Bunny Box and Easter Eggs by Fran

Bunny Box and Easter Eggs

I cannot believe how quickly the first week of National Crafting Month is flying by. So far you've seen Four great projects from the Design Team of Cutters Creek. Today my project is a cute Easter Bunny Box. The Box template is a creation by AR. 

I wanted to create the bunny box with a Shabby Chic look and I think I captured it pretty good. I first cut the Bunny Box template on my Cricut Expression using SCAL. I used plain white card stock for the first cut and then patterned paper for the second cut. I glued the pattered paper to the white card stock and this process gave it more stability. After I glued all the areas of the template to form the bunny I added the shabby chic touches. I inked the edges of the rabbit with Photo Vintage Distress Ink. I added a a bow made from seam binding which was inked also with Vintage Photo.

The flowers were inked with Vintage Photo too plus I added some Star Dust Stickles to each of the flowers. I used a Prima Rose for the center of the bow. The bunny’s tail is also a paper rose I created. The eyes are pearls from Kaisercraft in Champagne.

All the paper eggs are from the Silhouette Store made especially for this project.

Cutters Creek Products:

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad (Vintage Photo)
Kaisercraft Pearls (Champagne)
Stickles Glitter glue (Star Dust)
Adhesive – Scotch quick-Dry Adhesive
SCAL - Sure Cuts A Lot Program (Version 3)

Other products used are from my personal stash.
__________________________________________
I hope you like my project. Let me know by leaving a comment below. I know I had fun making it for National Crafting Month. And I hope that I inspired you to make something too.
Fran

Birthday Card by Chris

I couldn’t resist. Remember Lori’s sweet numeral 3 card using her Gypsy and Hello Kitty cart? Well, I have a grandson who loves Superman and has a 3-year birthday coming up, so I decided to adapt her card. I used SCAL3 with my Black Cat and made one numeral 3 at approximately 4 7/8 x 4 ¼. (The font was Cooper Black.)  I then made a shadow layer which I duplicated, flipped vertically and unioned into a topfold card. I cut the cardbase from blue cardstock and the top layer from red and used my ATG to put them together.  I trimmed the bottom of the 3 a fraction of an inch so it would stand and then colored the superkid with my Copics. I just love my paint dauber, which was just the perfect size for coloring in the yellow circle with Mustard Seed Distress Ink. I added the “g” with a mini stamp I have and attached him with an action wobble. Another birthday card done with many thanks to Lori for the original idea.

Reds: R 24, 27, 29

Blues: B 12, 14, 16, 18

Skin:  E00, 21, 50

Hair: YR 31, Y11, Y21

Journal of Love by Chris

Take a composition book (I was going to say a black and white one, but they come in all sorts of colors these days J) and some Graphic 45 paper, a little bit of time and you will have a gift that looks so elegant and, yet, is so simple to do. I started with The Magic of Oz (8x8) pad and a 9.75x7.5 inch notebook. I cut two pieces of background cardstock at 7.75 x 11 inches and used my ATG to glue it down abutting the black seam. I then folded the excess inside and glued it down. To hide the text and rough edges, a contrasting color was glued. These pieces were about 9.25x6.75 inches. Now all that was left to do was decorate it.

On the inside front cover I made a pocket to hold a note explaining the project, Journals of Love. This one is a library card pocket I cut it with Sure Cuts A Lot, and I printed out the message on a book sign-out card. I used Spellbinders Nestabilities Postage Stamps to cut four images from the Graphic 45 paper. Two are adhered on the front cover and two on the back. On the back inside cover is also a pocket made for any loose papers the recipient may want to hold onto. I make them all different sizes, but this one started as a 5.5x7 rectangle. I used my Scor Buddy and on three sides (the two sides and the bottom) scored it three times at a .25, .5, and at 1 inch. On the top length, I cut the pocket at an angle and use a hole-punch to cut out a half circle. I then accordion folded the score lines and used Scor Tape (¼”) to glue it to the cover.

