Time To Start Thinking About Next Year

Yes, you read that right. I am already thinking about Christmas and the New Year ahead. No, I am not crazy.

This project is actually something that I made at the end of last year BUT it will carry me through 2010. If you start now you can have a two year calendar made and then not have to be bothered again for 2 years.

This calendar is a Jewel Box Calendar but I had a clear plastic box that CD-ROM's came in that I like better than the Jewel Box. Each calendar page has a small calendar on it but there is a hidden calendar under the first and both are held onto the page with brads.









Start thinking ahead and when you do a calendar do two years at the same time to save you time later (for other scrapping and crafting.)

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Crazy For Coupons

When I go to the store I have a list in one hand and coupons in the other. So often I find myself forgetting to use my coupons because I have tucked them in my purse and forget they are there. I am hoping that this project will help me to stop forgetting to use them.

I have created a list pad and coupon caddy all-in-one. The list pad is in the front to write down what I need and from where (I can have several lists going at the same time) and then behind the pad of paper are several hand-made envelopes to keep my coupons in.

Here is the project.

This is the front cover:



The list pad:



And then the envelopes for the coupons:











And to help you make one of these I've even made a video on how to make the envelopes:



I needed to organize so that I could save a little money when I was out shopping and I think that this project solved another problem.

Have fun today and organize and make something that will simplify your life or at least one chore in your life.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Another Month Of New Dies

QuicKutz just released a new set of dies. Some of them are wonderful and some of them I find myself saying "what were they thinking." I have to admit though I do love the toilet die because I am married to a plumber and it was perfect for his Father's Day card a few days ago.

So many times I look at the dies and see something else. That is the case with the Picket Fence Die. I love it just the way it is but when I looked at it I saw a railroad track. A second run through on the Revolution tool and a few snips with my scissors I turned that die cut into a train track.

Here is what it looked like when I was finished:

I have the Revolution Train on order so that I have a train big enough for the track.... I'll show you that when I get it put together.

Look at the dies for what they are and then take a second look to see if they can become something else... you get more miles out of your dies that way.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Making Cards Ahead Of Time

I find it is helpful to make up a few cards ahead of time that way when you need them you have them on hand and don't have to stop what you are doing to make just one. I also learned from a friend, Susan, from ScrapyLand that it is easier to make up a card while you are finishing up a scrapbook page or other project. She is right when she says "hey, you have the matching papers, ribbons, stamps, embellishments out anyway so use them."

I decided to clean up my scrap area and found little things that I had made for various projects like the tea bag and dahlia folding videos and then when I got my "Hello Kitty" Cricut cartridge I just had to make one kitty. So those things were just laying there begging to be used.

Here is what I threw together with the scraps on my table and the rosettes and kitty that I found laying there.

This first on is a tea bag folded rosette. The inside of the card is blank so that I can either add a sentiment later or just use it at a note card.




Then I did another one using the Dahlia rosette. It looks a little something I would use for a Christmas card or a Thank You note at the holiday time but I think that is just because of the colors. I don't know why we associate Christmas with red and green used together.



And finally today a card just to say hello. I love this Hello Kitty Cricut cartridge and I just had to have it but I have to say that the font cartridge that is also Hello Kitty I was not that impressed with (I just don't like the fonts that are one it so I resorted to using my SCAL and cut a TTF that I really liked called Marketing Script. It is a free download.)

This is the outside of the card:



And then on the inside of the card it simply says Hello:



So my challenge for you today is to clean off your scrapbook table but while you are doing that use the little things that you have laying there as you are cleaning. Make a few cards and have them on hand for that special gift or birthday.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Father's Day

I can't believe it is Father's Day already. I've been playing with several ideas but this is the one that ended up on a card.

I thought this was perfect because of an on-going joke at our house about "the throne" and the fact that my husband in a Licensed Journeyman Plumber (and QuicKutz just happens to have new dies available to support the thought.)

The entire card is made with die accented with a little ink and white gel pen. It was a fast and easy card and perfect for most men with a sense of humor.

The front of the card uses: QK Rev Castle, QK CC Yogurt Font, GC Princess (Crown,) QK Enjoy Gift Set (Sun,) and QK Flower Doo Dads.



The inside of the card uses: QK Chicken Soup Font, QK Arrows, QK Toilet.



All of those dies are available at SCRAPYLAND.COM.

Do a card that includes an inside joke between you and your family.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Tea Bag Folding Card and Video

I promised another folding technique and it is here today.

This is called Tea Bag Folding. It is done with papers, not cardstock, and it can be single sided paper. The pattern on the paper should be relatively small. Materials are in the video.

It is very easy to do (remember if I can do it anyone can do it.)

First here is the video:



And then here is a picture of the finished card:



I hope all of you will try this and keep in mind this is just one of many folding techniques that I found.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Bookmarks Using The Cricut

I love my Cricut Machine; however, I love it more when it does what I think it should.

So often when I use the Cricut to make a stock item with it, it just isn't what I imagined. So I experimented a little bit with the Cricut Design Studio and the Animal Kingdom Cartridge.

If I make the bookmarks just as they are there is no real detail and you have to imagine where lines would be and draw them in. If I make just the animal (without the bookmark feature) it is detailed so I can see where to shade and line. So I mixed the best of both features. Using the Design Studio I placed the bookmark with animals on my screen, then I added the animals without the bookmark, re-sized them so that they were the perfect overlay. Then I added the extra features so that the head and nose were overlays again.

And this is what I got!



I love the end result. These 4" bookmarks are on the way to a very special little boy in St. Charles, Missouri.

When you want something to look a certain way and want the details there is always a way to get there.

I hope that you won't give up using your Cricut and Cricut Design Studio. I am still learning how to use mine and I am not giving up. I have all of this money invested in it and I want to use it to it's fullest.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Must Have New Dies From QuicKutz

Are you hearing wedding bells or the song "Here Comes The Bride" this month?

Well if you are, you must check out the new QuicKutz Dies at ScrapyLand. Even if you are not having a wedding now there will be weddings in the future and these new die are a must have.

When I saw the Bride and Groom I started to drool. I had to have that one as well as the Wedding Rings.

I know that I will be using these dies over and over but for starters I made a card. These dies are the perfect size for a half-fold card.

I paired the news dies with some older release dies as well. The QuicKutz Accents and the Storybook Font were also perfect for this project. (I just needed a little something in the corners of the card and the Storybook Font screamed "happily ever after" to me.)

Then to pull this card all together and give it a little glitz as well I used Stickles on some of the pieces of the die cuts to make them glitter. I love Stickles!!!

The front of my card:



And then an open view of the inside of the card:



I used some mirrored gold cardstock for the rings (you can't really tell that in the photo of the card.) I, also, used a Parchment Pink Cardstock for the card because that is the color the wedding couple receiving this card are using in their wedding.

Please go check out Scrapyland.com for these must have May Release dies. They are fabulous.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda