Obsessed with Artfully Sent

I am completely obsessed with making cards using the "Artfully Sent" Cricut Cartridge, only available through Close To My Heart. Maybe I could even say I am addicted to making cards with this cartridge.

I was a little daunted when I first purchased the cartridge and it's been sitting on my bookshelf for months. The whole issue of making a card using the Cricut, was just not something I've a lot of experience doing. I mean, I'm used to cutting things out to PUT on a card or cutting out letters or numbers to PUT on a card, but to use it to completely make a card seemed . . . well, hard to figure out.

So last week I sat down with my Cricut booklet and did a search on Pinterest (my other addiction) and I searched for cards made with Artfully Sent. Oh my goodness. So much talent! These first few cards are renditions of cards I found there and, unfortunately I did not write the names down of the original artist, but I did change some things around here and there and I did use different colors, except for the fox card. Stamp lifted that one, or should I say Cricut lifted that one?

I wasted a lot of white paper and figured out a lot of dimensional things and ways to fold the cards correctly and, in general, I was in experiment mode. Here are my first successful attempts: (I apologize for the strange shadowing on the cards, the upload squished them for me. So nice of you Yahoo!)

I plan on more experimenting (although I can really say now that it's more "playing" than experimenting) and I will post my endeavors here. I still have some things to learn, but basically that darn cartridge can make so many different cards I can't count them! And so easy too!

If you buy a cartridge from me, I'd be oh, so happy, to sit down with you and share my knowledge. Now I'm off, there's a cute princess card I want to make!

Cricut Creations You Can Make!

The Cricut machine sat for years  in my closet. In it's cute little leather bag I looked at it occasionally and thought about dragging it out, but really it seemed like a lot to do and I wasn't really sure what to do with it. And then Close To My Heart introduced the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge bonus bundle and I decided, "whoa there, this is the coolest thing since sliced bread!"

 I returned from the CTMH convention and proceeded to set up that green little Cricut critter on his own table and have been happily Cricut cutting ever since. Out of sight, out of mind I guess.

I thought I'd share a few things I've made in the last week or so. My favorite is the scrapbook page I made for my daughter's National Charity League album . . . it's SO beautiful!  
 

These pages were made with the Mayberry Level 2 paper and the Cricut cut the flower border and the fun 3D flowers.

Side view of the 3D flowers.

Then I made some cards which were amazingly fun!

This card was fun to make since it had the hand cut paper doily and the fun sunflower looking flowers.

This card not only includes the flowers cut with the Art Philosophy cricut, but I used one of the stamp set that came with it to stamp the "Thanks." It's just a beautiful card with the larger flowers bringing out the paper pattern (Mayberry again).

This card looks like a big postage stamp to me with it's fun, decorative edging, all cut on the Cricut. I also cut out the dragon flies, using the new Dreamin' Paper pack. I used the under layer with the decorative squares and the top part is the sold blue, Pacific cardstock. (Note: stamplifted from Jeanette's website.)

Have fun with your Cricut . . . but remember, don't tuck it away, bring it out, give him a home and USE him! :-)

Playing with new papers!!!

Today I decided to play with some new products from the brand new catalog. These are the rub ons that coordinate with the Wicked set, found on page 46 of the new catalog. They were super easy to apply and not only does it include Halloween themed rub ons, but also Thanksgiving and the borders could easily be used for just about any theme. I love multi use items!

So I made this card, using only the rub-ons, no stamping . . . and the papers from the Wicked set (don't you just love saying you used "Wicked" paper?) I also sanded the background paper and sponge a tad bit of Cocoa ink around the edges to make it look rather Fall like. I love how easy the card was to make and how fun the images came off the paper . . .

The Zip Strip from Dreamin'

Then I decided to make a daisy card, using the stamps from Thanksgiving stamp set C1426 on page 65 of the new catalog. The little sayings came from the "zip strip" from the top of the new background and texture paper. You will notice that our new paper not only is a heavier weight, but it also does not have the logo stamped on the useable piece of paper, it is on one side of a 1/4" strip at the top of the paper and the back side of this piece? Totally different little strip to be used for decorating whatever your heart desires.

I also decided to use some scraps I had left over from Convention make and takes to create these 3 little notecards. I love 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" little cards. Perfect for including with a gift or just writing a little something to a friend or favorite neighbor with those batch of cookies (hint, I love chocolate chip . . . )

Have a fun stamping day! And remember, if your fingers aren't inky when you're done, you didn't do it right!

Look what I stamped today!

I made these cute little 3x3 cards today with my new stamps and papers we received at Convention . . . It was SO much fun and now my fingers are inky and I am pretty sure there is a smudge on my nose too (I can just see it as I'm typing this . . . ) but it makes me happy so, that's okay. Maybe the pizza delivery guy won't notice. Oh wait, that's just Dave, my hubby.

I made these cards too . . . I love the blingie buttons (that's a real word) and the butterflies are beautiful and make me think of a Jason Mraz song.

Then I totally switched gears and made a Halloween card. I know, random, huh? But I couldn't let the cat be so boring so I added an opaque black button for her nose and red sparkles on her eyes. Spooky!

But wait, isn't Halloween not for another 2 months? Don't tell Target or Michael's that, they barely got the summer stuff out there for me to think about and bam, it's Christmas stuff. Huh? Anyway, Have a Wicked Christmas! LOL

Paper Flower Tutorial

I love making the paper flower rosettes that are on the new CTMH Art Philosophies cartridge . . . and my friend, Michele Pryor really has the best tutorial ever!  Michele's Flower Tutorials

Making flowers is SO much easier than growing them! Michele is an exceptional paper gardener as shown here with a card she made using her Cricut and the CTMH set that coordinates. Beautiful!

 This is the side angle of the Cherry O paper card . . . I love how Michele has the flower petals curled up a bit to give it more diminsion. Simply lovely! And no watering involved. Have fun with your paper garden!