Circles

You know, sometimes we forget about the simplest designs and what they can do for us.

While trying to design a title page for my latest Minnesota album, I wanted to use some chipboard letters that I had but also wanted to use a particular piece of paper. My problem was that they were both rather busy. I finally decided to remove all of the letters and place them in a circle and work from there. My large CutterBee Curvy Cutter circle template turned out to be the perfect size. I placed them on a solid piece of paper (CTMH Vanilla Cream) to help neutralize the patterns.

After placing the letters, I realized that the CutterBee wouldn't allow me to cut the sizes that I needed. Back to my trusty Cricut.


As I had already placed my letters, I had to do some test cuts and adjustments. My suggestion to anyone else doing this is to cut the papers first and then work on placing the letters. I've readjusted the file so that the circles cut directly in the middle if you place your paper without offsetting it for the cut lines. I was very pleased with the results. (Remember that my scanner cuts off the bottom edge.)


I also used circles on a layout in the album.


Again, nothing but circles making a great design. (I believe this layout started with a sketch in Imagine.)


I don't know that anyone needs the files for these, but I'm including them just in case. I'm also including a file of circles that fit the round coasters. I don't have an example for this as I've given away or packed away all of the ornaments I made with these.


Title Page Circles

Layout Circles

Coaster Circles


I hope everyone is having an awesome weekend,
Jill

Doily Border

Way to go, Kris!!!! Our new American Idol!

When I got my Expression back in November, the first thing I cut was Diane's George Doily. I figured it was a good cut to make sure everything was in working order. lol My husband swears it took 45 minutes to cut and 45 for me to get it off the mat and the pieces out of it. I cut it in a color that I knew I would be using for my next Minnesota album and set it aside.


My husband's mother was born and raised in Minnesota. Most of the family is still there near the farm where they were raised. They have a picnic/family reunion once a year come rain, shine, snow or bugs. We go when we can and I make an album for each of our trips. Our last one was 2007, and I decided it was time to get it done as we had hopes of going again this year.

Aunt Fran writes a picnic summary afterwards and sends it to everyone that attended that year. This one is going to take care of most of my journaling. However, by the time I remembered it, I had already pretty much used all of the pictures that I planned to use but had to have a 2nd page to go with it. (I can't handle one-pagers other than the title page and last page and had already completed the last page.)

Then I realized that I had not used my doily either. Yikes! So I started working on a page for the doily. I decided it would be neat if I could find enough small shots to fill the circles with as many faces as possible. So I had some photos reprinted and put some into collages to make them smaller and started punching out faces using one of my circle punches that just happened to fit perfectly. After punching and laying them all out, I worked my way around the frame one face at a time applying adhesive (glue pen) to the back of that circle and positioning the photo. Then on to the next one until all 19 were done.

SO what goes inside? I had originally intended to use it for a group shot. Oh well, best laid plans.... I decided to do a collage of "special" aspects of the picnic--sign that we have every year proclaiming which picnic, hayride stuck in the river, bonfire, and barn stating the "beginning of history". Although I had the collage printed on 5x7, I needed to cover up just a little bit of border and decided a black border would help it pop a little. I used my circle cutter to cut the photo and the black border.


OK, that page looked great but sure didn't do anything for the summary page. Now what? Finally decided that this was going to require some creativity. I opened Diane's files to find out what elements she used and at what size. I then started my own file using those elements and created a border. I didn't want the two sides to be the same, so I started cutting, pasting and moving to make another border using the same pieces. I cut them out, added them to the page and OMG!


This is now one of my favorite layouts! (Please pardon the cut off pages. My scanner scans to 11 3/4", so the bottom gets cut off.)



Doily Border

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Jill

Vote for Kris Allen

Sorry, no cut files today. I do have quite a few things to share once I slow down long enough. In the meantime, I'd like to encourage you to vote for Kris Allen as the new American Idol. If you are an AI viewer but don't vote, please make an exception Tuesday night and vote for Kris. If you are not an AI viewer, please also make an exception to watch and vote for Kris. If you are an AI viewer and have voted in the past, PLEASE vote for Kris Tuesday night. If you're an Adam fan, please don't hate me.


