Simple Cricut Scrapbook Pages

Well I figured it was high time I actually got back to doing some scrapbooking, what with all these fantastic scrapbooking tools I have.  The pictures themselves aren't great, but they are from fond memories and thus were worth setting down on paper. :) So here are three simple scrapbook page layouts for 8 1/2x11 inch pages.  Can easily be modified for 12x12.  

I used the following Cricut cartridges:

Calligraphy Collection, for the "Be Merry" font
Formal Occasion, for the "Winter Formal" phrase, overlay, and frame
Winter Woodland (Currently $10 off on our website!!), for the snowflakes and "Winter" word

Each has a lot of great images and phrases, which you can view off the links above (use their "digital handbook" to see all options per cartridge).

Mothers Quote and Mixed Mediums

So I know we just had Fathers' Day, but I thought it would be nice to share one more of my Mothers' Day projects because I liked the idea behind it and because...well, who doesn't love their mom all year round?  Right?  Right.  So here we are: mothers quote and mixed mediums.

I am apologizing in advance, as not many of the photos for this post turned out very bright or clear.  Not sure why, but let's blame it on the weather, right? ;) Kidding.

Items needed for the basics of this project are simple:

* Silhouette Sketch Pens (Or Cricut Color Inks. This can be done with a Cricut,  and though it would be trickier and likely have to be more piece-mealed together, the idea would be the same.)
* Watercolor Paint (I just used cheap Crayola watercolors--the kind you'd give to your kids--and they work great!)
* Watercolor paper (helps reduce the color bleeding when you paint)
* Computer Printer, if desired

To begin, I chose my quote: "Even if I didn't have you as my mother, I would choose you as my friend."  This is so true of how I feel about my mom.  She's just the best.  Then I made my design using Silhouette Studio so that I could play around with colors and spacing and get it just how I wanted it.

First design your piece using Silhouette Studio to adjust placing, colors estimations, etc.

I decided to use all sorts of different inking mechanisms for this particular piece, just to see how well they worked together, and in order to get the colors that I wanted (to match my mom's craft room. :) )

Relax, Dads...It's Your Day!

Both my biological dad and my stepdad are very hard-working men.  They work hard with their hands
and their brains, and do all that they can to be a support and an example to our family.  I am so blessed by their examples of daily hard work, service, and especially, love of our family.  There are many things I claim to know, but the one thing that I do know without a doubt is that I am loved by these great men.  No question.  I love them both, so much!

Both my dads help me to do seemingly impossible things. :) I am so grateful for them!

I guess I wasn't expecting to write any sort of tribute to them, but as I got on to do a quick post on this simple Father's Day card idea, those thoughts just seemed appropriate to share.  So, for those of you who also have hard working dads, here is a cute and simple Father's Day card that I made, primarily using the following silhouette hammock image.  Knowing how hard my dad works, I thought I'd play to one of his favorite pass times while we are camping--taking a nap in the hammock. :)  The rest was easy.   For the font, I used one called "LD Charming Bold."  As for the grass, I found an image that I had and cut out the unwanted portions of it using the "knife" tool in Silhouette studio. Then glued where I desired the little "tufts." 

Note: The knife tool allows you to draw cut lines through an image, and then it will automatically connect and close off the shape where you cut it.  Thus, if you draw a cut line all the way through an image you end up with, in essence, two images.  This is what I did, and then just deleted the unwanted portions.  No need to waste paper!  

I also added a little jute that I had for a bit of 3D effect (I tend to favor that), a cute little bird resting on the word, and voila--super cute and easy card for poppa. :)  Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your time with that great man in your life! 

We Love Dads! Easy Fathers' Day Gift Idea

So, I happen to be a bit of procrastinator when it comes to sending gifts.  ("Groan. Really?" Says my family. But hey, it's a matter of having time to get to the post office! ...Usually.) And as it turns out, May is big month for my family: Mothers' Day, parent's anniversary, and my youngest sister's birthday.  Then, right on the tail of that, we have Fathers' Day in June.  Since moving across the country from most of my family, it has become easier for me to send one big package home with everyone's gifts and let them open it all up together like it's Santa's big bag of goodies---Dad passing out gifts as he calls the recipient's name, probably chuckling and "ho-ho-ho"'ing even if it is the middle of June. (I'll imagine.) So that's the story this year.  Finally sending some gifts home that have been sitting quietly in the corner of my room, waiting for their new owners and homes.  It's sweet, really. :)

But okay, on to more important things.  For instance---what do you get your Dad/husband/the man in your life for Fathers' Day?!  I mean it.  Really.  Help me with ideas! :)  Every year it eludes me, and every year I find myself struggling as to what to buy this man who, at this point, either has everything he needs or wants, or buys himself whatever he needs or wants as soon as he sees it.  Thus, my gifts tend to be a bit more personal, silly, or simple.  But always full of love.  I'd love to hear your ideas though.  Really. One struggling gift giver to another. :)

One thing that I do know that my Dad loves is nuts.  He's a nut eater.  He's a nut in general. ;)  (Kidding Dad!  Sorta.) So that little treat portion was an easy thought.  I decided to make it cute and print out a sticker to put on top with a catchy phrase about nuts and dads.  I went with "Just nuts about my Dad!"  I made my own print and cut design using Silhouette Studio, to be cut from some of Silhouette's printable white sticker paper.  (We also have it in clear, and gold and silver foil.  Click here to see those options.  I just preferred white due to the variety of wrappings I'd be using in this package.)

After doing my own little print and cut, I realized that I had a lot of paper left on that one sheet.  (Note: You can look to either of the following previous posts, one or two, for more instructions about how to make your own print and cut designs.) Rather than waste it, I decided it'd be the perfect way to label all the rest of the gifts that I was going to be sending home in this package.  Big bows and other such things don't last too well when getting sent through the mail, but stickers?  Those have a way of staying put.  It's in their nature.  :) Okay, sorry.

As you can see here, I filled the page with various other labels and stickers for the other gifts I'd be sending home.

Fill your page to the brim with personalized labels and stickers to make the most from each sheet.

When making your own print and cut it's easy enough to put your text right where you want it.  Plus, it's fun to do more personalized designs and stickers.  The lacy/ folksy heart was chosen to seal the bag enclosing an Amish lace doily I was sending to my Mom.  I made an elephant sticker with the cut out heart for my niece, and used a lady-bug for my sister's tag specifically because we used to call her Love-Bug. :)  When all is said and done, I think they add a nice touch, don't you?

If you want to learn a little about making your own print and cut designs, you can read the two previous posts mentioned, or keep reading on below for just a few simple reminders/tips.