November 23, 2022Celebrate, Create, Inspiration

A Gift From Us to You

Close To My Heartall-purpose tags, bundles, christmas, clear sparkles, come let us adore him, cozy, cup of cheer, festive, From Me to You, funny, gift, gift tags, gifts, Holiday, holiday treat, i wanted to keep this, joyful, just for you, magic, magic of christmas, merry little chirstmas, o holy night, one-of-a-kind, religious, Shimmer Trim, snuggle, stamps, tags, unto us a child is born, you can't return it, you're impossible to shop for 5 Comments

Picture your favorite Christmas memories.We’re betting that the majority of these memories are centered around people you love and cherish! This holiday season, we want to help you make some new memories, not just for yourself, but for your friends and loved ones as well! Since gift giving constitutes a large part of many holiday preparations, today, we’re going to show you how to make your mark and show your love in a personal way beyond the things beneath the wrapping paper, boxes, and ribbons.

For a more personal touch on each gift, we recommend creating unique gift tags! A gift tag is one of the first things every gift recipient will notice when they receive their presents, and a hand-made one is just the ticket to add a little bit of extra love to the gifts you give this Christmas. With our From Me to You special, it’s easier than ever to create the personalized gift tags of your dreams, and today, we’re going to get into the ins and outs of how to design and craft a wide range of tags for every holiday gift-giving occasion!

The From Me to You gift tag offering is built upon a foundation of 12 individual stamps, each expressing their own unique sentiment. These stamps range in theme from a general festive motif and religious overtones, to cozy vibes and more playful options! These stamps are all designed to coordinate with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts; all you have to do to create your tags is cut out your preferred shape with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts dies, stamp your selected sentiment onto the cut tag, and voila! The tag is done, and ready to attach to a wrapped Christmas present, holiday neighborhood treat, or even a white elephant gift! No matter how they are used, the gift tags you create with the From Me to You stamp sets are sure to be a hit and will make any gift you give this holiday season more personal and memorable!

Because the From Me to You stamp sets are all designed to coordinate with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, it’s a simple matter to select the sentiment and shape combination for your tags. The All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts set includes 11 dies in various shapes and sizes, ranging from ⅝” to 3½”.

This selection of die-cuts offers a wealth of possibility and potential when it comes to the types of tags you can create, and every one makes a gorgeous addition to your holiday offerings for friends and family! (While we worked exclusively with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts in the artwork on display today, we have additional sets of gift tags and accessories to create them, including the Tags & Tabs Thin Cuts, and the My Acrylix® Just for You stamp set. For more tag-making fun, be sure to check out these dies and stamps!) Now, back to our fabulous From Me to You stamp sets!

Because the From Me to You stamp sets range over a few different themes, we’ve organized them into 4 different groups to reflect the following themes—jolly, funny, festive, and joyful! Our jolly bundle includes options for a cozy vibe, to more of a sweet tooth sentiment, and cheery wishes.

The funny assortment features a variety of light-hearted jabs, the perfect way to gently tease your friends or family members and bring a smile to their faces!

For anyone looking to convey a more classic Christmas sentiment, the festive collection is the way to go, with options for a little Christmas magic, celebratory merriment, and reminders of how personal your loved ones are to you.

Looking for a way to bring a more spiritual touch to your gift tags? Then the joyful bundle of stamps is for you! This handful of stamps includes phrases like “O Holy Night” and “For Unto Us a Child is Born” to serve as reminders of the foundation of this beautiful and beloved holiday.

All the tags featured in today’s post have the common theme of being created with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts and From Me to You stamps, but many include their own unique design elements to really set them apart from other, more simple options. One of our absolute favorites is the inclusion of heat embossed details, as you can see in the examples below.

Heat embossing is an amazing art technique that adds dimension and even shine to your stamped images by applying embossing powder over the top of your stamped image and then melting the powder using a heat tool. Learn more about this technique in this video.

Another stunning detail we love in these tags is the inclusion of multiple layers. By simply cutting a few coordinating tag pieces out of different colors of cardstock and layering them together, these tags deliver a much more polished end result. Notice how the silver glitter paper shapes add to the layered look of this tag–feel free to mix in non-tag shapes cut from other Thin Cuts dies or even with your Cricut or other cutting machine to elevate the look of any tag!

Looking for some simple, yet powerful embellishment? Never count out the impact that a few Clear Sparkles can have! In this example, we’ve colored ours in with a Dark Red TriBlend™ Marker and used them to adorn the interior of the stamped floral shapes. They are the perfect fit!