To decorate the front cover I first rubbed all the outside edges with Tim Holtz Aged Mahogany Distress Ink. Then I used a border punch and made two layers. (I can’t wait to get my Edgeabilities!) Next I ripped out several pieces of the Graphic 45 and ran them through my Distrezz-it-All from Zutter. (I know Kim got me mine, and if you don’t have one, she can probably get one for you too.) The sentiment is from Paulette, and was printed with computer and cut out using my Spellbinders Small Deckled Rectangles. I inked the edges of each piece with Tim Holtz Aged Mahogany Distress Ink and layered them on a scrap of black paper from my stash. To finish it off I fussy cut several of the poppies from the back cover of the pad—yes I did say from the cover of the pad—and layered them using clear ASI Kool Tak foam pads. The journal is done and on its way to a dear friend. I hope you consider making some.

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?

SCAL Returns to Cutters Creek with an AWESOME Coupon!!

Cutters Creek is selling SCAL once again!  This is such an awesome product and will work with the following products:

• Works with Craftwell eCraft™ (we sell this machine)
• Works with Black Cat Cougar/Lynx™
• Works with BossKut Gazelle™ (we sell this machine)
• Works with Pazzles Inspiration™
• Works with Silhouette SD™
• Works with USCutter™
• Works with Craft ROBO/Graphtec™ machines including Wishblade™ (Windows Only)

If you own one of these machines and would like $25 off on SCAL V3, use coupon code "SCAL25" at Cutters Creek while supplies last!!

Graphic 45 Birthday Card by Chris

I love this particular image from Graphic 45 and decided to use it for my DH’s birthday card. Alone it was too plain for me so I decided to teach myself how to make a small waterfall element that would use some of the smaller images from the Graphic 45 pack and allow me to write the sentiment on the back. I used SCAL to cut the pieces and have attached the scut below for your use; but if you don’t have SCAL, I put my final measurements below also—know that you can adjust it to any size you need for your project.


Once all the pieces are cut and distress inked (Black Soot), mountain-fold on the scor lines. Then glue down the image on the first section (1 3/8 inch). Adhere this image completely. Then put strips of glue (I used my ATG) right along but under the next two score lines and align the next two squares with the first picture. Glue down just their top edges. Be sure to stay off the score lines or the waterfall won’t work. Glue the smallest strip of paper behind the first square and fold the long strip back and over this little strip. The back of the strip should be a bit longer to use as a pull-tab for the waterfall element. I added an image and ribbon to accent it and wrote on the back before I mounted it on the card. To do the word Birthday, I used embossing ink and Detail Black embossing powder. I adhered the smaller strip to the card using brads. Make sure that you do not put the brads too close to the strip because you want enough room for the waterfall to slid through. To hide the back of the brads I mounted the full image on a piece of cardstock 11.5 x 8.5 and scored it down the middle. Of course, I had to add some stickles, so I put a dab of orange peel stickles on the top of the waterfall element. To finish the card on the inside I added a Halloween border a friend made and a Disney image that I colored with my copics. The finished card is 5.75 x 8.5 inches.

Measurements:
3 Squares @ 1 3/8 inches
1 strip of paper @ 6.25 x 1.1 inches (score @ 1 3/8 inches, 2 1/8 inches, and 2 7/8 inches)
Smaller strip @ 3 x .6 inches.

SCAL: Note the long rectangle and score lines are grouped in SCAL and you may need to ungroup in order to cut.

Copics:
Rabbit: C1, C2, C3, C7
Clothes: B69, B63
Sign: G82, G99, YG 63
Horn: Y26, Y21

Resources from Cutters Creek:
Copics
Graphic 45 Halloween Wonderland
ATG
Black Detail Embossing Powder
Distress Embossing Ink
Distress Ink: Black Soot
SCAL
Orange Peel Stickles

Little Fishies Layout by Chris

As many of you know I have been trying to catch up on my LOs and I am almost there. This LO is a day that all 5 grandkids (and their parents) were over. What fun! I started with 5 pictures (3 are 2x3 and 2 are 3x5) and a 12x12 primary color blue sheet. I cut two strips from a 12x12 pale green sheet: one 3x12 and one 4x12. Using my ATG, I glued the thinner sheet along the top and the 4x12 strip along the bottom of the blue base sheet and glued the smaller pictures on the top strip. I mounted the 3x5 pictures on a 3.25 x 5.25 rectangle before adhering to the bottom strip.

