Surprise Album Part 2

by CraftyAmanda in About Me, Artwork, Close to My Heart, Cricut, CTMH, Scrapbook | 1 Comment

The album was accepted and enjoyed, but time didn’t allow me to print more photos and put them in the album while we were there. (I thought that might happened) So, now that I’m home, I will use these photos of the remaining pages and choose the prints that will work on each page. The titles and other embellishments I created are in a bundle and I left them with Mom. Hopefully she will remember to pack them for their return to Florida so that when I send the prints she can just place them in the book and have it completed quickly.

Here are the remaining pages from the book. I think I might have to use this as inspiration to create another not so mini album in the future. They are fun and satisfying to do.

Happy Crafting!

Surprise Album Part 1

by CraftyAmanda in Artwork, Close to My Heart, Cricut, CTMH, Scrapbook | 2 Comments

Have your heard the saying you find love when you least expect it? Or when you’re not looking for it? That’s exactly what happened to my Mom this year. She connected on facebook with a high school classmate and they got married this week. It has been a special journey for her, and for me as her daughter. I’ve seen and heard her joy, elation, vulnerabilities and cheered her rollercoaster ride to love.

I’ve had very little tractor time this summer, so once they announced the wedding date, I have been stealing time from other things and putting together this wedding album for them. The first few pages are already filled with photo from their HS year book, facebook posts and personal photos from when we got to meet Mom’s fiancé. The remaining pages are to be filled with photos from the wedding weekend. I also provided several roses, hearts & titles to match the style I had already started.

I was really pleased with my solution for adding both horizontal and vertical photo memory protectors to the book. Mom will be able to add more in between later pages as I created them to be modular. I took the standard memory protectors and using my bind it all, I punched holes along the edge and then cut a slit into the center of each of the punched holes. This allows me to place them anywhere in the book that I need more photo spaces.

Without further ado, here are the first few pages with photo inserts I have finished.

I found some photos of Mom in the HS yearbooks on line 🙂 yay!

I do believe necessity is the mother of invention. I had no clue how I was going to include the next photos that were tall when all I had were vertical page protectors. As I was sitting in a room of crafting supplies I decided to see what I could find. I found the 12 x 6″ page protectors for a 12 x 12 scrapbook and decided I would sacrifice one slot and see if I could make it work. I could! And, was able to use all three slots by just cutting the first photo a half inch narrower. yeah.

being 3 photos wide was too big for my book, so I folded the last section in and filled it up!
I had to have some extra built in flaps too. Makes it more interactive right?

This is a far as filled it before leaving for the wedding weekend.

Happy Crafting!

Annual Inspirations – Live Now

by CraftyAmanda in Close to My Heart, Cricut, CTMH, Offer, Scrapbook, Stamping | 2 Comments

The Brand New Annual Inspirations is now LIVE! If you’ve missed some of the posts last month, Here’s a quick tour of highlights. (Which will not include stamps as there are just too many cute ones to choose.)

New Basics pallet: (See more details here.)
Great two sided, two toned Card stock & new designs for compliments: (See more details here.)

TWO new Cricut Cartridges: (Learn more here)

New Thin Cuts: (Learn more here)

New Workspace wonder components: (Learn more here)

A crafting detour

by CraftyAmanda in Artwork, Close to My Heart, Cricut, Technique | 2 Comments

In the past I have submitted scrapbooks & cards at the county fair and have done very well. I decided that this year I would like to submit a quilling piece in place of the cards (cards & quilling are both in the same category). I started by looking at my blank canvases and picked the size I wanted to use. In the past I have painted the canvas, but this time I wanted to try using CTMH re-inkers in our spray pens. Not willing to risk the big canvas, I got out a smaller 8×8 and tried the spray pens on it first.

Here’s the progress of the small 8×8 canvas.

Loved the results so much. The quote was cut on the cricut in vinyl.

Happy Crafting!

Did someone say new CTMH Cricut Cartridge?

by CraftyAmanda in Close to My Heart, Cricut, CTMH | 2 Comments

If you haven’t heard, Stampaganza is back. In July you can purchase 2 stamp sets and get 1 free. You can see more about it here.

Convention has ended and my order has been placed. Now I just have to wait. In the meantime, I am excited to share more of the new items with you. The Basics Collection has been updated and you can see the changes here.

Today I am thrilled to announce CTMH has once again released new Cricut Collections. One cartridge is a more traditional package including cardstock, stamps and a physical and digital cartridge option, and the other(s) are digital only. Available starting August 1st.

The New collection is called You are Here and is travel themed.

It comes with the three stamp sets shown, a pack of the Enchantment (double colored) cardstock, book & cartridge. There is a digital only option that is also available.

I’m really looking forward to getting hands on this cartridge, AND finding some time off the tractor to play with it!

The other Cricut images that are being offered are more specific to countries. Canada, Australia and New Zeeland & the United States.

Includes 60 layered images with shapes, overlays, state names & slogan as well as other state specific icons (flower). Digital only for $49.95.Includes 20 layered images with shapes, overlays, provinces & territories names & slogan as well as local flower & general images about Canada. Digital only. $24.95Includes 20 layered images with shapes, overlays and Australian & New Zealand States and territories names. This collection of images also includes specific images for each country & the flags. $24.95 digital only.