Updated Storage

Happy Holidays!

I hope that everyone has had a marvelous holiday season so far. Hard to believe that there's still a holiday to go before it's all behind us for another few months.

Finally, I was able to sit down this weekend and cut out the revised storage boxes for my Cricut cartridges. And I'm SO happy with the outcome!

I take my cartridges to crops and share them with friends who have their own Cricut machines. When they return the cartridges, they're never sure where they go. (Yes, I do have tendencies of OCD and keep them in alphabetical order.) I added a back so that I could label the boxes. Now, all of us will know what belongs where.

Here's the whole set for ZooBalloo.

And the top layer of cartridges filled. Doesn't it look great!

If you are interested in the .cut file for the new boxes, click here. This file was done on the Expression (Christmas present from my husband and my uncle!), but it would be easy to convert for use on one of the other bugs.

If you're looking for the dividers or tags, see my post from August 24.

Thanks for checking in.

My wish is that you and your family have a safe, healthy and happy 2009! Happy Cricuting!

Jill

ABCs of Baby

My friend Kay got me started making ABC books for a few gifts that I needed for some special little ones. I made three in one weekend along with three of us organizing another for six of us to make for a mutual friend. That was a whirlwind weekend!

Although I included capital letters in the file, we used some of the glitter chipboard letters that Michaels carries. I'm sorry I don't remember the brand. Otherwise, all letters were cut on the Cricut along with some of the embellishments.

For this project, I ran my letter and embellishment papers through my 5" xyron before cutting. I placed my paper on the mat with the xyron side up (upside down to what you would think) and flipped my letters on the software mat (so that they cut backwards). That way everything already had adhesive and the paper stuck to the mat for cutting. This was much faster and easier than cutting and then running all of those letters through the xyron. AND I didn't have those adhesive buggers all over my books!

My books did not use the same words for all of the letters. It just depended on the child/family as to what I used. You can google "abc album ideas" to get some great lists. I put the sizes on one tab of each letter type I used to help you customize your project. The books we did were 8 x 8 and 9 x 9. And you'll want to add the child's name as the title page only says "ABCs of" right now.

The mothers who have received these gifts have been absolutely thrilled! I'd like to make a Christmas book, but that will probably be a project for next year. There are so many things you can do with an ABC album.

Here's the cut file.

I used Cuttin' Up for the font. All of the other cartridges used were for embellishments. You can change embellishments to match the cartridges that you have. Have fun and please let me know what you come up with.

Poinsettia Mesh

We had a mesh swap several months ago and I opted to work on Christmas. Since December has arrived (can you believe it's already here?), I thought it a good time to add it to my blog. If you followed the thread at the time of the swap, you may already have it.

The first 3 pages of the file are strictly for viewing the design. I would not cut those pages. Leave the mat alone after cutting the mesh and hit load paper. This will take the mat back to where you originally started. Then go to the border page and cut it. This will clean up the edges of the pieces that are in the non-cutting areas. You'll have to work with the leaves (cut green) and blooms (cut red or pink) to get them in the right places after cutting as some of them are trimmed off to fit the pieces trimmed off on the mesh.

I love the design and was very pleased with my trial cut. When I cut one to use, I think I will cut it either with the mesh in gold and the blooms red or the mesh in silver and the blooms in either pink or blue. And, of course, I'll have to add stickles.

Here's the cut file. Enjoy!

Jill