Cricut Holiday Organizer

I started my Christmas shopping this weekend and I am determined to be better organized for this holiday season. So I thought if I could keep all my lists and receipts in one place that would be a good start. This is a little organizer, just 2 pockets - one for my lists (to buy), and one for my receipts. It is done with George and DS, it uses one sheet of 12 x 12 plus whatever to decorate. The little pad I picked up at the local copy place (10 pads for $1) but you could easily just cut paper and staple/use brads. I used a velcro dot to close, and scored the flap twice (1/8inch apart) so that when its full of reciepts, it will still close nice. I'm making these to hand out on Thanksgiving so everyone has one for the day after shopping. I've got 5 done and I'm hoping to do 5 more today, we'll see...

If you would like to make one, file is below (second file is just welded words I used on the covers). When it cuts it will be cutting it as open, so if using patterned paper, but sure to put the outside pattern on the mat. I recommend using the red super sticky strips for the sides of the pockets to be sure they stay stuck...don't want to loose those receipts. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy shopping!

Welded words:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/0omzmrzzagn/weldedchristmaswords.cut

For folder file, please see revised post on 11-4-09

Hot Cocoa Challenge

This weeks SCS ways to use it challenge was to include chocolate, great time to break out this stamp set I've have for over a year (and never used). Its so cute, I don't know whats taken me so long! I happen to pick up some of the gourmet packets of cocoa this past week so I thought I'd bundle them for little gift boxes. I made the box with George and DS, it was my teabox file, I just added two new sizes, one for this size cocoa and one for the regular packets. Thanks for looking!

Update for 11-14-11,  Thank you to Debbie (www.scootingrannysworld.blogspot.com) for resending the file so I could repost it!  Be sure to go check her blog for her amazing sample using the file HERE
Download the cut file below:
Design Studio Cut file of Cocoa box

Size-able Christmas Tags

I love the tag funcion that many of the carts have except that they are always negative space. Great if your writting on the tag, but for embellishing I prefer a postive space tag. With the latest update of DS you can weld inside an outlined shape, so I thought I'd make some postive space Christmas tags using George. I'll be using the reindeer one for my other projects-thats what got me started on this little mission, but just for today I thought I'd just play around and see which of the Christmas items can fit into the tag and be size-able. I'm sure there are others but these are the ones I found worked well that I would use in the immediate future: Stocking, light, and reindeer from Christmas Cheer and the tree (Joys of the season). Visit again soon too see how I use that reindeer tag :)

Size-able Christmas Tag .cut

Pumkin Patch

Here is a scrappage from my boys' first school field trip to the pumpkin patch. The layout was featured in this months Digital Scrapbooking and the elements are from ShabbyPrincess (the free Harvest Spice kit). Thanks for looking!

TLC195 Triangle Fold Medallion

I love to teabag folding on cards but I don't do it very often, kind of one of those things you forget about when you have a million other projects running around in your head. Todays technique challenge was a teabag fold I am fond of (because its an easy one:) so I of course had to play along. I also had to use my two new punches from MS - border arches and branch. Here is the card I came up with:

If you'd like directions on making the medallion, they can be found on Splitcoast HERE

Now I have to post this photo of my son taken yesterday, it is sure to makes it way into a scrap page very soon. This was on one of our geochase hunts yesterday. Isn't he cute? And he has an identical twin brother, two heathy beautiful little boys, how on earth did I ever get so lucky?

Gingerbread House Ornament for Cricut DS

After several days of playing with the design, here is what I have come up with:

I made it with George and Design studio software. It stands about 2.5 inches tall and 1.5 inches wide. It is hollow inside, perfect for some cinnamon stuff- yum! The candy cane and candy are cut at 1 inch on Christmas cheer. I used white puffy paint for frosting, and green puffy paint for gum drops, both of which I covered in dazzling diamonds - I'll cover anything in DD I possibly can

To make yours, use cricut to cut pattern (Due to many requests I am reposting this file. You are welcome to use it for personal use, but it was a design I spent a lot of time on, please do not redistribute or claim it as your own)

I used craft paper, then sponged on some chocolate chip and really rust ink, the sponging made it look more gingerbread-y

Score house at 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 inches

Fold tabs and clue in place-this will be obvious one you've cut the pattern.

You will now have a box "bottom" which you can fill with some spices if you like :)

Fold roof in half and insert a knotted ribbon loop through center hole. I also scored along the scallops so they would point down (see photo)-but you could just bend them or leave them, up to you! Decorate roof with white puffy paint and glitter, hang to dry. When dry attach to top tabs on house.

