Time has been flying since we moved.  Getting adjusted to the new town and even the new time zone for us has been exciting.  But with all of the great distractions, it is time to get started and make time for getting creative and to make our handmade Christmas Cards.

This year I need to incorporate our new address along with a Christmas theme.  So I decided to make a Christmas ornament using the Joys of the Season Cricut Cartridge, and a We’ve Moved rubber stamp from PSX. (I just wish this stamp had two cats in the window to represent my two boys).

Now deciding what color to make the ornament and back panel.  I choose………. Christmas green and red (how appropriate – LOL)

I used the Cricut Expression Machine to cut the ornaments.  Then I used a Cutter Bee paper trimmer to cut the red back panel.

Some other supplies that I will use is Copic Sketch markers, Elmer’s permanent dot runner, pop dots, natural polished hemp rope, Memento tuxedo black dye ink, and some sea shells from our beach (if you don’t have a beach near by, then you can always purchase shell online or in a craft store).

I printed our address on blue cardstock and used an oval paper punch from punch bunch to cut them out.  The reason why I had to do that was the space that the stamp provided was way to small for our address and if I did write that tiny, no one would have been able to read it.  So when I stamped the image on white cardstock I just masked that part of the image so it wouldn’t stamp.   Then to add some dimension I used a pop dot to raise the address from the card.  The finishing touch was attaching the sea shell with the hemp rope along with our inside message.

Wishing All Of Your Dreams Come True This Holiday Season

Merry Christmas Everyone

]]> http://joanscraftworld.com/its-time-for-our-2011-handmade-christmas-cards-using-joys-of-the-season-cricut-cartridge/feed/ 0 http://joanscraftworld.com/how-to-make-paper-pumpkins/ http://joanscraftworld.com/how-to-make-paper-pumpkins/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:04:21 +0000 joanscraftworld http://joanscraftworld.com/?p=2630 I just love this time of year ~ And the first thing that I think of when fall comes around are Halloween pumpkins.  I have so many Halloween crafts to share with you but today I started making paper pumpkins and I want to share them with you.

These are the supplies that I used to make these great paper pumpkins:

• 12 strips of paper that is 1 inch x 6 inches (I think this project would be perfect if you have alot of scrap paper that you can cut  1 inch x 6 inches strips)
• 2 brads
• paper leaves
• brown paper cut into really thin strips
• adhesive
• dye ink pad

I am so excited, so let me show you How To  Make Paper Pumpkins!

What I did first was cut the paper strips using my Purple Cows paper trimmer.  As you can see I used a solid and pattern paper.

Then with my Crop-A-Dile II from We R Memory Keepers, I punched holes on both ends of the paper strips.  The reason I used the Crop-A-Dile is that it was able to cut all of the cardstock with one punch so that they were all even.

Now put one brad through all the paper strips and fasten – just do this on one side

Next you need to fan out the paper this makes the next step easier

Put the brad into one piece of paper and now go around and add each strip to the brad ~ You may have to push down and wiggle the paper to fit onto the brad but don’t worry they all will go on.

For the leaves I used my Cricut Expression machine.  Looking through all of the cartridges I ended up using the leaf from the Cricut Lite Cupcake Wrapper cartridge.  I cut the same leaf out in all different sizes.

Then using Memento Dye Ink I brushed (well not really brushed I just turned the ink pad upside down and rubbed it onto the paper) color onto the cut leaf to give it a “real look” of all different shades of green.  Remember this time of year leaves can be yellow, red, orange… so pick the colors that you want.

Now the brown for the stem.  I used Memento Rich Cocoa dye ink.  You can use as much or as little ink as you like. If you don’t have brown ink you can use dark green or even a burgundy red.

The next step is to put the leaves together with some type of adhesive. I used Elmer’s Dot Runner and also small clear adhesive Dots from Zots (Therm O Web).  I also cut a very thin piece of brown paper wrapped it around a stylus and ran it under water to get the paper wet.  When it dried it gave me curly paper that I also added to the top of the pumpkin with the leaves.  You can also use raffia if you like.  I wanted to keep this project all paper.

