Magic with Make The Cut

Well, I've been sick for about the last 30 hours or so.  And of course hubby went back to work today, so the kids were being very annoying, considering I really just wanted to sleep and they really just wanted to talk very loudly 2 inches from my face.  I have this trick I use when I get annoyed by the kids - I scrapbook pictures from when they were younger and sweeter!  So today I managed to finish a layout with these pictures from 2006, just after my oldest turned 5.  Back before she became a screamer who smarts off to me.  It helps to remember those days sometimes, lol.

 

I love the way this layout turned out, and thanks to the patterns in the Magic book and my handy Make The Cut software, getting the pieces cut was fabulously easy.  Magic is a pattern book for 2-page layouts from Close To My Heart.  My favorite part of this book is that there are tips & instructions for movable pages.  I opted not to use any on this page, but I can easily add some hidden journaling behind my focal point photo using the instructions in the book.  The partial circle and scalloped border are even included on a CD included with the book - every shaped piece in every pattern in the book are on the CD.  They come as PDF files to print that you can then cut, but I made it even easier on myself!  Using Make The Cut software for my Cricut Expression, I imported the PDF files for these two pieces into MTC and saved them on a single virtual mat (since they are cut from the same paper).  This literally took less than 5 minutes!  Plus, since I saved the file off, I can just pull it up next time I want to use this same design.  To import a PDF in MTC, just click on File > Import > Vector PDF File.  Then you choose your file and voila!  Some of the larger pieces need to be straightened once in MTC - this is because they were designed to be printed on 8.5x11 paper, so they're at an angle.

Now, on to the details of the supplies I used.  I took advantage of the special offers in the Inspirations brochure this month, and ordered the Wings Workshop Kit.  Once the kit is ordered, all of the stamp sets in the brochure can be ordered at a nice discount.  Plus, ordering any 4 items from the brochure in addition to the kit means the stamp of the month set is free!  So most items on this layout are from the new brochure.  In addition to the kit, I used the following items:

• Wings My Stickease Assortment (in brochure)
• Bohemian Alphabet stamp set (in brochure) 
• Find Your Style (stamp of the month) 
• Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White
• 3-D Foam Adhesive 
• Exclusive Inks in Juniper and Vineyard Berry  

 To see the areas where I used the foam tape, here are a couple of close-ups.  Just popping up an element here and there really adds to the design.

I'm linking up to the party at http://www.fabulouslyartsy.com/2011/01/inspirations-blog-hop.html  - If you want to see more Inspiring ideas from this month's special brochure, hop on over and check out some of the other entries as well!