WHAT?! Cricut Newly Released THREE "The Nightmare Before Christmas" Digital Cartridges!

     I am so excited!  Our family LOVES Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas".   Cricut has partnered with Disney to release 3 TNBC digital cartridges!  Two of the cartridges include cut images and one cartridge is a print and cut cartridge.  Here is my first project from the TNBC Jack is Back cartridge.

     The project is a hanging wall plaque.  I used black and white vinyl on top of a porcelain hanging plaque.  I also used black seam binding and webbed ribbon to complete the look.

DIY Summer Reading Calendars

I must confess, I have been a naughty mom and haven't been having my children read every day this summer.  :0. To help get us back on track, I created reading calendars for them to reinforce daily activity.  

Cricut Explore File: https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/41970692

The calendars were created using Cricut cartridge Designer's Calendar.  I cut the base out of various cardstock.

I added the days to the calendar using the print and cut feature on sticker paper using my Cricut Explore.  You can have your little ones help with this portion of the project.  It's fun for them to place the stickers on in addition to reinforcing counting.

I flattened a book image and print and cut them on sticker paper as well.

  My children will place a sticker on each day that they complete their reading activity.

Ready.  Set.  Read!

Paper Succulent Terrarium and Cards

I recently redecorated my main living spaces and purchased a beautiful succulent centerpiece.  I love it so much that it inspired me to create a paper version and coordinating cards.

Materials Used:

• Cricut Cartridges Botanical Prints, Flower Shoppe, Bridal Shower
• Paper Doilies
• Vellum
• Cuttlebug embossing folder Wood Grain
• Donna Salazar Butcher Block & Blossoms cardstock
• Recollections Kraft cardstock paper
• Stampin' Up! Notebook punch
• My Pink Stamper stamps and Texas Chocolate Ink
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Crushed Olive and Worn lipstick
• Tattered Angels Viva Pink glimmer mist
• Stampin' Up! Whisper White craft ink
• Stampin' Up! Linen thread

All images were cut using my Cricut Explore and images from the Cricut Library.  The terrarium was created from a diamond box from the cartridge Bridal Shower.  I simply spliced in some triangles for the terrarium windows.  The real photo images of the various succulents are from the digital cartridge Botanical Prints.  My succulents were pieced together from flowers and petals from the cartridge Flower Shoppe. 

Mini Wooden Pallet Coasters

I wanted to make something creative that I though my hubby would actually use for Father's Day.   I came across this project on a blog and knew I had to make my version. =)

Each pallet has the D.O.B. of each of our children.

I used my Cricut Explore to make the pallet "markings".  The Cricut Explore can cut vinyl super tiny.  The marking are only .5" high!

I used Tim Holtz distress inks in several colors to add an aged/weathered look.   I also added mini nails for a more authentic look.  To seal the wood, I used a thin layer of Mod Podge so the distress ink colors wouldn't run once the glasses sweat.  You could also use real stain.  I chose the inks because I could create a variety of patterns/colors.

MATERIALS:

1.  Two (2) 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 36″ square dowels.
2.  Three (3) 1/2″ x 1/4″ x 36″ rectangular dowels.
3.  Adhesive of choice.  I used E600.  Other options would be wood glue or hot glue.
4.  Mini nails to embellish with.
5.   A type of saw.  If you the balsam dowels from Michael's, you can also cut it with an exacto knife.
6. Inks or stain of your choice.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Iced Spruce, Forest Moss & Antique Linen.
7. To personalize, you will also need black vinyl and a cutting machine.  You could also stamp your markings.
8. Mod Podge (light single layer) to prevent ink colors from running once the drink sweats.

The wood used was a light balsam (purchased from Michael's).  The cost of the wood was about $12.  I already had everything else.  You can also use popsicle sticks with the rounded edges cut off.  The project is super easy and super cute.  Making the coasters takes about an hour.  Add one more hour if you want to weather and embellish.  I hope you give it a try! =)

LIfe is Better with You...

I used Cricut Imagine cart Word of Mouth to create this shape card.  It could be used for Valentine's Day or even an anticipation note to a date night. =)

Design Space file:  https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/36105510

I pop dotted the printed heart to the card base after welding the base together.  I then pop dotted a few of the elements to give it some more dimension.  I though about adding a gem to the filigree, but decided to keep the look more of the chalkboard look/feel to it.

Valentine's Day Monogram Plaque

Good morning.  Today I have a plaque to share with you created using a ceramic heart as the base to the project.

Directions:

1.  I first sized a heart from Cricut Design Space's included shapes.  Once I was satisfied that the heart matched closely, I selected the subway Valentine's Day art from Cricut cartridge Word Collage.  I spliced the heart into the subway art and cut the negative piece from vinyl.  

2.  I placed the vinyl on the ceramic heart to create my stencil.  I used a DecoColor paint marker in liquid gold to color in the spaces (words) and removed the vinyl (no drying time needed).

3.  Next, I cut my and my husband's initials out of black vinyl and a "&" sign and heart in red and placed them on the ceramic heart. 

4.  My last step was to add the hanger using red twine and a bead spacer to hold the knot in place.  I embellished the hanger with red, gold and pink ribbon and my ceramic heart was ready to go.

Valentine's Day Dimensional Art

As I was perusing through the newest make it now projects in Cricut Design Space, I cam across the cutest dimensional framed art.  I don't have a lot of Valentine's Day decor, but what I do have is a lot of cardstock!  A winning combination to inspire me to create.  Here is the finished product:

So cute!  I added pop dots between several of the layers and liquid glass on the heart tree blossoms and flowers.  

How Do I Love Thee?

Looking for a way to tell your loved one how much you love them?  How about 9 ways?

This card is a perfect way to share the many ways you love someone in such a fun and creative way.  The mini hearts are loose so that you can write in the back of each.  The card is created using Cricut cartridge Crazy Cool Cards.

I Did It!

I did it!  I cleaned my craft room!  I am hoping that I will be enticed to create more since there is room AND I can find everything.  :)

Here is my happy Cricut home.  It houses my Cricut Explore and Cricut Expression 2.  I also found the perfect plastic organizers for my scraps.  I have always struggled with where/how to organize them, especially my 12x12 scraps.  I found these containers at Target for $4.99 each and they are 13.5" in length.  YAY!  I also created color coordinated labels for the outside of them using my Cricut Explore and Cricut sticker paper.  Here is the design file if you would like to recreate:
https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/35206035

This is my Cuttlebug/ribbon station.  I created the color coordinated ribbon boxes using this awesome SVG:  http://digiplayground.com/JW-14-ribbon-spools-box.html.  And here is my previous posts on how I created my ribbon mannequin:  http://icameisawicreated.blogspot.com/2015/09/mannequin-makeover-ribbon-organizer.html & http://icameisawicreated.blogspot.com/2015/09/anna-griffin-mannequin-makeover_15.html.

I used the same labels as my scraps to organize my 12x12 solid cardstock.

Here is my stamp collection and embellishment station.  You may notice the light purple craft room labels.  Again, I used my Cricut Explore to make unique and professional labels.  Here are my Design Space labels for them:  https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/35213878 & https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/35255564.

And last, but not least, here is a portion of my display station housing some of my favorite paper craft projects.  It's located on the top of my wall unit.  

Thank you for visiting my craft room.  I hope you found an idea or two to use in your craft space.  Happy crafting!