Cupboard Organization - What is All this Stuff???

Thrift Store AND Michael's Haul!

Here's my latest thrift store and Michael's haul!
Enjoy!



~Tricia

APRIL Mantel a Little Late!

January Mantel Decor

Last Monday, we took down our Christmas decorations. I took down the tree and mantel decor and my two youngest sons took down the Christmas village. I gotta say, it felt rather dark and lonely after enjoying those lights for a few weeks. I decided not all light had to stay down. 

So, I set about designing and creating a January Mantel Decor that included lights. First, I scanned through Pinterest, then I scanned through my Cricut Design Space software. Here's what I came up with:

I chose a row of houses from the Close To My Heart Artistry Cricut cartridges and sized it to 11.5 x 5", then duplicated it and cut them out from white, dotted paper. The shiny dots added just the right texture.

I chose a snowflake overlay from the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and sized 2 of them to fit my clear vases, cut them out of plain white card stock then put them inside the vases. 

I then chose a variety of trees from different Cricut cartridges (Close To My Heart Artbooking and Flower Market) and sized them each about 2.5 x 5", then duplicated them and welded them together before cutting out of white, dotted card stock.

I had a few snowflakes left over from Christmas projects, also cut on my Cricut Explore Air, so I strung them onto kitchen twine and hung them loosely from the mantel. (The snowflakes came from Close To My Heart Artistry and Art Philosophy cartridges.)

I put a set of white Christmas lights behind the display and it brightened up my living room immediately!

I love the detail of the dots.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Crafting!

~Tricia

The Making of my 2016 Christmas Card

Every year, I create a new design for a Christmas card and make them in batches. This year, I've made an embossed set of cards that are simple and elegant.

Here's a shot of a bunch of the cards together:

Here's an up close look at the "snowflake" card. 

I used an embossing folder to make the snowflake impressions

with my Cuttlebug.

I stamped Isaiah 9:6 inside the card in Holiday Red ink

from Close to My Heart.

Here's an up close look at the "dots" card.

I used an embossing folder with my Cuttlebug, again.

For the red ornament, I used Close To My Heart's Art Philosophy cartridge. 

And the ornament image on page 33.

I cut the image from red card stock on my Cricut Explore Air, sizing it to 1.5 x 2.5". 

I cut thin strips of the same red card stock to use for the "string" holding the ornament.

I stamped the word "Joy" on each ornament with Versamark Ink

then heat embossed with white embossing powder.

I love how they turned out!

Happy Crafting!

~Tricia

Close To My Heart HAUL and New Flower Market Cricut Cartridge

I've uploaded my latest video, this one of a Close To My Heart Haul which includes the new Flower Market Cricut Cartridge. Just look what I did with the handbook!

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/spt66JDjISc

Thanks for watching!
Happy Crafting!
~Tricia

Easy, Fun Hostess Gift

We were invited to brunch by some dear friends this Saturday and they insisted we bring nothing. Since bringing nothing is really not an option, I went to my studio and created a hostess gift. So, while we're not taking food, we are taking a hostess gift to thank our dear friends for their hospitality.

I created a set of cards, each one slightly different:

I simply used the Martha Stewart lacy border punch to create layers of lace and topped each off with a strip of decorative paper and a simple embellishment.

I created the layers by punching the lace on one side of 1" strips of card stock and gluing them to the base, which was also punched on one end. The strip of decorative paper hides the seam created by gluing the pieces on top of one another. 

Making cards is fun, easy, economical and quick. These cards are blank on the inside.

If you would like a set of similar cards, let me know in the comments. 

A set of six cards, with envelopes, is $12.00, including shipping. Embellishments will vary and may not necessarily be the ones shown.

~Tricia