I then took the Cricut cartridge Life is a Beach and cut 3 sets of the fish border (p. 53 of the handbook). I set my expression on fit to length and chose a 3” length. The machine then cut it out with a width of 1 ¾ inches. I used a spray adhesive to mount the borders under each small picture. To tie the three pictures together I used Plantin Schoolbook’s zigzag (p. 70 in the handbook) and again used my fit to length key. This time I set the length to 2 ½ inches, which cut each strip to a .5 width. I made 7 of these. To get a 12-inch strip I overlapped the ends and glued them together; then glued the length over the top edge of the photos, trimming away the excess. Using George and Basic Shapes, I cut a 1 ½ inch circle from yellow, wrote the date using my Sakura Glaze pens and adhered between the photos.

I made my title (5 Little Fishies) in SCAL using a free font call Gentle Redhead and cut the shadow from the same yellow as the fish and the letters from the same color as the base paper. (I’ve attached the scut if you care to use it.) For the part “swimming in my pool” I used a trick a friend shared with me, and a yellow marker. Just draw two lines—I tried to make mine wavy like water—and write, making all letters touch both the top and bottom lines. I think it is a cool effect for journaling. What about you?

Finally I had to add some glitz so out came my stickles and I highlighted the number 5. Still not satisfied I dug in my stash and found some clear sequins. I used these to add a few more bubbles, which I attached with Glue Dots vellum glue.

Cutters Creek Products:
ATG gun
Cricut Cartridges: Plantin SchoolBook, Life is a Beach, George and Basic Shapes
SCAL
Stickles: Waterfall
Glue Dots Vellum Adhesive
Sakura Glaze Pens

Oriental Weave All Occassion Card by Chris

Here’s my second project with another Cuttlebug embossing folder. This time I used the bamboo shoots from the Oriental Weave set. I started out thinking this would be a thank you card (and it still could), but I decided to leave the inside blank. Sometimes I just need a card with a quote that just speaks to me at the moment. When I came across the Kahlil Gibran saying on the internet, I knew I wanted to use it and felt it was perfect with the serenity of the bamboo.


I used Core’dinations again (I just love the two for one colors of these papers), ran a 5x7 piece through my cuttlebug and then sanded the image. I used SCAL and my gelpens to write the sentiment. I kept fiddling with how to put the saying on the card. Initially, I was using green Core’dinations paper and I tried using my gel pens right on the Core’dinations, but it didn’t show up enough. I tried a rectangular piece of cardstock on top of the Core’dinations and didn’t like that either when a brainstorm struck. I used my Deckled Small Rectangles and reverse cut the leaves of the bamboo so they would spill over the opening, which would frame the sentiment. To cut the leaves I used my Fiskars fingertip control knife and the healing cutting mat on my ScorPal; then I wedged the deckle nestability under the leaves (cutting edge facing away from them) and ran through my cuttlebug.

The sentiment was “cut” on green copier paper. I glued the embossed cardstock over the sentiment and trimmed the paper. Next I cut white cardstock 10x7, scored at 5 inches and inked the edges (inside and out) and the fold line with Weathered Wood distress ink. All that was left to do was mount the card front with my ATG, stamp the back of the card with one of Image Tree’s “made bys” and glued a 6.5x9.5 piece of beige copier paper into the card. Not necessary, but I just feel this gives a more finished look to some cards.

