FUN DIY CHRISTMAS CARDS

White Pines Workshop on the Go

 This lovely cardmaking kit has directions, and basic supplies, to make 15 Christmas cards. 

The directions are clear, and it only took me a few minutes to make each card. I'm really impressed with how my cards turned out, and can't wait to mail them to my friends and family.

 You will only need a few different ink colors, stamp blocks, and adhesive, to complete these cards.

Supplies Used

White Pines Cardmaking Workshop on the Go 

Cashmere Exclusive Dye Ink 

Cranberry Exclusive Dye Ink 

Fern Exclusive Dye Ink 

Black Exclusive Dye Ink 

3D Foam Tape 

 

Adventures with My Cricut - Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge, Page 14

Beautiful Butterflies

Page 14 of the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge is all about butterflies, and lovely sentiments. 

I immediately thought of one of my favorite stamp sets, Your Own Kind of Wonderful.

 You can see  the cards for yourself in this short video.

Here are links to the items I used to make these fun cards.

Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge

Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set 

Zoe Paper Packet

Easy Dots Adhesive Runner

Sorbet Exclusive Dye Ink

Coral Shimmer Trim

HALLOWEEN HAUL

Let the Spooky Fun Begin

There were so many things I wanted to purchase from the new Holiday Expressions Catalog that it was hard to decide what to get first.

I decided to go with some Halloween goodies as I have a project I need to get started on a.s.a.p.  

I've started a tradition of making countdown gift boxes or bags for major holidays for my grandchildren. To my grandchildren Halloween is a major holiday. 

I made a video showcasing the items that I purchased for this very important project. 

If you would like any of these awesome items for yourself I have included the links below. 

I hope you all have some great Halloween crafting planned.

Ordering Information

Nevermore Paper Packet
Nevermore Compliments 
Nevermore Compliments 
Green Shimmer Trim 

NEW Cricut Artistry Collection

GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS PART 1

Christmas in July Cards

Every January I promise myself that I will start preparing for Christmas early, so I can just sit back and enjoy the fun with everyone else. This year I may actually get my act together.

I'm starting my Christmas prep with a few easy Christmas Cards. I hope they will inspire you to start your Christmas planning early.

This is the first in a series of videos, and blog posts, showing how I am getting my act together early this year.

 If you are like me and always promise to start early, but just never seem to, join in and let's see if we can have a more relaxed holiday season this year.

Supplies Used

Yuletide Carol Paper Packet 

Picture My Life Pear and Partridge Cards 

Black Exclusive Ink Pad 

EZ Dots Adhesive  

Happy Crafting!

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT IX

Thank You and Flower Pots

Whew! I made it to page 10 in the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge. This page has "Thank you" cards with pretty flowers in pots.

This might be the easiest page I have done so far. I used the Blossom paper packet again. I love this paper packet! I'm now down to scraps, and contemplating ordering more before it is no longer available.

Soon I will be able to see all of the new products coming out in September, and I can't wait. I am sure there will be lots of new goodies, maybe even a paper packet I love as much as this one.

As always, I have filmed a video to show you the cards I made, and links to the products I used.

Supplies Used

Artfully Sent Cricut Collection

Blossom Paper

Coral Reef Sequins

Happy crafting!

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT VIII

Bicycles, Flowers, and Many Thanks

This was an easy page of cards to assemble, and I decided to use the bright, and floral, Blossom paper packet.

Everything I used was from the paper packet and the matching embellishments. Links to all of the items I used can be found below the video.

All cards were cut out at the recommended sizes, and put together per the cartridge directions. 

These cards can be customized in lots of ways. I hope you will experiment and make these cards your own.

Supplies Used

Blossom Paper Packet

Blossom Compliments

3L Easy Dots Adhesive

Craft Paper Trimmer

Happy Crafting!

 

Adventures with My Cricut VII

Artfully Sent Cricut Page #7

 

Page number seven is all about cupcakes and celebrations. It was a really fun page, and the cards were very easy to put together.

I used my favorite paper collection, Brushed, and added a few stamped images. I hope you enjoy the video below with all of the cards I made.

