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Archive for May, 2009

Design Team Projects: Becki Adams

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

The Girls

becki_1

Instructions:

 

My assignment for this month was to use the new Calligraphy cartridge to create a layout and two cards using only the Gratitude and Celebrate features. This cartridge offers endless opportunities and wonderful choices for a “fancier” script font.

 

For the “The girls” layout I chose photos of my daughter and me. I wanted the page to be fun but also have a “girly” feel to it as well. “The” is cut from the Calligraphy cartridge as well as the heart, the large white tag, and the green vines to the right of the heart.

 

My layout is embellished with die cuts from the Bloom paper pack, glitter and flocking from Doodlebug, and a button. Some faux stitching as well as some real stitching finishes off the layout.

 

Your Big Day

becki_2

 Instructions:

 

I created this card for a fun spring wedding or maybe even a birthday. The Bloom collection provided fun bright colors and the Calligraphy Cartridge provided a “fancier” feel for this card. I cut the sentiment and the flower from the Calligraphy cartridge. The large journaling block is included in the paper pack. The card is embellished with bling, glossy accents, a brad, and some ribbon.

 

Much Appreciated

becki_3

Instructions:

 

This card is so easy to make and elegant because of the Calligraphy cartridge. The sentiment and the heart were cut from this cartridge. The card is embellished with some ribbon (Honey pie), a button and some flocking. The flocking enhances the heart and adds a little bit of texture.

Design Team Projects: Nikki Hobbs

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Cutie Pie

nikki_march1

Instructions:

 

  1. 1. Start out with white cardstock as your background.
  2. 2. Cut two 12x 3/8 strips of the green/teal dot paper. Add to the side of your layout.
  3. 3. Cut one 10 ¾ x 1 inch strip of the teal flower paper, add to top of the layout.

 

4. Cut one 9 ½ x 1 inch strip of the striped paper, add to the top of the layout.

5. Add a 10 ¾ piece of the brown/dot ribbon over both patterned papers.

6. Add pictures

7. Cut 10 ¾ x 1 inch strip of the stripe paper and add to layout under the pictures.

8. Cut one 9 ½ x 1 inch strip of the teal flower paper then add under the stripe paper.

9. Add a 10 ¾ piece of the brown/dot ribbon over both patterned paper on the bottom of the layout.

10. Using the cuttlebug and the flower (dots) embossing folder emboss 5 flower/dots on the orange paper, handcut out the circles. Next use the same embossing folder and cut out 5 flowers using the white cardstock. Put together. Add to the layout and then add the mini brads to the center.

11. Stitch the flourishes on both sides of the layout. Add flowers with zots dots to them.

12. Last add the title. I cut “cutie” at 3 ½ inches and “pie” at 2 ½ inches. Ink them then add to the layout.

 

Pumpkins

nikki_march2

Instructions:

  1. 1. First I wanted to point out that you will be inking every piece of paper with the black ink.
  2. 2. Start out with the teal dotted paper as your background paper.
  3. 3. Cut the plaid paper to 10 ½ x 10. Add to the center of the teal dotted paper.

4. Cut orange dot paper to 9 ¾ x 3 ½. Add to the bottom of the plaid paper. Than machine stitch around it.

5. Cut one 9 ¾ x 5/8 strip of the teal/green leaf paper. Add to the top of the plaid paper.

6. Cut one 9 ¾ x 3/8 strip of the mud puddle dotted swiss cardstock. Add under leaf paper.

7. Mat one picture in white cardstock. Add pictures to layout. Machine stitch the matted picture.

8. Cut one 10 x 6/8 strip of the stripe paper. Add to right side of the layout.

9. Machine stitch around the plaid paper.

 

10. Cut the pumpkin out from the cricut at 3 inches, Apply two leaves from the MME Grow diecut sheet. Add cream thread/floss to the pumpkin stem.

11. Cut out the word pumpkin at 2 ½ inches from the street sign font on the mud puddle cardstock.

12. Add hand stitching to the top and bottom of the layout using the Bazzill silly stitches template.

13. Last add mini brads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid-Week Challenge

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

It’s time again for another fun CX Mid-Week Challenge…a little inspiration to get you through the rest of the week. Just a reminder: for each challenge, you will have 2 weeks to complete it. All entries must be turned in by 9:00 am MST on the due date. Every entry will get a name into a hat drawing. For now, continue to send entries to kriss@creativexpress.com to be entered into the hat drawing to win great prizes!

