Cricut Settings Chart

If you've ever struggled with the settings on your Cricut then you'll love this handy chart! It gives you info on everything from cutting on vellum to transparencies.

Thank you to fellow CTMH Consultant, Melanie Brown, for so graciously preparing this for everyone. You may want to print it and adhere it directly on your bug!

Here's a quick tip: For chip-board try using your old cereal or snack boxes! I use it all the time for dimensional titles on my scrapbook layouts and cards!

Enjoy and have a Happy Day!

Technique Blog Hop - Masking

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 12 of us highlighting the Masking Technique as shown on page 15 in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book!  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.  If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link.  While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.  Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Ronda's Blog, you are on the right track! 

Essentially masking is a way to stamp only a portion of an image by covering all or part of a stamped image so that other images may be placed partly over it without the overlapping area being visible. This technique will add depth and perspective to your art. It is generally a simple technique although you can get lots of different looks by using different masking mediums. The technique shown in the idea book is a step-up from the basic and uses reinker and the Milepost shapes.

For my version of the technique I chose to go back to basics with masking. Actually, I used masking to help me fix my scrapping boo-boo. I started out by using the Dreamin' WOTG layout and was very excited to get the photos on the paper. In my scrap-happy frenzy I realized I should have stamped the border along the bottom edge of the paper first. Here's what my layout looked like before:

Yes, I could have left it as is but why do that when I can mask? So, l I placed a scrap piece of paper over top of my half-completed layout and stamped away.

Once done I added a little Glitz Glitter Glue and voila! Crisis averted and another beautiful layout is complete!

Supply List: 
Paper: Dreamin' Level 2 (X7142B)
Stamps: Connections (D1330), Aspire (C1455)
Ink: Goldenrush (Z2123), Black (Z2105)
Other: Dimensional Elements Notable Alphabet (Z1682), Glitz Glitter Gel Bronze (Z1483), Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686), Shimmer Designer Brads (Z1349)

Thanks for stopping by! Before you move on to the next blog go to my giveaway post for your chance to win a fabulous prize! After that, please continue onto Tracey's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

October Card Club

This month's card club projects are anything but a card! With Halloween around the corner I thought it would be fun to create these festive little decorations out of the adorable Mischief paper.

Treat Box & Luminary

Card Club is this Friday, October 14th at 7:00 pm. If you are in the Northern Virginia area and can attend I'd love to have you. If not, I have kits available for purchase.

Here's what's included in each kit:

• pre-cut and pre-stamped images
• Full-color assembly instructions
• 1 Flameless Candle
• 18" Ribbon

The price is $5.00 (shipping charges apply for kit orders).  If interested send me an email or leave a comment on this post. Your kit purchase will count towards budget club and will help you earn $25 in free rewards!

P.S. Don't forget about my blog give-away! Go here for more information.

First Haircut Layout

I've had these 1st haircut photos printed for awhile but just didn't have the right paper to use. Not anymore! To capture this moment I used the Typeset paper. I think it matches the photos perfectly!

As you can tell from the photo we probably should have gotten the haircut sooner. Convincing my husband to cut it was a challenge though. Let's just say my daughter's pretty little bows was not what my hubby was expecting to see when he come home from work!! Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girls gotta do, right??!!

Above is a close-up of how I preserved that baby-fine hair. I started out by adding paper to the base page then added the hair with a tiny bit of adhesive. I topped it off with a piece of acetate and then decorated it with a metal embellishment. It's totally protected and completely visible! And yep, my little guy still has his curls!
To record the basics I use the library tag from last month's Stamp of the Month. Here's a close up of the left page:

And now the right:

Thanks for checking out my post!

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Typeset Level 2, Black Card stock
Stamps: Friendship Alphabet, Sept SOTM (SS1109), Journaling Jots (B1269), Connections (D1330), Tiny Typewriter Alphabet
Ink: Colonial White (Z2168), Vineyard Berry (Z2157), Brown Bag (Z2108), Juniper (Z2165)
Other: Irresistibles Lots of Dots (Z1261), Texture Tools, Wings Level 2 Assortment (Z1398), Clear Buttons, White Daisy Waxy Flax, Metal Frame

Join My Team With The CTMH October Special!

