https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrisandLarry
Here is the first of many files to come in our Etsy store. This downloadable file is usable with your design space for the Cricut and the Silhouette
New Year, New Opportunities
Category Archives: Using Scrapbook Supplies
Cricut Explore Air 2 – Game Changer for our homeschool and other projects
I have always been a crafter, but most of that has gone the wayside with 7 kids in the house and working, homesteading, etc. And not wanting to scrapbook and see all of the memories of Breckin. That was way too hard in the beginning of the grieving process. Pictures are coming out, Albums are being put together and memories are being made.
In my “past life” I taught scrapbooking classes for several different companies (when Griffen was a baby – so about 16 years ago). One flew me around the country several times a month for over a year to teach other consultants how to run their classes.
I have 40+ cricut cartridges and several machines in the top of the closet in the hall. But, dragging them out of the hall closet, finding the right cartridge, the process was long and crazy. And it took over what ever table that I set it up on.
I needed to revisit my creative outlet and get going again.
So this new Cricut is a game changer!!! I picked it up on Amazon (Link below) for about $300. Yes, I know….$$$
But since it’s arrival, I have made props for my classroom, the kids started their lapbook projects on the states for our homeschooling, I have our vacation t-shirts designed. I even loaded the VIPKid logo
in and cut a few IRON-ON for my orange t-shirts!!! I have so many ideas for home designs and there are even some simplicity patterns that you can purchace and be able to cut with this. I have it on my printer shelf next to my laser printer.
And the best part is that the design process is online. I can start a design, and then save and revisit it later. I don’t lose anything and since time to do “crafty” things in my house is limited, I am able to come back to projects and cut them out when I have time.
AND There is a PHONE APP! So when I am sitting in the car, waiting for one of the kids in their many activities, I can design something and then cut it when I get home!!!
You can use it with your current cricut cartridges AND/OR pay a monthly subscription plan (if you plan on using it) and get 50,000 graphics to be able to cut. You can also purchase PRE-DESIGNED PROJECTS!
(YES, It cuts Vinyl, magnet, cardstock, leather, fabric, felt, paper, burlap, birch, denim. There is even a slot for pens to draw some of the parts of your projects – I haven’t even tried that one yet.) Here is a link to all of the materials that you can cut with it: https://help.cricut.com/help/cricut-explore-materials-settings
I am thinking wooden signs with vinyl cutouts for the kids’ animals for the fair next year!!!
Oh, WHY did I not do this sooner!?!? So here is the link, my friends!!! GAME CHANGER for your crafting needs!!!
New Digital Scrapbooking site.
Hi Everyone,
For those who have followed me for the last 10 years knew that I was very active in both paper scrapbooking as a consultant and as a designer. About 7 years ago, I was a part of several online digital scrapbooking store, selling my designs. When I was going through school and adopting of my 2 little boys, I took down my products. I have finally decided to get back into both paper scrapbooking with Close to my Heart (http://krismazy.ctmh.com) and with the introduction of my new digital scrapbooking site at http://www.krisandlarry.com/shop. I will have some of my old designs and many of my new ones.
December 2010 Advent – December 5th – Creating an Advent Calendar at home
There are so many things that are important to me – God, my family, my friends, my health, my happiness. When it comes to happiness, I always laugh at what other people deem in that category. To be rich does not make you happy.
Here are some FRUGAL ways to create your own advent calendar for the holidays.
For about $40 you can purchase one from a store like Costco or Target that you can use over and over and over again. We bought one about 5 years ago at Costco and it lasted until our move. One of the doors is off and I have to figure out a way to fix it.So we are doing the next best thing. We are making our own today.
T0 make your own Advent calendar, you are going to need the following:
- about 18 sheets of scrapbook paper (I used 16 sheets of Christmas printed cardstock and 4 sheets of plain Bazzil that matched)
- adhesive
- cutter or scissors
- To hang this you will need clothes pins, string and some of those 3M Command hooks that you can remove after the season is over.
I purchased a set of paper from my local craft store. It is a pack of 54 sheets of cardstock 12×12 patterned paper. I cut my patterned paper with my paper cutter into strips – 6 – 6×12, 22-4×12, 4 3×12 and 16 2×12 (these numbers can differ for your needs and you may have left over paper). I then glued a smaller strip on a larger one (see the photo)
Once you are done with the gluing on the patterned paper, it is time to fold. You are making a folded “card”. I actually made 2 folds on each card to have a closure. I used my score pal to score the cards, you do not need to use anything. I clipped together the cards, folded with clothes pins.
Once you have gotten each of the 24 cards folded, you will need to cut out and glue numbers to the front of them. I am using my Cricut, but you can use rubber stamps or foam stamps and paint. I switched up the size of the font on them.
Next, you will want to add inside of them a daily activity or scripture. We have added BOTH. I used WackyTac to add removable notes so that I can use my advent next year as well.
Luke 1:32 -He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, |
Thankful jars just in time for Thanksgiving
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November to me represents everything that I am thankful for. The leaves are changing colors, fall is HERE! Time to start baking, and using those apple sauces and canned foods that we worked so hard to create over the summer. I love pumpkin and cranberries with a touch of cloves and cinnamon.
- This year, I am thankful that we are in our new bigger house.
- I am thankful that God is in our lives.
- I am thankful that Lar has a job in this economy (even if I have been eager to disagree about the cuts that he received).
- I am thankful for my family, my friends and my health.
- I am thankful that we have the options to homeschool even with the harshest criticism from people who *were* our friends.
- I am thankful that I am so close to finishing my art degree even with the battles that I have fought!
- I am thankful that food is plentiful and that I can feed my ever-growing family and have learned to coupon shop to the fullest extent.
- I am thankful for the followers of my blog and hope that I can continue to serve your throughout the upcoming year.
So the project for the day: OUR THANKFUL JARS
You will need a mason jar (or a recycled spaghetti sauce jar from your kitchen) and a lid, plus some paper (construction or scrapbook), glue and embellishments.
My kids used glitter, fake flowers, stamps and ink, decorative scissors and ribbon.
We spent about 90 minutes cutting gluing and decorating our jars.
Then, I cut 2 12×12 scrapbook papers into 1×6 strips. Every day between now and Thanksgiving, each person in the family is going to write 1 thing on a strip and drop it into their jar – their name gets to go on the back and the thankful on the front of the strip. On Thanksgiving, we are going to take them out and staple these together and make a paper chain to hang in our school room.
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Going to miss my vinyl – so time to start planning my redecorating
One thing that makes me sad about moving is that I am going to miss my vinyl on my walls. I will have to re-cut everything because there is no way that I will be able to peel them all and keep them in good enough condition to put back up… so I will have to re-cut them. You can purchase vinyl at your local Home Depot or Lowes or Ace Hardware. I found Wall Pops in the wall paper department. It comes in rolls that your can cut that fit PERFECTLY with your cricut or wishblade cutters. http://wall-pops.com/ or you can see exactly where to buy in your area HERE: http://wall-pops.com/where-to-buy/
(a few of these I did purchase before I found vinyl to cut)
Located in my scrapbook classroom – Cut with my wishblade
Located in my scrappy classroom – Cut with my cricut
Located above my bay window – Bought when TLC was around
The Live – Laugh – Love is my FAVORITE one – Located above my front door – Cut with my wishblade
Boys door – Cut with my cricut
Girl’s Door – cut with my cricut
Girls’Room – Cut with my cricut