This inclusion provides a color contrast, but also helps to break up the matte surface of the main tag with a little shine! For other tags, we’ve also turned to Shimmer Trims and White Gel Pens to add subtle detailing to our creations, and it’s evident that even the smallest of embellishments can have a big impact!

However you decorate your tags, and whatever gifts you attach them to, the From Me to You stamps, along with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, are guaranteed to provide you with everything you need to start creating your own one-of-a-kind gift tags for your holiday gifts this year and for many years to come!

Of the tags featured in today’s post, which was your favorite, and whose gift would you attach it to? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!

Recipes:

Have a Cup of Cheer Tag
CC102217 My Acrylix^® Have a Cup of Cheer Stamp Set, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

The Snuggle Is Real Tag
CC102218 My Acrylix^® The Snuggle Is Real Stamp Set, X5947 Mink Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z2497 Dark Red TriBlend^™ Marker, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

A Holiday Treat Tag
CC102219 My Acrylix^® A Holiday Treat Stamp Set, X7286B Christmas Story Paper Packet, X5947 Mink Cardstock, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z5015 Candy Apple Shimmer Trim, Z4659 Pine Shimmer Trim, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

You Can’t Return It Tag
CC102220 My Acrylix^® You Can’t Return It Stamp Set, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, X6070 Pine Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

I Wanted to Keep This Tag
CC102221 My Acrylix^® I Wanted To Keep This Stamp Set, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z2490 Ice Blue TriBlend^™ Marker, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

You’re Impossible to Shop For Tag
CC102222 My Acrylix^® You’re Impossible to Shop For Stamp Set, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z5015 Candy Apple Shimmer Trim, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

Magic of Christmas Tag
CC102223 My Acrylix^® Magic of Christmas Stamp Set, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

A Merry Little Christmas Tag
CC102224 My Acrylix^® A Merry Little Christmas Stamp Set, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

Just for You Tag
CC102225 My Acrylix^® Just For You Stamp Set, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

O Holy Night Tag
CC102226 My Acrylix^® O Holy Night Stamp Set, X6064 Black Core Black Cardstock, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him Tag
CC102227 My Acrylix® Oh Come Let Us Adore Him Stamp Set, X7286B Christmas Story Paper Packet, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, Z3239 Silver Glitter Paper, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2067 Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Cricut^® Flower Market Collection

Cricut® Shape:
Flower Market
#MD6F435

Unto Us a Child is Born Tag
CC102228 My Acrylix^® Unto Us a Child is Born Stamp Set, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z4659 Pine Shimmer Trim, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

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August 11, 2021Celebrate, Community, Create, Inspiration

Back to School Teacher Gifts!

Close To My Heartapple, appreciation, back to school, cricut, Design Space, DIY, gift, gift box, note pad, school, sticky note, teacher 13 Comments

How is it the middle of August already? Bells will ring, announcing the start of a new school year, and students and teachers, alike, will be back in the thick of it all before we know it!

Our teachers give so much of themselves, year after year. As our children prepare to return to fill their classrooms, let’s add to their supply lists a small gift of appreciation and encouragement!

We’ve got three simple projects for you and your kiddos to work on and bring to your teachers on that momentous first day.

First, we have a fun twist on the traditional school apple.

Did you know that, back in the 1700s, some families would give teachers a basket full of apples as payment for their child’s education? Now-a-days, the gifting of apples (or an apple) shifted from attempted compensation to a kind gesture of appreciation.

We’ve got a delicious variation of this popular gift with these gorgeous paper apples.

You will need three different color/pattern papers for the body of the apples, another paper for the leaf, and another for the tag (if you choose to add a tag). You will also need a pencil (cut down to 6″), adhesive, and twine.

We used a combination of shapes from our Art Philosophy Cricut® collection and free shapes available through Cricut Design Space™ to cut the pieces you see here. (School Apple Cricut Design Space™ file.) If you don’t have a cutting machine, we kept the shapes fairly simple so they could be recreated by hand. We recommend making the apple shape first, on a scratch piece of paper, and then using this as a template to trace and hand trim the six apples needed for the 3-D apple shape.

Once you have all of your shapes cut, fold the apple pieces along the score lines and attach them to each other, as shown above. (For those of you who cut these shapes by hand, there should be two score lines in the middle of each, approx. ⅜” apart.) Before attaching the last two wedges together, closing the circle, glue the pencil inside the “core.”

Embellish the apple with a leaf and a tag and then it’s ready for school!

Dressed up sticky notes is another fun way to show your teachers a little love. You know they will use sticky notes throughout the school year, so why not add a little flair and present them as gift?

