First Day of Kindergarten Layout

I am slowly coming out of my comfort zone and I just posted my first layout to the 2Peas Gallery.  I did this because I wanted to participate in the Scrapbook Stamping Class because I knew that would help me use more of my stamps which is one of my goals this year.  My style isn't exactly like the rest you see there, but I am trying!!  Most of my layouts are multiple photos, and I have a linear/clean line type of style.  I know there must be others out there that have this type of style.  Anyone???  Bueller?  Sorry, couldn't resist.

Anyway, I thought I would share my layout here since I can add a lot more detail about the stuff I used and what I did.

The layout is based on my sons' first day of Kindergarten.  After I started doing this layout I realized that their clothes for the day even matched and I didn't plan that!  I had them pick out their own shirts.  All of the stamps I used are from Papertrey Ink - School Time.

"First day of" is from a stamp, but the actual stamps says, "First day of school."  I just masked the school part so I could use the rest of the stamp.  Kindergarten is cup with the cricut cartridge, Plantin Schoolbook.  I layered some paper to make it look like chipboard.  The border of "I love School" is also a stamp.

The stamps on this page are the embellishments on top, the ABC paper in the middle, and the year, age, and teacher on the bottom piece of paper.  The patterened paper I used on this layout is an old one I had from my stash.  It was from the Junkits Brights line.  Using my stash was another goal I had, and I can say so far so good!

After I stamped these images, I used my 1 3/8" circle punch to cut them out and then I popped them up on dimensionals to give some depth.

Here is a close up view of my faux chipboard letters.

Supplies used:
Patterned Paper: Junkitz Brights
Cardstock: SU! Whisper White textured and smooth, real red, brilliant blue, daffodil delight
Ink: SU! real red, brilliant blue, yoyo yellow, daffodil delight, garden green
Stamps: PTI School Time
Other: 1 3/8" circle punch, dimensionals, computer journaling

Bags from Plantin Schoolbook

I tend to be a visual person and I like to see how things are, so I seem to make myself a lot of reference type sheets.  A while ago I needed to package up a gift quickly and had nothing at home to use.  I thought I would make myself a bag from one of my cricut cartridges, but I had no idea how each one would turn out or how much room inside there would be.  So I thought once I had the chance I would cut out each bag and make myself a little reference sheet.  If I am going through all this work for myself, why not share it!

I started with Plantin Schoolbook since they only had a couple, and I already posted my font reference sheet and end cap reference sheets in the past.  I might even do the envelopes for this cartridge as well.

I cut these out with an 8.5x11 sheet of paper and chose fit to page to cut at the maximum size, but I got the maximum size cuts for 12x12 and 24x12 as well.  I also included the measurements of the put together bag, but on my reference sheet I forgot to mention that the size of the completed bag was for a bag made with 8.5x11 paper and not the bigger sizes.

This is the main bag
Maximum cut sizes:

8.5x11: 6.5"

12x12: 7.25"

24x12: 11.5"

Height to top of bag: 4 3/8"

Height to top of handles: 5 5/8"

Shadow of main bag - this one has no cut lines or score lines.  I had to make my own

Maximum cut sizes:

8.5x11: 6.25"

12x12: 7"

24x12: 11"

Height to top of bag: 4 1/2"

Height to top of handles: 5 5/8"

Tall Ball

Maximum Size cuts:

8.5x11: 9"

12x12: 12.5" (don't know how, but that's what it gave me!)

24x12: 13"

Height to top of bag: 3 5/8"

Height to top of handles: 4 3/8"

Italic

Maximum size cuts: 

8.5x11: 6.75"

12x12: 7.5"

24x12: 11.5"

Height to top of bag: 5 5/8"

Roly Poly

Maximum size cuts:

8.5x11: 5.75"

12x12: 6.25"

24x12: 11.5"

Height to top of bag: 3 5/8"

Height to top of handles: 4 3/4"

I took this picture to show that pretty much all the bags have the same size inside of them, which is about 1 1/4" except for Tall Ball, the round on at the end.  That one is about 1 3/8"

This is a picture of what the reference sheet looks like.  I am going to attempt the put a link for the PDF here in case you want to print it out for your own reference.  Since I never tried to link to a PDF before, please be patient if it doesn't work.

Also remember that the size for the height of the completed bags is based on a cut from an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.  I forgot to put that on the sheet.

