Easy Enough For a Beginner - December SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to our monthly blog hop!  We have about 60 consultants participating again this month, so you're sure to find plenty of great ideas.  If you've arrived here from Kristie Herdener's Goofy Scrapper blog (or if you're just starting out), you're in the right place.  When you're done here, you'll hop along over to the talented Michelle Nist's blog.

You may still be thinking Christmas, but the craft world moves ahead, so this month's stamp set is all about love.  Of course, there are many opportunities besides Valentine's Day for love, so be sure to think of the possibilities for these 13 elegant stamps!  This month, I chose to create an elegant card that is simple enough for a beginner (and uses minimal supplies).  What a great way to get started with card making!

I apologize in advance for the photos - black cardstock may look beautiful in person, but is very difficult to photograph!

This is a simple gate-fold card.  Cut your black CS to 7" x 10", and score at 2.5" and 7.5" for your base.  I used only black stamping ink, and the clear stamps make it super easy to fit that "Love" sentiment right inside the heart shape.  I cut out my elements with a thin border around my stamped images.  This is actually much faster than you might think!  The green heart is attached to the berry heart, then the left side only of the berry heart is attached to the left front of the card.  Finally, I added the simple embellishments of the self adhesive pearls.

Inside the card, I added a simple 4" x 6" panel which I had stamped with some of the smaller stamps in the set.

Note: I used Vineyard Berry and New England Ivy for my colors, but if you need to save a little more money and buy only one combo pack, you can substitute Olive for the New England Ivy, or choose two colors for yourself from any one combo pack.

Supplies Used:

• Black Cardstock                      $9.50
• Autumn Garden CS Combo     $9.95
• Autumn Harvest CS Combo     $9.95
• Archival Black Stamp Pad        $5.95
• Opaques Pearl Adhesive Gems $2.95
• Micro Tip Scissors                    $9.95
• Tombow Mono Adhesive          $8.95

The subtotal for the above items is  $57.20, which saves you 50% off the stamp of the month!  And you'll have a great selection of versatile paper colors to use on other projects. If you're totally new to clear stamping, you'll also want at least a 4x4 block ($10.50).  Visit the Stamp of the Month page to see all of the stamp images, recommended stamping block sizes, and how to get your stamp at a great discount or even free.  Also, don't forget, any $20 purchase on my website this month gets you a free D-size stamp set of our choice (see my previous post for details).

Now, hop on over to Michelle Nist's blog!

Plenty for Twenty

Close To My Heart has an awesome deal for the month of December!

 PLACE AN ORDER OF $20 OR MORE* ON MY MyCTMH website from December 1 (9am MST) – 31, 2010, and we’ll reward you with a popular, retired D-size stamp set for FREE! Talk about getting more for your money - the free stamp set is valued at $22.95! We’re sure you’ll be thrilled with the set we pick out for you. We’re also giving you FREE shipping/handling and tax on your free stamp set. That’s a lot of Plenty for your Twenty!

*Excluding tax and shipping/handing. Qualifying purchases must include shippable products (Studio J® layout purchases excluded, Studio J memberships and 5-packs will count toward a qualifying order only if shippable items are also ordered). Limit one free stamp set per qualifying order.  Please be sure to wait until at least 9am MST on 12/1 to order!  There should be some kind of notice about the special on the main page of the website.  I don't want anyone to miss out because they order too early, lol.

There's no need to enter a code or add anything to your cart.  Your free stamp set will automatically be added to your order when it is shipped!

Cricut Circle Monthly Challenge - November

I am finally getting around to finishing my project for this month's challenge on the Cricut Circle blog.  This month's challenge is Home Sweet Home.  Here are the rules:

The theme for this month’s challenge is all about cozying up your home with Handmade Home Decor! Please create a home decor project. Project must be newly created for this challenge and should include the following elements to qualify:

• Use at least one Cricut Cartridge Cut
• Use the Cuttlebug in some way (embossing folder, Cuttlebug die, Quilling kit, etc.)
• Use Felt in some way
• Use the color GREEN somewhere on your project

This challenge is open to Cricut Circle Members only. 