To make one of these, you will need a 3″ x 3″ sticky note pad, one sheet of cardstock for the base of the holder, hook and loop dots (aka velcro dots), adhesive, and any type of embellishment you wish to add to the inside or outside of the base.

Use this Design Space file to cut the long, scalloped and scored rectangle cardstock piece you see here. (If you are cutting it by hand, the rectangle is 3¼” x 8½” and has score lines at 2⅛”, 2⅝”, 5⅞”, 6⅜” from the bottom.) Once you’ve cut and scored the cardstock, this project is pretty intuitive. First, attach the note pad to the center of the cardstock. Next, fold the pieces up and around the note pad. Then, embellish the top of the holder however you’d like, and finish by adding a hook and loop pair for the closing.

The last diy gift of appreciation we’re showing you today is actually a gift box for you to make and then fill with small goodies.

To make one of these boxes you will need two sheets of cardstock or pattern paper (that’s if you’d like for the box insert and sleeve to be different colors or designs), adhesive, and embellishments of your choice.

Use this Design Space file to cut the necessary shapes. (If you don’t have a cutting machine and would like to make a gift box, use this link to learn how to make one similar to the one shown here.)

Fold the cut paper along the score lines and attach them with adhesive to create the sleeve and box insert. Decorate the top of the box with additional papers, the teacher’s name, and other embellishments, and then fill it with goodies you know your teacher would like (tissues, lotion, hand sanitizer, a gift card, candies, etc.). That’s it!

Now, let’s show our teachers some love and encouragement this upcoming school year by letting them know, even in small ways, that we see and recognize their hard work and dedication.

In the comments below, we’d love to hear what you’re doing to show your teachers how much you appreciate them. ❤️

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December 9, 2020Celebrate, Inspiration

A Crafter’s Christmas Wish List

Close To My Heartchristmas, clause, gift, gift ideas, Holiday, noel, present, present ideas, Santa, shopping, stocking, wish list 10 Comments

Hopefully we’ve all made it onto the “Nice” list this year, because we’ve put together a list of products for you to share with whomever will be filling your stockings and laying presents under your tree this Christmas! That’s right. We are making it easier for the people who love you to get you a gift that you may actually want!

Take a look at the list below, then share the link to this post with your “Santa” and let them know which numbers on the list you are interested in. By clicking on the item, they will be navigated to our website where they will be able to add the product to their “bag” (cart). (Make sure to give your “Santa” a little extra guidance where necessary by specifying colors and quantities. 🙂 )

For those Santa’s who would like additional product details, click on the linked items to take a peek at our product descriptions and photos—purchase is not required (but you may end up with some unhappy elves 😉 ).

Merry Christmas!

A Crafter's Christmas Wish List #ctmh #closetomyheart #Christmas #Christmaswishlist #dearsanta #Christmaspresents #Christmasgifts #giftideas #holidayshopping

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December 17, 2019Celebrate, Create

Quick Holiday Favors for a Party, the Office, or School Class!

Close To My HeartArt Philosophy, artiste, box, candy, christmas, cricut, Design Space, easy, fast, gift, gingerbread house, hat, Holiday, mouse, party favor, present, quick, Santa, school treat 7 Comments

Christmas time is officially here, and in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, most of us still have some last-minute holiday prep to take care of. Everyone wants to have the perfect Christmas; whether you’re still trying to find a gift for your neighbors, come up with favors for a Christmas party, or searching for the perfect stocking stuffer, we want to help out with a few last-minute Christmas treat ideas!

To create these fun projects, we used shapes from our Cricut^® Art Philosophy and Artiste collections. These collections include a wide variety of shapes for any project and are available for purchase through your local Consultant.

Before you start on these projects, make sure you have all the tools you need to complete them. A few of the Cricut^® shapes will require a scoring tool. If you don’t have a scoring tool, you can add your own scoring lines with a bone folder after the shape has been cut.

The first treat idea we’ll be showing you today is an adorable Christmas mouse. This treat idea is great for all ages! After all, who wouldn’t love a cute little mouse with a candy tail?

To make your very own Christmas mice, cut out an egg shape (#M4462D) for the body and two droplet shapes (#M462B8) for the ear pieces, both from our Art Philosophy Cricut^® collection. When cutting the body, be sure to include two small slits in the middle of each body piece. This allows you to easily attach and remove the candy cane tail. To form these slits, insert two small lines (#M369889) from the Basic Shapes tab to your design before cutting. (If you’re going to cut these pieces by hand, use a crafting knife to make these two cuts.)

Once you’ve got all your pieces cut, gently thread a candy cane through the slits on each mouse and attach the ears. For the finishing touch, add some black and white dots to create a nose and eyes. We colored our noses red with an alcohol marker.

