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♥

LOVE STRUCK - Cartridge Review

Hello Everyone … This is ♥Carol♥.  Thanx for visiting me here at my Little Creation Corner.  Today I'd like to share a cartridge review with you on the LOVE STRUCK cartridge.  This cartridge is one of the 3 new limited edition mini cartridges released by Provo Craft for the Spring of 2010. 

Let's take a close look at what this cart has to offer ...

This cart is filled with amazingly delicate and intricate images. Without question, this is a collection of the MOST intricate images on any cart released by Provo Craft to date. There are a total of 50 different images which include a delightful mix of sentiments, intricate images and shadows, whimsical cards, envelope, 3-D heart, treat box, and even an adorable mail box. Here is a closer view of how intricate "some" of the images are … aren’t they incredibly beautiful …

Because of the intensely intricate nature of these delicate cuts, some people have experienced a little difficulty cutting them. Remember, Anything this intricate will cut better the larger it is cut.

Here are some setting hints that help you improve the quality of your cuts. Set your Cricut speed on Medium, the pressure on Medium, the blade depth on 4, and do a multi-cut of 2. (Note:  Because the alignment variation of the individual Cricut machines, these settings may need to be modified for your specific machine.  Also, you may need to adjust for the thickness of your cutting material, i.e., paper, fabric, vinyl, etc.) 

For those with either the Cricut Expressions or Create machines, there is a multi-cut feature button right on your Cricut. If you are using the original Cricut Baby Bug, you can do a manual multi-cut as follows … after the first cut and WITHOUT removing your mat, hit the “load paper” button. This will take you back to the same starting point on your mat. Now select the “repeat last” button for the 2nd cut. If you are working with either the Design Studio Program or a Gypsy, you have a "multi-cut feature on your program. 

Yes, this method takes a little a little extra time, but I think you will be pleased at how much cleaner the cuts are if you reduce your speed, pressure and blade depth a little, and cut your image twice. I’ve had great success with this method.

As you might guess, this cart is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Don’t forget … this cart is great for more than just Valentine’s Day … think first dates, first kiss, engagements, anniversaries, weddings … in fact, this cart is perfect for any romantic occasion in your life. I’ll leave you with a (previously posted) mailbox I created using the LOVE STRUCK cart …

(Note - Click on any image to view full size)

BTW ... Have you heard? The Cuttlebug Challenge Blog is giving away 3 Love Struck limited edition mini carts.   To enter is super easy ...

1) Become a follower (for one chance to win)
2) Leave a comment on any, or all, posts this week (you will receive one chance to win for EACH comment).

That's all you have to do ... now how SWEET is that?  Hurry over to the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog to see the full details and for your chance/s to win ... and while you are there, take a look at the amazing project and video by Kathy Orta (from Paper Phenomenon) created using her LOVE STRUCK cartridge!

As always … thank you so much for visiting me here today at the my Little Creation Corner. I hope you enjoyed my review of the LOVE STRUCK cartridge as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. Please be sure to leave a comment, I truly love hearing your thoughts ... and, if you are not a follower yet, consider this a Special Invitation to join me!

HAPPY CRAFTING EVERYONE!  ☺

Hugz,
♥Carol♥

Sweet Treats Thursday - Review, Cricut Cartridge PAGODA

Greetings Everyone … this is ♥Carol♥ … Welcome to My Little Creation Corner.

As a Design Team Member on the the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, Sweet Treats Thursday Team, I was asked to do a review of the new Cricut Cartridges, PAGODA.  (Please visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog to see the initial review).  I'd like to share a more detailed review of that cartridge for you here as well.

(NOTE:  Please click on this, and all images, to see in their FULL size)

This cart is filled with a wonderful selection of images, with the key features on the cartridge being as follows...

Base Feature Images (characters like lanterns, dolls, kites, dragons, birds, trees, dragon flies, fish, flowers bridges, fans, umbrellas, teapot and cup, chopsticks, kimonos, and much more)

Base Shift Feature (layering pieces for the base images)

Kanji Feature (images of each of the Kanji characters)

Kanji Shift Feature (shadows for the Kanji characters)

Kanji Tag Feature (the Kanji character in various tag shapes)
Kanji Tag Shift Feature (which are the backgrounds for the Kanji Tags)

Kanji Word  Feature (which is the English translation of the respective Kanji character on it’s respective key in a rectangular tag style)
Kanji Word Shift Feature (which is the respective Kanji character that will fit nicely in the word tag)

Kanji Tag Feature (which are the various images in a variety of tag shapes)
Kanji Tag Shift (background pieces for the tags)

Card Feature (rectangular shaped cards with the images in them)
Card Shift Feature (circular cards with the images in them)

Shadow Feature (shadows for the images)
Shadow Shift Feature (shadows for the Kanji characters, this shadows the shadow of the Kanji Character Shift shadow – virtually a 2nd shadow for the Kanji characters).

