WeddingOn to the Kids!

There are so many kids in the wedding and attending the wedding that I decided they needed something to take home with them, too!  I didn't use the wedding colors for these party favors, but I think I made enough!  The pillow boxes are for the teenagers, and the milk cartons are for the little kids.

Milk Cartons:  These milk cartons are not made with a die. Click HERE for the video for construction of the 2-part origami-folded milk carton boxes - they're fairly easy and so much fun to make! 

I used white copy paper for the bottoms of the milk cartons (these are made in 4 parts and the copy paper was plenty thick once folded) and a variety of decorative paper (DCWV) for the milk carton tops. I used the rounded tab punch from SU for the name tags.

Pillow Boxes:  The pillow boxes were made using the blackout feature on the Cricut Wedding Solutions cartridge & I inked the edges with distress ink that coordinated with the paper.  I used the new Petite Curly Label punch from SU for the name tags.

 For the pillow boxes, I used white cardstock (Michael's) and a variety of decorative paper (DCWV).

Wedding Favors

My step-daughter is getting married and won't be having a reception, so no printed napkins or anything for the wedding guests to take home with them.  I decided to make just a little something for each guest. 

These are the rosette magnets and boxes I made for my dear step-daughter & future step-son:

The wedding colors are royal blue and white, so I printed the sentiment with my MS Word program using the WordArt, and the "A Gift for You" was also printed using MS Word. The banners were actually hand cut to form around the WordArt. I made sure "A Gift for You" fit inside one of the stamps in SU's Four Frames stamp set, then I punched out the stamped image with the coordinating punch. I inked everything with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, including the hearts on the rosette (cut with the Cricut and Wedding Solutions cartridge).  The rosette is the larger of the two on the Mini Rosettes Decorative Strip Die (Tim Holtz/Sizzix).



Carousel Envelope Mini Albums

Below is a video of two simple and fun mini albums.  The original idea is from Dawn Griffith.  Below the video is a link to her instructional YouTube video and her website.

Dawn's Instructional Video

Dawn's website

My "Confessions of a Shopaholic" Project

Here's another great pattern from Kathy Files at Paper Phenomenon!  This one was made with paper bags from Michael's and the Ivory & Black paper stack from K & Company.  Below are the links to Kathy's blog and the UStream videos to make this project for yourself.  I enjoy hearing from you so please feel free to leave a comment!

Kathy's Blog - Paper Phenomenon
Confessions of a Shopaholic UStream Part 1
Confessions of a Shopaholic UStream Part 2
Shopaholic Page Review - YouTube

"Learning My Numbers" Book

Train Book
Here is a simple but fun to make train book for a sweet little boy I know who will soon be learning his numbers.  I've included all the cartridges and cut sizes for the Cricut in the video, as well as all the information in the Supplies link below the video, but if you would like a written copy of the sizes, colors, etc., please email me at the email above under the "Contact Me" tab.  I prepared a list of everything I used in a pdf document.  Please feel free to leave a comment - I enjoy hearing from you!


Complete Supply List

Late Night Lattes & Crafts Episode #5

Cricut Bug Head Tote Bag
Hello all! Another episode - this time using freezer paper to make a stencil for painting on fabric.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at the address on the right side of the blog. Please feel free, also, to leave a comment - I love to hear from you! 

If you would like the cut file for this Cricut bug head, please email me using the email on the right side of my blog.  Because I do not always have access to your email address in the comment section of my blog, I ask that you please do not request the file by leaving a comment.  Thanks!



Supplies

Christmas Card 2010

This is our Christmas card for 2010 - easy & simple with my Cricut, Design Studio and a couple of cartridges!

Supplies

Late Night Lattes & Crafts Episode #1

Welcome to my new series - Late Night Lattes & Crafts!  I want to thank my husband, Gary, for naming my new series! 

(If you're a latte lover, click here for the recipe for my vanilla latte flavoring.)
I hope you enjoy my first episode.  I'd love to know what you think, so please, feel free to leave me a comment!  The supply list is below the video.