Next step is to put the leaves onto your paper pumpkin and what did was bend the leaves in the center to give them more of a real leaf look.  You can do crumple them up to before you glue them together.  Always remember that this is your handmade project so add your personal touch.  With that being said after I made my first paper pumpkin it just looked like something was missing and I finally figured it out.  The stem of the pumpkin.  I have bought pumpkins that didn’t have a stem or one that looked really bad, but I wanted to see what it would look like with a stem.  I just took a small piece of the brown cardstock and rolled it up, and left a flat end on the bottom so that I would be able to use the glue dot to put onto the pumpkin.  It worked and looks good.

Now your Handmade Paper Pumpkins are ready for your Holiday centerpiece or anyplace to decorate for the Fall Season.  There are so many different Halloween Crafts and I just thought this one could be used for the entire Autumn Season.  Thanks for letting me share this fun project with you.

~ Happy Fall Everyone ~

Make it a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

There are so many ways to dress up these birds for every occasions.  So for my first card I decided to make a Ghost, just in time for Halloween.

Using my Cricut Expression machine, I cut each layer out  at 3 inches which is perfect for this A2 size card, which is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.  And for the inside of the card I rubber stamped the saying Trick or Treat using Stampin’ Up orange ink, and a clear Halloween stamp set that I have no clue who made this set, sorry, but I took a picture to show you the set.

I put this all together using the Zig two way glue pen.  I just love the way it turned out.  I will definitely be sending these cute handmade Halloween cards out to wish my family and friends a Happy Halloween.

Make it a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

So for this years card I used the House Mouse rubber stamp and colored in the image with Copic Sketch markers.  I then layered the image onto a solid piece of cardstock and layered again onto a very soft piece of cardstock that brought all the colors together.

Now how does a bear come into this Fathers Day Card, well here is the inside of the card.  I computer generated the saying but then I cut out a bear with my Cricut Expression machine using the Animal Kingdom Cricut cartridge.  Well I had to crop the inside since when I took the picture it had our mushy sentiments inside but this is what is said:

Wishing the Best Poppa a Very Happy Father’s Day!

Make is a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

]]> http://joanscraftworld.com/a-rubber-stamp-and-some-copic-sketch-markers-make-the-perfect-fathers-day-card/feed/ 1 http://joanscraftworld.com/making-a-fathers-day-card-with-the-cricut-expression-and-the-animal-kingdom-cricut-cartridge/ http://joanscraftworld.com/making-a-fathers-day-card-with-the-cricut-expression-and-the-animal-kingdom-cricut-cartridge/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:12:33 +0000 joanscraftworld http://joanscraftworld.com/?p=1868

With Father’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to make a fun Cricut card for my Dad.  Last month when I was visiting my family, we were getting silly one afternoon and were all making fish faces.  I even got my Dad to make one.  Anyway, I wanted his card to have a memory of that silly afternoon.

I went through my Cricut Cartridges and the Animal Kingdom was the winner again.  There is a Fishy Kisses saying along with a fish face.  It was so simple to make with just three layers, but ohhhhhhh so cute.

Happy Father’s Day Dad ~ You’re the Best!

Make it a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

]]> http://joanscraftworld.com/making-a-fathers-day-card-with-the-cricut-expression-and-the-animal-kingdom-cricut-cartridge/feed/ 0 http://joanscraftworld.com/st-patricks-day-cards-and-some-fun-cricut-card-ideas/ http://joanscraftworld.com/st-patricks-day-cards-and-some-fun-cricut-card-ideas/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:52:28 +0000 joanscraftworld http://joanscraftworld.com/?p=1746 Happy Monday Everyone, I have a couple of St Patricks day ideas that I want to share with you.

I can’t believe that St Patricks Day is next week already and people will be eating corned beef & cabbage along with “green” drinks of all kinds. I have some fun cricut card ideas that I wanted to show you that are super easy and that makes great St Patricks Day Cards.

I went though all of my Cricut cartridges and decided to use the Designer’s Calender Cricut cartridge to make these handmade cricut cards.

I found the four leaf clover and also the phrase St Patricks Day to cut with my Cricut Expression machine and to make these cards with.  And you know me, I just couldn’t leave it at that, I had to add some green Stickles for that extra bling!

I just thought of other St Patricks Day Crafts that you can do.  Why not cut out 2 four leaf clovers and glue them together with a tooth pick in the center to decorate some cup cakes or even put a straw in between them for a fun decorative St Patricks Day straw?

There are so many fun and creative cricut card ideas and St Patricks Day crafts  that you can come with.  Just have fun and for this project just think Green!

Happy St Patrick’s Everyone!

Make it a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

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