Thanks SEW much! by Deanna M

Now that the gift giving is over it is time to thank all our loved ones for the generosity. Today I have a fun play on words Thank You card.

I started with white card stock cut and scored to make a 4 1/4" X 5 1/2" card base. I added a dark blue mat cut at 4 1/4" X 5 3/8" then my patterned paper mat cut at 4" X 5 1/4". All of my patterned paper is from an American Crafts 6" X 6" paper pad called Family Ties. Check with Kim, I am sure she can order it for you.

I wanted to create a patchwork quilt background for my sewing machine. So, I cut a piece of golden paper at 3 1/2" X 4 3/4". I then cut each of my little squares at 1 1/16" X 1 1/2". I used a bit of Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive to adhere the squares to my gold mat and then ran a zig zag stitch around all the squares. I then adhered that to my card using some foam squares.

I cut my sewing machine from the Nifty Fifties Cricut Cartridge at 3". After adhering the layers together, I added it to the front of the quilted mat again using foam squares. My sentiment is stamped with some Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Favor Boxes with Lori

Welcome back to another day of National Craft Month projects! I hope you're enjoying all of the projects, I know I sure am!

With three school-age kids, and involvement in several volunteer organizations, some of my favorite things to make are treat bags and favor boxes.  Luckily, there are a ton of them available on Cricut cartridges and as SVGs and PDFs for cutting. And you can make the same box in multiple styles just by changing the papers and embellishments.

For today's projects, I used Graphic 45 papers with a Cricut cartridge to make an elegant more "grown up" gift as well as a more fun Easter box suitable for a girl of any age. Change the papers & embellishments again, and you can make the same box into a masculine gift. I chose this particular box, because one of my favorite treats, especially for the grownups, are Ghiradelli chocolate squares.  The ones out now for Easter have a cute bunny on them, so I had to show him off!

The first box uses papers from The Olde Curiosity Shoppe.

For a simple but elegant touch, I tied some black mesh ribbon around the box lid and add a Kaiser Craft flower to the center. (These are not listed in the store, but Kim can order them.)

The frame is cut from American Crafts glitter cardstock. By the way, did you know that you can cut a frame using ANY shape on a Cricut cartridge?!  This box had a window in the top, and I found a matching shape on the same cartridge.  Just measure the approximate size of the window so you know what size to make the inner cut of the frame.  I needed my inner frame to be about 1.75", and I wanted the outer frame to be about 2".  So I moved my cutting blade in to about 1.5" in both directions on the mat to give myself a little extra room and hit the "Center Point" button.  Setting the size to 1.75", I cut the shape once.  Then I reset the size to 2" and cut the shape again.  Frame done! (Be sure to remember to turn off the Center Point  button when you are done.)

The second box uses paper from Once Upon a Springtime, which is no longer in the store.  You will find similar colors and beautiful patters in the Secret Garden papers.

For this box, I used the leftover negative cuts from my box lid and frame to make a plaque for the front of the box. I used a Studio G stamp from my stash and some Vintage Photo distress ink to stamp the "chocolate" bunny.  I also sponged on distress ink in Peeled Paint on all the edges of the box and lid.

For a more girly feel, I used Pow Glitter Paper instead of the Glitter Cardstock, because the glitter is finer.  I also added flowers and pearls.  The pink flower in the center is a Prima, the others were "built" from flowers and brads in my stash.  I added Stickles to the flowers as well.

Items available from the Cutters Creek store:

• Graphic 45 papers in size of your choice
• Scor Tape (to assemble boxes)
• American Crafts Glitter Cardstock or Pow Glitter Paper
• Kaiser Craft flowers (special request)
• Prima flowers
• Stickles
• Kaiser Craft Adhesive Pearls in Lemon
• Glossy Accents (to adhere flowers)

Other:

• Artiste Cricut cartridge (box is cut at 2" high size for this project)
• black mesh ribbon
• white hemp twine (or use twine/ribbon of your choice)
• flat paper flowers
• brads

Thanks for stopping by today! I'd love to hear what you think of my project.

Be Mine by Deanna M

I have another Valentine Day card for you today. I do think this card would work great for an Anniversary or even a Birthday too. Or just to say Hello to someone, and let them know you are thinking about them.

So the last card I made used some Hero Art stamps. While I later found out that Hero Arts makes a die that fits those stamps. (Yes, Kim can order Hero Arts products. Just contact her through Customer Service at Cutters Creek.) Of course I had to get them. Then this idea popped into my head and this is what I came up with.

My card is a 4 1/4" X 5 1/2" white card stock card base. I love using the Bazzill smooth white card stock for my card bases. It is a good sturdy paper and since it is smooth everything you layer on top lies nice and flat.

I added a black mat cut to 4" X 5 1/4" and then the patterned paper mat cut to 3 3/4" X 5".  I added some Washi Tape from American Crafts at the bottom of my patterned paper for some color. For my heart balloons I cut both sizes of the small dies out of some patterned paper. For my sentiment I stamped that in some Memento Tuxedo Black ink on some red card stock. I used my eBosser to cut all the hearts out. Got to love the eBosser! I did use my magnetic shim which works great to help keep your dies in place. In case you are wondering, the machines shipping now come with the magnetic shim. For those of us that got in on the first shipment they did not but Cutters Creek sells them.

I then attached some of the Doodlebug twine to each of my hearts and adhered them to my card with some foam tape. The red heart and pink heart are both on two thicknesses of foam tape and the rest is on one thickness. Finally, I doubled some of the pink and white striped twine and tied all the strings together in a bow. I added a couple of pink heart stick pens that are from My Minds Eye and some white stitching with my gel pen.

I had a lot of fun making this one and with the eBosser doing all the work it went together really quick.