With a few of these mice, you’ll have a gift or party favor that is sure to delight!

The next treat idea we have for you today is a mini gingerbread house treat box, made to hold all kinds of yummy surprises.

With white embossed “icing” on the roof and tiny stamped candies flanking the door, this gingerbread house looks good enough to eat, right along with the tasty treats inside!

Before you start making your gingerbread house, note that this particular cut includes score lines. You will need to adjust the cutting tools on your machine accordingly.

To create this too-cute gingerbread house, cut a pyramid box (#M440E0) from our Artiste collection using Kraft paper. Fold along the score lines included in the Cricut® shape and then, attach the sides of the box together with adhesive. Tie the top with some of your favorite ribbon and embellish it with layers of embossed icing and some stamped images from the My Acrylix^® From Candyland stamp set.

The last treat we have for you today is a Santa-hat inspired box. This little box packs a whole lot of cheer and makes a fun and festive party favor or stocking stuffer. Just like the gingerbread house, this treat box includes a few score lines and will require you to adjust your cutting tools to create them.

To make your own Santa hat treat box, cut out a pinwheel (#M38DAA) from our Artiste Cricut^® collection and fold along the score lines provided in the shape. Once you’ve made your folds, tuck the pinwheel arms behind each other to form the box.

Once you’ve got your treats inside and the box is fully formed, stick a pom-pom on top for a festive finishing touch. This treat box is the perfect size to slip into a stocking and cute enough to give out all on its own. No matter how you gift it, or to whom, it’s sure to be a hit! 🙂

We hope you’ve enjoyed these quick Christmas treat ideas and wish you the sweetest holidays!

Recipes:

Candy Cane Mouse
X7251B Cedar & Pine Paper Packet, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, Z3314 Black & White Dots, Z2497 Dark Red TriBlend™ Marker, Cricut^® Art Philosophy Collection

Cricut^® Shapes:
Art Philosophy
#M4462D
#M462B8

Basic Shapes
#M369889

Gingerbread House Box
D1884 My Acrylix^® From Candyland Stamp Set, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, Z1375 Kraft Paper, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4194 White & Gold Skinny Ribbon, Z2495 Bright Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z2497 Dark Red TriBlend™ Marker, Z2487 Jade Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2485 Light Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2496 Pale Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z3555 Christmas Red Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3563 Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3556 Green Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Cricut^® Artiste Collection

Cricut^® Shape:
Artiste Collection
#M440E0

Santa Hat Box
X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, Z679 Liquid Glass, Cricut^® Artiste Collection, Pom-pom

Cricut^® Shape:
Artiste Collection
#M38DAA

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December 10, 2019Celebrate, Create

Free Cricut Design Space™ File for Holiday Gift Tags

Close To My Heart'Tis the Season, Cedar & Pine, Cedar and Pine, Cheers, christmas, Complete Creativity, cricut, Design Space, file, gift, give, giving, Holiday, Holly Jolly, Holy Night, Merry Christmas, No Peekin', present, tags 28 Comments

There are only 15 days between now and Christmas day…EEK! Is anyone else bursting with anticipation? By now (crossing our fingers), all if not most of the gift shopping is done and taken care of, and it’s time to start thinking of gift wrapping and accessorizing these sought after treasures into the decorative masterpieces that we’ll place under our trees or personally hand deliver.

With our love for paper, ribbon, and celebrating anything that allows us to apply both in a meaningful way, we could not help but create some beautiful gift tags using shapes from our newest Cricut^® collection, Complete Creativity.

If you’re not familiar with the Complete Creativity Cricut^® collection, this collection is divided up by whole card and scrapbook projects, providing all the shapes you need to create complete cards and scrapbook pages for a variety of themes and occasions. Each project is made up of components that can also be used independent of the layout or card they were designed for.

To illustrate the flexibility of this collection, we pulled individual icons, shapes, and sentiments from several of the projects, manipulated their orientation and size, and then grouped them to create the 15 delightful tags you see here!

All of the shapes, including the tag bases, come from separate projects in the Complete Creativity collection. As a special Christmas treat from us to you, we’re giving you our design space file so you, too, can create these little beauties and can use them in your holiday gift decorating!

To give you an idea of their size, the “Merry Christmas” tags are approximately 5¼” x 3⅛” and the “tis the season” tags are 4½” x 1¾”. If you look closely at each of the pictures above, you will see that there is a total of five tag designs created with three different sets of patterned papers and cardstock. The Design Space file provided will recreate all 15 tags, so you will see 19 different paper requests from your machine as you go through the “Make It” process. (Take a look at our “recipe” below for a complete list of the papers we used in our tags.)

In the provided file, you may also notice a green stand-alone T-shape only in the middle set of tags. This shape is the background ribbon for the small present in the tag next to it. Both, the “Merry Christmas” tag and the T-shape are cut from the same patterned paper in all three sets of tags. Since the patterned paper used for these two shapes in the middle set of tags is a plaid pattern, we wanted to cut it straight in the tag base but not in the ribbon, because we liked the effect of cutting the pattern at an angle better. Therefore, we straightened the tag shape out on the Design Space Canvas Grid and removed the T-shape from the present at the angle shown. This way, the ribbon will be cut with the pattern at the preferred angle as well.

We hope you enjoy putting this fun Christmas project together and sharing it with friends. As always, make sure you let us know if you have any questions in the comment section below! Happy Holidays!

Recipe

Complete Creativity Cricut^® Tags
D1898 My Acrylix^® No Peekin’ Stamp Set, X7251B Cedar & Pine Paper Packet, X7250B Holly Jolly Paper Packet, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6040 Clover Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3238 Gold Glitter Paper, Z3239 Silver Glitter Paper, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6509 Candy Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6512 Evergreen Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2896 Smoothie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3549 Holly Jolly Dots, Z3568 Black Velvet Ribbon, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z4194 White & Gold Skinny Ribbon, Z4221 Mink Twine, Z3565 Holiday Loose Sequins, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3555 Christmas Red Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3563 Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots, Cricut^® Complete Creativity Collection

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October 15, 2019Celebrate, Create, Learn

Easy Ways to Dress Up Halloween Treats!

Close To My Heartgift, gift tags, Halloween, spooktacular, treat bag, treat box, treats, trick or treat 3 Comments

Halloween is creeping up on us, and if you’re not ready for it, things could get scary fast! If you still have a few treats to prepare, perhaps for your friends, coworkers, or those special kiddos in your life, we have three quick and easy ways to help you dress them up!

Let’s begin with tags.

Large tags are an easy way to turn a treat into something even more special. This spooktacular 3″ x 4″ tag is one of six tags featured in our Spooktacular Halloween workshop. These simple but adorable tags come together with just a few pieces of paper, a little bit of stamping, and some markers. For complete step-by-step instructions, click here to view the Spooktacular Workshop Guide (no purchase necessary 🙂 ).

Some of us are a bit busier than others and want something that comes together even more quickly than a handcrafted tag. How does a ready-made container from one of our incredible Cricut^® collections sound?

Boo-tiful little treat boxes, like this one, take minutes to cut, assemble, and embellish. If you’re looking for that handcrafted experience—for yourself and the recipient of the treat—then the Artiste collection is a great place to get started. (Visit Accessing All 13 Close To My Heart Cricut^® Collections for information on how to gain access to this and other great shapes.)

This last treat dress-up we have to share with you is intended for those extra-special treats that you enjoy giving out. How many of you have special little trick-or-treaters that either start their evening or end their night with a knock at your door? It’s pretty common to make something with a little bit more love for these special little ones.

Whatever it is you’re giving-out as a treat, a decorated paper giftbag can usually carry it.

If you want to keep the treat concealed to add to the element of surprise, let us show you how to make a removable lid for a paper bag of any size.

First, determine the size of giftbag your treat(s) will require. Decorate the front of your bag as much as you like, but keep in mind that the top 2″ will be covered by the lid.

To make the lid….

Measure the size of the bag’s base. The bag pictured here has a 5¼” x 3″ base.
Using a piece of paper that is large enough, measure and cut a rectangle that is 3″ wider and 3″ longer than the base of your bag. For our bag, we cut an 8¼” x 6″ piece.
With a bonefolder, score your paper 1½” from the edges. Use the following image as a guide:
Insert your paper vertically into your paper trimmer, and cut along the score lines, leaving about ¾” uncut in all inside corners.
Fold along the score lines to create the lid shape and glue the corners.
Once your lid is assembled, add any embellishments that you’d like! We kept it simple and added nothing more than a zip strip along the bottom. When you’re done, fill your giftbag and slide the lid on.

