Exploring Cricut - Christmas Tags

Good Morning! This week has flown by, but I'm sure it has a lot to do with all the activities for the last week of school before the holidays. It is my turn today to share a project with you at Exploring Cricut. 

While wrapping presents I realized that I had used all of the ready made tags and had none left. So, I decided to create some quick tags using my Cricut. I created them using my Gypsy to get them to line up properly. You can also do this in CCR.  I create 2 layers one with the tag and then a layer that has the images. This way when I take the pen out and put the blade back in my tag will be the only thing that will cut. The speed and pressure I used with the pen was 4 for each. 

The measurement of these tags allows you to get 12 tags in a 6 x 6 area on your mat. Using the Gypsy I can pause to change pen colors if need be. Make sure that when you are ready to cut you do not remove your mat from the Cricut. Your alignment will definitely be off when you go to cut your tags out if you do.

The red tag is definitely more subtle with the silver pen. I used a snow pen to make the stocking look fuzzy.

Different color Stickles were added to the tree for some character. I inked up the edges of the tags with the coordinating color of the pen.

Joys of the Season has tags with images all ready to go. I used a stamp for the "to" but you could certainly choose a font from the cartridges like I did above.

I still like making the elaborate tags with layers of paper for those special gifts, but these were really fast and got the job done:)

Recipe:

Tag - Plantin Schoolbook 1.12"

Tree - Winter Frolic 1"

Stocking - Doodlecharm 1"

Snowflake Tag - Joys of the Season 2.52"

To From - Lyrical Letters .29", Walk In My Garden .20"

Stickles, Cri-Kits Glitter Pens, Black ink, Snow pen

Thanks for stopping by!

Annette

Exploring Cricut - Christmas Challenge

Hi! It's challenge time again at Exploring Cricut. For this week's challenge you are to create a project with a Christmas theme using your Cricut. I chose to create a Christmas card using the Holy Family from Winter Frolic.

I used one of the shepherds for Joseph because I never noticed that there wasn't actually a figure named Joseph on the cartridge. I also used a sandpaper block to rough of Joseph's robe. I then inked his clothing. I hid Mary's face with the gypsy and added a PK face. I think I would make her smaller than 3" as she seems a little larger than the other 2 figures.

The inside of the card has a sentiment from K. Andrew Design. 

Recipe:

A10 card base
Papers - Stampin' Up, stash
Joseph - Winter Frolic 3"
Jesus - Winter Frolic 3"
Mary - Winter Frolic 3"
Star - Winter Frolic 3"
Sentiment - K Andrew Designs
Mary's face - Peachy Keen Princess Faces
Swiss Dots Embossing folder, black ink, Copic Marker, white gel pen

Hope you decide to join in this week and thanks for stopping by!

Annette

Exploring Cricut Christmas Card Blog Hop

Welcome to the Exploring Cricut Christmas Card Blog Hop! If you hopped from Emily then you are in the right spot. If not, hop back to the beginning so you don't miss a thing. The list is below if you get lost along the way!  Our Design Team has some awesome projects for inspiration and at the end you will be able to enter the challenge to show us a Christmas card. Don't forget to use your Cricut for the challenge. 

I found this cute little beaver on Winter Frolic. I hid his face cuts and used a PK Critter face. 

Recipe:

A2 card base

Beaver- Winter Frolic 3"

Papers - DCWV, American Crafts and scraps

Sentiment - K.Andrew Designs

Face - Peachy Keen Critter Faces

Brown pen, black ink, white gel pen , Diamond Stickles, Glossy Accents

Your next stop along the way is the very talented Ian.

Blog List:
Diana Boucher http://craftypeepdb.blogspot.com

Sharon Swafford http://meemeescreations.blogspot.com

Lori Ulrich http://scrappinsaints.blogspot.com

Jessica Wilson http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com

Georgiana Carson http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com

Kim Wylie http://littleredshood.blogspot.com

Emily Evertz http://emilyqueenofallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

Annette Robertson http://mymindsdustbunnies.blogspot.com 

Ian Dreger http://anewbiecrafter.blogspot.com 

Michelle Pottie http://mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com

Diane Kielman http://happyscrapperdiane.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by and hope you decide to create with us this week! Looking forward to seeing your designs:)

Annette

Don't Forget A Holiday Thank You

Good Morning Everyone! The holidays came and went in a hurry didn't they. My girls have today off and will return to school tomorrow. I love when they have breaks and we can all just slow down the pace a little. Tomorrow will definitely be back to business as usual. However, there is one order of business that couldn't be dismissed and that was the Christmas thank yous. It is always fun to see what designs they decide upon. This year was no different. Each girl chose what they wanted their card to be and I am happy to say they are done and in the mail.

