Dotty for Dad

Hello again! I am guest blogging on Cricut is Close to My Heart today!! Here is my post:  I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day...I know we sure did. Today, I want to share the card I made for my wonderful father and my amazing husband. I was inspired by the 7" x 5" R Card artwork on the back of the Dotty for You paper pack. I found this card to be quite versatile, and I was able to make just a few changes to make it masculine instead of feminine.

I started with a 7" x 5" card base for both cards. One in Kraft and the other in yellow. For both cards I added the big dot paper as the background. This took the place of the butterfly paper from the back of the paper pack. I cut this later at 4" x 6" so it wouldn't show from behind the frame layer I added next.  I cut the frames using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge <Rctngle1> image at 4". For the Kraft frame, I used the mini yellow polka dot paper and for the Yellow frame, I used the blue mini polka dot paper. Both the big dot layer and the mini dot layer were added with dimensionals to give the card a fun twist.

Before I added the frame layer, I turned it over and added some green ribbon to it so it would show though. I used my trusty liquid glass adhesive to secure it to the back and put the adhesive on the back of the frame so it wouldn't show. Then I added the dimensionals and attached the frame. Finally, I used my Cricut Wild Card cartridge to cut the Happy Father's Day sentiment at 9 1/2". That is the <father> image on page 66. Both my father and my husband loved the cards and I hope you do too!!  See you soon!

Panda Hugs!
-J

A Year of Holiday Cards - Chinese New Year

A good friend of mine made a unique New Year's resolution. She decided to celebrate every holiday on the calendar for an entire year! To kick off her year of celebrations, last weekend she invited our family, together with another friend's family, to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her. With such great company, the night was already sure to be wonderful...and it was! After a fantastic meal of homemade Chinese food, the children lit sparklers and popped those little poppy things (I have no idea what they are called!)  We all had such a great time!!

After the dinner, I found myself inspired to put my own spin on her idea. So, I have decided to create a card inspired by the holidays that she celebrates this year. By the end of the year,  I will have created a cultural cornucopia of cards!!

I hope that I will soon be able to start a challenge on my blog where others can join with me to create the holiday cards as well. It will be a celebration across the web that embraces many cultures and traditions.

The card I have featured today was created to celebrate the Chinese New Year - the year of the Dragon.

Recipe

Dragon and flower6: Cricut Pagoda cartridge (p. 34 & 55) - Recollections card stock

The dragon is attached with one layer of dimensionals. I used a white gel pen to add a little eye.

The flower is assembled using dimensionals between each layer (black, red, white) and then a jewel is glued to the middle of the flower. The white swirls on the red part of the flower were created with a white gel pen to mimic the design on the actual base card

Sentiment: Cricut Wild Card cartridge - Recollections card stock

Card Base - Cricut Just Because Cards cartridge - "Truck" cut at 5 1/2" using DCWV Bella Armoire

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

 Bitten By the Bug 2 - Bloom Dimensional Flower Challenger (used Pagoda flower instead)

Die Cuttin' Divas - Challenge #49 Buttons, Bows and/or Bling

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes Challenge

Birthday wishes

It has been QUITE a while since I last posted.  I was very sick, but am happy to report that I am FINALLY on the mend. In the middle of being sick and trying to make sure my children and my students were taken care of, I had to plan bunny's 6th birthday party. I am looking forward to sharing some of the little touches that made it super special! In the mean time, here is a post I started a month ago and never got out. It is short and sweet, but will hold me over until I can post some of my exciting new ideas!

Last month, I met my best friend from college for dinner in honor of her birthday.  What I love about my friend is just how easy it is to spend time together, no matter how long it has been since we last saw each other.

I decided to play with my Cricut Wild Card cartridge to find a fun card for her. I came up with this idea using the Doily card and I pulled the word wish from one of the other cards on the cartridge. The envelope was made using the fit to page feature and it cut at 5", so I cut the card at 4 3/4" to ensure it would fit in the envelope.