Supplies Used:

Brushed Paper Packet 
Pear Exclusive Dye Ink 
Pixie Exclusive Ink 
Canary Exclusive Dye Ink 
Black Exclusive Dye Ink 
Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge 

Happy Crafting!

 

A FUN NEW CRAFT PROJECT

Swapping With a New Friend

The latest craze on YouTube is the Pocket Letter. You simply take a baseball card sleeve and fill each pocket with crafty goodies. You then send your pocket letter to a swap partner, and receive one in return. 

My first pocket letter had a Christmas theme. I love Christmas, so this made my first exchange even more fun. I pulled out everything in my Christmas stash, including my favorite Close to My Heart papers from the Yuletide Carol collection.

Yuletide Carol Paper

The pocket letter I received from my pal, Lolis, is beautiful. I hope she enjoys her pocket letter as much as I'm enjoying mine.

I am planning on doing more of these exchanges in the future. I will be putting all of the pocket letters I receive in a three ring binder, so that I can enjoy them for a long time.

I filmed videos of the letter I sent to my pocket pal, and also of the one I received. Pictures can't really show everything clearly.

Here are links to the Close to My Heart products I used, in case you would like to order them for yourself.

Close to My Heart Supplies

Workshop on the Go - Snowhaven 

Workshop on the Go - Yuletide Carol 

Would you like to exchange a pocket letter? If so email me at dedraclutz@hotmail.com, and I will be happy to exchange letters with you.

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT VI

Paris, Shopping, and Friendship

Page 6 of the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge is all about shopping and good friends. These were fun cards to put together, and they went perfectly with the Wanderful paper collection from Close to My Heart.

I usually do not care for a Paris themed card or scrapbook page, unless someone has actually been to Paris. However, I do think that these cards would be wonderful for a birthday that includes a gift card, or shopping trip.

I made a short video to show all of the cards from page 6 of the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge, and have put links to the products used below.

You will not be disappointed in these cards, as they are easy to make and will impressive the recepient.

Supply List

Artfully Sent Cricut Collection 
Wanderful Paper Packet 
For a Friend Stamp Set 
Black Exclusive Ink Pad  

Happy Crafting!

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SPECIAL!

May 23 through 25

Make a purchase totaling $25 or more on my WEBSITE,

and receive a free exclusive ink pad in the color of your choice.

Simply make your purchase, then email me at dedraclutz@hotmail.com with your color choice. I will mail your ink pad directly to you.

If you have never used Close to My Heart products you have been missing out on a large selection of high quality crafting products.

  This offer is for a limited time only, so don't delay!

A TASTE OF SUMMER

Playing with New Paper and Stamps

I finally found time in my schedule to play with some new papers and stamps. The summery, fresh fruit theme is just what I needed as it rained, and rained, and rained some more, this past week. 

I didn't have any card sketches to work from, but the ideas flowed, and they came together quickly.

 As usual, I filmed a video so you can see the cards better. After the video you will find a list of the Close to My Heart supplies I used to make these summery cards.

Supply List

A Taste of Summer Paper Packet 

A Taste of Summer Stamp Set 

Black Exclusive Dye Ink 

Pear Exclusive Dye Ink 

Hollyhock Exclusive Dye Ink 

Thistle Exclusive Dye Ink 

Red Enamel Hearts 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please comment below, and let me know what you would make with "A Taste of Summer."

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT V

Artfully Sent Cartridge - Page 5

I actually started playing with the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge back in September 2014. I made the cards on page 4, and then hopped around a bit. 

When I started playing with the cartridge again this year, I decided to start with page one and create a series of posts, and YouTube videos. I really wanted to get the hang of this unique cartridge, and thought this would be the best way.

This week I made all of the cards on page 5, and they are all about foxes and friendship. I chose the Jackson Paper Packet, which I thought fit the theme. 

If you missed page 4 back in September, it can be found HERE.  

As always I made a video showing how I used the card shapes. There are many ways to change things up simply by changing the colors, embelishments, adding stamped images, and more. I hope you will take my suggestions as a starting point and create some unique cards of your own.



