'Hello There' Card

Here's the finished card!  If you'd like to see the steps, read on!

 This Authentique card stock is super cute.  Actually it's Fabulous - and that's the name of this 6x6 pad!  Deciding which ones to use is the hard part since they are all favorites of mine.  I took a few pages out and then I got started with deciding on card design.

I choose a card sketch from Pinterest.  Then I uploaded the sketch into Cricut Design Space.  After changing the size of the sketch to the size of the card I wanted, I inserted shapes so I could use the sketch as a template.  Here's how it looked.

             Just drag the shapes over to the template and make them the appropriate sizes.

After all the shapes were complete, I changed the colors of each piece so each would cut out on a different mat.  I also deleted the template.

After cutting everything out, assemble the card according to the sketch - changing it however you'd like.

Check out Authentique card stock if you can.  They have beautiful designs!

Thanks for stopping by.  Craft on!

Wrap Up Your Gift Card

Making a gift card holder is a simple project that adds a nice touch to giving a gift card this Christmas season or anytime.  I used a Cricut Explore on this project but you can probably find a template online that can be cut out with scissors.  Use a double-sided decorative card stock so the inside will have a design too.

I selected a basic gift card holder design in Cricut Design Space and cut it out with the Cricut Explore.  I had to guess at the dimensions - and it ended up being a good guess -

  W 5.64" and H 4.28"

Here it is!

Turn it over and use a bone folder to score along the flaps to be folded.

This is how it looks after scoring.

Use a strong adhesive along the side, folded over flap on each side.  Do not start at the very top.  Check to see where to start by folding up the bottom flap.  I like to use Glue Dots Stitch Glue Squares as they are very small, hold very well, and are easy to apply.  If you overlap this adhesive at all, just take your finger and push it away from the edge.  The Glue Dot squares/dots will easily move unlike many other adhesives that once applied at all incorrectly sometimes will ruin a project.  

Now that the gift card is in, time for a few finishing touches.

I chose to put a tag on the gift card holder - I actually moved it to the other side and put a pretty tule ribbon around it as you can see from the first photograph.

Have a wonderful Christmas week and be sure to make some time to make some gift card holders!  Craft on!

Make Your Own Planner or Scrapbook Dashboard

Make your very own custom planner or scrapbook dashboard!  Choose your favorite card stock or colors that go with your scrapbook or planner layout.  I then used the free Design Space software for the Cricut Explore to put together my design.

Insert a square shape and then manipulate it into a rectangle.  Add text, copy, and weld and it's ready to be cut.  Very simple and quick!

I chose a very smooth glitter card stock by DCWV - cuts like butter.  This picture shows the machine cutting the top layer of the dashboard.

Now that the base layer and top layers are cut, the top layers can now be glued.

Assembled and ready to be punched so it will fit into my planner.

I used The Happy Planner punch by Me and My Big Ideas as this dashboard will be used in the classic size Happy Planner.  As long as you don't have anything too thick, this will work.

The variety of dashboards you can create is endless.  Make them for a holiday or just for everyday.  And because you make them custom, they can be sized any way that works for you.  A few of the dashboards in the photo above are for use in my Happy Planner Mini planner.  Enjoy making your own dashboards - craft on!!

Making Planner Stickers with the Cricut Explore

It's satisfying and fun to make your own planner stickers.  You can choose your own colors and designs.  Today I'm making stickers for the classic size Happy Planner by Me and My Big Ideas using Cricut Design Space and the Explore machine.

 In Design Space I chose to "Insert Shape" and picked a square.  I then resized the shape into a rectangle with the dimensions of the boxes in the Happy Planner.  I added the patterned paper to each rectangle by clicking on the shape in the "Layers" area to the right of what you are seeing above.  In the "Layer Attributes" pop up click on "Print", then select "Pattern".  A large group of patterned papers comes up.  You may purchase them, have access to several included in the Cricut Subscription program called Access, or have many of them granted to you by Cricut because you are/were an Imagine owner.  Select one of the patterns for each of the rectangles you created.  I added a few decorations on top of the patterned papers in a few instances.  "Import Image" on the left of the screen and pick a few images to add.  Choose to "Flatten" the image after you have resized it.  Drag the image over to the rectangle and place it there.  "Select All" and "Group" the rectangle and image so that if you want to move the image it will move as one item.  Here are my created stickers ready to print and cut.

 I added a few other images to decorate with.  Just be sure to "Flatten" them so they print out as one image and not cut out the several layers that many images have.  Hit the "Go" button to proceed to the next screen in Design Space for printing.  I had to play around with the configuration of my images a bit to get the program to print them all onto one page.  I just kept going back and forth and rearranging until I saw they would print all together.  Follow the directions to print.  Design Space will place Registration Marks on the page so that the machine will be able to cut the images out. After printing (onto a 8 1/2 x 11 Avery Shipping Label sticker sheet), place your printed sheet onto the Cricut mat.  Continue to follow the prompts in Design Space.  Load and hit the Cricut button.  But be sure to set the dial on the machine to "Custom" and choose "Washi tape" so the Explore doesn't cut all the way through the sticker paper.  It will kiss-cut on this setting.  Here we go:

All my stickers are now cut!  You can see that there is a lot of wasted space on the sticker sheet. Currently Cricut Design Space has a limited print and cut capability.  Hopefully this will be corrected in a future Design Space update. The fun part is decorating the planner!!!

And then I added more decorations to this week in the planner. Now it's ready for the pen!

Hope you found this tutorial helpful on how to make your own planner stickers in Cricut Design Space.  If you have any questions be sure to ask and I'll try to help!  Craft on!