Provo Craft Party Lanterns

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by today.  Provo Craft marketing has once again provided me with the opportunity to share another of their fabulous projects with you and I simply could not resist these fabulous Vellum Lanterns.

My friend Kathy (MFK) has a family wedding in her future - her son Kyle is getting married in March and these lanterns are PERFECT for the ceremony.  I knew I just had to share the lanterns with Kathy and all of you!!!   I think this is such a fun idea that lends itself to so many different events!

What you will need:

Cricut used nice, rectangular images from several Cricut® cartridges, including
Ornamental Iron 2, Paper Lace, Carousel, Storybook, and Art Philosophy. Choose a cartridge that fits your theme.

• Armature wire
• Cardstock
• Vellum
• String
• Hot-glue gun
• Tape
• Glue
 
 

 
How to make the Lanterns:
 
1. Choose a favorite pattern from one of the cartridges above. Cut the pattern at 6.5" or adjust the size as desired. You will need four of the same image. Carefully peel the images off the mat.

2. Glue the images to a piece of thin vellum so that the images are side by side. You can lightly score the vellum along the seams to make crisp, clean edges.

3. Fold the lantern together. Secure the edges with tape.

4. Create a hanging hook from armature wire. Use a hot-glue gun to secure the hanging hook inside the lantern.

5. Create other lanterns using images from a variety of cartridges.
 
 
If you would like to see a short instructional video on assembling the lanterns, click HERE.  Once the page opens, look in the first section titled:  Featured projects from our latest TV Commercial - then click on the paper lantern video.
 
Thanks for stopping by today - I have a Spooktacular layout to share with you tomorrow so be sure to drop by.
 
 

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If you have not already purchased your Art Philosophy cartridge, please remember that I am now a Close to My Heart consultant and would love to assist you with the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge and stamp sets. Have you purchased your Close to my Heart Art Philosophy cartridge set yet? I would love to help you start enjoying this great cartridge. The price is $99.00 and may be ordered at my CTMH Store.

The Art Philosophy set includes:

CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge (retail $55.99)

Three coordinating stamp sets (retail $17.95 each)

Three chipboard sets (retail $4.95 each)

This is $124.69 value all for $99!!

 

Also please remember that the deadline for ordering your Stamp of the Month, Holiday Magic set is fast approaching. The stamp set retails for $17.95 but you can order it for $5.00 with any $50 order, but only it is only available until October 31st!!!

Awesome Halloween Costumes with the Cricut!

Here we are in mid-October and it is time to scare up Halloween costumes for your little people - or for yourself!  I used to spend HOURS & HOURS sewing Halloween costumes - IF ONLY the Cricut machines had be available when my children were children! 

Provo Craft has created some FABULOUS Halloween costumes, made using the Cricut cutting machine, and sent me the information to share here at the Busy with the Cricky blog. Even though you may see these costumes on other blogs, I thought these were so awesome that I just had to share them.

Provo Craft has gracioulsy provided four fabulous costume ideas, complete with instructions below, to inspire you.  But remember you could use the same techniques to Cricut-create a costume of your own design!!!

Flower Child Costume

 

Instructions:

1. Cut flowers and circles from each color of vinyl; 5 of each piece at 4.41 inches flowers and 1.59 inches for circles.

2. Adhere vinyl shapes to jeans and t-shirt; mixing colors of centers and flowers.

3. Add solid vest and handkerchief headband to finish flower child costume.



What you’ll need:

Provo Craft Supplies


• Cricut Expression

• Gypsy Handheld Device

• Cricut Vinyl - Burnt Umber orange, Ice Blue, Lilac Purple, Lime Green, Yellow, Ruby Red, Rose Pink

• Cricut Classic Font- cut at 4.41 inches (remove tag holes), 1.59 inches. (Cut out flowers and smaller circles, adhere to clothing as desired, using smaller circles for centers of flowers on pants, and using flower centers in flowers on shirt.)

 Pizza Chef Costume

 Instructions:



1. Using scissors, cut red fabric to a 12" x 12" square and follow the package directions to apply Heat N' Bond Ultra to wrong side of fabric with an iron. Place fabric face down on mat. Apply a few strips of masking tape around the edge of the fabric to prevent it from lifting and sliding while cutting.

