Monday, January 10, 2011

Valentine's Week at Everyday Cricut


I was honored to be asked by Joy and Melanie to be the Guest Designer this week on their popular blog Everyday Cricut.  They are sponsored by ProvoCraft and give away a Cricut cartridge every week.  This week it is the Country Life cartridge. If this is your first time to visit my blog, welcome!  I hope you will enjoy it and follow or subscribe so you can keep up to date with my projects and tutorials.

I was a Guest Designer on Everyday Cricut once before (from March 8 - 12, 2010) and I will be doing a similar style of posting with a project on the Everyday Cricut blog and a "companion post" here on my blog.  You'll want to be sure to visit the Everyday Cricut blog and leave a comment for a chance to win the cartridge. 


For today's posts I made a couple of cards.  I cut some slightly different materials with my Cricut.  The card above is the one featured on the Everyday Cricut blog and I used fuzzy contact paper for the heart and the sentiment.  You can read all about it HERE.


After Christmas sales are a great time to pick up materials for next year's projects.  Sometimes you find things that can be used even sooner.  There is always a lot of red and green for Christmas and you can often use the red items for Valentine's Day and the green for St. Patrick's Day.  (I used to do this with the leftover Christmas candy assortment of M and Ms!).  I found some beautiful Anna Griffin items on clearance at Michael's and the red and white border in this package caught my eye.


I thought the design would be lovely for a Valentine's Day card.  The strip was twelve inches and when I cut it into two sections of three squares and set aside the partial squares on the ends I had pieces that were just under 5 1/4 inches long and perfect for A2 cards.


This was my "first draft" of the card.  I used an ivory cardstock base and found some "Ruby Red" Stampin' Up cardstock that was a near perfect match for the patterned strip for the layer.  The layer is cut at 4 x 5 1/4 inches.


I wanted to add some texture to the layer and I remembered that the "Love Language" Cuttlebug A2 Combo Set has a folder with tiny hearts.  Unfortunately the hearts are designed to emboss on a vertical card front, however, it was easy to make the folder work for a horizontal card.  First I carefully lined up the hearts on the left side of the cardstock and embossed the left side.


Then I inserted the embossed cardstock in the folder with the last row of hearts overlapping and ran it through the Cuttlebug again.  The A2 folder will fit through in this direction easily.


After these two steps, I ended up with a nicely embossed horizontal card layer.


I found this lovely "Happy Valentine's Day" sentiment on the Martha Stewart Crafts Seasonal Cake Art cartridge.  I cut it at 1 1/2 inches to fit the card comfortably.


I decided the card needed some more sparkle, so I used DCWV Glitter cardstock for the sentiment.  This particular gold is from the Holiday Collection Mat Stack in 2009.  Many glitter cardstocks will cut well in the Cricut.  It is best to find the ones that have the glitter embedded or under a glaze.  If you try to cut a rough glitter cardstock (the kind you can run your hand across and remove some of the glitter) it can get very messy and the loose bits could get into places they shouldn't and interfere with your machine.


 For this cardstock I used blade depth of 6, pressure at 4 (high) and did a 2 times multi-cut.  Multi-cut is almost always the answer if you are having trouble with cuts snagging.  You can reduce the pressure just a bit and when the cut is made twice any places that were not cleanly cut the first time are usually fine after a second cutting.  I use this Creative Memories Multi Purpose Tool to lift the cuts and help to separate the waste sections.


I liked the old fashioned look of the border strip and I decided to add one of the Red Vintage Poppies from Creative Charms at the top of the card.  I replaced the pearl brad with a gold one from the 3D Vintage Brads - Antique Flower Medley.


Here is a close view of the brad in the poppy.


I decided to add a red Gradient Gem Sticker in the smallest size and darkest shade of red to give it a bit of spark.


I used a large 3D Glue Dot to attach the poppy to the card.


I added two more medium size gem stickers to the centers of the other two designs in the border strip.  This was my final card - but then I remembered some tiny cherubs that I found at a local antique shop.  I knew one of them would add a little touch of nostalgia to the card.


The cherub is a charm but I slipped the loop under the border and it is hidden.


Here is my final card - don't forget to check and see what you can find in the Christmas clearance that might work with your other seasonal projects.

Tomorrow I'll be bringing you something sweet - I hope you like it!

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52 comments:

  1. OMGosh Diane! These cards are gorgeous!! Love them all. I would love to have some of the fuzzy contact paper! You can bet I will be looking for some today. Thanks for a great post!
    Big Hugs!

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  2. What beautiful cards!! I didn't know you could put a "card guide" using design studio, and cutting the flocked con-tact paper is a great idea!! (Hope I can find some)! I have learned sooo much from my Everyday Cricut e-mails!!

    Thanks so much!

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  3. did I miss something, what is a "card guide" in DS? Fun to see you at everyday cricut.

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  4. oh last one was me, Rita Winmill I am not anonymous

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  5. I love the "fuzzy" stuff! Thanks for the great idea...

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  6. Beautiful card!! Great ideas that spark my creative mode. Teri-Ann

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  7. Thank you so much for your creative and lovely style. And for finding new products that might interest us too. The cards and tutorial are perfect.

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  8. Diane, you have out done yourself again! Lovely, lovely cards!

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  9. Oh I love these. I like those EFolders. I was looking for some Val. Day ones at Micheal's but I didn't see the ones you used. I really like them.
    Great cards Diane!

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  10. I love these cards! You've inspired me to get cracking on my own Valentine projects. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas.

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  11. Diane:

    I love both cards. I'll definitely be looking for the "fuzzy" contact paper. I just started my Valentine cards last night, but you have given me ideas to add to my design. Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing your other designs this week.

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  12. Thank you for sharing your ideas and time with us that love to craft but are creatively challenged.