Following the video I have a list of the supplies I used, and the dimensions for the pop-up card.

 Supplies

Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge

Jackson Paper Packet
Brave Enamel Shapes 
For a Friend Stamp Set 
Paper Fundamentals - Whimsy Assortment 

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy crafting!

IT'S A HAUL Y'ALL ~ MAY 2015

Crafty Purchases 

This month I'm on a tighter crafting budget, but still managed to make a few fun purchases. It certainly helps that I get a discount on my favorite Close to My Heart products.

I hope May is starting out wonderfully for you, and, hopefully, you are able to make a few crafty purchases of your own, especially since this is National Scrapbooking month.

I made sure I ordered the "Taste of Summer" stamp set and paper packet to celebrate. The paper packet, along with the coordinating stamp set, will only be available this month.

I made a short video so that you can see the items I purchased. I love everything I added to my craft room this month.

Here are the links in case you find you need any of these items for yourself.

Taste of Summer Stamp Set and Paper Packet 

May Stamp of the Month "Just Sayin'" 

Wanderful Picture My Life Cards 

Baby Cakes Picture My Life Cards 

We R Memory Keepers' Corner Chomper can be found at Hobby Lobby, most any craft store, or on Amazon.com

As always, thanks for your support, and the purchases that help me donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT IV

Artfully Sent Cartridge Page #3

Part three in my ongoing series on the Cricut Artfully Sent Cartridge is all about hot air balloons, and fun sayings.

I really love the way each card turned out, and can't wait to give a few to special people. 

If you have been on the fence about buying this exclusive cartridge, I think these cards will convince you. 

I filmed a video, and will have ordering information for the products used following the video.

Supplies Used

Close to My Heart Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge Collection 

Seaside Paper Packet 

Oceanside Sequins 

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. As always, your purchases help me donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

 

 

ADVENTURES WITH MY CRICUT III

Artfully Sent Cartridge Page #2

This week is brought to you by the number 2. As I work my way through the Close to My Heart Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge, I'm filming a video, and sharing the products I use.

This is really helping me get familiar with the cartridge, and all of it's features. I highly recommend doing this with cartridges you thought you would love, but almost never use, or cartridges with tricky features. 

I hope you enjoy the video, and it gives you some ideas for this fantastic card making cartridge.

 Supplies Used

Cricut Artfully Sent Cartridge

Jackson Paper Packet

Fundamental Paper Pack in Basics

 Terra Cotta Exclusive Cardstock

Canary Exclusive Cardstock 

Silver Sequins Assortment 

Let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions, or have a cartridge you need to work through.

THE GIFT OF HANDMADE CARDS

Stationary Folder

A collection of handmade cards is a very nice gift to give a friend, even if (s)he is a paper crafter. I love to have cards on hand for every occasion, and receiving them as a gift is even better.

This stationary folder just takes a few minutes to make, requires minimal supplies, and looks like it took a lot of effort.

The easiest way to learn how to make this folder is seeing it done, so I filmed a short video for you.

Following the video is a list of the supplies I used, and links to purchase them on my shopping site.

 Supply List

Blossom Paper Pack
Sure Cut Deluxe Paper Trimmer
Non-stick Micro Tip Scissors
Liquid Glass Adhesive
Bone Folder
Ribbon of your choice

I hope you will give this simple project a try. Stay tuned for Part #2 to learn how to make the simple, heat embossed cards. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below. Thank you, as always, for your support. 

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.

YOU'RE MY TYPE

A Couple of Cute Vintage Cards

I love the Close to My Heart April 2015 Stamp of the Month. The Typed Note stamp set is full of fun sayings, with a vintage feel.

I made a couple of masculine cards, which is not my forte, and they are two of my favorite cards. 

I hope you enjoy the video below, and it gives you some ideas for using this versatile stamp set. Below the video is a list of the supplies I used, and the dimensions of each card.