2. Load the Deep Cut Blade into your Cricut Expression machine and set blade depth to 6. Using the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge, cut multiple 1.10" squares from red fabric.

3. Adhere squares to the apron and brim of chef hat in a checkerboard pattern using an iron.

4. Next, use the Gypsy device and Lite Billionaire cartridge to weld together the letters to spell the word "Pizza". Cut two words from black vinyl, one at 3" for the apron and the other at 1.9" for the hat. Apply to apron & hat with transfer tape and tools from Cricut Tool Kit.

5. Using the Lite Billionaire cartridge, cut a 0.90" mustache from black vinyl.

6. Place apron and hat on child. Have child wear the vinyl mustache.

7. Using the Simply Charmed cartridge, cut the pizza slice and all of its layers from cardstock for a costume accessory. Laminate with the YourStory machine for durability, if desired.

What you’ll need:


Provo Craft Supplies:


• Cricut Expression Machine

• Gypsy Handheld Design Device

• Deep Cut Blade

• Cricut Tool Kit

• Plantin SchoolBook Cartridge

• Lite Billionaire Cartridge

• Simply Charmed Cartridge

• YourStory Machine

• Cricut Vinyl – Raven

• Cricut Transfer Tape

Other Supplies:

• Laminating Pouches

• White Apron

• White Chef Hat

• Red Fabric

• Heat N' Bond Ultra

• Cardstock for Pizza (Tan, Black, Orange, Dark Red, Green)

• Adhesives

• Masking Tape

• Scissors

• Iron

Smarty Pants Costume

 Instructions:


1. Use Cricut Vinyl and Cricut Expression to cut out letters for t-shirt.

2. Peel off backing and adhere to shirt as shown.

3. Brush hair into middle part, add thick rimmed glasses and pull pants up over waist.

What you will need:


Provo Craft Supplies:

• Cricut Expression

• Simply Sweet Cricut Cartridge – “I” “M” “C” letters at 2.57 inches. 2 at 1.73 inches. ii ( for equal sign) at 1.21 inches

• Baby Steps Cricut Cartridge - heart at 2.53 inches

• Cricut Vinyl colors- Raven and Ruby Red

Other Supplies:
• T-shirt

Halloween Mask

Instructions:


1. Cut mask at 3.5 from black cardstock and emboss with Happy Hauntings embossing folder.

2. Cut two more masks from purple cardstock at 3.5 and place behind black mask; one off-centered to the top and left, and one to the bottom and right to create a shadow.

3. Stitch around edges.

4. Cut spider web at 3.5 from gray cardstock. *Tip: Cut 3 of them and stack them for extra support.

5. Embellish with gems.

6. Cut spider at .75 from black cardstock and adhere to web with black foam adhesive.

7. Add web to mask with black foam adhesive.

8. Cut a spider at 3 from black cardstock.

9. Add black button to head and embellish eyes with gems.

10. Add large button to body that has thin purple paper strips run through holes for thread.

11. Adhere to mask with black foam adhesive.

12. Punch hole in each side of mask and run black elastic lace through; knotting at back of each hole.



What you’ll need:

Provo Craft Supplies:

• Cricut Expression Machine

• Cuttlebug Machine

• Cricut Chic and Scary Cartridge

• Happy Hauntings companion set embossing folders

Other Supplies:

• Cardstock (black, purple, grey)

• Sewing supplies

• Black foam adhesive

• Buttons and gems

 

I truly LOVE these costume ideas!  Thank you PROVO CRAFT for creating and sharing these fabulous ideas.  The more I see of this amazing Halloween Mask the more I know what I will be wearing as I pass out goodies to my neighborhood gobblins!!

Cricut Back To School Projects

It’s back-to-school time again—thought you might enjoy some inspiration for helping your kids kick off the school year right.

Provo Craft makes going back to school easy and exciting for everyone. You won’t believe all the different ways you can use your Cricut® to help your child not only personalize his or her gear, but also get organized and tackle school projects.

Below you will find three of PC's favorite back-to-school projects made using the Cricut®.