Celebrate Halloween, and any other treat-worthy occasion, in style! Don’t settle for simple treats when you can make them Fa-BOO-lous! 😉

Recipes:

3″ x 4″ Pirate Bunny Tag
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2480 Orange TriBlend™ Marker, Z2492 Purple TriBlend™ Marker, Z3516 Black Journaling Pen (.03), Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine, Hole Punch

3¼” x 4¼” x 1¾” Treat Box
CC10190 My Acrylix^® Frightful Friends Stamp Set, D1875 My Acrylix^® Fa-BOO-lous Halloween Stamp Set, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z3568 Black Velvet Ribbon, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Cricut^® Artiste Collection

Cricut^® Shape:
Artiste
#M3CBB9

Gift Bag Lid
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10194 Spooktacular Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6513 Green Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z2483 Light Yellow TriBlend™ Marker, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Gift Bag

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November 29, 2018Celebrate, Memory Keeping

25 Journaling & Photo Prompts for Recurring Life Events

Close To My Heartbirthday, christmas, document, documenting, fails, gift, Holiday, journaling, journaling prompts, Journalling, list, Memory Keeping, photography, photos, prompts, stories, storytelling, tradition, vacation 4 Comments

Are you in one of those families that go to Disney World once year? (lucky! 🙂 ) Do you spend most Christmas mornings at home in your pajamas? What about a birthday? We all have one every year. Holidays, birthdays, vacations, parties—the good times just keep coming, and so do the stories and photos that accompany them.

Earlier this month we shared a post about New Ways to Document the Holidays. We thought it would be worthwhile to follow that up with some additional ideas and prompts for other recurring life events so that we don’t always take the same photos and document the same stories year after year.

The following ideas can be used to take photos while you’re in the moment or as a place to start your journaling while you’re documenting the memory. If you’re new to scrapbooking or you’re just in a memory keeping rut, the following prompts can help get you going.

VACATIONS:

1. Why are you going on this vacation?
2. How did you get to where you were going?
3. What did you pack for this trip?
4. Did everything go as planned?
5. Who are the people that are with you?
6. Did you meet any interesting folks along the way?
7. What was your favorite meal/restaurant on the trip?
8. What cool souvenirs are you bringing home?
9. Has your life been changed by this trip?

CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAYS:

10. What are you celebrating?
11. Do you have an ornament you love? Where did you get it and why do you love it?
12. What’s a favorite holiday treat? (Include the recipe!)
13. How does your family serve others?
14. Do you have any traditions?15. How does “magic” happen in your home? (Ex. Is there an elf sitting on a shelf somewhere?)
16.What wrapping paper did you pick out, and why?
17. How did you decorate your home?
18. Are there special movies that you watch?
19. Do you have any favorite holiday music?

BIRTHDAYS:

20. Did you get a cake? What flavor? If not, why?
21. What were the reactions to gifts? Was there a favorite?
22. Who did you celebrate with?23. Interview the guest of honor and record their answers
24. Screenshot and document birthday messages from social media
25. How has life changed since your last birthday?

We hope you’re as inspired as we are to use your next birthday, holiday, or vacation to try out some of these memory keeping prompts. You can document your memories in creative ways by taking photos and answering some of the questions we’ve given you here today. Focusing on sharing the details around all of these topics will highlight what makes each vacation, birthday, and holiday particularly special on its own. We’d love to hear your ideas for scrapbooking these types of events. Share them with us in the comments below!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ NYC Holiday Fails Page
C1725 My Acrylix^® Simply Said Stamp Set, E1042 My Acrylix^® Outline Classroom Alphabet Stamp Set, E1043 My Acrylix^® Solid Classroom Alphabet Stamp Set, X9000 Seasons Mix-in Paper Packet, X6007 Lagoon Cardstock, X5986 Mint Cardstock, Z6503 Mint Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2731 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, X7238C Oh What Fun Complements, Z4222 Hello Pumpkin Shapes, Z3314 Black & White Dots, Z4245 Opaque Matte Texture Paste, Z4247 Palette Knives, Z1979 Marvy^® Uchida^® LePen Journaling Pen, Z3503 Cricut^® Artbooking Digital Collection

Cricut^® Shape:
Artbooking
6″ Overlay <g> (p. 62, #M3F0A2)

12″ x 12″ Baking Magic Page
C1725 My Acrylix^® Simply Said Stamp Set, X7236B Hello Pumpkin Paper Packet, X7235B Boutique Paper Packet, X7238B Oh What Fun Paper Packet, X9000 Seasons Mix-in Paper Packet, X6028 Black Cardstock, X5986 Mint Cardstock, X6016 Pixie Cardstock, X6027 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7238C Oh What Fun Complements, Z4216 Raspberry Baker’s Twine, Z4305 Thin Cuts—Fancy Tags, Z3317 Thin Cuts—Stitched Hearts, Z2027 Mini Stapler, Z1979 Marvy^® Uchida^® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z1951 Memory Protectors^®Design 4

