Three Blind Mice

I created this one page layout from Cricut cartridge Folk Art Festival:

Materials Used:

• Cricut cartridge Folk Art Festival
• BasicGrey Serendipity paper pack
• BasicGrey Serendipity button and brad embellishments
• White Signo Pen
• Red inking pen
• Yellow/white twine

CCR File:  https://www.box.com/s/ubdocuiqknerbo8r8vyw

Using patterned papers from BasicGrey's Serendipity line, I cut out my images and borders from Cricut cartridge Folk Art Festival.  I then hand cut my title and photo blocks and adhered them to my LO page base.  I hand doodled around the title block  in red pen ink and added the borders to the photo block. Next, I assembled the rest of the images and adhered them to the page, pop dotting some of them for added dimension.  To complete my embellishing, I added some hand doodles to the images and added to twine bowed buttons to the left top of the layout.

And there you have a colorful and fun layout highlighting the nursery rhyme, Three Blind Mice.

BoBunnny's Powder Mountain

I designed some samples from BoBunny's latest release Powder Mountain for my local scrapbook store.  The images are perfect to highlight outdoor and/or snow activities.

Here's another version of the paper crafted ornament I shared with you a few posts ago.

I added ribbon and distressed the scale leaves with Tim Holtz distress ink in Walnut.

This is a 5"x5" card I made.  The card shape is from the Cricut cartridge Christmas Cards.

I added an acrylic snowflake, a brad, ribbon, liquid pearls, distressed the edges and laced the skates for added interest. 

This 12"x12" LO uses images from the Powder Mountain image pack.

I also added the acetate snowflakes, brads and misc ribbon to the LO.

Here is what I started with:

This isn't even a fourth of what is included in this collection.  But, it gave me a great start to begin creating with.

Joy Wreath

I created holiday wreath with some unusual and fun colors:

Materials Used:

• Cricut cartridges Folk Art Festival and CCR Exclusive Quilted Ornaments
• Iridescent Wreath (purchased at Target)
• Celebrate it! 2 1/2" silver wire edged ribbon
• Mini silver wire edged ribbon from my stash
• Stampin' Up cardstock in Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink and Pixie Pink
• Silver holograph self stick paper
• Assorted rhinestones

CCR File:   https://www.box.com/s/a0wehk7g5t9y1efdkpfa

This was a super easy project to create.  I cut my images from Quilted ornaments (the basic cut) @ 3.8" and the JOY phrase from Folk Art Festival @ 4.2".  I used silver holograph paper for my base for added sparkle and various coordinating rhinestones to the images for that extra bling.  Lastly, I tied a big silver bow at the top of the wreath and a smaller one to the letter Y. 

Pinecone Ornament

I have one last ornament to share with you today.  It's a 3D pinecone:

I started off with a paper mache ornament from the hobby store.  You could also use a styrofoam egg or anything else with a similar oval shape. 

Cut your scale leaves from Cricut cartridge Giant Flowers @ 1.5".  There are other leaf shapes that would work as well from Cricut cartridges Flower Shoppe and Mother's Day Bouquet.  Adhere your first few scale leaves to your shape.  I used hot glue. When adhering these first few leaves, glue the entire back portion of them so they lay flat against your shape.

Using a petal roller or rounded tool and a foam mat or spongy surface, roll the bottom edges of your scale leaf to create texture. 

Using your adhesive (again, I used hot glue) adhere the top portion pieces of your scale leaf layered together to form a curved shape.

Now, push the bottom center of your leaf forward so that it creates a small hump in the middle of your leaf.

Here is another view of what the completed scale leaf looks like.  Repeat these steps for all the remaining scale leaves.  This texturizing step is optional, but it does add more of a realistic look to your pinecone.



Start layering the scale leaves onto your shape in alternating circle layers.  When adhering these leaves, only glue the top edge of the leave pieces so that the bottom portion of the scale leaves are allowed to curl up and out as previously texturized.  Repeat the circle layers  until your shape is covered.  If using a shape that does not already have an ornament hanger, stop half way through the leaf covering process and add a ribbon that reaches from side to side, leaving enough slack at the top to create a hanger upon completion.

When adhering the last few scale leaves, again cover the entire back portion of the leaves before laying flat on to your shape.  If you added your own ribbon, the ribbon should just poke through like the gold cord in the picture.

