HalloweenTrick or Treat Basket Tag

While attempting (again) to get organized, I found a few things in my craft room.  I have a box where I toss the pieces of chipboard that come in some paper packs and it had disappeared under a table.  I pulled it out and was inspired to try cutting some chipboard.

I have also decided that I should use some of the Cricut cartridges that are on my shelves that I haven't tried yet.  Some I bought because they were "deals" and I wanted to have them on hand "just in case" I need them...  While I enjoy designing my own shapes and images for the Cameo, sometimes I just want to "plug and play."

A friend sent me the Autumn Celebrations cartridge earlier this year and I put it aside since it wasn't the right season to be inspired to use it.  I looked through it and found lots of cute things to cut.  I decided to try making some chipboard tags with my newly rediscovered stash of chipboard.

I chose this tag and I was very pleased with the result.  I cut it at 3 1/2 inches and set the Cricut with pressure at max and the blade depth at 6 with a two times multi-cut.

Here is a photo of the side of the chipboard cut so you can see the thickness.  It is thicker than a cereal box but not extremely heavy.  I do have a deep cut blade (I've never opened it!) but I was able to cut this thickness easily with the regular blade.

I cut the base and the top layer from chipboard.  For the base,I cut two more layers - purple glitter cardstock (also on multicut 2) and some patterned paper for the back of the tag.  I cut just one layer for the top with the "Trick or Treat" words.

The glitter layers are so sparkly - you have to see them in person to catch the gleam!

 I used both my ATG gun and some liquid adhesive to put the layers together.  As always, with the Cricut cuts, the circle at the top was more like an oval but it doesn't really matter once you add some ribbon.  I tied a black grosgrain ribbon to make a hanger and then added some sheer orange and green ribbons.

After I added the ribbons on each side of the black hanger, I trimmed the ends at an angle for a more finished look.

A large purple gem brad fills the ribbon hole and adds more sparkle to the tag.

Here is the back side of the tag - the ends of the brad do show but I planned to use the tag on a basket or wreath so it won't be turned over very often.

The tag would work just fine cut from cardstock and layered but the chipboard is much heavier and makes the tag seem more important.  I inked all of the edges with black to make them less noticeable.

I think I may make some more chipboard tags and ornaments and use them to decorate my front door wreath for Halloween.

Do you use chipboard often?  I haven't used it for a long time and I had forgotten how much fun it is to use.  I cut out several things to share this week.  It is important to have a sticky mat to keep the chipboard in position - some people add painter's tape around the edges of the chipboard as extra "insurance" to hold it for the cut.

I thought I'd have a lot of time in my craftroom this week but I've decided to take a quick trip to Pennsylvania to see my Dad.  He has been having some trouble with his walking and I haven't been there for a while. 

Have a crafty day!

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Ten Tiny Tags

On Monday I had a nice surprise.  Linda, from Ink About It , called to tell me that I was one of the winners of a gift certificate to the store.  This is the local store that hosted the chipboard holiday house challenge (click HERE to go to the post where I showed some of the houses).  Three winners were chosen by a random draw from all of the people who brought in a house.

I like to try to visit the store on Tuesdays when they have something set up on the "art bar" so I made a trip up to the store yesterday.  I did some shopping (more about that later...) and made some tags at the art bar.  They had some white tags (the sort that you can find at the office supply store) and stamps, markers and ribbons set out.  If you are in a last minute rush - cute little tags like this don't take very long to make.  You can easily cut some tags from white cardstock so you don't even need to make a trip to buy tags.

I did four mitten tags with some pen stitching around the edges...

...four polar bear tags, and two wreath tags.

I decided to make the cuffs and the mittens different colors. 

I tried a couple of different shades of green on the wreaths.  After I got home, I realized that the stamp was a little low and the name for the "from" would probably have to go up the side of the tag - oops!

The images were all colored with Copic Spica Glitter pens.  Using sparkly pens or shiny papers is an easy way to make something look festive and special.

For accents, I used these pens.  I think I have some around the house already but I bought another set to be sure I could use them right away.  (Do you ever buy extras of something that you know you probably have tucked away somewhere?...it's a good thing that they are an inexpensive treat!).

I dotted the spots on the mittens and, if you look carefully at the wreath (you may have to click to enlarge the photo) you can see the added sparkle from the stardust pen.

A short piece of ribbon, folded in half and stapled to the top, finishes the tag off nicely.

 I used the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher to add the ribbon.  This is a hand held stapler that uses extra small staples - about 1/4 inch.

For a few of the tags, I used some nontraditional blue and green ribbon.

For the rest I chose the standard red and white.  If you look below each polar bear, you can see the tiny bit of sparkly snow I added with the stardust pen.  I also drew some stars in the sky for each polar bear to look at!

The names will go on the back of these tags.   I'll probably use these three for the triplets.

These were quick, simple and fun to make and a great little break in a hectic week.  I really enjoy knowing that there is a shop not too far away that I can visit to see lots of new products in person.  It's also fun to do a quick and simple project that someone else has set up for you.

Of course, I spent the gift certificate and more and I got some very nice treats - here is a little sneak peek that shows a few of the things I bought in use on another project.

My camera is "sort of" working.  I have to hold it in just the right way to keep the lens connected properly.  I think I need to pull out the manual and see if there is a piece missing from the fall.  This is the first time I can ever remember dropping a camera - very bad timing but I do have my "purse camera" to fall back on.

I hope that you are nearly finished with your to do lists - mine are slowly but surely getting shorter.  Have a great day!


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Ribbon Tags Revisited

Just in case you are still shopping and wrapping presents (like me!), I thought I'd revisit the idea I shared last year for making gift tags with some of the beautiful ribbons that are available in many places this time of year.  The ribbon I used for these tags came from Costco (I often find beautiful spools of ribbon there at a very reasonable price - less than $10 for a 50 yard spool).

Please click HERE to go to the original post with the step by step directions for making tags with window openings to showcase your beautiful ribbons.

I still have some of this ribbon (the spools are very large!) so I would like to offer to send a couple of yards of ribbon to three readers.  All you need to do is leave a comment on this post and I will do a random draw to pick the three winners.  I will post the three names on Friday morning and if you get your address to me right away, the ribbon might arrive in time to use it for your gifts (if not, you can be ready early for next year!).


Just a quick post today - I am trying to catch up on all of my holiday preparations.  It was wonderful to travel to see our son and daughter-in-law after Thanksgiving but I definitely am behind schedule.  I hope to finish putting up most of the trees (except the live tree) today.  It would definitely be simpler if we didn't have so many trees but I enjoy seeing one in almost every room - I don't know which ones I'd skip!  Do you put up more than one tree?  Live or artificial? 

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Lacey Scalloped Tag variation and files

Today I have another variation of the lacey scalloped tag and both the Design Studio and Gypsy files to share.  I wanted to test cut the .gypsy file to be sure that it converted with no issues.

I made the first test cut in the same red cardstock and, even though the shapes are identical, the Gypsy cut (on the left) seems to have slightly thinner open scallops than the original version.  I have no logical explanation for this since they are the identical shapes with no change in size. Just another "quirk" with these software programs.

I went ahead with another test cut on plain white cardstock.  I set up the Gypsy file with four tags.  If I get a chance I will explain how to do this with the Design Studio file but I will need to do a video to show you my method and my time is very limited with the holidays right now.

I decided to "fancy up" the tag by coloring it to resemble the original inspiration tag.  I used Ruby and Forest Green Promarkers to color the alternating scallops.  If you are persnickety about these things like me you will be glad to know that there is an even number of scallops (28) so the alternating pattern works out properly!  I put a piece of scrap paper along the edge to help keep stray marks off the body of the tag.

I was in a bit of a hurry to do this and post the files so I wasn't as neat as I would be if I had more time - the scrap paper really helped prevent a total mess.

The tag looked odd to me with just the scallops colored so I decided to keep going.

I used the same green to outline the shape of the tag at the base of the scallops.

This helped make the shape of the tag more definite.  Of course, I was a little messy doing this so I added  a line of black with a ProMarker fine liner pen (what's this you say - a fine liner...check back in a few days to hear more!).

I added a Vintage Christmas Frame from Creative Charms at the bottom of the tag.

These colors worked together pretty well - if I had planned on adding the frame at the start I might have "auditioned" the ProMarkers to find the best match in the colors that I have in my collection so far.

I added a bit of red ribbon and the tag was ready for the "to" and "from" to be added.  Quick and simple and rather cute (if I say so myself!).

I hope some of you are like me - still wrapping (!) - and you will be able to use these files.  Of course, the tags will work for any occasion so all of my very well organized readers can use them for birthdays and other events.  I also think they would make cute tree ornaments with some photos added  - perhaps for a "family tree."

Lacey Scalloped Tag - Design Studio
Lacey Scalloped Tag - Gypsy

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Directions for Tags with Ribbon Windows

Just ten days until Christmas!  I am getting closer to being ready but still have lots to do - no matter how much I plan there seems to be a mad rush at the end to finish it all!  I am in Pennsylvania with my now "second semester college senior" son visiting my Dad for a couple of days before heading back for the final week of preparations.  I took an unplanned nap when we arrived and now I have a second wind so I thought I'd get the directions for making the ribbon tags up for you.

I looked through my cardstock and found good matches for the colors in the ribbon.  The light green and light blue glitter cardstocks are DCWV from the Citrus cardstock stack.  The pink textured cardstock is Stampin' Up "pink passion" which is a retired color I got from their sale rack.  My first cuts of the ribbon were made in between each ornament decoration, trying to use all of the images.  If you look carefully at these cuts you can see that there is very little space at the top and the bottom. 

 

I decided to change the way I cut the images and cut around each giving me the full amount of the blank space from the top of one image to the bottom of the next.  In the photo above the top three ornaments are cut this way.  The ornament at the bottom is cut right to the design and is a "leftover" that I'll have to find another use for (don't worry, I already have something in mind!).  It takes more ribbon to make the cuts this way but the images are much easier to work with.

I measured the usable area above and below the ornament to determine the size of the window, allowing some white to show on all sides.  I came up with a measurement of 2 1/4 x 2 3/8 inches.  If you are working with a different ribbon design the steps will be the same but the measurements will vary depending on the images you have to work with.  The ribbon I have is wired ribbon and I carefully slid out the wires to make it a bit easier to work with and reduce bulk.

I used this tag on Plantin Schoolbook for my tags but if you don't have this cartridge you can use just about any tag by following the same procedure.  I have to admit that in my hurry to make these I completely forgot that there is a shadow for the tag I chose and I just stretched the original shape to create my own shadow (which is why it might look a little different to you).  You will probably want to use the shadow that is already done for you!

I chose the size to allow some room around the edges of the cut piece of ribbon and, for this tag, 4 3/4 inches worked out nicely.  Then I used the measurements I had decided on for the window opening to alter a square slightly by changing the values in the Shape Properties box.

Then I simply centered the box to cut the window inside the tag shape.  You do not have to weld anything, the Cricut will cut the tag and the window as separate images but since you have placed it in the proper position with Design Studio (or with the Gypsy) there will be a properly shaped hole cut in the tag.  Here is a tip to help align the two shapes if you don't want to use math to center them.  At the center of each image there is a very pale gray "plus" sign.  You can align the plus sign for the tag and the rectangle cutout by overlapping them so the plus signs look like one darker sign (they are exactly on top of one another).  Then use the handle at the top center to slide the opening up until it is at the correct height - you can eyeball this or measure - depending on your mood!

To be sure that the window in the tag and the window in the shadow tag are perfectly aligned, place the shadow tag on the same mat as the tag and center it, then copy and paste it to a new mat.  This works in Design Studio because pasted images are placed at exactly the same spot on the mat - one of the features of Design Studio that is not the same with the Gypsy and one that I find to be a very handy design tool.  If you are working on a Gypsy, you can add the tag shadow to the same page as the tag and center it, noting the x and y coordinates.  Then duplicate it on to a new page or layer and change the values in the x and y boxes to match.  Be sure to delete the extra shadow tag from the first page.

You will end up tags and tag shadows with frame openings.  I used the pink passion cardstock for all of the shadows or backs but did some green and some blue top layers.

Next I carefully placed the ribbon on the back of the top tag layer with the glitter side facing the top, glitter side of the tag.  I used ordinary tape to hold the top and the bottom of the ribbon in position (you may have to trim away a bit of tape at the top if your tape is wide.

The I placed Scor-Tape on the sides, covering the silver edges of the ribbon but trying to be sure that it did not extend into the window opening area.  I peeled off the protective backing and, working very carefully, aligned the top and shadow tag layers and put them together.  The Scor-Tape is extremely strong so you will want to line them up properly the first time!

I had hidden the holes in the top layer of the tag but then I decided I wanted a hole for ribbon so I used a regular office hole punch to punch through from the back using the hole in the shadow layer as a guide.  If you want holes, just place the tags on the mat.  When the tag and shadow are adhered they will be aligned properly as they were designed to do this straight from the cartridge when you cut the tag and the shadow at the same height.

Here you can see the back of the tag with the perfectly framed piece of ribbon showing.  This ribbon has some sparkles in the white area and when you hold up the finished tag the light shines through and looks very pretty.

Here is a view of two tags before the ribbons were added.  The ribbons were from a large set of American Crafts ribbons and I don't know the name of the colors but they were a good match.

You can do this same basic procedure for any ribbon that has a design you want to work with.  You will just have to do a bit of figuring to get the sizes and placement correct. You could also layer acetate, cellophane, tissue paper, vellum - almost anything between the two tag layers so have fun experimenting with this!

So many of you have already commented wishing that you could have some ribbon from my little giveaway.  While it is very pretty you may be able to find something similar in other stores so keep checking - the closer we get to Christmas the less expensive it will be!  The ribbons at Costco could be nearly done by now.  I know I am always amazed if we go in right after Christmas because everything seasonal disappears very quickly.

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