My first attempt at the wish sentiment was too small, but I realized it would be the perfect touch for the envelope, so I added it and then re-cut the word "wish" just a little bit bigger. The card itself was cut using Recollections, Precious Metals, Silver card stock and coordinated very nicely with the envelope paper. My friend LOVED the card, and the smile on her face just reinforced my belief that handmade is always best!

Cricut Wild Card Cartridge Review

Hello all! Sorry to have been away for so long, but with grades due at the end of the school marking period and Thanksgiving with the family, things around the house have been hectic.

Since it's been a while, today seems like an EXCELLENT day to start my new "Review Day" feature! From time to time, I will review something new and exciting that I have added to my crafting repertoire. You may have noticed that I LOVE the Cricut Wild Card cartridge. This is my current go to cartridge for all things card related.  I love that you do not have have to measure and cut to gt perfect cards every time.

My favorite cards on the cartridge are the "doily" and "pinwheel" cards. These are buttons 21 and 20 if you number your booklets starting at the first image.

Mixing and matching with the sentiments is very easy, but you have to play with the sizes. For example, the "doily" card is cut at 5 1/4" on fit to page using an 8 1/2 x ll" piece of card stock, but the "wish" sentiment had to be cut at 13" to fit properly!  Keeping an info card in the cartridge box can be helpful so you do not have to repeatedly remeasure these components.

Below, you will find just a few of the many cards I have created with this cartridge. Most of these have been featured on by blog!! Hope you come back again soon!!

When You Wish Upon a Cupcake Card

I just stumbled upon the "Just Us Girls" Blog and was intrigued by the shape challenge (109) posted this week. The challenge was to use this picture for inspiration:

Looking at the shape for the challenge, I couldn't help but picture a triangle of icing on the top of a cupcake. I picked up the Once Upon a Princess cartridge and cupcake two was the perfect shape!

The doily design under the triangle reminded me of the Cricut Wild Card cartridge doily card and that is what made the entire project come together for me.

I cut the Doily card at 5 1/4" as the base and then added the "triangle," Once Upon a Princess Cartridge - Cupcake 2 - Button and Shift - 3".  The circle and burst on top came from the Classic Font Cartridge - Circle - 1"and Burst 1 1/4" For the burst on top, I made 4 and attached them together by punching a hole through them all and using a Recollections glitter brad to connect them. Then I bent up the edges to give dimension. I hand cut the little flag banner and then cut the word "wish" from the Wild Card cartridge (button 5 - Trifold Card - Shift on Phrase feature) at 13 1/2".

The finishing touch was a dimensional to make the burst at the top stand out, and a touch of Star Dust Stickles to add some bling to the word "wish." I am very happy with the card and can't wait for an occasion to give it to someone! I hope you like it too.

You Are So Tweet Thank You Card

Cricut Wild Card Cartridge and Cindy Loo Cartridge

Since I was having so much fun working with the Pinwheel Card from the Cricut Wild Card Cartridge, I decided to do one more card with it. There were two challenges that inspired by card. The Fantabulous Cricut Blog For the Birds Challenge called for a project using a bird in some way and this seemed like the perfect choice! Then, the Clean and Simple Cas-Fridays challenge called for an element that went "Over the Edge," so I decided to have the little bird's beak peek over the edge as though he is flying off the page. So much fun!

For the envelope, I had this adorable Martha Stewart paper left over from my sister-in-law's woodland creature themed baby shower, and the colors inspired the rest of the card. The pinwheel is set to the word "Tweet," but if you spin it, it says, "You are so Tweet."

The card was cut at 6 1/4"  and the envelope was cut at 6 1/2." The word "Thanks" and the bird were both cut using the Cricut Cindy Loo Cartridge. The bird was cut at 3." Finally, I used an orange glitter brad to secure the wheel and Stickles for the little wings to add a bit of Glitter Panda bling! I hope you like it!!