I used a homemade wobble from a gift I won at Melody Lane Designs. It works great and so easy to make.

Recipe:
A2 Size Cards
Reindeer Winter Frolic 2,52"
Snowman - Winter Frolic 2.68", Peachy Keen Stamps
Papers - DCWV and scraps
Stickles - Red, Green, Silver
Orange and red markers

Entering:
She's A Sassy Lady Thank you cards
Paper Playtime Challenge #64 Something recycled
Jaihart: Sit Back, Relax and Look at all the Loveliness Projects your working on
Pink Cricut 1st link up what have you been up to

Thank you for stopping by!

Annette

Exploring Cricut Challenge #7 - Winter Wonderland

Hi Everyone! This is my first post as one of the new design team members at Exploring Cricut and hope you join in the fun. The challenge is Winter Wonderland. This could be a card, layout, or paper craft creating a winter scene or activity.  I chose snow skiing as my family loves this sport. We haven't gotten any snow here where I live and while I think it is beautiful, I also am glad when the roads are passable:)

I seem to keep grabbing for Winter Frolic when doing projects lately. It is so fun and has so many great cuts.

Recipe:

A2 size card 

Snow bunny - Winter Frolic 3.55"

Trees - Winter Frolic 3.22"

Papers - Scraps

Sentiment - The Cat's Pajamas

Snow Pen

Thank you for stopping by!

Annette

Santa Claus is Coming To Town!

Hi Guys! Here is another card from Winter Frolic. I don't have a size on this one, but did want to give a tip that I have found might be helpful. I had some left over cards that I had used a long time ago to put our picture in for Christmas cards. I decided to use them by cutting them down to an A2 card and put a Cricut cut on them. It is a great way to use up stuff in a different way and clean out drawers. I didn't do anything fancy with this one, but they are many possibilities.

Thank you for stopping by!
Annette

More Christmas Tags

Hi Everyone! I wanted to share a couple more tags that I made. I used the same tag as before from Winter Frolic and the 2 images are also from Winter Frolic. This cart is definitely my favorite right now. I'm not sure why the girl has a line across her face as it is not there in person, however, it could have been the lighting. Hope you all have a great day and that you are ready for the weekend:)

Recipe:

Girl - Winter Frolic 3.51"

Penguin - Winter Frolic 3.82"

Tag - 4.06"

Papers - Stash

Peachy Keen Stamps - Princess

To and From - My Creative Time

Stickles - Diamond and Lime Green

Entering:

Paper Playtime Challenge 63 Anything Goes

Thank you for stopping by!
Annette

Christmas Gift Card Holders

Good Morning! Today I want to show you some gift card holders that I am entering into the Go Fish Challenge. I used Emma's, from My Creative Time, die cut gift holder and really like it. In the past I would have made my own or made a card to slip the gift card or money in. This die is super simple and cuts clean every time. I kept the design the same this year as I had to make quite a few of these boys and girls for nieces and nephews.

Recipe:

Gift Card - My Creative Time Die

Sentiment and To and From - My Creative Time

Angel boy and girl - Winter Frolic 2.96"'

Faces - Peachy Keen Princess and Everday Faces

Signo white pen, chalk

Entering:

She's A Sassy Lady

Go Fish

Thank you for stopping by!
Annette

Snow Family Card

Hi Everyone! How are you all this morning? Yesterday was very productive and I'm not feeling so far behind:) I even got to play a little bit. This card has been stuck in my head for awhile and I'm pleasantly surprised that it turned out fairly close to my vision. That doesn't always happen. Don't you just love Peachy Keen Stamps. Enabler Alert-They are having a sale right now and if you have been wanting to pick some up go check it out. 