Do you like to make masculine cards? I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Supply List
White Daisy Cardstock
Lagoon Card Stock
Whisper Grey Cardstock
Paper Fundamentals in Basics
Distressing Ink (black and chocolate) 
Chalk it Up Assortments (glasses and heart)
Bakers Twine - Neutral Mettalics 
Black Striped Twill Ribbon 
Typed Note Stamp of the Month ($5 with $50 purchase) 

Card Dimensions
 Grey Card 
Base is 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Grey fundamentals paper layer is 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"
Stamped layer is 3 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Edge of stamped area smudged with Black chalk distress ink
Image stamped in Basic Black

Lagoon Card
Base is 4 1/4 " x 11", score and folded at 5 1/2" in Lagoon cardstock
White stamped area is 4" x 2 3/4"
Twill ribbon cut at 4" and notched
Edge of stamped area smudge with Black chalk distress ink
Stamped image in Basic Black


Thank you for your support. My goal is to donate $12,000 this year to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Each and every purchase you make is greatly appreciated. 



IT'S A HAUL Y'ALL ~ APRIL 2015

Stamps, Paper, Sequins, and Twine

I picked out my favorite products from the new Seasonal Expressions 2 catalog, and ordered them ASAP. I could not share them with you until April 1st, and it's been really hard keeping them to myself.

I've created a few things to share in a later post and, of course, video. The stamps have been a dream to work with, and they inspired more than a few cards.

April Stamp of the Month

Dizzy Circles Stamp Set

Keep an eye out for future creations, and tutorials. Which stamp set would you prefer? Fortunately, I didn't have to choose between the two.

 Get a Free Catalog

After the video there are links to the items I have highlighted in the video. If you need a new catalog for yourself, simply email me at dedraclutz@hotmail.com, and I will put one in the mail for you. 

Product List

Dizzy Circles Stamp Set

April 2015 Stamp of the Month ~ Typed Note 

Thistle Extra Thick Twine 

Oceanside Sequins 

Coral Reef Extra Thick Twine 

Boardwalk Washi Tape 

Carnival Washi Tape 

Blossom Card Making Workshop on the Go 

Jackson Scrapbooking Workshop on the Go  

Washi Tape Dispenser

I hope you have a great holiday weekend planned. If you have any questions, or comments, please leave them below. Thanks for your support.

SEASONAL EXPRESSIONS 2 IS HERE!

Finally I Can Share With You!

I have had this sweet, mini, catalog for nearly a month, and had to keep it to myself. I will be sharing the items I chose to order with you in a later video, but for now lets take a look inside the new Close to My Heart catalog. First, the catalog is active from April 1 through July 31. 

There are two new paper packs, lots of stamps, and embellishments. Something I have been wanting is a paper collection with a masculine feel, and I found that with Jackson. 

Blossom is a fun floral for spring/summer. It has coral/orange, greens, and blues. There are no pinks, but I suppose I can get over that. The last two floral paper packs had plenty of pink, so  maybe you needed a break. I never need a break from pink, but maybe the rest of you did.

I hope you enjoy the video below. I always get excited about new craft supplies, and this catalog did not disappoint. 

Anyone who emails me at dedraclutz@hotmail.com and sends me their mailing address, along with the words "Seasonal Expresions 2 is here!", will receive a free copy of the catalog.  This offer is only good through April, so don't delay.

 As always thank you for watching, and reading. I appreciate your support of my efforts to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

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.



PICTURE PERFECT PICTURE MY LIFE CARDS

More Than Just Scrapbooks

I love to use my pocket scrapbooking cards to make greeting cards, and recently I made some adorable mini books for my grandchildren.

The books will be part of their Easter haul. Yes, at this point it is a haul. I started out with just a couple of small gifts, and it snowballed into a Dollar Tree shopping binge.

I have quite a collection of PML cards, and really need to start using them more often. There are so many different styles to choose from. How else can I justify purchasing more? 

CHANTILLY PML CARDS

 I hope that you all will start thinking outside the box regarding your Picture My Life/Project Life cards. 

Supplies Used

Chantilly Picture My Life Cards

Seaside Picture My Life Cards

Hopscotch Picture My Life Cards

Heidi Swapp Project Life Cards can be purchased at craft stores

Bind-it-All and coils can be purchased at craft stores

Let me know any ideas you have, or things you have already done, with your PML/PL cards other than scrapbooking.