Supplies

Gatefold Paper Bag Mini Album #2

This is actually the first Gatefold Paper Bag Mini Album I made.  I made a few mistakes in placing the paper bag "pages" and learned from the mistakes, so my sister's pink album went together without a hitch.

This album is covered in fabric and I intend to make this an "all about me" album.  My sister and I decided that since there is only one grandchild (hers) in the next generation in our family, we want my great-nephew to have some heritage when he's older and has children of his own.  So, she's getting a pink album (one of her favorite colors) and this album is in my favorite colors.



Supply List

CRICUT CLASS!

If any of you would like to learn some fun things to make on your Cricut and are within a short drive of Cut Bank, Montana, I'll be teaching an Adult Education Cricut class starting Wednesday, October 13, 2010, from 6-9 pm, once a month through April. For further information, email me at 6chadwicks@gmail.com and I will send details. (The class itself is free, but there is a $25 supply fee due the first night of class. You will need to bring your Cricut and other equipment - like Cricut cutting mats, scissors, etc.) Hope to see you there!

Windows 7 & Cricut Design Studio

After seeing two different posts on the Cricut Message Boards that are of no help at all, I've decided to help those who are running Windows 7 and can't get their device drivers to install for their Cricut Expression. Here is what worked for me (Windows 7 & 4-month old Dell laptop) 1. Close Design Studio. 2. Make sure your Cricut Expression is hooked up by USB cable to your computer and that the Expression is turned on. 3. Click on your Start Menu and then click on "Devices and Printers." 4. You should see, at the bottom of the window, either your Cricut, or an unnamed or unidentified device. 5. RIGHT click on that device and then choose "troubleshoot." 6. Let your computer do its thing! (You may need to make sure your internet connection is active) 7. It will find the device drivers for your Cricut Expression and install them. Once finished, your Cricut Expression should run just fine with whatever version of Design Studio you have installed on your computer. You should not have to reinstall any device drivers on that computer even if you update your Design Studio software. (You may, however, need to update the firmware on your Cricut when Provo Craft tells us it is necessary.) Also, once your device drivers have been installed, you should be able to go back to that same menu (Devices and Printers) and see your Cricut instead of an unidentified or unnamed device. One other note: You WILL need to change your DPI setting from "medium [default]" to "small" every time you use the Design Studio Software (unless you choose the small DPI setting as your default). Try this to change your DPI setting: 1. Click on "start" menu 2. Click on "control panel" 3. Click on "display" 4. Click on "small" 5. Click "apply" You will be prompted to log off and log back on for the changes to work. You are now ready to try your DS software!

Circut Design Studio, Jukeboxes & Pooh Font!

The "To Our Dad" card below was my first attempt at welding and fitting a welded shadow with the Cricut Design Studio. It was much easier than I thought! (It's only taken me over a year to decide to actually purchase the full version of CDS!) I also invested in two Jukeboxes for my Cricut and that was an even better investment! I'm still trying to decide if I actually like storing the keypad overlays and handbooks in the bases of the Jukeboxes, but it's a lot easier than boxes. I purchased both the Jukeboxes, the CDS, & my new Pooh Font cartridge through Ebay and saved a ton of money! It goes without saying my adult ed paycheck is gone!

Supplies - Christmas Card 2010 - 12-25-2010

Always Artichoke CS SU)
White Craft ink (SU)
Bravo Burgundy ink pad (SU)
Chocolate Chip marker (tree trunks)(SU)
Cricut & Beyond Birthdays Cartridge for “Happy Holidays” (PC)
Design Studio & Doodlecharms cartridge for trees
White Liquid Applique (MA) - tree snow
Heat Gun

Supplies - Anniversary Card - Masculine - 9-13-2010

From Me To You stamp set (CTMH) Brown/Black Striped DP (Far & Away) Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Early Espresso CS (SU) Tan CS (unknown) Chocolate Chip ink pad (SU) Cricut & Wedding Solutions Cartridge (PC) Pinking Hearts border Punch (SU) 5/8" Satin Early Espresso Ribbon (SU) Brown Button (old - unknown!) Tan Rafia (Good Old Values - Dollar Store!) Silver Stickles (TH)