12″ x 12″ Wonderful Birthday Wishes Page
D1804 My Acrylix^® Your Special Day Stamp Set, E1042 My Acrylix^® Outline Classroom Alphabet Stamp Set, E1043 My Acrylix^® Solid Classroom Alphabet Stamp Set, X7235B Boutique Paper Packet, X9000 Seasons Mix-in Paper Packet, X5990 Carolina Cardstock, X6021 Sapphire Cardstock, X6027 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6505 Carolina Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7238C Oh What Fun Complements, Z4304 Loose Sequins—Silver, Z4241 Thin Cuts—Decorative Borders, Z1979 Marvy^® Uchida^® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z3500 Cricut^® Artistry Digital Collection, Sewing Machine

Cricut^® Shape:
Artistry
¾” Banner <New Years> (p. 50, #M41864D)

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December 12, 2017Celebrate, Create

5 DIY Gift Tag Ideas

Close To My Heartchristmas, Create, DIY, gift, Holiday, inspiration, presents, tags, techinique 5 Comments

We can think of no better way to dress up a gift than with a personalized handmade tag, so we came up with a quick list of ideas to help up your tag-making game this season!

1. Cricut^® Shapes

Select a few of your favorite shapes and let your Cricut^® machine do the rest! If you need to make a large number of gift tags, using a Cricut^® shape is an easy way to get it done.

2. Pocket Cards

If you have extra pocket cards, try trimming them into a gift tag. Your pocket cards can become the base paper or even the sentiment!

3. Cut Above^® Tag Kit

This kit was designed for tag making! Pair these tags with different ribbons, embellishments, and sentiments to change their original look, and voila! You have beautifully unique tags for the beautifully unique people receiving them.

4. Complements

Make use of any extra complements you have by sticking them on gift tags!

5. Stamping on Scraps

We all have scraps of paper lying around from bigger projects we’ve worked on in preparation for the holidays. Instead of throwing it away (or hoarding it! J) turn your scraps into little gift tags with some fun stamps and ribbons!

Who knew that so much cuteness could fit into such small pieces of paper! Make your gift giving that much more special this season with some personalized handmade tags!

Share your results with us in the comments below!

Recipe:

Gift Tags
Z4043 Silver & Gold Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, B1574 My Acrylix^® I Made This Stamp Set, C1692 My Acrylix^® The Thought that Counts Stamp Set, D1744 My Acrylix^®Season of Sweetness Stamp Set, Z4048 Cut Above^® Card Kit—Merry Everything, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5959 New England Ivy Cardstock, X5975 Cranberry Cardstock, X7225B Beary Christmas Paper Packet, Z4051 Picture My Life™ Cards—Silver & Gold, Z4050 Picture My Life™ Cards—Beary Christmas, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2835 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2816 Cranberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7226C Silver & Gold Complements, Z4012 Black Shimmer Ribbon, Z3363 Enchantment Ribbon Pack, Z3364 Basics Ribbon Pack, Z3216 White Twine, Z3189 White & Gold Ribbon, Z4038 Beary Christmas Dots, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z3344 Thin Cuts—Basic Tags, Z3167 Cricut^® Artistry Collection, Cricut^®City Sidewalks Digital Collection, Die-cutting Machine, Hole Punch

Cricut Shapes:
Artistry
2¾” <Thksgvng> (p. 45, #MF644C1)

City Sidewalks (no longer for sale)
1¼” Snowflake (#MF644C1)
1¾” Holly (#MF647BC)

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December 7, 2017Create, Learn

Holiday Favorites

Close To My Heartcatalog, catalogue, christmas, cut above, die cuts, dots, embellishment, embossing, enamel, gift, gift tags, Holiday, Holiday Expressions, leaf, leafs, leaves, oh snap!, picture perfect, seasonal, Thin Cuts 1 Comment

As the end of the year approaches, so does the end of our current idea book, Holiday Expressions. And, even though it may a bit taboo to choose a favorite child, we went for it and picked out a few of our favorite products from this catalog to show you just how versatile they really are and that they can be used outside of the holiday season.

First up, the Tree Line Border Thin Cuts.

It’s easy to associate pine trees with Christmas, the majority of us have one dominating our living rooms for the entire month of December (or more!) every year. But, lets not forget that before they got all dressed up for the party these beautiful trees had a more rustic existence.

These tree line dies can be used in multiple ways to invoke a natural scene. Their design allows for you to use one border at a time or to stack the die cuts, as we’ve done here, creating a more dimensional setting.

Another favorite is the My Acrylix^® Oh Snap! stamp set.

If you’re reading this post, you’re hanging with the crowd that doesn’t need a holiday to preserve memories. We’re all about capturing life’s moments, no matter the season.

