A New Toy!

After a lot of deliberation, I decided to get one of the new(ish) Cricut Explore electronic cutting machines. Well, it arrived today, even before I was out of bed!

Here it is:

The machine is very simple to look at and when you actually get to use it, it is also relatively simple to operate. Because you have to use it with the computer and the web-based Cricut Design Space, you do need to have it where the computer is, but I am so used to using my cutting machines with the computer, that is not an issue for me. With the machine, came a year's subscription to the on-line images - about 25,000 of them, so you can imagine the fun I have had this morning looking at all the images and having a play!

The best thing about the machine (that I have found so far anyway) is the print then cut feature on the machine. It is so easy to import an image (I used png files as they have a transparent background), print it to the colour printer then cut it out. The calibration was so much simpler than the Black Cat Cougar and the cut images were the best I have ever done (even with the BC!).

I used clip art images from the Garden Gals#1 set from The Printable Craft Shop to try out the print then cut function.

When you print the images, they come out with a thick black line around the image.

When the Cricut cuts the images, it cuts around the thin black line just on the edge of the image. It even cut out the little bits like the spaces between the legs. The cut quality was terrific - no tears or jagged edges.


Very pleased with my purchase!

Foto Folios 2

Recently, Kathy Files ( Paper Phenomenon) and Kathryn Krieger (Kathryn Scraps) had a special deal for design and making instructions for two sets of folios. I was most impressed with the styles they have produced for these folios and have made several since I bought the design instructions.





The folio in this post is one I made for a family member as a Christmas gift. It is the Recipe folio from Kathy Files.













It has an easel stand for putting recipe cards into so you can see the recipe easily. The pockets contain little folders with recipe cards for writing down favourite recipes.













Originally, I included four sets of fold out pockets, but the folio would not close well with all the folders and cards in the pockets, so I removed two of the pocket sets. There are still 20 pockets with folders and cards in the folio.





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Long Time!

It has been a very long time since I posted anything here, so as I had made a few cards at the weekend, I decided I should post them to show I have been doing something!

 This is a design I made using an article from a recent Craft Stamper magazine. I realised I had the stamp set used so gave the technique a try. It is a masking technique and worked out really well. I take no credit for the design whatsoever!

It does look lovely though!

 This is a card made using some background paper from my stash, which I have decided that I need to start using up. I have so much paper for scrapbooking and card making that it is really time to use it all. I do love keeping it to look at though! The stamp is from a Kaisercraft set.

Again, another card using background paper from my stash. These papers are so nice, they need very little further embellishment.

The technique used in this card is also from a Craft Stamper recent edition. I used distress paints  and sponge to swipe the paint across the card, then embellished it with a stamped image from the CS magazine. The words are another freebie stamp set from an Australian card making magazine.



Enjoy!

Clock

Recently, I bought some files from SVG Cuts including the set Maison de Madelaine. One of the files in the set was for this clock.




I cut the files on my trusty Cricut expression machine using a 6x6" paper pad (Almanac Collection by Prima) for the clock face and other pieces. The cogs were cut from lightweight chipboard and I layered several layers to make them reasonably stable and to stop them from bending. I used vintage photo distress embossing powder on the cogs to give them a slightly rusted look.

I used a clock movement I bought from Spotlight to complete the clock. It now rests very nicely on the wall in our dining room!

If you want to check out the wonderful cutting files and sets from SVG Cuts, please use the direct link on the top right hand side of my blog.



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Photo Album for Mum's Birthday

My mother celebrated her 89th birthday at the weekend and to help her celebrate many years, I made her an album of photos from different periods in her life. The album design was from Anne over at http://www.annespapercreations.com/2014/04/tutorial-how-to-make-wallet-photo-mat_30.html - another of her unique designs.

I found the design to be easy to make and decorate, but found that I had to reduce the size of the pictures so they would fit onto the mats. Also, the folded mats for the narrow pockets - when they had photos attached, they were a tight fit in the slots. However, the end result was pleasing and Mum liked it a lot!

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More Craft Stamper Inspiration

Over the last few days I have been making a few cards, many of which have been inspired by articles in recent Craft Stamper magazines.

Both of these cards are based on a sample of a man's card. I used mesh tape (from the local hardware store) for the centre part of the cards. I covered it with embossing ink then heat embossed it with silver embossing powder. The backgrounds were embossed using a Cuttlebug folder. The cogs were cut from dark silver/grey metallic card. The base cards used were both white.






The next card was a nice CAS card using distress inks to create a rectangular background then stamped with contrasting colours of Memento inks. The same inks were used to highlight the edges of the background area. The leaf stamps were from Gina K and Tanda.



The final card is one for which I used the cover stamp from the latest magazine. I just love Rennie-Mackintosh style designs and was very pleased to get this stamp! I used the stamp with London Fog Memento ink to stamp the background images and coloured the focal image with distress inks.



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Location:Christchurch, New Zealand

A Different Fold

Recently I found a You Tube video demonstrating a double fold card that looked really nice so tried the technique out after playing with the measurements to suit the size of cards that i usually make.





For this card, I used a wine coloured base card and used an edge punch to shape the sides. I cut the label shapes from the wine card and a contrasting card and stamped with Memento Rhubarb ink. The labels were attached to the belly band around the centre of the card. This comes off to open the cards.





I used an edge die to shape the sides of this card and embossed it using white chalk ink. The flower was hand made using paper punched with a large flower punch. The ribbon is threaded through the sides of the die cut part of the card and tied into a bow.

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