Starting an Animal Farm

First off let me apologize for getting this online so late.  We've had several minor emergencies and this is state testing week for my 5th grade students. After 2 nights of taking care of a sick dog until 2 in the morning I fell asleep grading papers.

 So ... on to my project.  I just love Animal Antics and Folk Art Festival.  I cut these critters at 6 inches.  All of the papers are from my stash.  I reworked my scrap stash (I'll post on my blog this weekend) .  I think the pictures speak for themselves.  I plan to make enough animals for my 25 6th graders to chose an animal so they can write a testing goal and a reward they would like to earn for reaching that goal.


This a showcase of the animals I have cut do far.



Fishing bear from Animal Antics.

Swan from Folk Art Festival. This was cut at 5 1/2"



Rhino from Animal Antics.

Beaver from Animal Antics.

Folk Art Lanterns

Hello Everyone!  It's Renee from I came, I saw, I created ready to share a quick holiday project with you.  I know that many of you are looking for quick, easy and inexpensive ways to decorate for the holidays or simply to add some cheer to a small space.  How about creating some paper "gilded" lanterns?

Materials Used:

• Cricut cartridge Folk Art Festival
• Gold paper
• Variety of colored vellum
• Tea lights

CCR file:
https://www.box.com/s/52rkxuauyugy84eigs34

Gypsy file:
https://www.box.com/s/8sfh8l7qmex7ssaf1ogk

Directions:

1. Using the files provided, cut each lantern from gold paper.  I used gold placemats from Target that I found in the holiday decor dept.  I liked the lightness and "gilded" look of the paper.
2. When cutting the homes, remove just the house base from the mat at first.  Then use transfer paper to capture and move the house "insides" (this is optional, but easier then moving each  piece one by one) and set aside. Pull the 12x12 piece of paper from the mat.
3. Using different colored vellum for each lantern, adhere it to the back of each gold sheet.  Take  your transfer tape and adhere the house "insides" on to the the vellum of each coordinating house.  At this point, I took an extra step and cut two of the lanterns down a bit in size (height) to create more of a trio look upon completion (optional).
4. Using a tape runner or strip tape, bring the two ends together and adhere one end on top of the other.
5. Now just add tea lights to the inside of each lantern to light up your "gilded" lanterns.

Festive Christmas Planner

Hello!  It is Lori from the Singing Shell.  Today, I have a Christmas Planner for you using cuts from the Folk Art Festival and Holiday Frames & Tags cartridges.

My husband is the type of person that remembers everything.  I, however, am the kind of person that really needs help remembering things.  This is where the Christmas planner comes in.  The great thing about making your own planner is that you can customize it.  My planner has the following tabs:

1. Card List
2. Gift List
3. Recipes
4. Holiday Ideas
5. Shopping List

These are some other ideas:

• A calendar
• A pocket for receipts
• A pocket for coupons
• Menu
• Decorating Ideas
• To Do List

Here's how I made mine:
1.  I bought a small lined journal from Michael's for $1.50.  It measures 7 x 5 in.  I have seen many different types of books and even binders used.  I chose this particular journal because it was small enough to carry in my purse.

2.  From the Folk Art Festival Cartridge: I cut the bird on page 40 at 2 in.  I cut the letter "C" on page 58 at 3/4 in.  I cut the labels on page 69 at 3 in and 3.75 in.  I cut the "2", "0", "1" at 3/4 in.
3.  From the Holiday Frames & Tags Cartridge: I cut the tag from page 55 at 3 in.
4.  I covered my book with an eggshell colored cardstock and then put a taupe colored fabric on the right hand side.

The binding is from DCWV Fabric Paper

5.  I wrote "hristmas" and the words on the tabs by hand.

I have five tabs for my planner.
But you can have any number of tabs
to fit your needs.

6.  I assembled my labels and numbers on the new cover. I added my tabs to the planner.
7.  I added a handmade red square with the letter "C" to the handwritten "hristmas".
8.  I distressed the bird with the Fired Brick Distress Marker.
9.  I added the bird to the labels and then colored in the negative space with Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam Smooches.

The heart is from a stash of unused cuts.  
Hey, you never know what you can use later! :)

This will keep me nice and organized.  I can also keep it for the upcoming year and easily make changes to the card/gift lists.  I can also refer back to any decorating/recipe ideas I did not get a chance to use.

I wish everyone a wonderful and safe holiday :)


Designed by ~ Lori Sjogren

Machines Used ~ Cricut Create
Supplies used ~ Folk Art Festival cartridge,  CM Holiday Frames & Tags,  paper from my stash, DCWV Fabric Paper, Tim Holtz Fired Brick Distress Marker, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam Smooches