Cut 3 pinecone leaves from Cricut cartridge Mother's Day Bouquet, 2 @  1.9" and 1 @ 2.25".  Texturize using the same rolling technique used to create the scale leaves. Adhere to one side of the cone starting with the larger leaf.

Add a bow in a coordinating ribbon color to the top of your cone.  Adhere the bow portion down if desired.

Add glitter to the outer edges of your scale leaves.  I used Glossy Accents to adhere the coarse glitter with (optional).

Materials Used:

• Cricut cartridges Giant Flowers and Mother's Day Bouquet
• Paper mache ornament or any 3D oval shape
• Pink Paislee Tickets patterned cardstock
• DCWV green glittered cardstock
• Stampin' Up! Pool Party seam binding ribbon
• Martha Stewart coarse glitter

CCR File:   https://www.box.com/s/al7qrrgwtp3zp1fx5r4i
Gypsy File:  https://www.box.com/s/gccr6a1kr17ckpdeaabv

A Shabby Chic Ornament

I have another paper crafted ornament for you today. It's a cross between shabby chic and elegant in style.

Materials Used:

• CCR Exclusive 3D Ornaments digital cartridge
• MME Lush 2 flocked damask paper in turquoise and fuchsia
• DCWV iridescent cardstock
• Coordinating ribbon from my stash
• Smooch spritz in iridescent
• Dew drops in clear and turquoise (optional)
• Misc beads and jewelry findings (optional)
• Pink Paisley star embellishment (optional)
• Tim Holtz crystal bauble (optional)

CCR File:  https://www.box.com/s/uzmv1xxg2d0yzbeb6aeb
Gypsy File:  https://www.box.com/s/uife0zhk8pxtnq14tsdu

Directions:
Link to PDF from Cricut.com  http://www.cricut.com/res/ccrehandbooks/3DOrnaments_CE.pdf

1. Cut 5 ornament images of a print pattern or solid color @ 6".  Cut 5 more ornament images in a different pattern or color @ 6".  Spray with smooch spritz in iridescent.
2. Cut the ornament topper in a solid color @ 1.9".
3. Fold each of the ornaments cuts in half with the pattern you want to see (right side) to the inside and the side you don't want to see and will be gluing (wrong side) to the outside.
4. Take the first pattern/color ornament (keep it folded) and set to the side while taking the second pattern/color ornament (again, keeping it folded with the right side to the inside) and glue 1/2 of it (the top of the ornament if it is laying flat).  Now bring the glued 1/2 of the second ornament cut and adhere it to what would be the bottom of the first ornament (if it were laying flat).  Repeat these steps while altering patterns or colors until all ornament images are used.  Don't glue the last half of the last ornament yet.
5. Using selected ribbon, run it down through the two holes of the ornament topper (I also ran it through a star embellishment but this is optional) while creating a large loop (big enough to hang the ornament by) at the top of the ornament and adhere (I used hot glue) to the inside of the ornament.  Repeat the loop step for the bottom of the ornament except this time, make it just large enough to hang a bauble from (optional).
6. Now that the loops have been created and adhered,  close the ornament by gluing the last bottom half of the final ornament to the top half of the first ornament. 
7. Glue the topper down to the ornament.
8. Glue dew drops (liquid pearls, rhinestones, etc) to the center of the bottom curve of each ornament (optional)
9. Hang a bauble from the bottom of the ornament (optional).
10. Using misc. beads and jewelry findings, create and hang baubles from the middle curves (sections) of each ornament side (optional).
11. Hang your ornament!  =)

Snow Globe Ornament

I decided to try my hand again this year at making a Cricut version of a snow globe.  I used many of the same cuts, but changed up the colors and embellishments so I could enter it into a contest that Provo Craft is hosting.

Here's a view of the back.

And a close up of some of the embellishments.  The peppermint candy is from Santa's village as well.  I just printed out one of the patterned papers to get the image and then pop dotted them and added coarse glitter to the top layer.

Inside view from the front.

Inside view from the back.

