Cutting The Robin's Nest Glitter Chipboard with a Cricut

Did you know that you can cut The Robin's Nest Glitter Chipboard with your Cricut? I love to cut this chipboard, and if you have tried to cut chipboard with your Cricut, you know that not every chipboard cuts well. I have found that The Robin's Nest Glitter Chipboard cuts very well and here are my tips:

1) Use a Deep Cut Housing and Blade

2) Use a Multicut setting of two.

3) Use a new mat for best adhesion while cutting and therefore no slippage!

4) Devote a single mat to cutting any and all glittered card stock and or chipboard. I label my glitter mat, and only use that mat for items with glitter. This will help keep your regular card stock cuts cleaner and sharper.

5) Clean off your mat with a fragrance free baby wipes right after you cut your glittered chipboard.

Here is my supply list:

The Robin's Nest Brick Fat Plaid (red white and black patterned card stock)

The Robin's Nest Yellow Sunshine Glittered Chipboard

The Robin's Nest Glitter Red Journaling Label

The Robin's Nest Fairy Dust Dew Drops (on the black scroll mat for the letter V)/

The Robin's Nest Dew Dew Glue

Cricut Black Letter and Storybook Cartridges (Title)

Cricut Wedding Cartridge (book die cut)

Confessions of a Craft Table Paperweight

Our generation is well acquainted with the phrase couch potato, but I think it's time to confess to my own sedentary history! I don't watch much TV, but paper craft obsessively. Somewhere, or should I say somewhen, I became a craft table paperweight. There so much prettier than a couch potato, but still as inactive!
In January of this year, I had major surgery. During my recovery, it became apparent to me just how out of shape I had become. I had not exercised regularly for 9 years. I got to thinking that I am at my midlife point and needed to take action or I would not live as long as I hoped or as well as I hoped.
So, I tried the elliptical and love it! I had always tried aerobics in the past and thought I needed to get out of the house and work with a friend. But, I am finding that I love that I am not using extra time going to and from a gym. I also love the exercise high, which is very much like a creative high! Who knew that exercise is like vegetables? Try different types and you just might find something you love!
Now, just to be honest, I did not find this easy at first! My first week I did 6 and 8 minutes and had to stop. I worked up to a full routine by the end of the first month and am working to add another 10 minutes to my routine, by adding five minutes at a time. There was just an article in the Chicago Tribune about successful and faithful exercises routines and they found that morning exercises with a friend is best. So, when I fall of the wagon, I just may need to add a friend to my routine. And if you are considering starting an exercise routine, I hope you find my confession encouraging!

Fashionable Fun Challenge at Getting Cricky!

A new challenge site to try: Getting Cricky! K Andrew has some wonderful sentiment stamps and I just got my first set: Fashionable Friends. And wouldn't ya know, the challenge at this Getting Cricky this week is to use this set!

I got out my Cricut Forever Young Cartridge and found these beautiful cameos! I didn't even know they were on here! I added the frame to the outside using my DS. The pink marquee was cut with my Cricut Imagine (stock image on the machine), run through my Cuttlebug with Swiss Dot Folder. The black and white card stock is made with my Imagine and Audrey Cartridge. I added a bit of ribbon, pink trim and a button with some crochet thread. The sentiment is from the Fashionable Friends, and I LOVE this set! Lots of goodies! The frame stamp is Anna Griffin.

Shower Favors Follow Up

I am finally finished with the shower favors. All 30 purse gift boxes and 60 cards are done. Yeah! Just thought I would share a few pictures and tips on this project in case you need an idea for a shower too!

Tips:

1) Use wire edged ribbon for the hand bag boxes so they will stand up nice and look great!

2) Assemble mini card kits with all your supplies, so you can grab a set and make them on the go, in the car, at the doctors office, at a crop.

3) Work your stash of scraps! I had small pieces to cut and emboss for my cards and found this project was a great use of my scraps!

4) Make your own glue dots with Aileen's Tack it Over and Over to save money!

Moxie Fabs Beautiful Borders: Will I make it?!

Well I almost let this challenge slip by trying out for Gallery Idol and making all those purses and card sets! But tonight I had a little time to work on the Moxie Fab Beautiful border challenge, and decided to work it backwards! I decided to make an embellishment from a beautiful border!

This rosette is made with Basic Grey Doilies and Basic Grey Urban Couture is the paper. I used a few of The Robin's Nest Sunset Dew drop diamonds to high light my sentiment. I may have made this challenge with only 15 minutes to spare!

Crazy About Cricut Red, White & Blue Challenge

Today I am posting a card for the Crazy About Cricut Thankful Thursday, Red White and Blue challenge. I used my Beyond Birthday's Cartridge with my Cricut Imagine on the print only mode and punched a small star using a paper punch to embellish it. I used some of The Robin's Nest Red Stripe paper and a My Favorite Things: Pure Innocence Stamp called Flower Girl. The original stamp has hearts on the clothes and NO hat, but I wanted it to look more patriotic and thought her outfit looked just like the Naval outfit. So a few paper punched stars and a doodled hat and she looks ready for duty! I also cut the flag using the Cricut Martha Stewart All Occasion Cake cartridge and doodled the stripes. I punched a single star from the paper and added it to the flag, and placed the flag over the Flower Girl flower and suddenly, she is all American! I added a bit of ribbon tied to a paper clip and matted my flag on navy card stock. Her skin is colored with Copic markers.

A Circle of Thanks: Thanks Elmers!