This month all new consultants who join my team will be eligible for a free add-on collection!

New consultants who enroll for $99 with Close To My Heart between October 1-31, 2011, will receive one FREE New Consultant add-on collection!

Each of the three add-on collections is priced at $40 and has a retail value of $80-$130, so this is an incredible deal!

Here's a look at what's in the base kit:

And, here are the add-on collections to choose from:

Elemental Add-On

Roxie Add-On

Studio J Membership

There are so many great reasons to become a consultant! I started out as a hobbyist wanting to get a great discount on fabulous projects. Then, I met a few great ladies with the same love for paper crafting and I went from being a hobbyist to a club leader. Now, I get a bigger discount on my favorite products AND get to lead fun projects and learn new techniques. There really isn't anything better than doing what I love and making money at it!

If you are interested in learning more please visit the Join My Team Page or contact me for more information. I look forward to helping you get started on your own creative journey!

Ready to sign up?? Then go here and in a few short clicks you'll be on your way to a new and exciting adventure!

5 x 7 Wedding Card

My cousin is getting married this month but unfortunately we couldn't make it to Michigan for her big day. So, what's the next best thing to do? Send a card of course! The inspiration for this card came from the colors and design the invitation itself.

Here is the wedding card I sent. It's hard to see in the picture but there is the same color blue in the inside pattern as well. This card is based on the Wishes Pattern, 3 Tier and was made with all cardstock.

And the inside of the card....



I hope she likes it!!

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Kraft Cardstock
Stamps: Two-Step Background (D1473), Follow Your Heart (retired), Bliss WOTG (retired)
Ink: Archival Black (44751), Tulip (Z2166), Lagoon (Z2195)

Other: Big Pinks (retired), Brad, Corner Rounder, Distress Tool

3-D Gift Bag Tutorial

Yesterday I showed you a Christmas Gift Bag for my October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. Today I'm going to explain exactly how I made it.

1. Using the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge cut the Treat Bag (p 23, Shift, Font Layer Bag) with the fit to page option selected. Ink edges with Chocolate Ink. Do not assemble yet! Note: if you are looking at the Cricut Overlay the treat bag is is row 1, 3rd button.

2. Cut the remaining pieces for the project and ink edges with Chocolate Ink:
    * Colonial White Cardstock: 1 1/2" x 3"
    * Topiary Cardstock: 2" x 3"
    * Believe B&T (Stripe): 3 1/4" x 1 1/2"
    * Believe B&T (Plaid): 2 3/4" x 1"
    * Chocolate Cardstock: 3 1/4" x 1 3/4"

3. Curve the "Tis the season to..." sentiment on your MyAcrylix block to match the curve in the bag handle and stamp with Topiary Ink. I find it easiest to place the uninked stamp on the curved item first and then put the block on. This helps maintain the curve shape without a lot of re-adjusting.



4. Stamp the Tree Image 3 times in Topiary Ink on a 6" x 3 1/2" piece of Colonial White Cardstock. Trim all trees with scissors and ink edges with Topiary Ink. (You can ignore the tree base I stamped in the photo. I thought I would use it but it didn't fit on the bag)

4. Score each tree in the middle and fold so that the stamped side is in the inside. Once they are all folded adhere the unstamped pieces of the tree together. You want to leave a flat edge on the bottom so that you can adhere to the bag! Notice in my photo I folded one of the trees wrong. As you can tell I fixed it for the final project!

5. Assemble pieces as shown on the finished project! I find it easier to adhere all cut pieces to the bag first (except the tree) and then assemble the bag itself. Once the treat bag is secure then attach tree and finish off with Red Sparkles!

Here's a close-up of the finished project! Thanks for checking it out! Leave me a comment with your blog address so I can see your 3-D Treat Bag creation!

If you need any of the supplies listed in this project please contact your CTMH Consultant or shop my website: http://michellebattitori.myctmh.com/.

Supply List:

Paper - Believe (X7145B), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Holiday Red Cardstock, Topiary Cardstock, Chocolate Cardstock (X5643)

Stamp - Holiday Magic (S1110)

Ink - Topiary, Chocolate

Other - Cricut AP Cartridge, Red Sparkles (Z1326)