**Note: If we do not receive at least 5 entries we won’t be able to select a winner. So tell all your friends to come join in the fun! **

It’s Gonna Be Big!

Challenge Date: May 20, 2009

Due Date: 9:00 am MST June 3, 2009

Today’s challenge is a color challenge. Use the color pallet below (or some variation of it) to create a layout, card, or altered item.

challenge_5_20

Design Team Projects: Meg Peacock

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Trifold Card

 

march_meg1

Instructions:

Cut a piece of 12 by 12 cards stock to 8 x 12.

 

Score at three 4 inch increments and fold up so that you have a card that is 8 x 4.

 

Cut three 3 7/8 x7 7/8 pieces of Bellezo paper, ink all edges with brown ink and glue  to top panel, right –fold inner panel ,and middle inner panel Trim the inside middle panel, with a bit of the decorative Bellezo borders. Attach a vertical phrase (cut from Circuit Wild Card)

 

Using the Cricut and the Home Accents cartridge cut a butterfly and bird shape out of black card stock- also cut shadows for each shape in coordinating colors. Take the black shapes and run them through the Xyron machine to apply an even layer of adhesive to the top- then pour on Sugar Coating glitter, tap off excess. Mat the glittered shapes onto the colored shadows and mount to the front and inner right panels .Decorate these 2 panels with strips of ribbon and a large decorative brad on the front.

 

Use the scrap pieces from cutting out your bird and butterfly shapes as a stencil on the last 2  blank panels of the card.

 

Place stencil down over card stock- use scratch paper to cover up all other exposed portions of card, then spray chocolat glimmer spray through the stencil. Let dry and remove to reveal images.

 

“Hi” Card

april-09-141

Instructions:

Using Cricut and Story Book cartridge, cut the letters “H” and “I”. Also cut a label shape from beige and pink Bellezo papers.

 

Glue letters to beige label,then glue to pink label. Use black pen to draw on dot accents.

 

Mount a piece of polka dotted Bellezo paper to the pink Bellezo paper. Wrap with brown ribbon. Attach label to the top.

 

Spray  3 white Prima flowers with rouge and choclat glimmer sprays-let dry. Mount small pink flower on larger brown flower-affix with Glass Slipper brad. Attach flowers to card front. Place small pearl on small pink flower.

 

Attach to a top folded A2 card made out of kraft card stock.

 

Finish with 2 white photo corners cut from Jasmine cartridge and sprayed with chocolat glimmer spray

“Moments” Layout

 

april-09-142

Instructions:

 

Trim ¼ inch off of 2  adjacent sides of Bellezo paper

 

Place a sheet of pre-printed frame -design Bellezo paper on a cutting mat, use craft blade to cut along edges of flowers and foliage in lower right corner of frame (your photo will tuck in here)

 

Using Crop-a-dile tool, punch holes and set pink eyelets in the Bellezo paper frame.

 

Embellish flowers on frame with white glue and Sugar coating glitter sprinkled on top.

 

Cut and emboss a butterfly out of brown card stock using the cuttlebug cut and emboss dies.

 

Spray Butterfly with chocolat glimmer spray and let dry.

 

Slide photo into corner of frame such that the cut out flowers and leaves poke out over the top.

 

Attach Bellezo border trim along side photo and wrap with dotted chiffon ribbon.

 

Using Cricut and Story Book cartridge, cut leaves out of green card stock. Also cut label shape twice –once  each with pink and beige Bellezo papers. Layer frame to label with foam mounting tape. Place Bellezo word tag inside phrase.

 

Glue leaves to lower right corner of frame and mount butterfly on top.

 

Mount lay out on a 12 x 12 sheet  of brown card stock.

 

Design Team Projects: Stacy Armstrong

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Movie Ticket

img_2078

 Instructions:

 Who doesn’t love 

 summer movies?  This

 invitation is the perfect

 way to get the girls

 together for a long night

 of movies and popcorn. 

 

 Cut 6 x 12 sheet of red

 cardstock.  Fold in half

 to make 6×6 square card

 

Using Design Studio, cut movie ticket in black from Tags, Bags, Boxes & More cartridge and the backing in white.

 

Again using the Design Studio,  weld and cut the words “Admit One” from the Base Camp cartridge;  weld and cut the words “Movie Night” from the Jasmine cartridge.