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  13. Great cards. Thank you for giving so much detail on how to make them!

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  14. The Valentine cards you presented today are absolutely beautiful.

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  15. More amazing designs and use of material. TFS!

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  16. OMG, I would never have thought of using contact paper! I am a new to your blog. I really love the fuzzy heart card! I will be looking more closely at contact paper in the future! I can't wait to see your other V-day card designs this week!

    surfnfroggie

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  17. THANK YOU for including the tips both on this blog and over at Everyday Cricut about what you are setting your machine on and how to get the best cuts on the different textures (multi-cut etc). When I am using the Design Studio, how do I do mutlicut and/or change my speed of cut?

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  18. Thank you for sharing such wonderful tips. The card guide in DS seems a really good idea but how do you set that up?
    Hugs
    Carol x

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  19. Beautiful card. You actually gave me some idea's to do some wall decor,too!



    Cin P humbird_cin@yahoo.com

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  20. i'm new to scrapping and new to your blog, so it helps so much that you give so much information about each card. i will definately be a follower of yours from now on.
    smacki01atcomcastdotnet

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  21. The card are simply beautiful. I love the fuzzy contact paper, will have to keep that in mind. Dawn RI
    abosoffit@hotmail.com

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  22. What a beautiful card! So elegant! Love the fuzzy contact paper! I'll need to check for it next time I'm out shopping. Browsed around your blog. Very nice projects! You are quite talented! thanks for sharing with us!

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  23. Congrats on guest designing! I like how this turned out with the fuzzy contact paper. I will keep my eyes open. When I saw the screen shot with using the paper backing from the word Sweetheart, I thought you were going to maybe chalk over it before you put your fuzzy paper on. That might be worth a try sometime!

    kmacko1 at juno dot com

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  24. Diane,
    Great card as usual. I need to get busy because Valentines Day will be here before we know it...

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  25. I just love all the added bling you put on these cards. Thanks for the tip to cut glitter paper. I was wondering if that was possible

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  26. Love it.Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Good job!

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  27. This my first time leaving a comment. I don't have a lot of time to scrapbook but your ideas encourage me to try some different things.

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  28. Diane, these cards are beautiful. I love the one on Everyday Cricut but this one is gorgeous. I thouht you had cut out two medallions and used the negative from one of them for the middle.
    Thanks,
    Shari Y

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  29. Congrats on being a guest designer again. I love seeing your work. That contact paper looks like a great find and especially for Valentine's day. I didn't realize you could cut something that thick. Again, another day of learning something new.

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  30. Beautiful cards. I will have to start looking at clearance items with an eye for what else they can be used for. Thanks for the instruction on how to emboss in a different direction too. You make me look outside the box. Thanks

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  31. Your work is lovely Diane! I will absolutely become a follower!
    Shellee

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  32. I love both of these cards. I was never much into Valentine Cards until I had twin girls on Valentine's Day 2001. I love the fuzzy contact paper too. What a great non messy idea!

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  33. Both cards are beautiful especially love the con tac papers which gives a really lovely effect to the card.
    Kim xXx

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  34. Beautiful card, and sooo many great ideas! Thanks for all of your help. Also, love the contact paper. Are the cuttlebug folders old or new? Haven't seen those before.

    Thanks,
    Kati
    katisweatt at yahoo dot com

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  35. Beautiful cards! You inspire me.

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  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  37. So elegant! Love what you did with the card. Also you have become an 'enabler' with the cartridges and Creative Charms. I was able to get the MS Seasonal Cake Art cartridge for $20 (couldn't pass that up).

    Love your work Diane. Stay warm, happy crafting, but do get some rest (just a little anyway - we don't want you sick)

    marjorie_brundage at sbcglobal dot net

    I just deleted and reposted in order to correct spelling. I sometimes type so fast and it is too fast in the proof reading.

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  38. Simply, sweetly beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration and wonderful ideas!

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  39. I never thought about the after Christmas sales for red for Valentine projects! You are a clever girl! And thanks for that demo of the Cuttlebug folder on a wide card... I never would have figured that one out on my own! Sweet!

    Kris in Alaska
    funamom at yahoo dot com

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  40. I have only made a few cards in my day. I want to make more but feel like I don't know where to start...thanks for showing me some cards to get my creative juices flowing.

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  41. Love these cards! Thanks also for the tips with DS and the embossing folders!
    Hugs,
    Stephanie

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  42. Your cards are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your talent w the rest of us!

    Carol
    aka cyimbugbitten
    bugbitten at hotmail dot com

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  43. wow, such a simple concept but never thought of it til you mention using christmas stuff for st pattie's day and easter!! thanks for the idea!! lovely card as usual...

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  44. Love all of your designs, and all of the detail in directions. All of your tips and tricks are so helpful, thank you so much for sharing.Have n
    only seen the green contact paper but will keep my eyes out for some red. Just totaly completed the look of the card. Loved it. TFS
    slomomomcbl@gmail.com

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  45. I love your choice of the vintage flower brad in the velvet poppy. It looks lovely and very elegant.

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  46. Beautiful card...great tip on the glitter paper and also the after Xmas items...I do buy xmas paper I can use all year round....thanks for all the ideas!

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  47. Absolutely love these cards! Love the fuzzy contact paper - will have to check that out.

    Jess (aka Sparksgal)
    jhmiller07 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  48. Your card is beautiful and romantic
    Cherylann (prinkles)
    prinkles@woh.rr.com

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  49. Beautiful cards. Thanks for the instructions too.

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  50. thanks for the glitter paper tip! I have some and was wondering if it was ok to cut!

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  51. This is such a beautiful card Diane. I've looked and looked for the contact paper, but it's not to be found. I'll keep on my mission!

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