Pom Pom Trim cut file and Two Cards to share

This weekend I got a chance to get out and crop with the S.C.R.A.P. Guild of Northern IL and my sisters. I had a lot of fun and was happy with my work! Here are two cards I made, one for Christmas With The Cricut (I won a Scrap Ma Bob from one of their sponsors) and the other is for the sponsor.
On the Christmas Thank you I used Basic Grey paper, miscellaneous card stock (from my sister, so I am not sure of the brand), a micro pom pom trim (from the Sugar Pink shop on Etsy listed in yesterday's post), and SU border punch and stamp, my sewing machine, and my Storybook cartridge.
For the Pom Pom trim cut file thank you card, I used Close to My Heart paper and stamps, colored card stock, DCWV Glitter mats, Me and My Big Ideas bling, Clear Art Stamps Sew Special (for zig zag and button, and my Cricut Storybook! For the cut file, I used George and Storybook.
You can find the cut file here. After spending quite a bit of time on the cutfile, I realized that there should only be one scallop between each pom pom. So, another opportunity to embellish, I used some bling between the scallopes. I will probably make another pom pom file when time allows. Also, there are two cuts in this file, one for the card maker and one for the scrapbooker (a border cut). Both are adjustable! I am seriously considering purchasing some flocking powder or petal soft to make this pom pom trim have more texture. But the mad money account continues to dwindle as the year progresses. If you have either of these products, please use it on the pom pom and share your picture in the Cricut message boards here. Please help me decide if it is worth the money!
I would love to have your comments on my cut file and please don't sell my file, or use it for a competition!

Pretty in Pink Paisley a better way to photography my work!!

While visiting Etsy to list my item, I came across a supply vendor who carried wonderful trims! Her shop is called Sugar Pink Boutique. She had the most beautiful photographs of her product and inspired me to improve my own product photos! I had to have the micro pom pom trim, and was so excited to see how Christmas with the Cricut used it around the tag in one of their posts! I love how Sugar Pink used the background and vintage bowl for her photo! Even the bown edge matches her trim!
The problem, how to find back drops on a minimal budget. So, as I usually do when I need help, I called upon my big family (six sisters and four brothers) and asked if they had any unused sheets in pretty colors, or neutral colors. As usual, my sister Marge came through for me! The top photo is a picture with a pink back ground that I am pleased with. It just looks scrumptious to me!
It is a Jukebox cover made for one of my best customers!

My Favorite Swap: for a Finicky Frog!

Just had to share a photo of my favorite swapped item: a Finicky Frog pin cushion! I won a Finicky Frog pincushion and liked it so well, I asked about custom orders. She checked out my Etsy store and suggested a swap! Boy, did I luck out! She requested one of my scrapbags and in exchange I got a pin cushion. I sent her three different fabrics, and asked her to look through her supplies and see what worked with what I sent. She picked the ribbon, beads, thread and felt. It's enough to make me want to start a new collection of pin cushions! You can find her Etsy store here. I am so impressed with the quality of her work and I cannot say enough about the cost. This is value at it's finest. What a wonderful gift idea for the sewer and quilters in your life!
The mad money account is running low this time of year...I will have to consider more swaps! I would love to do a digi swap for a new banner for my Etsy store...

A Matched Set! Cover your Expression and Jukebox.

Just finished up a Jukebox cover to list in my shop. It matches an Expression cover I created and I thought it might be fun for you to see what a matched set looks like. Would this add instant fashion to your crafting space?!

Snowflake Tutorial & Cut File

If you visit my blog regularly, you know I have been making a lot of snowflakes on DS. Perhaps it is my childhood memories of folding paper and cutting that make me desire to continue to see what I can make with my cartridges and the DS software. So, I thought some of you might like to know how to create your own. Here is my tutorial:

1) Start with a shape that is triangular or diamond.
2) I recommend that you make the shape as big as possible for intricate cuts, so set your object size to somewhere between 5 and 5 ½". Then select the shape. For this snowflake, I used the heart in the Storybook cartridge at 3 inches.


3) Place the first object at the center of the matt, so that the smallest point falls on or near the center of the matt.
4) Select the weld
5) Select copy
6) Select paste
7) Go to the Shape Properties Box and type 60 degrees into the Rotate box. This is assuming a 6 sided snowflake.


8) Pick the heart up at the move handle and move it so that the sides overlap just at the edge; and if your using the heart, the centers will need to be about 1" apart. If you use the Christmas tree shapes you will have to stretch the tree so that the side overlap from the point to bottom.


9) Select copy and paste again
10) Go to the Shape Properties Box and type in the degrees 120 (this is your original 60+60)

11) Pick the heart up at the move handle and move it so that the sides overlap just at the edge; and if your using the heart, the centers will need to be about 1" apart.


12) Select copy and paste again
13) Go to the Shape Properties Box and type in the degrees 180


14) Pick the heart up at the move handle and move it so that the sides overlap just at the edge; and if your using the heart, the centers will need to be about 1" apart. Your heart in this case, should mirror the heart you placed on top. You may have to do some fine adjusting with the hearts in between.


15) Select copy and paste again
16) Go to the Shape Properties Box and type in the degrees 240


17) Pick the heart up at the move handle and move it so that the sides overlap just at the edge; and if your using the heart, the centers will need to be about 1" apart and mirrors the hearts on the other side of center line of your matt.

18) Select copy and paste again
19) Go to the Shape Properties Box and type in the degrees 300


20) Save your file and do a preview to see your results.



So, take a look through your cartridges and give this a try. You will get a much better result than if you use our fold and cut technique from childhood. If you do give this a try I would love to see your results. Visit this Cricut message board post and leave me a picture or a screen capture! For those of you who are pressed for time, I am sharing my cut file. You will see that I added some circles in the center, so you will need Storybook and George for this cut file. Also, I made a shadow for this cut file. The first picture in this post is my cut file finished snowflake. For the shadow of the flake, I used some glittered paper, cut with my deep cut housing blade. I have found the deep cut blade best for my glitter and metallic cardstocks!

Swirly Snowflake Cut file to Share

Here is my latest snowflake, made with a swirly Christmas tree from the Christmas Cartridge. Please leave a comment and share my blog with your friends! Here is the cut file.
I will have to borrow the Christmas cartridge for this cut! So, many cartridges, so little mad money!

Fabric proposal for Jukebox

This is just a photo I took for a customer's custom order. She sent me the blue print and I added some items from my stash for a Jukebox cover. When I make custom orders my customers send me color or fabric requests. In this case, she sent the fabric. I then send my customer a proposal for their item in a photograph and they can approve it or ask for more choices (photos to approve). Wonder how she will like this one...oh I am in such a pom pom phase right now. Love how the pink pom pom pulls out the flower in the print!