Cutters Creek Resources:

SCAL

ATG

ScorPal

Core’dinations

Cuttlebug

CUTTLEBUG Embossing Folders Set/4-Oriental Weave

Spellbinders Nestabilites Deckled Rectangles small

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Weathered Wood

Image Tree Clear Stamp Card set-Handmade

Fiskars Fingertip Control Craft Knife

Weddding Card by Chris

Ever since Kim has gotten in the American Glitter paper I have been finding different ways to use them. This card could be a wedding card from the bride to the groom or any other occasion that warrants a tuxedo, but it was actually created for my mom to give as a gift to my nephew on his wedding day. She needed a card that she could fit the US savings bonds she’s collected for him over the years; so the card base is one 11 x 8.5 sheet of white cardstock, scored at 5.5 to fit an A8 envelope (5.75 x 8.75). Red cardstock (left over from Valentine’s Day embossed with hearts) was cut and glued on to cover the base.

I then used Inkscape to trace a tuxedo jpeg and brought it into SCAL to cut. (I know you can trace in SCAL, but I am a bit faster at it in Inkscape.) I made a shirt piece out of the white glitter paper, the lapels from the silver, and the jacket, pocket and bowtie from the black glitter paper. I hand cut a handkerchief to peek out of the pocket. I used my 1/8 of an inch ScorTape to adhere the pieces together. I find that works best when adhering the glitter paper together. I then used black stickles to put shirt buttons and one button on the jacket. Next I created the sentiment in SCAL. I used Wrexham Script and cut it from white cardstock, sponged the cardstock with versamark, sprinkled silver embossing powder over it, and used my heat tool to set. I repeated that step three times to get a really rich tone of silver. Had a leftover heart from Valentine’s Day too so I embossed that and added it to the card. I hope she likes it. For your pleasure I’ve attached the svg of the sentiment and the svg and scut of the tux. I’d love to see what you create.

Cutters Creek Resources:

American Craft Glitter Paper: Black, silver, white
Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL)

Scor Tape

Black Diamond Stickles

Ranger Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder: Silver

ScorPal

A Simple Graduation Thank You by Chris

Using the local HS colors of green and gold, I started with a 10 x7 card base scored with my scorpal at 5 inches. Then I made 3 graduated squares—a 4” green, a 4 1/8 gold, and a 4 3/8 black. I layered the three to form the base of the cap. Digging in my stash I found a gold shank button and some gold embroidery floss. I made a 2” tassel. I used a 4 ½ piece of cardstock folded in half the long way, wrapped the floss (all six strands) around it twenty-five times. I then tied off one end of the loops and cut the other end. Taking another piece of floss (about 2” long), I tied it around the floss to make the head of the tassel, wrapped each side of the extra floss around the head a few times (be sure to go in opposite directions) and then tied that off. I attached the floss to the shank of the button and used a pop dot to glue it to the center of the cap. To make the sentiment I used my gel pens and Biscotti font with SCAL, my labels nestabilities, and my cuttlebug. I first wrote and then “cut” the thank you out with SCAL on my gold paper. Then using the nestabilities label, I cut and embossed the sentiment. I then ran every thing (hat, ribbon, and sentiment) through my xyron and layered them on the card. Stamped the back with one of the made by stamps from the Image Tree set. Just add a personal note inside and its ready to send.


Cutters Creek Resources
Scor Pal
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels and embossing pad
SCAL
Glue Dots ½ inch Pop Up Dots
Xyron
Image Tree Clear Stamp Card Set-Handmade

Sunflower Card by Chris

Every since my friend Penny created cutlines for SCAL back in October, I’ve been waiting for June to come around. Her cutline Half Moon looks like a sunflower to me, just perfect for my DS & DIL’s anniversary this month. I’ve been dreaming about this card for a long time, so I’ve tried a lot of different techniques on it. I started with a tan card base cut 7x 9.5 and scored it (on my ScorPal) at 4.5 inches. I wanted the front half of the card to be narrower than the back so I could put some edges along the side. I had some scalloped cardstock that I hardy ever use and cut off two strips to glue along the inside right edge.

