It's Crafting By Designs Blog Hop Time!

Welcome to the first of what I hope is many Crafting By Designs Blog Hop!  If you came here from Tammy's Blog, you are on the right track.  Our theme is "Wings and Blooms."  A great theme just in time for spring!

I did two projects for you to enjoy today...the first is a treat box made with my Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  I paper from the Roxie paper packet along with Black and Colonial White Card Stock.  I love the butterfly.  His lacy wings are cut using the cartridge layer function and I sponged the body with Smoothie ink.  BTW, one of the fun things about the CTMH paper packets is that they include a strip at the top that can be cut off and added to a project.  See the strip along the bottom of the treat box?

My next project is an 8 x 3 1/2 inch card.  I like doing these cards because they are a little "different" and fit perfectly into a business envelope.  This card uses pattern paper from the Lucy paper packet and the images are from the A Garden stamp set.  If you attend my monthly workshop, this is one of the cards that we will be making!

Crafting By Designs is a great paper crafting website that encourages creativity and friendships.  There are numerous challenges and lots of tips and techniques.  Feel free to hop on over to the site and enter your Wings and Blooms creation in the Challenge section.  Also, I have another treat for you!  If you leave a comment here (along with your email addy) or on any of the participants, you will be eligible to receive a goodie bag.  The winner will be selected from the comments placed on all the participants blogs on Tuesday March 20th.

It's time to hop on to the next blog.  Head off to Julia's Blog and check out her great creations.  Should you get lost along the hopping trail head back to our fearless leader Doris' Blog to get back on track.  Thanks for visiting and For Now, Happy Crafting!

CTMH Magic

I remain very very busy creating!  I wanted to share a scrapbook layout that I've wanted to create for a long time.  The gals pictured are members of one of my monthly workshops and I plan to proudly display it at my studio.    The layout is from CTMH Magic.  Magic is the latest of the "how to" books.  The book contacts wonderful interactive layouts and helps you add dimension and fun to your artwork.  Sadly, we have learned that this is the last Idea Book that these great books will be available.

The layout features the Roxie paper packet along with several fun techniques and embellishments.  I used my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge to make those great flowers along with the letters and the covering for the chipboard banner.  I heat embossed the the flourishes in Cranberry powder and ink distressed over the embossing to make it stand out.  This ink resist technique is a really simple and fun way to add depth to your projects.  Remember I said that Magic contained interactive elements?  Look on the first page of the spread...you don't see it do you?  Now look....  :o)

Magic comes with a DVD for you to print out the templates to make these fun elements.  In this case, the picture slides up just like an easel card to reveal hidden journaling.

This is a close up of some of the ink resist I completed in the lower corner.  You can see how the embossing and the ink really add to the page.  Also pictured are 3 samples of the flowers that you can make with the Art Philosophy cartridge.  Those great bling buttons and pins are from an embellishment packet called "Bling Buttons."

There are six great "How to" books that will be going away in August.  I can't stress how these books have really helped me elevate my artwork.  Contact me if you would like to order one or visit my website.  I had a great deal of fun creating this page.  If you've ever attended one of my workshops, look closely...you may be pictured.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

The Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge Makes Creating So Easy!

I'm having so much fun with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge!  Trendy and sophisticated scrapbook layouts are made easy by using this new tool!

This is my take on one of the layouts featured in the new Fall/Winter CTMH Idea Book.  It features Roxie B/T Duos and one of the new embellishment packs...Bling Assortment.  Roxie is a great combination of Smoothie, Desert Sand, Tulip and Black.  The Bling Assortment is package of terrific crystal buttons and crystal and pearl stick pins.  And those 3D Roses?  Why cut with my Art Philosophy cartridge, of course! 
Making the 3D Roses is easy with the cartridge.  The first thing I tell everyone is NOT to lose the book that comes with every cartridge.  That is your guide for ever available image on the cartridge.  These roses are cut by setting the Cricut on the Font key.  Hit shift and then tell the machine that you want to cut "banner 6."  A spiral shape will be cut.  If you wish, you can ink the edges (like I did in this case) and then just roll the spiral inward.  I hold the rolled shape together with Liquid Glass and you have created a paper rose! 

I've found that I'm creating all kinds of new and wonderful things with the Art Philosophy Cartridge.  If you would like to get one for yourself, visit my website or email me with any questions.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

CTMH Cricut Cartridge

Well, it is official.  Today is the release date of the new Close To My Heart Idea Book.  And, all I can say is wow!  There are so many exciting things in the new book....8 new paper packets, reduced prices on stamp sets and most importantly, CTMH has partnered with Provo Craft and we now have a Cricut Cartridge!  I posted a sample card yesterday but wait until you see what I've done today!

There have been a pile of questions about what size Cricut you need.  While I agree, to maximize the new cartridge called "Art Philosophy" an Expression is best, look what I completed today with my "Baby Bug!"

This card features one of the new paper packets called "Sonoma."  The card is a standard A2 size card in Bamboo.  The pattern paper is from Sonoma.  The focal sentiment image and frame have been cut with the new Cricut Cartride, the flourish has been cut with the Cartridge, the 3D flowers have been cut with the Cartridge along with the frame and oval that I stamped with the matching stamp set called "Sweet Moments."  Wow....I love it!

This fun treat bag was cut using the Cricut.  It is done in Holiday Red.  The pattern paper (scallops cut on the Cricut)  is from a new paper packets called "Believe."  Take a close look....that is a ribbon slide, cut on the cricut along with the star attached to the new pin embellishment.  One of the great things that sets this Cricut Cartridge apart from any other I have ever seen is the MATCHING stamp sets!  Cut the image out and stamp it!

So "Let The Party" begin!  This card base is cut using the card function on the cartridge.  The mats (using a new pack called Roxie) were also cut using the cartridge.  Check out that cut cupcake....yup, cut on the Cricut and stamped with one of the images included on one of the 3 "D" sized stamp sets included in the Cricut Bundle.  I just LOVE the bundle...I know that I am yelling and excited, but I can't help myself.  This is a terrific cartridge....I have had my Cricut since the beginning and this is the best cartridge I have ever seen!

Every project I have posted has been completed with a "Baby Cricut."  Don't fret if you don't own one of the larger machines.  While you won't be able to do everything, these are some of the few projects you can complete.  Don't hesitate....Expressions or Personal Cricut, there are plenty of projects to complete!  For Now, Happy Crafting!