Outside the Box!

This morning, I decorated the outside of my card box! I thought I'd take some pics so I could show you what I did. I loved the process and used 2 of my all-time favorite stamp sets. These stamp sets, one retired and one current, are my favorites because they capture the happy times in my childhood like nothing else has.

First, I started with our plain card box
(This has been redesigned from what's shown.)

Here's a picture of the inside

I used my all-time favorite stamp set, Lazy Days. I know this set is no longer available, but even though it's years old, it's still sticky, viable and very usable! CTMH stamp sets last and last and last!

I started stamping using topiary and chocolate ink

Here's the topiary

I also used ruby and pacifica

I rocked and rolled my stamp right around the corners!

Then I used the Country-Born stamp set

And stamped the top. The words are a little crooked, but I don't care since life is a little crooked.

I colored in some of the barn and the apples in the basket with a marker 

(from another company, Shhh!)

The outside of the box and the inside of the box, filled with cards!

You can make your own box!

~Tricia

"Brushed" Up on Memories

Oh, my word! You have got to see the beauty of the Brushed Workshop on the Go! I did a layout this past weekend featuring my adorable grand daughter, Joy Michele, and these papers really hit the mark!

Look at the gorgeous features:

Not only are these papers beyond gorgeous, you save by buying the kit. The retail value of this kit is over $36.00, but you get it for only $29.95 and it includes much more than you need to make 2 complete 12 x 12" layouts. You can make additional layouts and/or cards with all that is included. This beautiful, "brushed" value can be yours today!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

A Personal Super Hero!

My grandson loves super heros. This coming week, he's turning 9 years old and I thought the perfect card for him would be the Super Hero card from the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge. The super hero on the card literally pops out, making this a fun 3-D card for him to enjoy.

The Super Hero card is found on page 27 of the Artfully Sent cartridge booklet. I used gypsy and honey card stock. In the pictures, the card stock looks more orange than honey, but it's honey. My camera is not always true to color.

I used the recommended size of 7", which means I did not use Real Dial Size. All elements of the card were cut with the 7" setting, and, as you can see, they fit perfectly!

Page 27.

I personalized the card using the alphabet on the cartridge and Real Dial Size at 1 1/2".

Happy Birthday to Cole!
I think he's going to love this card.
You need the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge!
Happy Paper Crafting!
~Tricia

Pathfinding Your Way To Savings!

Do you love to take pictures?
Do you love to save those pictures in breathtaking scrapbook layouts?
Do you love to save money?

Well, with Close To My Heart's Worksops on the Go, you can do all three!!

This month I'm featuring the Pathfinding Workshop on the Go. I love that Close To My Heart makes it easy to not only make beautiful scrapbooks that will last for generations, but we make it easy for you to save money at the same time!

For the entire Pathfinding Workshop on the Go, you pay only $29.95.

The suggested retail price of all items in the kit is $39.80.

You save $9.85 just by buying this kit!

Take a look below at what this kit has to offer:

A main layout (above) and a bonus layout (below).

Here's a pic of the kit's contents:

Here's a list of the kit's contents:

Click here to order and save today!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Get Real - Dial Size, That Is

Today, I want to explain the Real Dial Size button on the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.

Some customer questions prompted this, as there seems to be some confusion.

No wonder! It's confusing!

The Real Dial Size button is located on the left side of your keypad, toward the bottom, as shown in the picture below:

For this demonstration, I cut images from page 17 of the Artfully Sent Cartridge booklet:

Specifically, I cut the "Icon" image of a boot full of flowers.

This icon is made to fit as a pop-up piece in the card on the left.

Note how they are both labeled 5". 

This icon button is the "U" button, as I'm pointing out below:

This boot icon is designed to coordinate in size to fit a 5" x 7" card, as shown below in the image on the left. It pops up when the card is opened:

As shown in the booklet, in order to coordinate with the size of the card, the icon should be cut at 5" while NOT using Real Dial Size. 