I sprayed the outside of the card with Tattered Angels Old Lace. (This is absolutely my favorite glimmer mist now! Such a light rosy shade.) I embossed a piece of yellow cardstock with a cuttlebug folder and ran my distress ink—Spiced Marmalade--over it. Then I opened SCAL and on one layer imported the cutline and set it at 3.5 inches. On another layer I opened a circle that was just slightly larger than the sunflower at 3.75 inches and cut out the sunflower. I sprayed the sunflower with an orangey-gold glimmer mist and set it aside to dry. While it was drying, I took some acetate and free hand cut a vase and a brown shadow of the vase. I used my alcohol ink applicator and pounced several inks—pearl, lettuce, and shell pink—all over one side of the acetate. When it dried, I painted Antique Linen Distress Crackle over the inks and set it aside to dry. Going back to the sunflower, I began folding the lines. I used a tad of tacky glue to hold each fold in place and then ran some vintage photo distress ink around the edge. I then cut another circle (4.75 inches) this time out of brown cardstock; sprayed it with the Old Lace glimmer mist, roughed up the edges with a scissor and then rubbed Wild Honey distress ink around the edges. By this time the vase was dry. I took sandpaper to remove some of the crackle ink to allow some of the alcohol ink to show. I cut a stem free hand and glued it to the top of the brown cut a shadow of the vase and layered the acetate over it using glossy accents. I made sure I rubbed some around the shadow layer too to give it sheen.

I layered the sunflower over the brown circle with the stem between and then using my flower soft glue added brown flock to the center of the flower. I added the sentiment using Memento cocoa brown and of course, used Image Trees Homemade on the back of the card. I hope you like it. I think it is one of my best so far. Let me know what you think. Happy days…

Cutters Creek Resources:
Scor Pal
Flower Soft Glue
Memento Rich Cocoa
Fun Flock—Caramel Tan
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist—Old Lace
Image Trees—Homemade stamps
Adirondack Alcohol Inks and Ink applicator
Ranger Distress Crackle Paint—Antique Linen
Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
Distress Inks—Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo
Glossy Accents
SCAL
Cuttlebug

Spring Has Sprung with Chris

Flowers, flowers, and more flowers. I just love them and never know what to do with all the pictures I take. Today I got out my SCAL and Cricut Expression and decided to make a 12x12 LO. I started with a free font called StripedCaps (fonts101.com) and used SCAL and my cricut markers to write my title; after which I freehand cut and matted it. I then cut and glued an svg mat design over my cardstock. I needed to do a bit of trimming where my blade didn’t go through but my cutterbees served me well in the small intricate spaces.
Using Walk in My Garden, I choose several flower heads as templates. I used the hinge method discussed on the web (http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com) and cut patterns for the each of the photos. I taped a scrap piece of cardstock to my mat along the outside edge and then carefully noted the left/right and in/out numbers of where I began cutting. When the cut was done I hit load paper, removed the cut pieces and fit my photo into the cut image adjusting until I had it just right. I then flipped the paper out of the way and returned the carriage to the numbers I wrote down and cut the photos. The starflower, blossom, and coneflower mats were cut at 3.25 inches. I then cut a shadowed piece of each flower to mat the photos on. The iris top and shadow was cut at 7” and the hydrangea heads (shift key) were cut at 9”.

Once all the flowers were matted and glued down I knew I wanted to use some Flower Soft. So I took the four small petals that cut with the hydrangea, popped them with pop dots and dotted on some dark lavender and light lavender. On the pink flower I dotted the stamen in the center and added some citrus crush ultra fine Flower Soft. I absolutely love the fine grains of this product. I had a leftover purple flower from the inside of the starflower—waste not, want not—that I also dotted with flower soft and added 3 felt flowers from my stash and it’s done.



Cutters Creek Resources:
Cricut Expression
SCAL
Cricut Color Inks
Walk In My Garden Cricut cartridge
Cutterbees
Flower Soft: dark and light lavender, citrus crush

Bride & Groom Card by Sandi S.