 

Emboss the black ticket using the Cuttlebug and the dots from Border with Love.

 

Adhere together

 

Cut envelope from Tags, Bags, Boxes & More Cart. in black cardstock and line flap with red cardstock.

 

Enjoy your summer evening!

 

Pool Party

 

img_2063

 Instructions:

 Closed Schools, Open Pools! Your friends will know summer has arrived when they get this cute invitation for a pool party.   Nothing says fun and sun like a hot pink flamingo running across your invitation trying to get to the pool first! 

Using Wild Card Cartridge, cut invitation base from My Mind’s Eye paper.

 

  

 

 

 stacy_march

Using the Design studio and Wild Card Cartridge, weld and cut the words “Pool Party”

 

Cut invitation information: Place, Date, Time, RSVP. Adhere to card

 

Cut sun and orang e square for backing. Adhere to card.

 

Cut yellow flower from Bazzill Dotted Swiss. Adhere to front of card

 

Using the Design Studio and George Basic Shapes Cartridge, create flamingo.  Cut additional wings and layer using foam tape.  Outline with black pen.

 

Again, using the Design Studio cut inflatable circle from George Basic Shapes Cartridge.  Place around the flamingo’s neck.  Adhere  flamingo and “Pool Party” to card.

 

Fold grass from invitation base and adhere.

 

Cut ribbon and close invitation. Slip Bazzill  paper brad through ribbon.

 

Using Design Studio and George Basic Shapes Cartridge, design and cut 2 pairs of sun glasses from white cardstock.  Adhere white cardstock in between two layers and color lens with silver pen.

 

Write “See you there” on the sides and add a little bling.  Slip over ribbon.

 

 Grab some sun tan lotion,  towels and cold drinks ~ Let the party begin!!

 

 Wild About You

 

img_2080

 Instructions:

 

Using the  Design Studio and carts George and Graphically Speaking, create a 3-D alligator for a 12×12 sheet of cardstock.

  (((See attached pic of cut file pic for more sample cut file)))

 

  

 

  

img_2071 

Cut alligator using Bazzill  Dotted Swiss paper. 

 

 

Assemble and adhere  together.

 

Cut card from Wild Card Cart.  Add sentiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  alligator 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bless U

  img_2090

 Instructions:

 

Cut 6×12 sheet of paper and fold in half.  

 

 Cut strips of paper from My Minds Eye Bloom kit and adhere to bottom of card alternating with foam tape.   

 

Sand edges of My Minds Eye die cut and adhere to card. 

 

Cut sun from the Graph. Speaking Cricut cart. in two shades of Bazill Honey Swiss Dotted. 

 

Cut out “Bless U” sentiment from Wild Card Cartridge. 

 

Adhere to card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid-Week Challenge

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

It’s time again for another fun CX Mid-Week Challenge…a little inspiration to get you through the rest of the week. Just a reminder: for each challenge, you will have 2 weeks to complete it. All entries must be turned in by 9:00 am MST on the due date. Every entry will get a name into a hat drawing. For now, continue to send entries to kriss@creativexpress.com to be entered into the hat drawing to win great prizes!

It’s All About Me

Challenge Date: May 13, 2009

Due Date: 9:00 am MST May 27, 2009

This week I want to hear all about you! Most scrappers have millions of pages of their kids, family members, pets, spouses, etc but not very many about them. So, create a layout that expresses at least three of the fundamental characteristics that make you YOU!

Design Team Projects: Andrea Amu

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

“Hope” Card

march_hope_aa1

Instructions:

 

- Cut patterned paper slightly smaller and adhere to card base front.

  

- Cut a different patterned paper piece to approx. 5×3, mat onto a piece of cardstock and adhere to front of card using foam mounting tape.

 

 - Cut out the word “hope” onto two shades of the Bazzill cardstock Trio, using <Phrase6> of the Inspiration and Inspiration Blackout functions at 1 ½ each. Layer and glue the pieces together.

 

- Cut out a solid oval piece using <Image4> Inspiration Blackout, also at 1 ½, and adhere the “hope” word phrase onto the top of the solid oval. Attach the card front.

 

- Apply Tangerine colored jewels to the ends of the phrase.

 

- Print out the verse onto cardstock, cut out and ink edges. Mat with a darker shade of cardstock and layer and adhere onto card.

