Mandie's Beach Baby Layout

Today I'd like to share a layout I created with some of the gorgeous paper from the Echo Park Paper This & That Graceful Collection. I took these photos of my daughter building her first sandcastle in WI a couple years ago. I used a bit of Bakers Twine to tie up my banner which I cut with my Cricut using the Country Life Cartridge. I also used my Cricut to cut the word "Beach" from the Ashlyn's Alphabet Cartridge. I used my Tim Holtz Distress Inks to ink... everything and of course I used my Pink ATG to stick everything down. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

More Twine Fun...Note to Self....Gift Giving Ahead by Laura C

It's time for Mom's, Grads, and Dad's gifts!  This little set is an easy gift to make for any of these occasions!  Using the "Note to Self" collection by Echo Park, I made a quick and easy sticky note pad cover as you see above.  Super simple to do....if you are using a 3x3 note pad, you cut your paper 7.75" x 3.25".  Then score....leaving 1/4" sides for the note pad and a 1/2" for the "flap".  The "title" and the hand are stickers from the kit, and that cork board paper is so cute!  You can really see it on the "cork board" push pin tin here:

I used Scor Tape on the back of the cork board paper first, and used that to secure my twine around the piece in a criss-cross cork board pattern.  I added a bit more Scor Tape, then adhere this piece to the tin.  The tags are fussy cut from one of the patterned paper sheets from the EP Note to Self, and the letters are from the kit as well.  A few little black rhinestones finish the "board" and then more Scor Tape to wrap twine around the edge of the tin as a finishing touch....here's a close up:

A great little tin, you can actually put some push pins in to use with the note pad (would be cute to give with an actual cork board for an office or dorm room!) and/or you could use the tin for a gift card! 

And I just wanted to share a little "commercial" if you will....for the self adhesive "kool tak" tabs.  Wowzer, were these easy to use as the closure for my little note pad!!  Much better, and way less bulky than traditional velcro!   It was the first time I had used them....and they truly are AWESOME!! 

They are sold out in store, but I'm sure Kim would get them for ya! 

Hope you enjoyed this little gift idea...especially with all those occasions coming up!

Enjoy some crafty gift making time today!

This & That Echo Park Layout and a Contest with Lori

If it seems like the This & That collections have been getting a workout from our DT, there's good reason - they are awesome!! Echo Park has really knocked one out of the, well, park, with these beautiful designs from Lori Whitlock. My favorite part is that the two collections, Charming and Graceful, can work together as well as they do alone.

Today, I'd like to share with you a beautiful layout I created using a contest sketch from Echo Park.

Would you believe there is not a single piece of solid color on this layout anywhere?  I just love the easy way the patterns are able to be mixed & matched so easily.  All of these papers are from the Graceful collection, except the green pattern I used for the banner; that is from Charming.  I distressed the edges of the pink & brown papers, used a stamp to duplicate stitching, and used some twine on which to hang my banner stickers.  I also used some of the coordinating embellishments, which Kim does not carry, but you can also use stickers & items from your stash.

Items available from Cutters Creek:

• Echo Park Paper, This & That Charming and Graceful collections
• twine (choose from Doodlebug Designs or Sew Easy)

Now, about that contest I mentioned.  I'm not able to share that sketch here, because you have to get it yourself.  If you'd like to find out all of the details, as well as see a second page to this layout using the same sketch, be sure to visit my blog when you're all done here. 

Thanksgiving Place Cards by Chris

I just love my Cricut Cartridge Paper Doll Dress Up and I know you have seen me use it before. I’m sure Kim could help you get this cartridge if you don’t already have it. This time I made place cards for my Thanksgiving Table. I purchased these small, galvanized pails over a year ago and decided it was time to use them. I covered them with Bazzil paper and then wrapped the rims with yarn and the Doodle Twine baker’s twine. I started by using my hot glue gun to attach them, but was all thumbs with it and switched to using Glossy Accents. That worked like a charm and left no unsightly lumps or bumps (LOL).


Using Bazzill Simply Smooth Ivory Cardstock, I cut the paper dolls at 3 inches. The first few I cut, I forgot to select Blackout, so the faces cut; once I realized what I had done, I switched to blackout because I wanted to use my Peachy Keen Face Stamps. I then tinted the faces, hands, and legs with Tattered Rose Distress Ink, stamped the faces and after which I cut out the pilgrim boy and girl outfits from scraps in my stash. I used my Zig Glue Pen to glue the outfits together and adhere to the paper dolls and then adhered them to the pail using Glue Dots Pop Up Dots. I added a few accessories like a bow and arrow, blunderbuss, pies, turkeys, and more, using the function keys and keeping the size at 3 inches (Make sure the "Real Dial Size" key is off). To brighten them up a bit I grabbed my Black Diamond and Golden Rod Stickles — just can’t seem to do a project without Stickles — and added a belt to the boys and buckles to all.



Then I turned to SCAL - Sure Cuts A Lot to create the Pennants in the shape library and I just adjusted the nodes on one end to be straight and lengthened the pennant (be sure to take off the “keep proportions” key). I set my Cricut to outline the pennants with my Cricut Color Inks and then wrote the names in each one, and finally cut them out. I rolled them around a pencil to “wave” them a bit and glued them around the handles. Now all I need to do is fill each pail with candy corn and everyone will know where to sit. How are you decorating your table?