Decorate your house, there is a door on the file, but I ended up just using puffy paints, candy canes (Christmas Cheer, cut at 1 inch) and candies (Christmas Cheer, cut at 1 1/2 inches). I also printed out a date with 11pt font. I tried writing it on and just managed to ruin a house, so unless you have really good penmanship and a steady hand, I'd recommend NOT writing it directly on the house.

Enjoy!

2009 Matchbook Calenders - UPDATED CALENDER

Need a small gift to mail in a card or stuff a stocking? How about a matchbook calender? They are great for purses or in the car. To make yours:

1: Create a calender in word using the tables OR print the calender I've attached (you may download for personal use, but please do not redistribute the file)and cut along the light gray lines.

2: Clip calender together and apply a think bead of Modgepodge along the top - this will allow you to peal off each month-it will take about 15 minutes to dry. OR you can staple, sew, use brads - whatever suits your fancy.

3: Make your cover:

Cut a piece of paper 6 x 3 inches - double sided designer paper works great

Fold bottom up at 1/2 inch. Adhere with glue or staples, but be sure no more that 1/4 inch is tacked down-small glue dots or tombo run right on the score work perfect.

Fold top down so that it just goes into the bottom lip - now you have a matchbook

Decorate the top with stickers, stamps, or die cuts

4: Insert your calender with a strong adhesive

Make lots, everyone will want one!

NOTE: the first calender had a typo, if you'v downloaded, delete and take a new one:

Revised Calender

Teddy Bear Santa Card - Paper Dolls

Yesterday on the Cricut board someone asked for a fake tear bear to use with paper dolls. I had done one long ago so I sent it off to her, then decided to play with it a bit. I haven't done any of these for a while as my boys are getting older and their scrap pages have gone away from the "cute" and more little boy. I miss making them though, so I thought I would make one and put it on a card. I forgot how much fun they are. I use Peachy Keen Stamps for faces and a little bit of a cotton ball glued on with Aleenes for fluff. Outfit is from paper dolls and candy cane is from Christmas cheer. Isn't he cute ?!!!

For cutting bears to dress in Paper Dolls clothes I use a DS cut file PaperScissorsInkBEAR

For sitting bears, assemble clothes, layer over bear, then tuck in paws. For standing bear layer head, clothes and tuck in paws and feet. I have left hands and feet separate because sometimes I like them to be holding things, or standing a particular way, just makes it easier for personalizing. It also makes it easier if you want to use the shoes or gloves from the paper dolls cart. When making clothes and accessories, cut between 3 and 5 - the bear does not have the same proportions as the doll (doll is tall and skinny, nobody likes a tall skinny bear). I find that hats fit him nicely on 3, Pants cut at 5 and shirts vary from 4 to 5 depending on the flair. For

Santa I cut the top at 4 and the pants at 5, beard 4, hat 3. Shoes I think do best at at 5, although I personally think they look best with feet instead. I make little pencil notes in my book to remember, you might want to keep a cheat sheet for your personal size preferences.

For more tear bear instruction, please see my 2 earlier posts:

http://www.paperscissorsinc.com/2008/03/cricut-paper-dolls-sailor-bear-tear.html

http://www.paperscissorsinc.com/2008/03/cricut-paper-dolls-tear-bear-scrappage.html

Poinsettia Card : SVG for Scal

Finally, I think I might be getting the hang (a little) of this SCAL thing. Today I watched a great tutorial video on Dan's blog: dan99.blogspot.com/ and then gave it a try doing a poinsettia. I did three layers, all cut from white. I painted them with Twinkling H2O's which makes it all sparkly, plus the water made the paper curl a bit for added effect. The edges of each leaf were sponged with black and I used pencle to draw some quick veins. I used glue dots with micro beads in the center. Wanna try? I'm attaching my svg file below, enjoy!

PSI_Poinsettia.svg

Paper Napkin Transfer Card

One of the Splitcoast challenges last week was to do a napkin card and I couldn't resist with all the pretty holiday napkins out right now. If you haven't tried this technique - well , you really should! The napkins almost have a fabric look when they are ironed on and the bright colors are great - not to mention that one pack of napkins can do about 40 cards (great for sharing with a friend!) . You can do it with waxed paper or plastic wrap - I find the plastic wrap to work better, and instead of using paper under, I use a towel, peals off better. There is a tutorial for using the plastic wrap on pennywisearts.com : http://www.pennywisearts.com/beadednapkincards.html

The tag I made with SCAL, cardstock is Stampin Up and stamps are Inkadinkado.