 

- Finish card by cutting out the swirl using the Inspiration and Inspiration Blackout functions with <Image6>, layer together and adhere to card beneath the verse.

 

“Be Happy” Card

march_be-happy_aa

Instructions:

 

- Cut the=2 0flocked dot Doodlebug paper and fold to a 6×6 size for the card base.

 

- Using the Calligraphy Collection cart., cut out (2) 5” bracket frames onto both the brown solid flocked paper and the striped yellow pattern paper in the <Image4> “Shadow” setting.

 

- Distress the edges of the larger solid brown flocked braket frame, and use the smaller inside piece of the yellow striped paper to layer on the inside. Adhere the two pieces together and faux-stitch around edging.

 

- Punch to holes at the upper left corner and weave a ribbon through the holes. Attach the bracket frame piece to front of card base with foam mounting tape.

 

- Next, cut out a 2 ½” “be happy” phrase from the glittered brown Doodlebug paper using the Inspiration Blackout setting <Phrase2>. Cut out a solid 2 ½” circle from the pale yellow cardstock and glue the phrase onto the top. Attach this piece to the center of the braket frame.

 

- Cut out (2) stemmed flowers using the Inspiration setting <Image1> from cardstock. Also cut out (2) stemmed flowers using the Inspiration Blackout setting <Image1> onto patterned paper. Layer and glue the blackouts underneath the top cardstock flowers pieces.20

 

- Finish card by attaching a jewel piece to the centers of both the flowers and adhering a flower to both sides of the braket frame on the card. 

 

Autumn Welcome

 

march_autumn-welcome_aa

Instructions:

 

- Cut a piece of the Basic grey patterned paper slightly smaller than a 12×12 piece of gray Bazzill cardstock. Distress and faux stitch around the edges and mount to the cardstock background.

 

- Using the deep-cut Cricut blade in the Expressions machine, cut out the “sign frame” <Image49-s> on the #9 key from the Graphically Speaking cart., at 11 ½” onto a piece of generic chipboard.

 

- Spray-mist the chipboard frame cutout with the Antique Brass and Graphite Glimmer Mists.

 

- After frame is dry, adhere the Basic Grey solid and patterned papers to the backside of the chipboard frame with the patterns and solid black color facing up.

 

- Add the jewels to the frame and adhere to page with faom mounting tape.

 

- Mat the photos and adhere to frame on page.

 

- Cut out the “Autumn Welcome” title using the Inpiration and Inspiration Blackout font settings on the Calligraphy Collection cart. Adhere the lettering to the page, layered over the photos.

 

- Computer journal and cut into strips. Add three little jewel accents to the one strip and then attach these to page beneath the photos.

 

- Finish page by cutting the two vines, <Image4> Shadow setting,

and adhering to top of page design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design Team Projects: Heather Carpenter

Monday, May 11th, 2009

Batter Up

march_battersup_hc1

 Instructions:

1)       Place (2) 12×12 sheets of white cardstock next to each other

2)       Cut an 11 inch “Background” feature from the “Baseball is Life/baseball player” key. On the red dotted swiss cardstock

3)       Next trim a second sheet of the red dotted swiss cardstock to 11 ¼” x 11 ½” and butt the edges of the red cardstocks side to side on top of the white 12×12 cardstocks.

4)       Next I put small pieces of colored cardstock beneath the diecut images on the background page to make the diecut images of the hat, bat, glove and baseball stand out.

5)       Now cut a 7 1/1” “Batter up” image with blackout and shadow. Also cut the layer for the field with the Bon Bon velvet flocked paper. Adhere to top left of double page spread.

6)       Use the Bon Bon velvet Flocked brads to make the “bases” stand out on the field portion of the image.

7)       Using Design Studio I welded a (2) of the 2” baseball borders to make a 12 inch border. Next I cut an extra 2” baseball border.

8       Okay, since there is not “blackout” feature for the baseball border, I made my own using the Design Studio software right click on the “stitching” of all the baseballs and “hide selected contour”. This blacks out the stitches and you can cut your own blackout of the border.

9)       Adhere the blacked out border of the baseball border together.

10)   Adhere the 12 inch long baseball border to the bottom edge of the left handed page and continue with the 6 inch long baseball border across the bottom on the right handed page making a continuous border.

11)   Matte several sequence photos and high light a large focus photo and adhere in a strip like fashion across the double page spread.