My card this month is for the Bride and Groom. I designed the dress using ‘Make The Cut’ and exported it as an svg cut. I edged the dress with flower soft. It is in two pieces with the top layer being just the skirt so it could be fan folded. The Satin Ribbon and flower hide the seam and add a delicate look to the skirt.

I used the Martha Stewart Lace punch on the background papers which are from the Cricut ‘Reds and Pinks’ paper collection. The words ‘Happily Ever After’ are from the Cricut ‘Storybook’ cartridge. I used Ranger Diamond Stickles to outline the words and Ranger Magenta Stickles to outline the word ‘EVER’.

The dress pattern is attached in .svg format so you can use it with MTC or SCAL, feel free to use it and share it.

Cutters Creek Products Used:
Cricut
MTC or SCAL
Stickles
Punch
Flower Soft
Cardstock

Confirmation Card by Vicki

Here is a card that can be used for a multitude of religious occasions, by simply changing the front and inside sentiments. This sentiment is for a Confirmation celebration for a family friend.

The base purple of the card is Bazzill 12x12 paper, cut down to 8 1/2 x 11, and then folded in half using the Scor Pal. The weave background, ribbon slide at the bottom of the card and the 'Congrats' sentiment are all cut on the Cricut using the Wild Card cartridge on Core'dinations Black Magic Hocus Pocus paper. I used the full color side of the cardstock for these items.

The cross is an SVG file that can be found on Penny Duncan's website (http://www.pennyduncancreations.com/PDC%20Cut%20Files%20Christian.htm). This file was cut using SCAL, also on Core'dinations Black Magic Hocus Pocus yellow cardstock. I embossed the black side of this cut in my Cuttlebug, and then used an emory board to 'file' the embossed areas to make the color show thru the black. I attached the cross to the card using 3-D dots.

To make the sentiment stand out more, I used a simple black grosgrain ribbon thru the cardstock ribbon slide, and attached the ribbon using glue dots. Again, the sentiment is easy enough to change to make this appropriate for a sympathy, communion or even an Easter card.

Cutters Creek items used:
Cricut Expression
Cricut Cartridge - Wild Card
SCAL
Core'dinations Black Magic Hocus Pocus paper pack
Cuttlebug
3-D Glue Dots
Glue Dots
Glue Glider Pro

Vicki's Christmas Concert

This is a layout of some older pictures I took of my daughter at a typical grade school holiday concert. Normally, I scour the web for layouts to adapt for my projects, but this time, I decided to create my own sketch, based on what I have learned over the years from other sketches! The only way to learn is to try...and it took a couple of adjustments...but I think the overall result turned out ok.

The reindeer was a fun new technique for me to try since my fellow design team members use it so frequently. I used distress ink to shade the edges of the reindeer. Then, using a very small paint brush, I actually 'painted' the distress ink onto the detailed cuts that the Cricut makes to 'define' the shape (thanks, Lea, for that tip!)..and then filled in those spots that I felt should be darker on his antlers and hooves. A simple ribbon bow ties the color scheme together and gives him dimension.

The caption reads:
"Charlie, Holiday Concert, 6th Grade, Jerry Ross Elem."

Products used to create Vicki's Christmas Concert Include:

Paper Doll Dress Up (Reindeer)
Graphically Speaking (Memories)
SCAL (Poinsettia - free SVG, thanks to My Cricut Scrapbooking blog http://www.mycricutscrapbooking.com)
Liquid Pearls (Reindeer nose, eye accent)
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Walnut (Reindeer shading, using paintbrush and makeup sponge)
Stickles - Candy Cane, Holly (Poinsettia highlights)
Shimmerz - Angel Wings ('Memories' shimmer)
Glue Glider Pro

These products can be purchased directly from Cutters Creek!

Vicki's Rockin' Ornaments!

First off, let me be the first to wish all of you a wonderful and scrappy New Year! The Design Team is totally stoked about 2010, and we thought that we would start things off with a bang! This year we are dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest of what the scrapbooking world has to offer. Its going to be a crazy trip, and we hope that you will take it with us!

