Recycle your square tissue box into a holder for marker. etc.

The following photos show a square tissue box with the top cut away to form a storage unit for markers or  embossing folders, etc.  The products and measurements used are as follows - 

Square tissue box, Scissors, Black marker (to cover the corners of box). A Straight cutter and 65 lb. Card stock (I used 4 panels of black cut at 4 1/4" X 5") 

Patterned card stock (cut @ 4 X 4 3/4"1/4"smaller than black card stock ).  

Some strong adhesive tape,  Approx. 18" of ribbon, 4 toilet tissue rolls (for insert) vinyl shelf paper (opt. to hold tissue rolls together rather than just placing them inside the box loosely). Any embellishments as desired for outside of the box. 

The black marker fills in the areas around the corners  and bottom.  Strong adhesive is placed on all 4 sides of 4 1/4 X 5" Black card stock and adhered to the sides.

 The 4" X 4 3/4" patterned card stock is adhered to the black background and then adhered to the sides of the box.

 The top portion of the box (Black Card stock) cut 5" X 4 1/4" and scored at 2 1/2".  This covers the raw edge of the box and overlaps to create the finished design.

Approx 18" of ribbon, with added strong adhesive to the back, will cover the edge of back top flap and also add character to the finished project.

I used shelf Vinyl ,adhesive backed (Dollar Tree ) to hold 4 toilet rolls

and stabilize them inside the box as one unit.  I added strong adhesive to 2 sides on the outside vinyl before inserting into the box to hold them in place.

I needed a holder for my Cricut Explore pens and this did the trick.   I now can separate my colours and still have room for rulers, etc. 

Here is the finished product.  

I added a floral and butterfly combo with a ribbon hat pin for my embellishments 

to cover the overlapped ribbon edge.

6 Sided Gift Box

I used the heavier Foil card stock for the bigger size gift box below.
It was from the Christmas  48 sheet pad purchased at Michaels.

Here is the Make It Now size smaller box  (A ,99 purchase from Cricut Design Space) and a larger
(approx. 4") same pattern gift box made from 12X12 foil card stock.
I really liked this gift box and could not wait to create it.

This card stock pad from SEI did a good job for paper weight for the smaller box, but I found it did not hold its shape as well as the heavier foil card stock I used to make the lager box.

I enlarged the box base to fit a 12X12 Cricut mat .  Design Space was telling me to choose a 12 X 24" mat size to complete the lid and box.  I did not want to use my 12 X 24" mat so, to give me the advantage to cut the lid separate from the base, I changed the colour of the design pieces as below.

The 2 pieces (Lid and Base) measured 22.34 inches.  If you were cutting just the base and using a Cricut Expressions machine, set your dial at 11.25" or 11.50" for the base as shown in the fist (Blue) measurement above.

When the pattern pieces first load they are black in colour and are included within a frame (Grouped) showing the full 22.34"  and therefore will need a 12X24" Cricut mat to cut them.

Because I ungrouped the two pieces I could edit the colour as above using 2 shades of blue.  This prompted the software to ask me to change mats, allowing both pieces to be cut separately using 12 X 12" mats instead of the 12 X 24" mat.  I love how the software is so user friendly.  You Tube and Cricut.com has many tutorials with tips and tricks when designing with your Explore and the Design Space software.

Christmas card inspirations

This is a Make It Now project from Cricut Design Space using the Explore machine.
For further details see 2nd card below 

These 2 Spellbinder corner die cuts are reinserted back into the card front  with a panel of blue foil lining the inside of the card.  I later added glitter for a frosted look to shine through the blue foil backing.  I later added the text Christmas Blessings across the opening to accent the card.

This design of christmas ornaments were cut from the Close To My Heart Artfully sent cartridge,  I used spray adhesive to adhere the design to silver foil, added a snowflake ribbon accent and adhered the silver background to DCMV Christmas design card stock.

I should have done an edit for this foil embossed snowman card (Sorry)
The accent colours are coloured in with  alcohol  Sharpie markers.  The embossed folder is a Darice. 

This design cut was a freebie from Design Space using the Cricut Explore.  I just love that machine!
The blue card above shows a stamp from CTMH stamp that was heat embossed with white embossing powder.

All of the foils (blue, silver and red) plus a gold (9X12) sheets were purchased from the Dollar Tree.
The embossing folder was from Darice.

This was fun to create a Penny Roller card.  The instructions can be found on many You Tube videos.
I shaded in the sky and snow banks using Tim Holtz Broken Glass Distress inks.  The little Penguin is a sticker. 

I added tiny stars from a border punch and cut the sled from red cardstock.

This design was cut from the Artfully Sent CTMH cartridge and backed with blue foil.

This is one of the first designs I cut from Cricut Design Space and the Explore machine.  It is ready from a sentiment.
The flowers are from another cartridge I have loaded in the Design Space software.  It is layer, inked and leaves added for backing.  This was a great encouraging card to see what the Explore could do.  Love it! 

Another Design Space Freebie.  Every Thursday Cricut adds new (1 week) Freebies to the more than 50+ freebies on the design space software login.  The software is a free download and some to be completely compatible to its full potential with iPad.  January is the release date.  I can not wait.  You can use the Make It Now only on iPad presently. 

This is the same card as previously shown.  I used CTMH  patterned (floral) card stock for the background and the flip side (green pattern) for the Butterflies.  The border and  butterflies are all part of this Design Space card.

Cricut® Artfully Sent Newest 2014 -2015 CTMH cartridge

If you love making cards - this is the cartridge for you including popup cards as well as theme cards - take a listen to this presentation to learn more!

Cricut® Craft Room and your CTMH cartridges Make it work For You

Ladies here is a free software download from Cricut.com  The software is called Craftroom  it will help you create long borders or adjust sizes without breaking your brain.  If you have any problems feel free to contact me at d.stevenson@rogers.com.  Shop Close To My Heart 24/7 at www.dorothystevenson.ctmh.com

Close To My Heart Bling and Alcoholic Markers

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The design paper background used was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics.  The Spellbinders rectangle dies were from the Resplendent Labels collection.  I inked both die cuts using Close To My Heart Lagoon ink pad.  The blue base card stock was from a 8 1/2 X 11" variety pak from Michaels.  The organza ribbon was from a dollar store.  The Stamp was from Close To My Heart Fall/Winter 2013/4 "Comfort" collection. 

The Background card stock was from Recollection "Michaels" 8 1/2 X 11" paper oak.  The Ribbon was purchased from the dollar store. The rectangle label was from the Resplendent collection by Spellbinders.  The stamp was a find, found at Walmart.  The base cream card cardstock Punched edge is a Martha Stewart 'eyelet daisy' punch. The inked edges were done with a "Lagoon" ink pad from Close To My Heart.

The mauve card stock and cream base are both purchased from Michaels.   The embossing folder used is from the Anna Griffin Cuttlebug collection.  The Spellbinder oval dies are from the decorative ovals collection.  The small butterfly is a Martha Stewart with added pearl body.  The flowers and wired ribbon bow were purchased from the dollar store.  The stamp is a Close To My Heart Sympathy collection stamped using a Gypsy CTMH ink pad.  I raise the centre greeting with pop dots and inked the embossed edge with Gypsy ink also.

This is a poem I created and printed off on card stock ran through my printer.  Kim was our hairdresser at Leacock Care Long Term facility and who, at the age of 36,  recently when to be with Jesus!  She was very much loved and appreciated by staff as well as residents.