorite papers, and inks.

Hopscotch Paper Packet

Some of the gift bags are made from scrapbook paper, and others are ready made bags I decorated. I hope you like both styles, and get some ideas of your own. 

From Bags to Riches

It really makes a gift special when it is in a handmade gift bag with a handmade card. You don't have to purchase expensive gifts, when you take the time to personalize the wrappings and card, the gift becomes special.

Hopping by Holiday Stamp Set

I'm not sure if my grandchildren will ask for countdown gifts for Independence Day, but I'm sure I will have to make some for Halloween. Don't tell anyone, but I'm really looking forward to Halloween Bags. 

I've Got This One in the Bag

I recorded two short videos to show the different types of bags. I used Cricut cuts, stencils, stamps, and more. Below the videos I have included links to the Close to My Heart products I used.

I appreciate all of you who take the time to watch my videos, read my blog, and especially those who help me donate to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society with your purchases. 

Supply List
Glacier Exclusive Ink Pad
Black Exclusive Ink Pad
Pixie Exclusive Ink Pad
Canary Exclusive Ink Pad
Hopscotch Paper Packet
Brushed Paper Packet
Seaside Paper Packet
Shinhan Marker in Barely Beige
Shinhan Marker in Cerulean Light Blue
Shinhan Marker in Cherry Pink
Shinhan Marker in Clay
Shinhan Marker in Golden Yellow
Shinhan Marker in Leaf Green
Shinhan Marker in Peony Purple
Shinhan Marker in Tender Pink
Shinhan Marker in Marine Blue
Hopping by Holiday Stamp Set
Bonding Memories  Glue
Liguid Glass - liquid glue



Did you make Easter gifts, bags, cards, etc for someone special? I would love to hear about your creations in the comments below.



PAPER CRAFTING TOOLS - PART ONE

The Basics for Beginners

I did not follow the advice I'm about to give you. I still struggle not to over buy when all the new paper collections come out, there is a sale, a new tool looks too cool to pass up, or a new Close to My Heart catalog becomes available. 

You can really get started scrapbooking, card making, etc. with very few supplies. Some tools don't have to be top of the line, but other items you really should splurge on to get the best results possible. I hope my list will help you make some informed decisions, so that you don't waste money, or time.

There is nothing worse than working hard on a handmade card, and having the layers fall apart because your adhesive didn't stick. Also, cheap paper will let you down. I have some scrapbook layouts that I have to re-do because of cheap paper, and ineffective adhesive.

Adhesives

• A liquid adhesive with a great hold will allow you a little time to adjust the placement of your pictures, etc. My preferences are Tombow (available at craft stores), and Close to My Heart's  Liquid Glass.
•  You will want double-sided tape, or a tape gun. I use the Teresa Collins Xyron tape runner because I find it easy to load the refills, it gets the job done, it fits my hand, and it's pink. 
• Mini glue dots will help you adhere very small items without making a mess. I use Micro Glue Dots.

Paper

•  CTMH paper packs are great because they have  double-sided prints, and solid colored cardstock, that coordinates.
• CTMH Workshops on the Go are the same coordinating paper packs, along with a stamp set, an embelishment, and instruction booklet.
• Graphic 45 comes out with paper packs with a lovely vintage feel. The big box craft stores don't carry a lot of Graphic 45. Amazon has the best price I have found.
• Bo Bunny is another paper manufacturer that has great quality, and interesting themes. Again, try Amazon for the best price.
• I do not often buy pads of paper. This is because I usually only like about half the papers in the pack. I'm then stuck with papers I don't want to use. I learned this the hard way, of course.

Seaside Workshop on the Go

Scissors and Trimmers

• My all time favorite scissors are the Tim Holtz Ionic scissors. They are sharp, have a nice point, are comfortable to use, and the blades stay clean. They would be perfect if they came in pink.
• The slicer that I have, finally, settled on is the Sure Cut Deluxe Paper Trimmer. I tried lots of trimmers, but this one has a nice wide base, and the replacement blades are inexpensive. 

Scrapbooks

• You can purchase scrapbooks inexpensively at any craft store, but I would not recommend buying them. I have a few that are not in very good shape now.
• I now use Close to My Heart Scrapbooks. They come in D-Ring, and post bound.  
• I have seen some nicer scrapbooks, in the section of the craft stores near the Project Life supplies. I can not endorse them, as I have not tried them.
•  Remember, you will work hard to put together layouts to preserve your memories. You want them to be protected.

 

 

Misc.

• A bone folder is a nice item to have. You can see an example of one here. They help you make a nice crease on your cards.
•  I love my scoring boards. If you are a card maker, I think they are a must have. I have two, because one is for big projects, and one is more portable for travel. The large one I use is the Martha Stewart score board. The travel size I use is the Close to My Heart score board.
• Having a nice mat to put down on your table is a good idea. The Versamat is a nice choice. This will help protect your table. One side is cushioned for stamping, and the other is self-healing for cutting. The grids also come in handy when lining up projects.

 

These are just the basics. As you continue crafting, I'm sure you will want to add stamps, inks, ribbon, twine, buttons, markers, and all sorts of embelishments. The trick is to buy what you need for each project, and not just everything that is "too cute to pass up." 

 

I will continue this series with more items that you will want to explore as you become more crafty.

 

You also might want to stay tuned as I work on getting my craft room, and office space, in order. It is something I struggle with, besides wanting to buy all of the "too cute to pass up" items.

 

Let me know if you agree with my beginners list. 