There is a new Cricut Challenge Blog: Cricut 360! It actually has degrees after the 360, but I don't know how to get the degree symbol on my keyboard! Their second challenge is to make a thank you card that is a circle. I thought it would be the perfect inspiration to make up a thank you card for Elmer's Glue! I won the grand prize from their blog hop and can't believe all the goodies! Below is a picture of all the goodies I won! My favorites are the X-Acto knife and all the glue! A girl can't have to many good cutting tools and enough quality glue! So much good stuff that I have given much to a crafty in need. Thanks Elmers! So glad to know your brand has items for my archival safe projects!

Now details about my entry for the 360 Circle of Thanks challenge #2:

I welded a doily from the Cricut Cartridge Mother's Day using my Gypsy and hid the detail on the back side of the card. I also hid the inside circle detail so that I could stamp a sentiment. This sentiment is from Close to My Heart Solo T. The flower is My Favorite Things, Die-Namics Mini Rolled Roses. You should be able to find a rolled rose on the new Cricut Flower Shoppe Cart. Can't wait till the budget allows that addition to the wish list! I cut this with my Imagine, best machine ever for detail cuts! The bling is from The Robin's Nest and they are called Mini Dew drops. Their Dew Dew glue is the perfect size for these mini embellishments too! I added a bit of Lime Green Stickles and inked the edges of my doily. Their is a mini Dew drop in the center of my rose as well.

Robin's Nest & Boy Embellies!

Today I am posting my first official page as a member of the Robin's Nest Design team, and I am so excited to share their products with you! When I received my box of supplies, I was so happy to see boy rubons! They are not easy to find! Oh, and the Robin's Nest paper is so beautiful! I love the Fleur Autumn paper with the Stripe Autumn on the back! It was so beautiful, I did not want to cut it up at first! And they offer it in several color combos! I wanted as much of the paper to show as possible, so I layered it with the fabulous netting from Robin's Nest! Perfect for a fishing page!

To make this page above use the following supply list and follow the steps below:

Supplies used:

2 Sheets of The Robin's Nest Fleur Autumn

The Robin's Nest Velvet Ribbons

The Robbin's Nest Fishing Rubons (fish, I got Caught Fishing, Rod and Reel)

The Robin's Nest Family Rubon (label swirl behind 2011)
The Robin's Nest Belgian Chocolate Rubon (Fleur De Lis) on "I got Caught Fishing" label

The Robin's Nest Letter Gold Glitter Stickers (2011)

The Robin's Nest Glitter Blue Chipboard (center of flower & mat for title)

The Robin's Nest Fish Net 6 x 12

The Robn's Nest Dew Dew Glue or Glue Dots

Anna Griffin Georgette Collection Resin Cameo (flower embellishment)

Liquid Glass (on top of Robin's Nest glitter paper in center of flower and on fish rubon)

Button (Paper Trey Ink)

Blue Felt (Joann Fabrics)

Cricut Reminisce Accents cartridge (title label)

Paper Flowers (source unknown)

Cream Card Stock

1) Using the Robin's Nest blue glitter card stock, punch out a small circle and cover with liquid glass, set aside to dry.

2) Using the Robin's Nest Fishing Rubons, rub the trout onto cream card stock and cut around the edge. Cover with liquid glass and set aside to dry.

3) Using an Exacto knife or other craft knife, fussy cut around the swirls in one sheet of the Fleur Autumn paper. Save the center scrap to cut the label for the title below.

4) Turn over the Fleur Autumn to the Stripe Autumn side and glue the Robin's Nest netting in place using Terrifically Tacky Tape. I tried liquid glue but it was not stickying, so I recommend the Terrifically tacky tape to hold the netting. Trim excess netting as needed.

5)) Layer the fussy cut sheet of Fleur Autumn with netting on top of a second sheet of Fleur Autumn, and glue in place (see photo below).

6) Attach the Grossgrain ribbon with Glue Dots and layer The Robin's Nest Velvet Ribbon on top, again with glue dots.

7) Cut label for page with Cricut using the Reminisce Accents cartridge at 2", cutting the frame and black layer. Cut the frame layer with the Robin's Nest Autumn Stripe (back side of Fleur Autumn) using the scraps from the fussy cut in step 3. Don't have a Cricut? Just cut ovals!

8) Using The Robin's Nest Belgium Chocolate, rub the Fleur De Lis on the sides of the frame cut above in step 7.

9) Rubon The Robin's Nest Fishing Rod onto cream card stock and cut around the edge.

10) Rubon the The Robin's Nest Family Rubon swirl frame on cream card stock and adhere the Robin's Nest Glitter Letters on top, cut around frame and adhere on top of ribbon.

11) Cut circle out of blue felt and glue with paper flower embellishments to page. Below is a close up of some of the embellishments.

Hope you enjoy this page and get a chance to check out The Robin's Nest online Store! Your gonna love all their items!

A Blast from My Fashion Design Past

Tonight I thought it would be fun to share a bit of my artistic past. Before I had children, I worked for a major US retailer in their product development department. I managed their computer aided design and apparel specification system. I was responsible for building their sketch data base, training their staff how to use the software, and supporting the software help desk. They would illustrate apparel and send sketches, measurements and materials specifications overseas for bids from manufacturers.

I loved illustrating the apparel. This form of sketching is known as flat sketching. I miss the software we used! It has some powerful tools! One of my favorites could be used to draw lace along the edge of a garment, regardless of the shape it had to fit! You only had to illustrate one repeat of the lace and then tell the computer how many repeats or the size of the lace and it drew the lace along the length of the garment.

I am attaching some scanned illustrations I drew myself. I loved illustrating the children's wear and lingerie! There are two romper and a quilted jacket. I also miss their stitching tool!