12)   Cut a 1 inch “playball” image with the baseball layer. Place next to diecut images in red background paper.

13)   Place several small strips of dotted ribbon for accents and adhere journaling.

14)   Ink all edges of double page spread with black ink for definition.

15)   Now you have a fabulous quick sports layout with using just a few supplies more than your Cricut and cardstock. This format will work well for many different sport pages

 

 

Football is Life

 

march_footballfrm_hc

Instructions:

1)       Paint  wood frame with two coats of paint. Allow the paint to dry between coats.

2)       Cut (11) 1 ½” footballs with layer and shadow from Sports Mania cart.

3)       Ink edges of footballs with Tea Dye ink pad.

4)       Cut a 2 ½” Football helmet with shadow

5)       Cut 1 inch numbers from Plantin Schoolbook cart using shadow feature and adhere to helmet.

6)       Cut 2” “Football is life” using the frame feature and mat with white cardstock.

7)       Adhere the “Football is life” frame and “Football helmet” in opposite corners of the frame using dimensional tape.

8       Adhere the 11 footballs around the frame using tacky tape.

9)       Mount photo on white cardstock and then coordinating colored patterned paper. I rounded the corners and inked the edges for definition.

10)   Insert the photo into the frame

Any Way You SLICE It

Friday, May 8th, 2009

I just found out this morning that CX will be bringing in the entire Slice line by Making Memories. Being a clueless Cricut snob, I decided to go check out the Slice website and see what it is all about. There were several things that impressed me and, as can be expected, there were some not so impressive things as well. Here’s my take on the Slice.

WHAT’S HOT

- The unit is extremely portable

- The Design Cards have a surprising amount of stuff on them and each card comes with an alphabet - even if it is a ’shape’ card.

- The Design Cards retail for $39.99 - about half of MSRP on a Cricut cartridge. To those of us who hate to part with our hard earned money, this is a great thing.

- The cutting mat is thick glass that is reusable and seems virtually indestructable…okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it is very durable! The mat comes in 6×6 and 12×12 sizes which is convenient.

- The adhesive that keeps your paper in place during cutting is repositionable. You paint a thin layer on the glass mat and you’re good to go. And replacement adhesive is only a few dollars so it’s not expensive to replace it.

- It appears pretty easy to operate.

WHAT’S NOT

- It only cuts up to 4″

- It ranges in 1/2″ increments, not 1/4″ increments

- There is no keypad, so you have to scroll through the card to find what you’re looking for. You don’t have to go individual picture by individual picture, but it still takes longer.

- There are only 20 Design Cards to choose from

-There is no software that allows you to manipulate images and make them your own. You are bound by exactly what is on the card.

- The images on the Design Cards are simple and relatively few in number. There isn’t a whole lot to choose from.

- Retail value on the machine is $145.99 - the same price you can pick up an Original Cricut for at most retail locations.

Well, after all is said and done, it looks like the Slice will be a good product to have in the CX store. Although, I’m still a bit of a Cricut snob…

Promotions! Promotions! Promotions!

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

Check back every Thursday for a list of the promotions starting on Friday morning!

coupon

2scrappyday

Get a Jukebox with your new Expression, an Essentials Kit with your new Original or Create machine & get an extra cartridge WITH EVERY ONE!

Or score a great deal and pick up Design Studio & Jukebox for only $79.99 (a $179 value)!

 

 3

BRAND NEW lines from Imaginisce all 20% Off! There’s lions & tigers & bears - oh my! in Wild Things. Preserve all the memories from the end of the school year with Teacher’s Pet. Or cool off with the flip-flopping, ice cream loving Summer Cool collection.

 



4

All Non-Clearance BoBunny is 20% off!

    



YourStory Kits 25% Off! PLUS Check out our great YourStory Machine Specials - lots of great goodies with your brand new machine!

YourStory Kits 25% Off! PLUS Check out our great YourStory Machine Specials - lots of great goodies with your brand new machine!

 

 

 

 

 



Take an extra 40% off already reduced prices on Cuttlebug Cut & Emboss sets!

Take an extra 40% off already reduced prices on Cuttlebug Cut & Emboss sets!

 

 

Entire Stamping category 20% Off!

Entire Stamping category 20% Off!

40% Off reduced prices on Cuttlekids Alphabet & Number sets!

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Grab a Jukebox & a Cricut cartridge together for only $59.99!

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All Needle Crafts 40% Off!

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