Orange You Sweet!

You know how you see an image and suddenly get a memory?  The minute I saw the orange cut in the Traveler cartridge handbook, I thought of my grandma.  I used to get dropped off at Grandma's house every morning before school; I had breakfast with my grandparents every weekday all through my childhood.  Grandma had the sweetest little juice glasses.  (Remember when everyone had juice glasses?  Gosh, I haven't seen those in ages!)  Hers had oranges on them-- so much like this image!

Traveler cartridge from Creative Memories

I just received this cartridge from Joy of the Obsessed With Scrapbooking blog.  I am honored that she has asked me to be on her Design Team.  Using it, I made a little 'thank you' gift for a friend that featured the orange cut and I wanted to share my project with you.  For this gift, I had in mind a cookie jar filled with cookies and a card with a little lady holding oranges.  My phrase "Orange You Sweet" came from just being silly.  Remember that old knock-knock joke with the punchline:  "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"  ...Just another goofy old memory.

I started my project with a glass canister.   

I have been wanting to try out the printable vinyl with my Imagine and since I don't have a stash of orange vinyl, I decided to try it out for this project! 

The letters were cut at 1" from the Traveler cartridge on the Imagine, floodfilling them with a print from All Wrapped Up. 

I cut the shadow for this font out of regular (not printable) Oracal vinyl.  I replaced the Os with the orange image.  I printed those on the Imagine at .7" (printed only- not cut).  They were floodfilled with the orange color that is built-in and appears on the queue.  These are the Cricut settings I used for both kinds of vinyl:

Pressure: 3

Speed:  3

Blade:  3

Multi cut:  1

I weeded off all of the negative space around the letters.  I used a 3/4" punch to cut out the oranges and applied all the letters onto the side of the canister to make my cookie jar. 

Just a note:  I started the process using transfer paper, but the printable vinyl is stiff (like paper) and seemed to stiffen up the letters perfectly even though they were shadowed with regular vinyl.  The transfer paper stuck a bit too hard and lifted the print a bit.  It was unrecognizable on this project but may have been a problem for large cuts.  I found that I could lift and place the letters just like a sticker so that is what I did for the letters after "orange".  I also decided to change the spacing so that worked perfectly.

I wanted to add a tag to the canister too!  I used a technique that I loved from one of Joy's cards.  (She created a shaped card without welding and without a card feature!)  My tag is made with the base/icon shadow cut of the compass from  Traveler (page 52).  I cut two from white card stock and one from green gingham paper at 4" on the Expression.  Copying Joy's technique, I adhered the gingham to one of the white cuts.  Then I scored the remaining white cut about 1-1/2" from the top and only adhered the top (above the score) to the other layer.  Below, I have flipped her card upside-down so you can see what I mean by scoring.  You can see her post of the card by clicking here. 

The orange cut on the front of the tag is cut from Traveler (page 51) at 3" on the Imagine.  I set it to print only and then hand-cut around the rind.  I dragged the edge through glue and glittered it with chunky glitter.  Chunky glitter and green gingham-- this is soooo "my grandmother."  (Remember when all glitter was chunky??)  It is attached to the tag with pop dots.

I wrapped the neck of the jar with green and orange gingham ribbon and attached the tag with 1/8" double-face satin ribbon in orange.

Next, I created a coordinating card for my thank you note.

I started by printing off my background paper. 

To do this, I selected 'print only' from the settings menu on my Imagine.  I used the same orange icon at 1/2" size, floodfilled with the same built-in orange color in the Imagine queue.  I selected the autofill option and printed the paper. (This is another technique I learned from one of Joy's posts.  You can see it on her blog by clicking here.)

I cut a female figure from Country Life (page 36) at 6" on my Imagine, floodfilling the shape with RGB 250,229,210.  I cut the dress layer from printed paper and the apron layer from white textured cardstock.  I used an edge punch to create an eyelet trim for her apron hem. 

I cut an extra strip of paper to give a bit of dimension to the band of her apron, the ends of which I tucked behind her.



I created little oranges for her fruit bowl with a hole punch, ink, and a fine tip pen.

I layered them in a hand-cut bowl.  I adhered this element with a pop dot.

I wanted this character to look to the side.  (I had in mind that she would look toward the sentiment that I planned for the card).  I needed her to change from forward-facing so I trimmed off the hair style on the die cut and created a different style by adding a ponytail from Paper Doll Dress Up (page 71), cut at 2-1/2" on my Expression.  (I trimmed off that bit of bangs.)  I added an extra lock of hair and a headband to support the idea of her head turned to the side.  I drew on a face and hand-cut a little nose and mouth.  I cut the flower for her apron from Traveler (page 59) at 1" on my Expression.  I hand-cut her collar and added earrings from adhesive pearls.  I trimmed off the hem of her skirt and her legs.

I cut a piece of green gingham paper and attached it to a plain card stock card base.  Next, I cut the orange print paper diagonally and 1/2" smaller than the card stock base/gingham layer.  I used a corner chomper to round the corners of the orange print and gingham card cuts.

For my text box, I cut a tag from Traveler (page 56) at 2" with shadow.  I printed the text on the white tag layer using Microsoft Birmingham Sans Serif at 20 point.  I did this by first printing on a regular sheet of paper, then barely taping the edges of my die cut over it (using a light box to center the text where I want it), and running it back through the printer.

I threaded ribbon through the tag and tucked the ends behind the paper before attaching this layer to the gingham layer.  I attached the figure with pop dots and added a bow.

Last, I baked my cookies!  I fell in love with the idea of an orange oatmeal cookie after a friend told me that someone had baked him a batch of cookies with orange zest last weekend.  (Yes, it was mean of him to describe a cookie like that without providing one!) I decided to make some of my own!

I started with my regular oatmeal cookie recipe, making a few adjustments and adding orange zest, orange juice, dried cranberries, and white chocolate.  My family loved them-- good thing it made more than enough to fill the cookie jar!  The key to the taste is fresh zest and juice!   This is my recipe:

Orange Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate
 For the printable version, click here.

1 stick Butter-flavor Crisco (minus 2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons orange zest (this was zest of 1 orange), chopped

2 tablespoons orange juice (juice from 1/2 orange)

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups oatmeal

1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Add eggs, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice.  Beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix well.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl.  Add oats, cranberries, and white chocolate chips.  Mix well.

(I use a Pampered Chef cookie scoop to place dough on a light-colored, insulated, ungreased baking sheet.)  Bake 10 minutes and then allow to remain on baking sheet 10 minutes to set.  (I just left them on while the next sheet baked in the oven).  Transfer to wax-paper-covered wire rack to cool completely.  This made over 6 dozen cookies. 

Thank you for looking at my projects today!  If I have piqued your interest in the Traveler cartridge, you can click here to visit Joy's CM site for cartridge details. 

This was such a fun post for me, filled with nostalgia and new things to learn!  I enjoyed using a color palette I don't often employ.  You can see all of my projects by clicking the 'My Project Gallery' tab at the top of my blog or by clicking here.

Cricut Bug Altered Figure!

I have been having such a fun time playing with figures that I wanted to try to give some added features to the Cricut bug!  I thought the E2 Design Challenge might be a good time to try altering the Cricut guy!  I have to admit I had a lot of fun messing around with this image!

For my banner, I wanted to be sure that the letters could be clearly seen from a distance, and that each pennant of the banner would have a unique action for interest up close. 

For my introductory pennant, there is plain ole Cricut love...

...then, the next one features the idea of using a Cricut for apparel...

...on to party decor...

...for card-making...

...and scrapbooking...

...and finally, using a Cricut for home decor!

For the details:

First, I decided on my banner shape.  For that, I chose Birthday Bash (page 59), cut at 10" on my Imagine.  The top layer was flood-filled with a print from Black and White.  I also printed off a couple of pages of Cricut Green on my Imagine, using RGB 147, 208,25. 

I cut out my letters from Hannah Montana (Daddy's Girl font) at 7-1/4" on my Expression and used a folder from the Nifty Fifties companion set to emboss them.   I cut the shadow from hot pink.  With my bases ready, I started working on each pennant individually.

For the first pennant, I cut the bughead from Cricut Everyday at 3" on my Expression.  The hands were cut from Sentimentals (page 25), at 2", flipping one.  The hands were adhered to the machine and I hand-cut a body to hold the figure together.  The machine was cut from Cricut Everyday (page 32) at 1-3/4".    I attached my letter to the pennant and then used pop dots to apply the figure.  The hearts were cut from Doodlecharms (page 85- border) at 1", 3/4", and 1/2".  They were adhered flat.

For the apparel pennant, I cut a bughead from Cricut Everyday at 2" on my Expression.  I cut the body from Country Life (page 33), at 6".  I cut one green and one gray figure, cutting up the gray and applying it to create pants and shoes (I used a marker to color in the shoes).  Then I hand-cut a t-shirt.  I used a stamp to get a little bit of texture and pattern on the shirt.  The Circle logo was cut from Cricut Everyday at 3/4" in vinyl.  I used transfer paper to apply the design.  (This cut is so small that the antennae would only cut correctly in vinyl).  The extra t-shirt was cut from Cricut Decals at 1-1/4" (also in vinyl).  The hanger was cut from French Manor at 1-1/4".  I snipped off the hanger ends before adhering it behind the shirt.  I used an awl to make a small hole in the letter and attached a brad, allowing part of the shank to remain on the top of the paper surface to form a "nail" on which the hanger could hang!  (It is actually adhered with a pop dot). 

For the party decor pennant, I started by making the hands with a punch.  I folded them and attached them to a piece of twine.  Then I hand-cut triangles and attached them to the twine.  I cut the bughead at 2-1/2".  I hand-cut arms to connect the figure.  I cut more pennants and twine for the background.  I tucked the twine ends behind the polka dot top pennant before attaching it to the shadow pennant.  Then I adhered the letter on top of the pennants.  The figure is attached via pop dots.

For the card-making pennant, I cut the bughead at 2-1/2".  I cut the bone folder from Cricut Everyday (page 53) at 1-1/2".  I hand-cut and added the silver tips.  The hand is cut from a punch and folded around the bone folder as if it is holding it.  I partially hid the head, but placed the hand on the letter.  For the cards and envelopes, I used punches and decorative papers to create little cards.

For the scrapbooking pennant, I started by making a mini scrapbook page, using punches to get the elements small enough.  I cut a bughead at 2-1/2" with Cricut Everyday and used a punch for the hands.  I adhered the hands directly to the mini layout and popped it up with pop dots.  The head is adhered flat to the paper.  I printed and cut three pieces of decorative paper using my Imagine from the Berries and Cream cartridge.  (I floodfilled three 1-1/2" squares to make those.  The Imagine automatically scales the print down to size).  The camera is cut from Going Places (page 111) on the Expression at 1/2".  I placed a little scrap of silver behind it to emphasize the cut.

For the home decor pennant, I cut a sofa from French Manor (page 32) at 3-1/4".  I inked it heavily and added a scrap of black behind it for the folds and tufted cuts.  The bughead was cut at 2" from Cricut Everyday.  I hand-cut a body.  I inked and used pop dots to emphasize areas that are forward, like the knee, and areas that recede, like the elbow.  The hands were cut with a punch.

I wanted to create an etched glass- one of my favorite uses of my Cricut!  For that, I hand-cut a piece of acetate and a piece of brown cardstock.  I adhered them with E6000 plastic adhesive where the hand would cover it.  Then I shaped and inked a hand and adhered it to the glass.  I created a straw with a piece of twine and placed it behind the drink.  I used a punch to cut a shape from vellum for the "etching" and glued it on.

I wanted to create a decorative pillow that simulated a flocked shape created with a die cut pattern on the Yudu.  I created a pillow by hand-cutting the shape and inking heavily to create a little volume.  I cut a shape from Damask Decor (page 31 - layer 1) on my Expression at 2-1/4".  I ran it through my Xyron, face down.  I sprinkled black flocking powder over the adhesive-coated side and pressed it in.  (I used the dental pick tool from my Cricut tool kit to remove any "webs" of adhesive in order to have clean edges).  I adhered the shape to the pillow cut. 

(Don't you think this would be an awesome REAL project?  I am sooo doing this for my sofa with my Yudu and flocking!)

I wanted to create a bit of wall art.  For that, I photocopied the handbook from Work Collage.  I increased the size 120%.  I trimmed the design I chose to size.  I cut a frame for it using Fancy Frames (Fram7Lr), at 1-1/4" on my Expression.  What I love about Fancy Frames is that the size you pick is the size of the inside height you want for your artwork/photography.  I created a mat for the picture by adhering a bit of pink cardstock to the back of the frame and adhering the artwork to the front.  I attached a piece of ribbon to the back of the frame and attached it to the pennant with a pop dot.

With everything in place, I lined them up on the floor and ran an organza polka dot ribbon through the pennant holes.  I used Terrifically Tacky Tape on the ribbon to attach it to the backs of each pennant.

I had so much fun doing this project!  It was fun to put together some of the things I have learned about altering figures- with no worries about hairstyles!  My daughter was somewhat concerned that the bug was naked on most of my pennants, but I explained that he was clothing-optional.  I don't know if that answered it for her or not, but from what I can tell about him, it is true.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!  You can see all of my projects by clicking My Project Gallery at the top of my blog, or by clicking here.