Posh Pancakes, Pajamas and Purses Party

Purse cut at 1 1/2" - Lipstick & Polish at 2 3/4" - Posh at 1"

It's been a long time between posts and although I was sad not to blog, I have been VERY busy with life in general. Lots of grading and family time activities. BUT...I was working on a fantastic project that I am excited to share. My bunny (daughter) is turning 6 and it is time to celebrate!  In true Glitter Panda fashion, I decided to use my Cricut to come up with fabulous invites for the super fun party theme we came up with. Bunny's party is going to be a Posh Pajamas, Pancakes and Purses Party. It will be a pretend sleepover featuring breakfast for dinner (one of Bunny's favorites), nail polish for all the girls, a movie with popcorn, and S'mores!

Since the party will be a smaller gathering, I decided I could make all of the invites myself using my Cricut. I chose the Wild Card cartridge and bravely attempted the Pinwheel card!!  The nail polish, lipstick, purse and the word posh on the card all came from the Forever Young cartridge.

I used my favorite Recollections card stock (Butterfly Wings package) for the cards, the round turning circle and the base of the lipstick. The envelopes were all made using a 12X12 pad from Me and My Big Ideas. The style is called Bliss. The brads I used to connect the wheel to the card are Recollections as well, and I found them in the clearance bin at my local craft store. Some are flat, and some are super glittery!! Finally, I added Cotton Candy Stickles to the word "posh" and to the lipstick for a little bling!!

By trial and error, I have learned that cutting the card 1/4" smaller than the envelope ensures a better fit for the card. So, the card was cut at 6 1/4" and the envelopes were cut at 6 1/2" (both on the blackout feature).  The cupcake with the actual invite info was created by running the card stock through my laser printer. Then, I used the center point function on the Cricut to cut around the words in the shape of the cupcake. Pop Up Glue Dots gave the dimension to the cupcake on the inside (and the purse, lipstick and polish on the outside). See below for sizes and more pics!

Unique Envelopes cut at 6 1/2" on Blackout feature - 12X12 Me and My Big Ideas "Bliss" Pad

Cupcake created with Celebrations cartridge - cut at 5 3/4" using Center Point

Housewarming Card with Cricut Wild Card Cartridge

The card

After reading many posts about the Cricut Wild Card cartridge, I decided I HAD to have it! Since then, I have not had a good occasion to use it!! I tried one card to play with and never quite "got it."  Today, we finally needed a card for something. We went to a housewarming party for our cousins who had a terrible fire in their home this past Christmas. Fortunately, everyone was able to get out of the house safely! Unfortunately, their house could not be salvaged. After a long wait, they were finally able to move into their new home last month and we were happy to be able to celebrate with them! This celebration called for a card and I knew just the card to create. I used the Wild Card cartridge to create the little house card. That is the fourth button from the left on the bottom row.

The best tip I can now share is one that many other bloggers have mentioned (with a twist). When cutting these adorable cards, make sure to cut out the envelope first on "fit to page."  PAY ATTENTION to the size you are given when it actually cuts (if you forget to do this, insert another piece of the same size paper and pretend you are cutting it again, but click "OK" instead and it will tell you the size that was cut. Then, you are supposed to turn off "fit to page" and turn your dial to the size indicated for the envelope. My twist, however, is that the envelope is VERY snug if you do this. So, I turned the dial to the envelope size and then clicked down once more to remove 1/4" from the card. This made the card fit into the envelope MUCH better!!

In addition to the image and the shift image, I used the layers on this and the phrase and icon for the envelope. Also, I added Stardust Stickles to the window pane and the door, because what kind of Glitter Panda would I be without using GLITTER!! Finally, I added 2 stamps to the card in various places ("Hi There" and "Yeah for you!". This was a brand new set of stamps I JUST bought on sale, so it adds another item that is new for the card to make it perfect for the October Something New Paper Craft Weekend Challenge!
Please let me know what you think!

Here are more images:

The envelope

Inside the card

Got these Studio G Clear Stamps for $1.00 in clearance bin at A.C. Moore!