 

    

CLOSE TO MY HEART FEBRUARY STAMP OF THE MONTH

A Happy Hello

I love this stamp set! It is my favorite Stamp of the Month so far. I'm sure it is going to show up on scrapbook layouts, birthday cards, and in my planner(s). 

I could have played with it all day, but I had both grandchildren over, and they were a little too helpful. My craft room is very popular with both of them. I'm really amazed I was able to film a video.

These are just a few of the mini cards I made today. I hope they will inspire you to play around with this fun stamp set. 

 I made a video to show you the entire stamp set, and how many shapes there are to play with. This stamp set is only available until February 28th. It is $17.95 or just $5 with a $50 purchase. You can see this stamp set HERE on my website.

 Don't forget that your purchases enter you in the Crafts for a Cure Club. Click on the tab at the top of the page for more information on how you can earn free products.

Let me know if you have any questions. If you have already purchased this stamp set, what have you done with it? 

NOW HIRING!

Join a Fun Team Now

Now is a great time to start your own Close to My Heart Business. There is a lot of support available, whether you want to earn a little extra money, get a discount on great products, or make this your career. 

There is always room on the Crafts for a Cure Team for one and all. I would love to show you how to set up a blog, Facebook business page, etc to help grow your business. 

There are currently two great kits to choose from, and both are worth over $360. You simply go to the become a consultant section of my website, and get started.

Besides having access to support from me, there are lots of training videos, audio files, and emails you will have access to from Close to My Heart. 

If you are ready to make money sharing your love of crafting, I'm ready to help you. Contact me with any questions by emailing me at dedraclutz@hotmail.com, or leaving a comment below.

THE VALENTINE'S TREE

A New Family Tradition

Some people may call it lazy, I prefer to think of it as an unplanned, new family tradition.  Yes, our Christmas tree is still up. Let's just say that January has flown by so far. My grandchildren were due for a visit, and I suddenly had a brilliant idea.

I pulled out all the stamps, paper, stickers, ribbon, etc, that were remotely Valentine's Day themed, and set up an extra work area in my craft room. Since my grandchildren are six and seven years old, they were all in. I love this age, they are so willing to agree to things, like The Valentine's Tree, even if they have never heard of it before.

They made some really cute decorations, and some that were . . . umm . . . interesting. My grandson added hearts to a drawing of Portal, his favorite video game to date. I guess if you add hearts to something it is automatically sweet, and befitting of The Valentine's Tree. They also had a little trouble making things that were ornament sized.

Adorable, right? You know what this means? I am obligated to leave the tree up year round. 

There were several discussions about future holidays. Easter will be easy, and Halloween is the most highly anticipated. My grandson explained that our 4th of July tree will need "George Washington, and some dead Red Coats." We may need to negotiate a little before July.

5 THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN BEFORE I STARTED CRAFTING

Hopefully You Won't Make These Mistakes

I had not done any scrapbooking since the 90's, and had never attempted to make a card, or any other paper crafts, until 2 years ago. I needed a hobby, and a friend who is an avid scrapbooker, got me hooked on  papercrafting by sending me a Cricut.

I made a lot of bad purchases in the beginning, simply because I did not know what I was doing. I hope this list will help you avoid making the same mistakes.

1. All paper is not created equal. 

    When I first started, I went to Wal-Mart and purchased packs of paper in different themes. What I didn't realize is the quality of paper varies wildly. Now that I know better, I only buy a few different brands that I trust, and always purchase printed paper that is double sided. Cardstock is thicker and comes in solid colors, making it great for card and scrapbook bases. My favorite brands of paper are Bo Bunny, Graphic 45,  Close to My Heart, and Core'dinations. I prefer to buy paper collections now. I don't want to have to find embellishments to match my great paper.

Find the Yuletide kit here.

2. There is a reason there are lots of different types of ink.

     I wrote a post explaining all of the different types of ink, and when to use each. If you are like I was in the beginning of my crafty journey, staring at an array of inks, with no clue, check out this post.

This is the Whimsy pigment ink collection.

3. You should not randomly purchase cute stickers, stamps, ribbon, etc.

     You walk into the craft store and it all looks so pretty, and it's on sale! Your eyes glaze over, and you think you need it all.  I know the feeling. I randomly purchased items that were on sale, and a year later had not managed to use any of them. Now I purchase with a project in mind. I know I will be making scrapbook pages, and cards in certain themes, and I'm sure you do also. Why in the world do I have a ton of flowers in such odd colors? Twenty rolls of washi tape? I have no idea.

4. You do not need a large collection of Cricut cartridges. 

     If you own a Cricut you know what I mean when I say that collecting cartridges can become addicting. I have many, but seem to always turn to the same few for my projects. Once I purchased my first Close to My Heart cartridge with 700 images, I realized that these cartridges could take care of most of my scrapbooking, and card making, needs. 

Artbooking Close to My Heart Cartridge

5. Organization is important!

     There is nothing worse than knowing you have pink ribbon that will go perfectly with the card you are making, but you can't find it. Suddenly a card that should have taken you 30 minutes to make, has you spending an hour just finding your supplies. Figure out the type of organizers that work best for you, and get your stuff in order. I need to be able to see my supplies, so very little of it is out of sight in drawers. The drawers I do have are labeled. If you have a system, not only will you be able to find that pink ribbon, but clean up will be much easier. 

My new favorite clear organizers.

Are there some things you wish you had known when you started crafting? Comment below and let us know. Maybe I'm still making mistakes, and you can help me.