So, check back early and often as the projects will be flying and we don't want you to miss a minute of what the Cutters Creek Design Team has to offer.

To kick things off, Vicki has created these fun ornaments using her Design Studio and the Tags, Bags and Boxes, Storybook and George Cartridges. She also grabbed some images using SCAL for the finishing touches! The results are fun, funky ornaments that would be unique and beautiful on any tree or the perfect accent to a beautifully wrapped present!

Here's how she did it:

"First, using Design Studio, I sized and cut the shadow box from Tags, Bags, Boxes & More on my Cricut out of chipboard. (I can share the cut file if desired...but I don't know the right way to label these.) I used Pressure High, Blade 6, Speed 3, Multi-Cut 2 on regular thin chipboard. Next, I made a frame using Storybook and George in Design Studio. The scalloped edge is a solid shape, and the center is 'burped' out of the object using a rectangle from George, welded to the scalloped shape.

Next, I used SCAL and some free SVG files to cut the themed objects that fit in the shadow box - one that is adhered to the back of the shadow box and one that is hung between the shadow box and the frame. These are cut on the cricut, using the same settings as above. In the example shown, for my music theme, I used a treble clef for the hanging object, and an instrument for the back showcased piece. You can just as easily pick objects from cartridges you own - matching your theme. I suggest making the hanging object about 1.5 to 2 inches in length, and the back 'showcased' object at least 3 inches, but no bigger than 3.5 inches.

Now that all the pieces are cut, it's time to decorate them! These pieces can be colored using regular markers, Tim Holtz Paint Daubers, Pebbles Chalks, or any other kind of materials. I like to use silver for the back of the shadow box and scalloped frame. The other pieces can match the color of your theme.

Next, using Stickles, Blings, Shimmerz or glitter, 'bling' the scalloped frame, the hanging object and the showcased object (if desired). In the example photos, the saxophone player was for a boy, so I didn't glitter that piece - but the violin was for a girl so I used super-blingy glitter! When using Stickles, allow plenty of time for the piece to dry! If you are using glitter - make sure to have a Glitter Cloth handy - because this little piece of magic fabric does a wonderful job of cleaning up after a glittery mess!

While waiting for your paint and or glitter to dry, cut the paper to line the inside of your shadowbox. Using paper of your choice/theme - cut the SAME shadow box design from Design Studio on patterned paper. In this example, the item being 'showcased' is a musical instrument, so I used music themed paper. Hint - FOLD the shadowbox and the paper separately before gluing them together. After all the folds are made with a bone folder or Scor-Pal, glue the patterned paper to the chipboard using Zip Dry glue.

Now it's time to assemble the ornament.

First, glue the sides of the shadowbox together using strong glue. I used my hot glue gun, but any strong quick-dry glue will work. Next, using a thin piece of ribbon or fishing line, 'hang' the object from the front of the shadowbox. I used hot glue to hold down the edges of the ribbon. Next, using 3D Foam Squares, adhere the showcased piece to the back inside of the shadow box. I created the ornament hanger by using the same ribbon and creating a hanging 'loop' of ribbon, glueing the ends to the top of the box. Now, attach the scalloped frame to the front of the shadow box, again using a strong, quick dry glue. Finally, hide all the folding tabs and hanging ribbons by gluing a piece of 3/4 inch ribbon around the outside frame of the shadowbox.

I gave these ornaments as gifts to teenagers - the girls loved the bling and the guys loved the 'personalization' of an instrument they love. I could just have easily done flowers, cartoon characters, school objects...the possibilities are endless! I recommend storing these in zip-close sandwich bags - which keeps the glitter from going all over everything when transporting them."

If you have any questions for Vicki about her funky little project, just ask! She or another member of the Design Team will be happy to get back with you.

All of the products for this project can be purchased at Cutters Creek!

Thank you Vicki for sharing your awesome work we look forward to seeing much much more in 2010!