I decided to get a little start on my Christmas decor, and I found the perfect starting image on my new Snow Angel Cricut Imagine Cartridge.  The mittens on page 8 of the handbook were just calling my name for this, so I started there.  I pulled out a 5x7 picture frame I got on clearance a while ago and got to work.  I took the glass out, since I knew I wanted to go 3-D.  Here is the finished product:

I cut my mittens image, layered, at 5 inches with a white border.  Using the Joys of the Season cartridge in my Imagine, I added the Merry Christmas to my mat at 3 inches.  Then I colored it in using the darker green from the Snow Angel color palette.  My final image was cut with my Expression using stiffened felt.  I chose the Holly image from the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge.  I cut a 5x7 mat from Close To My Heart textured cardstock in Sweet Leaf (discontinued, but smooth is still available).  Next I cut a 4x6 mat from Close To My Heart cardstock in Holiday red.  I embossed this mat with the Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots.  After embossing, I used my sanding block to reveal the white core of the cardstock.

I adhered my mats together, then inserted them in the frame.  I assembled my mittens, using foam adhesive tape and adhered them to the mats.  I tied some hemp twine in a bow and attached it to the frame with a mini Glue Dot.  I cut the strings to the proper length, then attached those under the mittens with mini Glue Dots.  I glued my red felt to my green felt using Liquid Glass, then attached it to the frame with a Glue Dot.  Lastly, I adhered my phrase to the frame using Liquid Glass and propped up the end of "Merry" with some foam adhesive tape.

Now to find the perfect spot for this little gem!  The colors actually match my kitchen almost perfectly, so it will probably go there...

Blog Candy Winner from Imagine Blog Hop

Well, I hope I haven't kept everyone in suspense for too long! My weekend has been full of shopping, eating, relaxing, and today, working. But for one lucky winner, the wait was worthwhile. Thanks to the folks at www.random.org our winner is #30.  Creative Patti said, "I love these, wish I had a small baby!! LOL!!"

Now, off to email Patti, then I'll be back with another fun Cricut Imagine project post!

Cricut Imagine Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Cricut Imagine blog hop!  We have 11 bloggers ready to share our ideas with you for using your Cricut Imagine (or to entice you into buying one).  You can start at any blog in the hop, then visit each one until you complete the circle and wind up back where you started.  If you get lost at any time, I have a list at the bottom of this post with all of the participants.  Several of us are offering blog candy giveaways, so make sure you enter each one separately.

So, if you're starting here, or coming from Mandie's blog, you're on the right track!  And when you're done here, you'll move along to Robin's blog and see what ideas she has for us.  Now, on to my Imagine creations:

On Friday, I teased my regular readers with a couple of hints.  I told you that I wasn't using any paper and that I was using the Nursery Tails cartridge.  So, are you ready to see what I made??  Here it is...

As soon as I got this cartridge in the mail last week, I thought of a girl from work expecting a little boy on January 1st.  (I really wanted long-sleeved onesies, but of course they were sold out, so I settled for short-sleeved.)  For the onesies, I chose some of my favorite images on the cartridge.  I sized them at 4.5", flipped the images, and printed/cut them from HP iron-on sheets then ironed them on following the directions.

My other project was that cute bib - I have some printable fabric in my stash so I pulled out a sheet.  I determined the size I wanted by measuring a similar bib in a store.  I printed & cut just the patterned layer of the bib image on page 14 of the handbook directly on this fabric.  I then layered it on some terry cloth and bound the edges with some 1/4" double-fold bias tape.  Here's a great TIP for any unusual Imagine project you're thinking of making: if a product says it's for inkjet printers, it can be printed on with your Imagine.  This is especially important for items that are generally non-porous, such as magnetic sheets, shrink plastic, and transparencies.