I'm entering this card in the Peachy Keen Challenge Sketch #67 Designer Choice

Recipe -

A2 size card

Snow Family - Winter Frolic 3.05", 2.69", 2.23"

Bonnet, skirt - Paper Dolls for Everyday 2.86", 5.32" 

Papers - Jillibean Soup Christmas Eve Chowder, My Mind's Eye and Stash

Faces - Peachy Keen Happy Lashes

Sentiment - My Pink Stamper

Stickles - Fruit Punch

White Signo Pen, chalk and markers

Thank you for stopping by!
Annette

A Stocking Full

Good Morning Everyone! It is crazy busy around my house as I'm sure it is around yours. I still need to wrap, bake and plan Christmas dinner...oh my! I keep thinking I have an extra week. I'm hoping to get organized today so the rest of the week will be a breeze. We'll see:)

Today I want to share a tag that I made in preparing for all the wrapping. There is a challenge over at BBTB2 to use the Winter Frolic tag feature. This cart is so cute and I hadn't played with the tags from there so I got busy:) Once I decide the package this will go to I will add the ribbon at the top.

I used glossy accents on the red pieces of the candy cane and silver stickles for the pink present and diamond stickles for the green. I am pleased with how it came out.

Recipe:
Winter Frolic Cartridge
Tag - Kraft cardstock 4.06"
Stocking - Jillibean Soup Christmas Chowder 3.82"
Stamps - My Creative Time
Glossy Accents, Stickles in Silver and Diamond

Entering:
Bitten By The Bug 2 Winter Frolic Tag Feature
Fantabulous Cricut Tag
Simply Crafts Stocking

Thank you for stopping by!
Annette

Cup of Cheer!

Good Morning! Today I have a quick thank you card to share. I am really liking the paper stack from My Mind's Eye "Lemon Twist." It is doublesided which always helps coordinating for me. I think that is the hardest part at times to get just the right papers. I used Winter Frolic for the cup. When I layed the design out on my gypsy I didn't like the steam straight up (it kind of looks like a question mark) so I angled it and inked the edges with black. The sentiment was one of Emma's from My Creative Time. I used the heart on the inside of the card to give it a little something too:)

I hid the snowflake on the cup and welded the heart from Doodlecharms.

Recipe:

A2 size card Stampin' Up base

Solid Papers - American Craft and DCWV (glitter)

Pattern Papers - My Mind's Eye

Cup - Winter Frolic 3.94"

Heart - Doodlecharms .88"

Circle - George 3.71"

Sentiment - My Creative Time

Black Ink

Entering:

Fussy and Fancy Thankful with sentiment

Getting Cricky Tea Time

Paper Playtime Thank you

Thanks for stopping by:)

Annette

Birdies Keeping Warm

Hi All! I always think when Halloween starts it is the beginning of the busy season. There are so many fun activities ahead of us before 2011 is over. I decided today to create a card with cooler weather in mind. I know I shouldn't be complaining that it will be in the 70s today, but really. It's Kansas and this is kind of unusual for us. I'm sure I'll be thinking of this day when I am freezing my behind off.

Anyway, on to the card. Aren't these birds so cute! I really like the Winter Frolic cartridge. There are darling images and just right for the season upon us. The snow texture was made with the Snow Marker by heating to make it puffy. I have used the Marvy brand as well and think they both work about the same. One difference is that the Marvy will keep a nice clean dot where the marker really does look like misshapen snow.

I wanted to use more of the Authentique 6 x 6 paper pad, but the design didn't work out that way. I can't wait to use some more of it. The papers are really pretty. The birds' tummies are a specialty paper and I like how they have a little more texture to them.

Recipe:

A2 size card

Papers - Authentique, K&Company

Embossed Snowflakes - Cuttlebug Snowflakes

Birds - Winter Frolic2.95", 2.18"

Sentiment - Winter Frolic 1"

Stickles - Black Diamond, Diamond

Versamark White Pigment Ink, Snow Maker

Entering:

Pile It On - Challenge #44 Keep It Warm

Fantabulous Cricut - Challenge #84 Birds

A Muse Studio Dry Embossing

Thanks for stopping by:)

Annette

MPS Christmas Challenge

My Pink Stamper is having another challenge and this time it is for Christmas. While I probably should start on actual Christmas cards, I decided thank you Christmas cards are just as important. So, I dug through my scraps and came up with these 2 cards. I really like the cuts on Winter Frolic. The little people faces are so cheery.

Recipe:

A2 Card base

Girl - Winter Frolic 3"

Tree - Winter Frolic 3 3/4"

Stamp - Stampin' Up

Paper - All Scraps

Thanks for stopping by:)

Annette