Materials Used:

• Cricut Cartridge Sweet Tooth Boxes
• Imagine Cartridge Santa's Village
• Impact Clear binding covers
• DCWV glitter cardstock
• Ribbon from my stash (striped)
• Webster's Pages designer trim (green)
• Green and white twine
• Stickles in gold and iridescent
• Green rhinestones
• Brad
• Cotton pads
• Martha Stewart coarse glitter

CCR file: https://www.box.com/s/0l04io4ckivjljuhc746

Gypsy file: https://www.box.com/s/5jmu9qa7e6paq5fosege

Directions:
I used the ice cream cone cut (pg. 15) from Sweet Tooth boxes for my globe. I used the base (pg. 19 cut @ 11.5"), the top (pg. 16 cut @ 11.5") and the inside cupcake holder (pg.20 cut @ 11.5" relative x2). I cut the top using clear binding covers since I couldn't find acrylic or acetate sheets in stock at my local craft store. I found the binding covers at Office Max. Once I assembled the acetate top, I punched a hole on the top and ran a brad through it to keep the top together.  The base was cut from DCWV glitter cardstock. Once I assembled my base I added one of the inside bases (cupcake holders with the inside hole hidden using the hide/contour feature). After I did this, I cut my base a second time, this time hand trimming off the "legs", leaving 1/4" of the cut to be able to glue to the clear acetate and glue my vignette to. Once I assembled the globe, I found that this step was unnecessary to complete the globe. I will call this last step "optional" to use only if you want a second base to adhere your village to. If you don't use this step, you will simply adhere your village onto the first inside layer.

I used the Imagine cartridge Santa's Village to create my scene. I cut the 3D house on page 29 @ 4.0" x 2, Santa page 3 @ 1.5" x2, the sled page 21 @ .5" x2, and the Christmas tree page 24 at 2.0" x3. I flipped the 2nd cut of Santa, one of the trees, and the sled so the images can be seen at either side of the globe. The 3D house only has one cut with two sides, so I simply cut it out twice to complete the 3D effect. To assemble the Christmas tree, I folded each in half and the then adhered them together, starting with a regular image, then the flipped image, and back to a regular image. All the cuts were glued to cotton pads stretched out to make my snow which was taped to my second inside base (cupcake liner). I also hand trimmed down each side leaving about 1/4" on the legs to adhere it to the clear top.

The next step is to glue your clear acetate top to the base. I used hot glue for this step. Since I used the "optional step", I first hot glued my village to the base. Then I hot glued the top to base. 

The last step is to embellish away! I first added rhinestones to each scallop. Next, I added green trim around the base, just under the rhinestone scallops. I then used my striped ribbon tho tie a bow around the entire ornament. I also used green and white twine to tie a coordinating red button to the bow while creating a hanger for the ornament. I added my Merry Christmas saying from page 25 of Santa's Village cut @ 2.0" to the front and added a rhinestone to the "i". I also pop dotted the jack in the box from Santa's Village cut @ 1.0". The last embellishments I added were the peppermint candies I cut from a printed pattern from Santa's village. They were cut at .6" and each had two layers pop dotted together and covered in course glitter for dimension.

That's it! The ornament is ready to adorn the Christmas tree. I would love to see other's vignettes, so if you recreate, please share a link for all to see. =)

Exploring the Cricut Cartridge Children Around the World

I recently hosted a swap on the Cricut Circle message board to create each child on the Cricut Lite cartridge Children Around the World.  I love hosting character swaps because you really do receive such a creative array of them back.  Each crafter's interpretation of how to colorize and embellish the characters is truly a work of art. 



StarOklaCity



KimberlyMaehrer



RockinRenee



gonescrappin



cowgirl1hh



Memurz



couponlover



gonescrappin



Kroppin Kari



loves2Bscrappin



Zuri



cowgirl1hh



JenniferHawkins2



StarOklaCity



Caffinee



bleedingcricutgreen



Maile Lei



MX5Scrapper

ginapiazza



cricutaddicted



KimberlyMaehrer



KimberlyMaehrer

TiffysMom

JenniferHawkins2

dancinggarden

It's hard to see in the photos, but each creation has so much detail and texture.  Things like hats that are actually velvet, embossing, and 3D embellishments are just some of the details that make them unique and special. 

I have included links to each of the swapper's blogs.  I encourage you to pay them a visit to get additional detail in how some of the creations were made or perhaps to just see what other craftiness they are up to.  Thanks for visiting!