I am just loving all of the possibilities for creating with the Imagine.  I have so many ideas, just because of all of the great printable items available in the marketplace!  One of my favorite places to buy printables is over at PrintOnIt.com - my next order will include the printable magnet sheets for sure.  I'm also planning to buy some Cut, Color, & Wear to test out; they tell me they are pretty sure it is printable with the Imagine because it uses HP inks, but I want to test it to be sure before I start recommending it!

Before you leave, be sure you enter to win my blog candy giveaway!  I'm giving away a beautiful Level 1 "Olivia" scrapbook kit from Close To My Heart plus 25 sheets of CTMH smooth white cardstock, great for use in your Imagine!  Enter to win by just leaving a comment here on this post.  Deadline to enter is Friday, November 26, 2010.  Sorry, due to postage costs, only US residents (or APO/FPO) are eligible to win.

Now that you're done here, hop on over to Robin's blog and see what ideas she has for us today.  It will open in a new tab or window, so if you get lost along the way just pop back over here and check this list of participants:

• Lori Brown
• Robin Jones
• Tina at The Crippled Cricut
• Linda Panattoni
• Angela Urell
• Tisha Grindley
• Telina's Paper Mania
• Mindy Rapp
• Sarah Haddock
• Jeannie Horton
• Mandie Wade

November Will Be Over Soon...

and so will Close To My Heart's month of Gratitude.  Visit my website before the end of the month to take advantage of this offer!  It's a great time to grab some supplies to make your holiday cards, or some presents for that crafty someone on your gift list.

DURING NOVEMBER WE’RE EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE TO YOU BY helping you earn two fabulous My Acrylix® stamp sets for FREE! When you place a minimum order of $100, you will not only receive the November Stamp of the Month set, A Little Thanks, for FREE, you will also receive one stamp set of your choosing from the 2010 Autumn/Winter Idea Book for FREE*! This means you can increase the value of your purchase by up to $45.90—that’s almost 50 percent more in value! It’s just our way of imparting A Little MORE Thanks to you for being a great customer.

*Free stamp sets include A-D size sets. Stamps that are not available as the free set include Workshops
on the Go,™ Stamp of the Month retail, E-size, and customizable K-size. Tax and shipping/handling may apply. Offer good November 1–30, 2010.

I'm so excited!

I've been creating some fun things for our first Cricut Imagine blog hop, and I am getting SO excited!  I had a great idea for a project, just in time for a sweet little gift for a special someone.  My only hint as to what's coming?  I'm not using paper, and I'm using the Nursery Tails cartridge.

So, if you want to see what I'm making, along with what several others are making with their Imagines, come back Monday night/Tuesday morning after midnight and check us out!  There will be lots of ideas, and several blog candy giveaways on the hop.

Frugal Seasonal Decor

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.  I'm currently creating for two different Design Team auditions, and of course I can't share anything I'm making!  But I do have a "saving" post today.  So, I hate to spend a lot of money on seasonal items that are only up for a few weeks every year.  Last week, I was in Michael's and they have all of their Fall floral at 80% off.  Perfect!

I grabbed a floral garland marked $9.99, so only $2 for me.  However, I hate how sparse those garlands always are, so I went and found two leaf bushes in different sizes.  They were marked $6.99 each, so another $2.80 for me!  At home, I cut apart the leaf bushes, then used floral tape to add the leaves in along the length of the garland.  Voila!  Fall decor for my stair rail for less than $6. 

Quick Update

I didn't get a chance to post earlier today, but I do have a post on the Cutters Creek blog today.  Go check it out for some easy & pretty cards!

Just under the wire - Cricut Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #4

Our requirements this week were a layout, card, or altered item with a birthday theme and buttons, and at least two Cricut Cuts.  My numbers and sentiment are from Celebrations, and the circle from George.  I chose to make a card because, basically, I waited until the absolute last minute to do this challenge.