Next up, we chose a more subtle and less obvious embellishment—the Cats & Bats Dots.

We have black and Emerald enamel dots. Yes, they work perfectly with this year’s Halloween collection, but these little guys are a force to be reckoned with all on their own. Embellishments like these are great to have on hand to add a splash of color any time you need it. And the low price means you can really stock up on these babies and use them on project after project!

Find merriment in anything and everything with our Merry Everything Cut Above^®tag kit.

Gifts should be shared all year round!

For the last highlight, even though we love all of our children the same, take a look at what we did with our leaf embossing folder below.

We love so many of our products that will be retiring in just a few weeks, it was difficult to list just a few. Take advantage of your opportunity to snatch up these items while you still can and remember that just because they are featured in the Holiday Expressions idea book doesn’t mean you can’t use them outside of the holidays. Revisit your catalog and take a look at those products again, thinking outside the holiday gift box!

Have you used any of our holiday products in a non-holiday way? Share your creative ideas below! We love hearing from you!

Recipes

4¼” x 5½” Birthday Wishes Card (Vertical)
B1537 My Acrylix^® Birthday Sparkles Stamp Set, X7225B Beary Christmas Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, X5955 Pebble Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3357 Better Together Complements, Z4037 Thin Cuts—Tree Line Border, Z3285 Cricut^® Flower Market Collection, Die-cutting Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
Flower Market
3″ Flower-2 <7> (p. 7, #MD389A5)

5″ x 7″Reach for the Stars Frame
B1565 My Acrylix^® A New Adventure Stamp Set, X7226B Silver & Gold Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z3357 Better Together Complements, Z4037 Thin Cuts—Tree Line Border, Z2067 Ranger™ Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z555 Craft Heater, Die-cutting Machine

12″ x 12″ Capture Life Today Page
D1748 My Acrylix^® Oh Snap! Stamp Set, Z3353 Basics Fundamental Paper Packet, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, X5955 Pebble Cardstock, X5946 Linen Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, Z3366 Silver Foil Paper, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4051 Picture My Life™ Cards—Silver & Gold, Z3355 Happy Moments Complements, Z3357 Better Together Complements, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z2067 Ranger™ Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z555 Craft Heater, Z3285 Cricut^® Flower Market Collection

Cricut^® Shapes:
Flower Market
2¼” Flower-2 <7> (p. 7, #mD389A5)

5″ x 5″ Smiles Mini Album
D1748 My Acrylix^® Oh Snap! Stamp Set, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, Z3353 Basics Fundamental Paper Packet, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3366 Silver Foil Paper, X5946 Linen Cardstock, Z2832 Pewter Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3089 Grey Gems, Z3364 Basics Ribbon Pack

12″ x 12″ Happy Place Page
X7226B Silver & Gold Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, X5969 Emerald Cardstock, Z3357 Better Together Complements, Z4028 Cats & Bats Dots

Treat Bag Topper
D1731 My Acrylix^® Eat Cate & Celebrate Stamp Set, X7226B Silver & Gold Paper Packet, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, Z3366 Silver Foil Paper, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7226C Silver & Gold Complements, Z4028 Cats & Bats Dots

Merry Everything Gifts
M1188 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Stamp Set, C1684 My Acrylix^® Inked with Love Stamp Set, Z4049 Cut Above^® Tag Kit—Merry Everything, Z3351 Adventure Fundamental Paper Packet, X5980 Sweet Leaf Cardstock, Z2853 Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7226C Silver & Gold Complements, Z3361 Whimsy Ribbon Pack, Z3362 Adventure Ribbon Pack, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z3285 Cricut^® Flower Market Collection

Cricut^® Shapes:
2¾” Background <z> (cut 2, p. 31)

12″ x 12″ Home Layout
Make It from Your Heart Vol. 3: Pattern 12, X7225B Beary Christmas Paper Packet, Z3353 Basics Fundamental Paper Packet, X5946 Linen Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z3357 Better Together Complements, X7226C Silver & Gold Complements, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z4031 Leaves Embossing Folder, Embossing Machine

4¼” x 5½” Celebrate Card (Vertical)
D1731 My Acrylix^® Eat Cake & Celebrate Stamp Set, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5955 Pebble Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X5953 Charcoal Cardstock, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z4031 Leaves Embossing Folder, Embossing Machine, Sewing Machine

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Make It from Your Heart

Tag Archives: gift

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Free Cricut Design Space™ File for Holiday Gift Tags

Easy Ways to Dress Up Halloween Treats!

5 DIY Gift Tag Ideas

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Holiday Favorites

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