Before I started writing this review, I wanted to identify exactly what a Kanji was, and which Asian culture it represented, so I called Provo Craft directly and asked the question. I was told that this cartridge is Chinese, however, it is also part Japanese. Are you as confused by that explanation as much as I was?  Well, I couldn’t stop with that, so I looked it up on line at Wakipedea, and this is the definition I found …

Kanji (help•info) (漢字?) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (ひらがな, 平仮名), katakana (カタカナ, 片仮名), Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet (also known as Rōmaji). The Japanese term kanji (漢字) literally means "Han characters".

Still confused, I looked it up in the dictionary, and this is the definition I found …

“a Japanese system of writing that utilizes characters borrowed or adapted from Chinese writing, a single character in the kanji system”

Now this I could understand! *grin* But the really important thing to say is the images are absolutely adorable. I love that you can use the images, the Kanji character, and the English translation all together.

One thing I will note is that trying to figure out the meaning of each Kanji character is, was a bit of a challenge. I discovered that they are actually all in the cartridge handbook.  To see the English translation, look on the Kanji Word Feature Key. But, just a warning, the image in your handbook is extremely small … so pull out your glasses, or your bi-focals, you just might need them. If you have a Gypsy or the Design Studio program, you can enlarge this image so that you can read it easier.

I really do like the wonderful options on this cart … it offers a delight blend of whimsical images mixed with delicate intricately detailed images as well. Combined with the Kanji characters and the English translations, you have an opportunity for endless creative possibilities to make a wide variety of crafts.

Here’s a sample I made this morning that mixes the Kanji character for “friend” and the English translation … I teamed it together with one of the Cuttlebug embossing folders from the new Asian line to make this greeting card …

another view

To make this card, I used the following supplies ...

Cricut Cartridge Pagoda
Cricut Cartridge George Basics Shapes
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (from the new Asian set)
Cricut Design Studio Program
Ribbon (Offray, pink flora)
Prima Fabric Fancies Flowers
Core'dinations Chocolate Box card stock
S.E.I. Patterned Paper from the Chocolat Paper Stack
Pink card stock
Small Bronze Brads
Sanding block
Pop Dots
Glue Glider Adhesive
Zig 2-way fine tip Glue Pen

This card is similar to a Joy Fold card and to make it, I followed these steps.

1)  Cut Patterned paper to size 8.5x11 and fold in half for card base.
2)  Emboss the Asian Lady on Coredinations Chocolate Box card stock, then sand lightly to bring out the pink background color.
3)  Trim around the embossed image and mat onto pink card stock and trim around the image again.
4)  Using Design Studio, place the "friend" Kanji word (from Pagoda) on the mat using a 2x3 inch size, add the Kanji character (size 1.5") inside the rectangle then welded a rectangle (from George) to the right side of the tag and stretched it so that it extended another 3 inches.

5)  Scor the tag at 2 inches and adhere the right 3 inches of the tag backwards to the inside right edge of the card.  Fold the remaining 2 inches over the front face of the card.
6)  Adhere ribbon vertically along the left side of card and attach brads to flowers and adhere top of ribbon.
7)  Adhere the Asian Lady, using pop dots, over the ribbon.

Although there is not an image of the inside of the card, the right side of the card is matted with the brown card stock, the pink tag "friends" tag opens up to a pink color to add the sentiment, and I added a pink shadow to the brown Kanji "friend" symbol that was cutout from the front tag and placed it next to the inside sentiment.


I hope you found this review both helpful and informative. Please feel free to leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I hope you’ll take a moment and stop by and visit the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog to see this review in it's condensed form as well as all the other wonderful creations to be found there.

As always, thanks for stopping by and visiting me here at my Little Creation Corner.

Happy Crafting Everyone!

Hugz,
Carol