Halloween Treat Bags with Tags, Bags, Boxes & More

Halloween goodies for the awesome gals I work with!  I made these with Tags, Bags, Boxes & More, using the bag that was the fourth row down, fourth image over (or as I code it: 4-4).  I was able to fit two per 12x12 page.  Can you see the oval window that is cut out in the middle?  I created this bag on my Gypsy so I was able to easily add the oval from Plantin Schoolbook, positioning it in the correct location to cut an oval window as it was cutting the bag.  If you don't have a Gypsy you can still  do the same by utilizing Center Point on your Expression.  (I'll post directions on how to do this at a later date - it's really easy though!)  If you don't want to candy to fall out you need to adhere some type of cellophane on the inside.  I used some clear sheet protectors I had cut up.

The paper I used was purchased at Joann's and is  by Cloud 9 Design.  It's a really cute pack that includes Fall, Halloween, and Christmas paper.  It's a very thick paper and so can be used for bags and boxes.  Do you see how it bows out a little though with the weight of the candy inside?  A thicker cardstock would not do that.  Double-sided cardstock would also be very cute if used for this bag because you can see a little of the inside.  I Stickled, ribboned and gemmed to add embellishments.

Here are some close-ups:

Sweet Treats - Ice Cream Card

....or....otherwise titled:  What to do with a 4" swap!  I made ice cream cones from the Sweet Treats cartridge for a 4" swap my Cricut Class is participating in tomorrow night.  I just wanted to show something you can do with it.  So the ice cream cone was already put together and embellished. All I had to do was to make a card (half of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of pink cardstock, folded in half), add a 4" x 5" piece of patterned paper, a few flowers I had previously cut - and I have a cute card!  EXCEPT - I am ashamed to admit that I totally blew the rubber stamping.  It is suppose to say "Hello" - but my dog ran under my feet right as I was lifting the stamp.  I normally wouldn't post a mistake like this but I did want to show what you could do with a 4" swap and didn't want to use any of the others I had prepared (as I have to swap them tomorrow!)  My daughter tells me it looks like "hella" as in "Ice cream is hella good" and I should just go with that.  HAHA!  I hope you can enjoy it anyway.  See you all tomorrow night!

Cricut Class: 4" Swap - Sweet Treats Ice Cream Cone

Next week will be our final week for the Fall Session Cricut 101 Class.  We are having an optional 4" swap.  If you choose to participate, please make 5 items the same and bring them to class.  We'll be swapping them out that night.  To do a 4" swap, simply choose the image you would like to make, set your size dial at 4" and cut five.  The 4" goes for any layers and shadows you choose to do.  Put each together - you may embellish as you wish.  Again, this is absolutely optional but only those who participate will get to swap and bring some home.  This is what I made:  It is one of the ice cream cones from the Sweet Treats cartridge.  Email if you have any questions.

Click here to see just what you can do with your 4" swaps.  The cool thing is that over time after a few swaps, you'll have a nifty little collection of images to fit any occasion.  You just pull out the best one and you can put together a card in a matter a minutes.  Really!

Cricut Class - Wild Card Flower Card

Tonight we made the Flower Card from the Wild Card Cartridge.  All cuts were at 4 3/4".  The card included the envelope, card, liner, little flowers (found on the liner creative feature) and big flower (found on the frame creative feature).


Look how cute the inside of the card looks with the liner that matches the big flower on the card:

There isn't a special grass image like the picture on the booklet leads you to believe.  You can either cut an entire extra envelope in green and then cut off only the green grass part to glue onto your envelope or just use chalks like we did.  I'm not very good at it and could probably use a little instruction myself!

I love the way the paper and cardstock looks all laid out on the table together!  Probably my favorite part is coordinating the fun colors and patterns.

Scrap'n Tote Product Review

I am not one of the lucky ones with a crafting room...or a crafting loft...or a crafting basement...  Oh no, I get a crafting back of the closet,  a crafting corner of the dining room table, and (here is the extra special part) a crafting side of the couch.  No, it isn't ideal but for the most part, I make do:  I have my paper in plastic drawers in the back of my closet, my crafting supplies hanging over the hall closet door, my Cricut sitting on my dining room table, and my cartridges sitting in "organized" (haha) bins at the side of my couch.

This is what my cartridge bins look like after I've gone through and organized them.

This is more typically what my cartridge bins look like after I've been digging through them to see what is at the bottom.














There has to be a better solution right?  There is indeed!  I learned about a product that is just new on the market called the Scrap'n Tote from ContainYa Crafts, Ltd.

The Scrap'n Tote!

 The Scrap'n Tote is a unique system that consists of an oversized binder and 12 clear custom insert sheets that are made specifically to store the Cricut booklets, overlays and cartridges.  Each insert sheet holds three cartridges with booklets and overlays so you can get a total of 36 cartridges in a binder!  AND AND AND....the binder comes with handles so you can easily pick it up and go to crops, school, work - whatever!

Doesn't this look so much nicer!  Now I can just flip through the "pages" and see everything I have at a glance.  No more digging through the plastic bins!

You can even fit a 12x12 mat at the side and if your tote isn't fully loaded with cartridges, some scrapping essentials in the (free and included) clear zipper pouch.

 

This is very exciting to me.  I've long been looking for a solution not only to store my cartridges but to make them more portable when I go to my Cricut Classes.  I can see that this would also be very useful for someone who goes to crops or takes them to work - such as a teacher might do.  It was easy to set up and is all in all very user friendly.  I give it a definite thumbs up!


For more information and to order your very own Scrap'n Tote, just click on the link for Cricut Cartridge Storage.  Right now there is a coupon code you can use on top of the discounted price.  


Blog Disclosure: ContainYa Crafts generously provided the above pictured Scrap'n Tote for my consideration.  I was not directed to write a review and all opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

Affiliate Program:  After careful consideration and product review I have chosen to become a member of ContainYa Crafts affiliate program because I feel it is a high quality product worth my promotion.  If you purchase after clicking on a link provided in this post I will be compensated.  Any questions, please ask.

Cricut Hurricane Candle Holders - Reindeer and Trees

 This week in our Cricut class we are going to be making Hurricane Candle Holders with a winter theme.  




I tried to get the front and back in the mirror so that you could see both sides.  I think I would like the snowflakes to border the top as well as being spread around and will suggest it.

Here is the front lit (but without the ribbon along the bottom).

And the back.  I used three different cartridges - Joys of the season for the snowflakes, Christmas (Solutions Cartridge) for the trees, and Winter Woodland for the Deer.  I also added some self-sticking gems.  Vinyl is actually easy to cut so I am very excited to show the class.  Click here for a post on the Vinyl "Kiss Cut".

Don't Be Afraid to Experiment with your Cricut

I'm often asked in my class how I know the sizes and shapes to cut.  It's hard sometimes when we are thinking of doing something but aren't sure what it will ultimately look like when it is cut.  How are we suppose to know?  The answer:  we don't know.  There is no book to tell us what to cut and how to cut it for each particular project.  You might get lucky and find the directions to something you are interested in, but more likely you will be on your own.  I say, don't be afraid to experiment - don't be afraid to make wrong cuts or cut sizes that aren't exactly right.  If I don't want to ruin a special paper, I just grab some plain, cheap cardstock and cut cut cut till I get it right.  Then I'll cut it on my special paper and have exactly what I want.

This is what my dining room table looked like this morning when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to use for a winter themed hurricane lamp and exactly what size to cut it:

I tried various deer and trees with various sizes till I got exactly what I wanted.  Here is the end result: