Thursday, March 11, 2010

Limited Edition Cricut EASTER Cartridge Review for Sweet Treats Thursday

Hello EVERYONE, this is ♥Carol♥ … Welcome to my Little Creation Corner. As many of you already know, I am a member of the Sweet Treats Thursdays Design Team over on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog.  Today, we are featuring a review of the EASTER Cricut cartridge and it's many creative opportunities.




This cartridge is part of Provo Crafts limited edition Spring Cricut Cartridge collection and it is filled with 29 Easter and Spring images. The beautiful images on this cartridge range from an ornate cross to eggs to lambs and chicks, bunnies, lacy doilies, word images, and shadows and layering pieces of many of the images too. This cartridge also includes 3-dimensional objects (basket, cupcake holder, box) that are great for almost any Easter or Spring project.



Let’s take a closer look at some of the images available (Please remember, you can click on any image to view full size)

You'll find word phrases and images
(lovely flowers, and look at that beautiful cross)

And BUNNIES!
(how about making chocolate bunnies)

More Images
(How fun to make wrappers for your eggs)

More Images
(aren't these adorable)

Fancy Doillies
(lots of creative possibilities with these)

3-D Shapes
(basket, cupcake wrapper, pillow box)

Now that we know what is on this special limited edition cartridge … what can you do with it? There are so many wonderfully creative possibilities … how about making the pillow boxes and filling them with yummy treats, like jellybeans? Or, making cupcakes and decorating them with lovely cupcake wrappers? Perhaps putting egg wrappers around your own brightly colored eggs? Imagine cutting one of the doilies, folding it in a fan shape, adding a few silk or hand-made flowers and adhering it to the face of a greeting card, wouldn’t that make a lovely Mother's Day card? This cartridge would also be great for making baby cards or shower items. Or, perhaps you’d like to make an Easter Tree, like I have? Whatever your choice, you’ll be delighted with the adorable designs available on this cartridge.




Did you know ... The decorating of Easter Trees is a tradition that originated in Germany? When German settlers immigrated to the States, many brought with them their Easter tradition of decorating trees, which symbolizes the rebirth, renewal and resurrection. This tradition slowly caught on in America with its origin dating back to the Civil War, and has become a continuing tradition with many American families today.

When I was a young girl growing up, our home was always decorated with an Easter Tree. What a fun treat it was to help Mom make the decorations for the tree each year … almost as much fun as finding our Easter baskets filled with yummy goodies and stuffed animals on Easter morning.

Following in that same tradition, I’ve created an Easter Tree for our home made from some of the adorable images found on the Easter Cartridge. (Please stop by my blog for details and more Easter creations.) Try making one for your home too, it’s easy and fun … and don’t forget to invite the children to help. I know they would enjoy helping to create an Easter Tree as much as I always did.

Here are some close-up views to show the details ...






This tree stands approximately 18 inches tall.  It's decorated 100% using the Cricut EASTER cartridge ... all cuts were made at 1-1/2 inches, including the "Happy Easter".  The ornaments are all double sided with an identical image on each side - this is especially great since the ornaments dangle and spin, you never know which side might be showing.  (I love that I was able to use the "flip" feature on my Cricut Expressions to make these ... that way I could cut everything at one time.)  I added coordinating colored embroidery threads to hang the ornaments.  With a little hand doodling to some of the ornaments, my tree was done.  Now how easy is that!  ***grin***

As always, thank you for visiting me here at my My Little Creation Corner. I hope you enjoyed this review and my creative offering from the Cricut EASTER cartridge as much as I enjoyed creating and sharing it with you. Be sure to stop by the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog to see the many inspiring crafts created by the talented design team members that are posted there daily.

I hope you will take a moment to leave a comment, I love hearing your thoughts … your wonderful words keep me motivated. And, if you are not yet a follower, please consider this a personal invitation to join! Thanks again for stopping by!

HAPPY CRAFTING EVERYONE!

Hugz,
♥Carol♥

11 comments:

Gramma said...

Really, really cute! TFS!

Sheila aka SassyLady said...

What a wonderful tradition Carol! Love the tree and I have been using this cart as my favorite is the little lamb. Thanks for sharing your talent.

Audrey Frelx said...

Carol, you sound like you had a wonderful childhood!

What I really dropped in to do was to congratulate you becoming a "bug guide" on the mb! How wonderful is that?!!! Does that mean I can "bug" you now?! -LOL! Just kidding, but good luck -- you certainly have your hands full!!

I'll be seeing you!

Carol said...

Oh Yes Audrey ... you can "bug" me any time!!!

=)

Hugz,
Carol

Nita's World Handmade said...

Love, love, love them!!

Enfys said...

Oh I do love reading your posts Carol, you have a lovely writing style, I always grab a coffee first. That tree is so pretty, and thanks for the detailed review of the Easter cart as well,
Have a lovely weekend,
big hugs
En xx

The Cropping Canuck said...

I love this!

Lora Joy said...

i just bought this cartridge! Do you have any idea what size to use for the cupcake wrappers for standard size cupcakes?

Carol said...

For a standard size cupcake wrapper, the size I've found that worked the best was to cut the wrapper at 3.5 inches.

You may need to tweek that size a bit, depending on how you make your cupcakes ... for example, does the cake cake batter "runneth over" the rim of the cupcake paper? How about the amount of frosting that you use? Are you adding a dusting of coconut flakes? These may increase the size needed for your wrappers.

So far, I have only been able to get 3 wrappers from a single sheet of 12x12 paper. I've tried twisting and turning them using the Design Studio program and my Gypsy, but 3 is still the most I am able to fit.

Hope this helps answer your question Lora Joy.

Hugz,
♥Carol♥

Carol said...

BTW ... Cutting the wrapper at 3.5 inches will give you a wrapper that is approximately 6.5 inches long at the base (while flat) and will be approx. 2 inches across at the base when adhered into it's round shape.

The heighth of the wrapper (from the base to the top of the decorative trim) will be just slightly under 2 inches tall.

These measurements seem to work nicely for a frosted standard size cupcake.

Hugz,
♥Carol♥

Lora Joy said...

Thank you so much!!! so helpful!!! =)