Say Thanks Card

Instructions:

1. Using paper cutter, cut kraft cardstock down to an A2 size (4 1⁄4” x 11”) and score to make card base

2. Using paper cutter, cut yellow patterned paper at 4" x 5 1⁄4" and the schooled themed pattern paper at 3 3⁄4 x 5" and adhere together.

3. Tie black ribbon around adhered sheets slightly right of center.

4. Using Recess cartridge and aqua patterned paper cut pinked circle (ribbon-s) at 5".

5. Using Cricut Essentials cartridge and rainbow patterned paper, cut one circle at 2 1⁄4”

6. Using Cricut Essentials cartridge and cream cardstock, cut one circle at 2”. Then using your black pen add pen detailing and stamp sentiment.

7. Layer circles and adhere to card.

8. Using the Recess cartridge and cream cardstock, Cut first layer of the apple out at 1 1⁄2”.Then cut the shift layer out using the green patterned paper at 1 1⁄2”. Using the layer function, cut the main portion of the apple out in the red patterned paper at 1 1⁄2”. Then using the prawn patterned paper cut out the stem by using the layer feature and the shift key at 1 1⁄2”.

9. Assemble apple and adhere to card.

What you will need:

Provo Craft Supplies

• Cricut® Expression 2: Anniversary Edition

• Cricut® Lite Recess cartridge

• Cricut® Essentials cartridge

Other Supplies

• Adhesive

• Black Ribbon

• Paper: kraft cardstock, yellow Patterned paper, aqua patterned paper, green patterned paper, brown patterned paper, red patterned paper, rainbow stripe patterned paper, school themed patterned paper, and cream cardstock

• Teacher themed stamps

• Black Ink

• Red Ink

• Black pen

• Paper cutter

Free-to-Rock Pencil Holder

Instructions:

1. Cut FREE TO ROCK. Using Rock Princess cartridge and Raven vinyl, select Phrase feature and cut one 3". Using Rose Pink vinyl, select Phrase feature, press Shift, and cut one 3".
2. Layer on pencil holder as shown using transfer tape.

3. Adhere ribbons around top of pencil holder as shown.

4. Adhere button to ribbons as shown.

What you will need:

Provo Craft Supplies

• Cricut Expression® Personal Electronic Cutter with Plantin SchoolBook and Accent Essentials® cartridges
• Cricut® Rock Princess cartridge
• Cricut® Cuttables Vinyl, Raven
• Cricut® Cuttables Vinyl, Rose Pink
• Cricut® Cuttables Vinyl Transfer Tape
Other Supplies

• Glass pencil holder

• Ribbon: hot pink, orange

• Button: black and white

• Glue gun

 
Personalized Notebook

Instructions:

1. Cover notebook front with diagonal striped paper.

2. Cover rest of notebook with awning striped paper.

3. Cut label. Using Accent Essentials cartridge and pink cardstock, cut one 3" . Repeat cut using dark red cardstock. Adhere to notebook as shown.

4. Using letter rub-ons, spell notes and place on label.

5. Apply rub-on flowers as desired.

6. Add ribbon of your choice to side of notebook as shown.

What you will need:

Provo Craft Supplies

• Cricut Expression™ Personal Electronic Cutter [29-0300]

• Cricut® Accent Essentials® cartridge [29-0391]

Other Supplies

• Composition notebook

• Paper: diagonal striped, awning striped

• Cardstock: pink, dark red

• Rub-on letters

• Rub-on flowers

• Ribbon

• Adhesive

Provo Craft Father's Day Projects

The Provo Craft Design Team has been very busy in hopes of making your Father's Day celebration easier and more crafty-licious with the use of your Cricut machines!  Below are three fun projects that Dad will love:  A father's day card, a great 4 x 6 inch gift box, and a fabulous Father's Day cake.  Included with each project materials lists and instructions!  Thank you Provo Craft for sharing these great projects.  I should be back tomorrow or Thursday to share one more Father's day card with you - it coordinates with yesterday's grill cover embellishement.

Father's Day Card

Materials:

• Cricut® Expression Personal Electronic Cutter
• Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge
• Blue cardstock
• Brown cardstock
• Printed cardstock (2 different coordinating sheets)
• Adhesive
• Dimensional tape
• Ink
• Paper cutter

Instructions:

• Using paper cutter, cut blue cardstock into a 6” x 10” rectangle then fold in half.
• Using paper cutter, cut printed cardstock into a 5 ½” x 5 ½” square
• Using paper cutter, coordinating printed cardstock into a 5 ½” x 1” rectangle
• Using Cricut® and Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge and brown cardstock, cut 3 ½” Father’s Day
• Using blue cardstock, cut 3 ½” Father’s Day layer
• Ink all edges
• Adhere layers of Happy Father’s Day
• Using dimensional tape, adhere to card.

Father's Day 6"x4" Box

Materials:

• Cricut® Personal Electronic Cutter
• Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge
• Black cardstock
• Blue cardstock
• Printed cardstock
• Adhesive
• Dimensional tape
• Paper cutter

Box 6” x 4”  Instructions:

• Using printed cardstock and paper cutter, cut four squares 5 ½” x 3 ½” and one square 5 ½” x 5 ½”
• Using coordinating printed cardstock and paper cutter, cut four squares 5” x 3” and one square 5” x 5”
• Using Cricut®, Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge and black cardstock, cut 3” Poker, Can, Money and Pool Balls. Cut 5” Background2.
• Using printed cardstock, cut 3” PokerLyr, CanLyr, PoolballLyr, MoneyLyr. Using printed cardstock, cut 5” #1Dad
• Adhere mats to top and sides
• Adhere layers of all cuts and attach to sides
• Using dimensional tape, adhere #1 Dad cut to top of box

Father's Day Cake Using the Cricut Cake Machine:

Materials:

• Cricut® Personal Electronic Cutter
• Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge
• Black cardstock
• Blue cardstock
• Printed cardstock
• Adhesive
• Dimensional tape 
• Paper cutter

Box 6” x 4”  Instructions:

• Using printed cardstock and paper cutter, cut four squares 5 ½” x 3 ½” and one square 5 ½” x 5 ½”
• Using coordinating printed cardstock and paper cutter, cut four squares 5” x 3” and one square 5” x 5”
• Using Cricut®, Cricut® Father’s Day cartridge and black cardstock, cut 3” Poker, Can, Money and Pool Balls. Cut 5” Background2.
• Using printed cardstock, cut 3” PokerLyr, CanLyr, PoolballLyr, MoneyLyr. Using printed cardstock, cut 5” #1Dad
• Adhere mats to top and sides
• Adhere layers of all cuts and attach to sides
• Using dimensional tape, adhere #1 Dad cut to top of box 

Designer Hints:

Cut all images from gum paste, using pictures for color references. Remove excess gum paste from cutting mats and images. Save brown stars from borders. Let gum paste dry so that the cuts can be removed from the mat without being distorted.

• Layer borders, banners, and stars together as shown using sugar glue.
• Layer borders and banners to cake as shown.
• Layer best dad phrases together. Stand phrase on top of the cake as shown.
• Paint toothpicks with food gel. Let dry. Attach toothpicks to backs of stars. Place on top of cake as shown.
• To decorate cupcakes, brownies, or cookies, cut similar icons at desired sizes. Layer together and place on top of the goodies as shown.

Happy Mother's Day & Mother's Day Winners

Happy Mother's Day to all of you Moms and Grandmoms out there.  I wish each of you a lovely day.

I am a bit tardy in posting, but I am ready to share the names of the lucky five who will receive a free quarter in the Cricut Circle.  I selected the first five non-circle members as winners:



Brigitte said...
OMG, this is a dream come true!!! Pick me!


Rhonda P said...
I would love to have one. You got such a great gift.



Melissa said...
Me please!


Dana said...
I would really like to try it out. thanks for the chance.


KARLA UREA said...
Wao this is so nice, please pick me!!! Love


Congratulations ladies!  I will be emailing each of you the information you need to claim your prize.

One More Opportunity For You To Own The Cricut Expression 2

Guess what is available for a limited time only through Cricut.com???  The Anniversary Edition of the Cricut Expression 2!!  That's right, you will get one more opportunity to take this fabulous machine home to your scrapping area!

Product Details -

Cost:  $349!!

Orders for the Cricut Expression 2: Anniversary Edition will begin shipping from Cricut.com May 16th. Supplies are limited. Order yours today!
Introducing the 5th Anniversary Cricut Expression™. This limited-edition 5th Anniversary Cricut Expression™ has all the features of our classic Cricut Expression™ plus innovations that will make crafting easier and more fun.
The limited-edition 5th Anniversary Cricut Expression™ now features a beautiful full-color, LCD touch screen. You can easily access editing features like auto-fill and quantity and brand-new, exciting tools such as mat preview, which will allow you to organize all of your shapes and designs and see exactly how they'll fit on your mat, before the first cut.
Each machine comes preloaded with 4 cartridges: Cricut American Alphabet, Just a Note, Cricut Decals, and Cricut Essentials
Other great features include:Compatible with Cricut and Cricut Imagine Cartridges
Full-color LCD touch screen
Mat Preview
Material Setting
Cutting Area Light
Longer Power Cord
And MUCH more!

This is one more opportunity for those of you who missed the chance to order this anniversary edition from HSN to make this bundle your own.  Hurry over and place your order HERE!!!

One more item:

Yesterday several of you posted that you do not know how to join the Cricut Circle.  To join the circl, just click this link HERE and click on the Circle Bug Head near the search box!  This will take you to the Cricut Circle information page.  I will be sending emails to the five of you who will receive the coupon for a 3 month of circle membership free!!

A Provo Craft Happy Mother's Day Surprise

I had the most amazing FedEx delivery to my doory yesterday - a LARGE, lightweight, mystery box.  At first I thought perhaps it was my E2, until I picked the box up and it weighed nearly nothing.   I opened the box and found a beautiful bouquet of Cricut paper flowers and a lovely Mother's  Day card!
 

The card read:

"Dear Susan,

Happy Mother's Day!  We at Provo Craft are inspired by your crafting creativity and appreciate your passion for our products.  Enclosed is a small token of our appreciation, a bouquet created just for you by our design team. 

To further extend the celebration, we encourage you to give 11 of the flowers to fellow moms in your community, inviting them to become members of our community.

Each flower recipient will receive a unique gift:  three months free membership to the CRICUT CIRCLE by Provo Craft, a select community of Cricut enthusiasts, offering access to exclusive products, offers and content:

• Four exclusive cartridges per year, one each quarter, ONLY available to Cricut Circle members;
• Special buying privileges such as rebates, monthly coupons and opportunities to buy other exclusive products for your Cricut, from friends and partners of Provo Craft;
• Extra reward points and special cricut.com discounts;
• A members-only bracelet with an exclusive Cricut Circle charm;
• Access to a free, on-line version of Cricut magazine; and
• Inspiration and education from exclusive Cricut Circle webinars, swarms, meet-ups and events.

So go ahead, surprise another mother with a special gift from you, and us.

Happy Mother's Day! 

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Provo Craft"

Can you imagine just how excited I was to receive this wonderful gift?  I immediately called and emailed a few "Cricutting" friends who are not yet circle members and almost immediately found homes for six of the eleven flowers with the Cricut Circle free quarter certificate!   I do, however, have a few of the flowers left to give away.  If you are not a member of the Cricut Circle, this Mother's Day flower offers a perfect opportunity to give it a try.  The first FIVE interested people can claim a free quarter in the Cricut Circle!!!   Leave me a comment or send me an email and I will contact you.

I can't wait to see what exciting things happen today......

Loving This Monday

I just have to share: FedEx just left an amazing package at my door! As you probably know, I have been selected to guest design at Christmas With The Cricut in November. Provo Craft is a major sponsor of CWTC. Provo Craft agreed to send the guest designers the Winter Woodlands cartridge, which will be the featured November cartridge at CWTC. So, I expected a cartridge and maybe one other product. We were told we could request the stamping or embossing kit and that we MIGHT get one of them.

My box contained not just the cartridge, but also a plethora of additional product!! I had not one, not two, but three Cricut stamping kits, two Cricut embossing kits, and one embossing refill kit. Can you say THANK YOU, PROVO CRAFT??? Thank you so much! What a great Monday morning surprise!