I received an email this morning that said it better than I can:

Ok you guys, this is it!!!! Please watch American Idol on Tuesday, May 19th, AND vote, Vote VOTE for Kris Allen!! You can vote by calling toll free or by texting (there is no extra charge for texting by American Idol just At&t; if you have a texting package, then it goes by that. I encourage you to get an unlimited package, at least for this month to use to vote.)

You can go here to Kris Allen Nation for ALL the details for voting and events happening this week for support!!!!

Voting will be open for 4 hours this Tuesday instead of just two--8pm to 12am. Please vote as long as you can, as many times as possible...voting is unlimited on how many times you can vote. I know this seems like a long time, but this is the last night! If you can’t vote the whole four hours, please vote as many times as you can...some people have been able to get 4000 texts done in 2 hours so with 4 we will get so many more!

Remember to think positive on his winning and visualize Ryan Secreast saying “Kris, you are our New American Idol” and it will come to pass!!!!

Please pass this on to your friends, family and co-workers!

Thanks!!!!!!



There's also local information at B98.5 and Fox 16.

Don't forget--VOTE!
Jill

Mother's Day Card

Finally some time to spend with you. Last weekend was so crazy, but SOOOOO much fun! Claire's wedding was Friday night and absolutely gorgeous! Although it was cloudy and had rained in Little Rock, it was clear skies and nice in Hot Springs. This is Anthony Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens where they were married.


And a shot from inside.


In honor of National Scrapbooking Day, Kay, Angie, Christy and I had registered for a crop in Russellville. Kay and Angie were able to be there when it started at noon on Friday. I drove up Friday night after the reception in which the last 20 minutes turned into about 35 after hitting a rain wall. I was wondering whether I was going to make it in one piece rest of the way, especially when lightening hit a transformer just in front of me about 1/4 mile from the house. But I made it safely if a little rattled and looking like a drowned rat. Christy came up Saturday morning and said it wasn't much better but at least daylight.

But we had an absolute blast!!!!!!!


OK, on to my card. One of the blogs that I check out daily is Susan's Busy with the Cricky, and Susan is a member of the design team on Bitten by the Bug. Their challenge this week was to use two cuts from Beyond Birthdays--the vase and the word Mom or Mum. Since I had not made a card for my Mom, I decided to work on this challenge. I think it turned out pretty darn cute myself.


I love the Argyle design on Wild Card and decided to start there. I welded the diamonds to the card as the base and layered with the lattice, vase and Mom. All of the papers are CTMH (Creme Brulee, Juniper, Sorbet, Tulip and Black). I added Stickles (Diamond) to the the flowers, Mom and dots to the intersections of the lattice, and Dew Drops to the center of the flowers. Oh, and I stamped the vase and stickled the top to give it a little personality.


I stamped the inside with a CTMH set using Sorbet ink. I also added a piece of vellum to the inside. It was some that just happened to go with these colors.


I also like the envelope detail on Argyle-s so used it for the envelope. However, I didn't like what showed through the holes but also didn't want to cut the liner and use it. Instead, I used the Argyle with no shift and hid everything except for the jagged strip.


Once cut, I had to trim the strip a bit on each end to make it work but was happy with the results.


I didn't take another picture, but also cut a small Mom in Tulip and put it on the front. The envelope was cut in Sorbet and the strip in Creme Brulee.


My Mom gave me the bears in the above photos last year on Mother's Day. It plays "In My Daughter's Eyes".


I've done the cut file so that the card can be cut with any of the machines. However, the envelope can only be cut on the Expression. As usual, several of the pages are for a nice Preview. The card has 2 cut pages for the Expression and 3 for the smaller machines. I only created a page layout for the Expression. I labeled what was being cut instead of the colors as you will probably be using different colors. Others can use that page as a guide for setting up their other page. I did not set up a page layout for the envelope.

Mother's Day Card 2009

Replace Mom with a sentiment to match your occasion (or just remove) and this card could be used for just about anything female related. Replace the vase and it could be used for any occasion.


I started this post yesterday but got busy running errands and finishing my card before we went to dinner last night. As we did our celebrating last night, I should have a pretty quiet day today.

Happy Mother's Day! and my prayers to all that have cause not to enjoy this day.

Jill