The icons are formatted to coordinate with the size of the card automatically, without Real Dial Size:

As shown below, Real Dial Size it NOT on. Note the lack of the green light. Real Dial Size should be OFF when making an icon to coordinate with a card.

You can use Real Dial Size when you want to make the size of the object custom, not necessarily formatted to fit a card. 

Note Real Dial Size is ON in the picture below......the green light indicator is lit:

When cutting in Real Dial Size set to 5", you will get an icon that is 5" tall, as shown below. It would be much too big to use on the card shown.

The smaller boot was cut with Real Dial Size OFF, making it automatically scaled to the card. 

You can see the stark difference in size in the two icons above.

I placed the icon on a card to show the size and you can see how well the smaller one fits.

You can set real dial size to cut at any size you like, as long as it fits on the paper. 

If making a card or project shown in the book, do not turn Real Dial Size on and your pieces will automatically coordinate in size to fit your project perfectly!

If you're making another project and you need a bigger or smaller icon, simply turn Real Dial Size ON, and set the machine to cut at whatever size you prefer. 

Real Dial Size gives you endless possibilities for all your projects!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Thank You Card Tutorial

I've been keeping my Cricut humming all weekend! Here's a Thank You card I made very quickly over the weekend. 

I started out on page 10 of the Artfully Sent Cartridge booklet, choosing the Pop-Up card:

                           

A customer had a question about cutting, so I'm adding these 2 pics to show exactly which cuts I made. They are marked as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cuts. 

You may have to click on the pic to get a larger view.

I cut all the pieces in my 2 colors of choice, Gypsy and Honey:

Here's a close up of the "Thank you my friend" cut out. I love it!

Then I referred to page 10 of the Assembly Instruction booklet:

I love that I get these negative pieces to use after my images are cut!

You can see all the 3D pieces cut out here:

Following the instructions on page 10, I folded the card:

After folding the interior of the card, I adhered the outside of the card to the inside of the card:

Then I adhered the centers to the flowers:

One day a few months ago, I made some washi tape by running some decorative tissue paper through my Xyron:

I used the tissue paper to decorate the front of the card, as well as a cut out image from page 10 of the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.

I cut the image then trimmed the extra paper off to create a small rectangle.

The results are simple, yet pretty!

You can embellish as much as you want, of course. I prefer simple cards that are uncluttered.

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Artfully Sent Christmas Card Tutorial

Merry Christmas!! My brother-in-law starts reminding us of how many days are left till Christmas in the month of January. He loves Christmas! I love that he does that because it means he's always aware of the gift that Christmas is.... the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Today, in the spirit of Christmas, and in the spirit of my brother-in-law, I made a Christmas card!

Of course, I used my Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge to give this card a unique look, and to make sure it was quick and easy! 

I love how it turned out!

I started on page  34 of my Artfully Sent Cricut booklet, using the Scene button for this 

wreath design.

Note: This is not a "Christmas" themed page, I just used it for Christmas. The theme of the page is actually wedding. You can see that the themes can all be easily interchanged!

I cut the wreath in Close To My Heart's  topiary card stock. 

I cut the card swing base from White Daisy card stock. 

I glued the wreath to the center of the card base.

Using the Scene design on page 48 of the Artfully Sent cartridge, I cut my scene from 

Close To My Heart's barn red card stock.

Here it is, cutting: 

I used the negative spaces from the cut to embellish the card:

I think it turned out beautifully!

I love this Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge!

This is 2 cards in 2 days, and these are very busy days, yet I found time to make these cards!

You can, too.

Get this cartridge TODAY and get busy making great cards!

And, don't forget, if you order this cartridge (or any order of $50 or more) during the month of October, you get FREE ribbon!

Plus!! Don't forget that ordering the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge automatically qualifies you to get the October Stamp of the Month, Home for the Holidays, for only $5. 

This is a win/win! 

~Tricia