Second Project using Cricut Explore

Hello Krazies!

Today I got to play with the Explore for a bit.  Of course first I HAD to straighten up my craft area and that took a coons age.

I wanted to do a few Vinyl projects but decided to try another 'free' project.  Once I get the hang of this, I'll start doing cricut cartridge projects again except I'll use the explore.  Fun Stuff.

I have my back procedure tomorrow, if all goes well I'll play a lil more the next day or two and of course post my results/findings/failures.  You know, if it has more than one step, glue, glitter or ink, I WILL screw it up.  But every once in a blue moon, I'll get it right LOL.

I went to the project library and chose a cute Thank you card.  "Floral Thank you Card"  it has a lot of teeny cuts and uses the pen as well so I wanted to see it all come together.

You use the mat twice, once for the bottom layer (just a mat) and the 2nd for the fun cutting and writing.  As you can see, I had trouble getting it off the mat.  I think my card stock was thinner than normal (just grabbed from my scrap pile). I'm thinking had I chosen "Light Cardstock" and used my spatula, I would have had much better luck.  So of course I cleaned it all up and tried again.

This time I did choose the thinner card stock and everything worked out as you can see above.  The darker cardstock is the 'mat' which really helps the detail in the cuts pop.  All in all not bad, but I did have a few issues to figure out.

1.  You are supposed to have a score tool - I have one, but it's for the Expression and I could't figure out how to get the marker holder that was preinstalled to come out.  So I skipped it.  In doing so, I completely forgot to load the pen, so the "Thank you" you see is actually a stamp from Jaded Blossom.  The ink is Stampin up.

2.  Glue was an issue. Or perhaps I'm rusty as all get out.  I tried a zig glue pen and a stampin up glue pen. If you look closely you can see parts that aren't that great.  Also by the time I got thru the vines and leaves, the other side was drying.  Boo.

I printed off a great list of markers that can be used in the Explore from www.withglitteringeyes.com I'm hoping to find some on Amazon to play with.  Of course I have tons of Zig markers and Fiskars Gel pens.  I can't get those to work.

See you next time!





Hugs and Happiness!

A project or two, some playing and some blog candy!

Hey Krazies!

Happy Happy New Year!  I hope you had an awesome holiday, I sure did! I got to see my girls (one flew in from CA, the other drove in from GA) and I got to spend time with family. I love Christmas shopping and Christmas day comes and goes way too fast!

I got 11 carts between my husband and sister - all lites that I've been wanting. I also got a Kindle and can I just say I'm head over heals in love with this thing?  I can't put it down!


So I'm off to do a few errands, hubby is catching up on Mt. Laundry and when I get home I need to straighten my craft area (which was the present wrapping station for the last month) and put away Christmas stuffs and then I'm going to play!  I'm hoping to pull off a project or two, do some playing and share what I come up with and announce a blog giveaway! 

Let me know what you are working on and how Santa treated you.

Love, hugs and chirps!

Lets all do the Back to School HOP!!!!!!

Hey Hoppers!  I hope you are here for the Back to School Hop hosted by Pink Cricut!  Lots of fun things for you to do and projects to look at and oh yeah, lots of prizes!

Kricut Krazy is giving away a brand new Cindy Loo cartridge Courtesy of Scrappy Sales  She has great prices and excellent customer service - most people have their orders within 2-3 days - no kidding!  Show her some love by checking her out - she has some great sales.

Memory Miser has donated Happy Hauntings for the Blog Hop - in order to win this, you must leave a comment on every single blog in the hop. Then Sarah (Pink Cricut) will draw the lucky winner for that after compiling all the comments from all the blogs.

In order to win the Cartridge from me, you have to be a follower and leave a message on THIS post.  I will draw a winner on Monday around 3pm EST.  That way folks who are working have a chance to win too :)

Back to School Project

This was kinda fun.  Super quick and easy.

Composition Notebook found at Walmart for 25 cents.
peel back the black binding paper.  Keep it on the spine, just peel it back.  Cut your paper (2 pieces) to fit the composition book - mine was 9.75 by 7 something (sorry)  I sprayed glue on the front of the book and on the exposed black binder tape/paper thingy.  I rounded the 2 corners on the paper and lined it up then pressed it with my cricut scrapper.

Letters and mushroom were from Cindy Loo.

I took two different strips of paisley ribbon and made the bookmark and the closing thing with velcro - picture two will show you those.    Also, I put the same paper on the back repeating the steps above.

the orange paisley ribbon is glued all the way around except for about 1/2 inch where I put the velcro  The bookmark (green paisely) is glued to the back cover (spray glue) and then flipped so you can see it at the bottom of the book - it can be flipped over any number of pages  This view shows the velcro open and the bookmark over the top of the book.  I hope you like it :)

There will be 2 winners at the end of the hop.  Winner 1 will receive the Cindy Loo cartridge and winner 2 will receive this composition book (with their name on it, not mine LOL)

RULES RULES RULES - Your message will NOT be counted if it is posted before the official start time of the blog hop and you have to start at www.pinkcricut.com then follow the links provided.

That's it ;)  Here is where you go

Sarah at Pink Cricut 

Amanda at AMKScrap 

Cheryl at Nana's Creative Corner 

Joy at Joy's Life 

Trish at 1/3 Chicklet 

Kerry at Momma K Crafts  

Tangee at Kricut Krazy  

   Momo at Made by Momo 

Stephanie at Always Crafting 

Rosy at Sweet Delights 

Ashley at Her Creative Path 


Good Luck everyone and have fun!

Doodle Charms, Designer Calendar & Cricut Sampler. USuck card and tool box

Projects from Doodle Charm, Designer Calendar and cricut sampler Binder Projects as well as the USUCK card I made for hubby when he told me to stop buying crafty stuff and use the stuff I had :)  Also a cricut toolbox I made.

Hubby put me on restriction!

My wonderful husband put me on Restriction from buying anything crafty. He told me that anything I want I can put in a letter to Santa and wait.  He said I had to use the stuff I already have.  So I did :)

This is a card I made him and his reaction - isn't he a good sport? I love him SO much! :)

Wedding Card Box

Here is a box I did for a friends wedding last weekend. Not much Cricut related but I love how it turned out. I bought the box itself at either Joann's or Mikes - I forget which.  Hubby took all the hardware off and I covered it inside and out with the Bride's colors.  The ribbon and embellishments were actually hand picked by the bride for a future wedding scrapbook page, she didn't know I picked up the same thing to do this box LOL (I'm so sneaky sometimes!  Hubby put the hardware back on and I decorated it and she LOVED it. She used it instead of the bird cage card holder thingy ma bob.  Just wanted to share   Oh - inside it says "Kristen and Phillip July 24, 2010  Two Shall Become One - which was done with the Gypsy and Cricut - but alas, you can't see it and apparently she is too damn busy on her  honeymoon to take a picture for me. :)