PDF: Plantin Schoolbook maximum size cuts

The Snowicane

You would think that if the view from my front door looks like this

and the view from my back door looks like this

that I would actually have time to scrapbook or create something since I've been pretty much stuck inside at home!  Alas, not the case.  Instead, time was filled with catching up on laundry, baking, playing in the snow, drying out from being in the snow, making hot chocolate, watching movies (kid movies that is), and taking pictures of course!  I am still holding out hope that tomorrow I can steal a little time for me to do some scrapbooking.

In the meantime I will share this reference sheet I made for myself and I never posted.  This was for my cartridge spotlight.

I cut out each of the different fonts, at size 1 1/2,  that are offered on the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge.  It's amazing the difference in size some of the fonts are even though they are all cut at the same height.  I usually do this for all my font cartridges as reference and it helps me judge the size better when I go to cut.  Although now I have the Gypsy, so it is easier to get the right size I need.

Spotlight: Plantin Schoolbook - End Caps

This was supposed to be shown at the beginning of the month, so I am way behind on my Cricut Cartridge Spotlight.  I am going to try my best to still show everything I was going to show, but I did get a bit behind with everything that has been going on.  Just a recap, each month I am going to feature a different Cricut Cartridge and every Monday I will show some projects I did with that particular cartridge.

I know end caps are a bit confusing, so I thought I would show some of the things I made using this particular feature.  I also tried to put together a tutorial (in pictures), and I will try my best to get that up one day.

First, I made a little sheet that shows all the shape end caps.  Most of these I cut at the size of 1 1/4"  It is amazing to see the size differences depending on which shape you choose.  Having these little sheets help to see which ones will end up being larger.  One thing to keep in mind is that the size you choose is the size of the letters that are cut out in the middle, and not the shapes at the end.  So for my examples here, the 1 1/4" size is for the "hi"

The first real project I really had in mind for end caps was to make license plates for both my sons' bikes.  They have the same bike, and even though they know which one is theirs, I don't!  I also wanted to make it a little personal to them.

Brandon's favorite color is red and Connor's favorite color is purple.  The black layer is the main one you cut out first, with the letters cut in the middle.  For these, I chose 1" for the letters.  Once I cut both of the black layers, I put the red and purple paper through and did the end cap shadow.  This layer goes behind the black, and the color shows through where the letters cut out of the black.  I then cut the regular star shape to layer on top, and I cut this at 1 1/2"  To get the right size for this was trial and error to see which size worked best.  Next I want to laminate them and then attach it to their bikes.

My next project was a bookmark, although I forgot to put the ribbon on this before I took the picture! 

I once again cut the main layer in black, and for the shadow I used paper that I made using distress inks.  The colors are Shabby Shutters and Worn Lipstick.  I rubbed the 2 colors of ink on my non stick craft sheet and the spritzed it with water.  I then took my plain white cardstock and put it down on top of the colors.  I also cut out an extra shadow layer to put on the back so it didn't have a plain white back.

This next project was really my test pieces that I was playing around with, but I think I am definitely going to use them for something for my boys!

Main layer was cut with white paper and then shadowed with black.  I can't remember what size I made this, though.

I know end caps can be a bit confusing when you are trying them for the first time, but after you do it a couple of times the directions start to click.  Even now, though, I can still get confused.  I don't know how well my tutorial pictures came out, but I will try to get them on my computer and post that tutorial some time this week.

Sweet Treats

When I was making my projects for what used to be Product of the Month, I made these 2 little goodies using Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Center stamp set and the sweet treat cups.  These really are very cute and I already have some ideas for what I can do for goodie bags for my boys' preschool halloween party.  I only used M&M's in these because that's all I had on hand, but any tiny candy can work too, like skittles!

My first project was the goodie bag.  The actual bag was cut from my Cricut using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge.  

• After cutting the bag, but before putting it together, I stamped the verse and the swirls, from Tasty Sweet with Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie ink.

• I then cut the circle out with the 1 3/4" circle punch.

• The stem for the pumpkin was made using the ornament hanger stamp from the Sweet Centers set.  Since I don't have all the markers, I used Crushed Curry to outline the stamp (minus the wire hanger part).  Once I stamped it on whisper white, I then colored the rest in with Crushed Curry marker, and then colored on top of that with Bermuda Bay marker.  I used the Soft Suede marker to make some lines on it to resemble a stem.  I then glued that above the cut out circle, and then using the Soft Suede marker, I colored the wire hanging part of the same ornament stamp (from Sweet Centers) and stamped that next to the stem.

• The pumpkin face, from Autumn Harvest, was stamped on the sweet treat cup using black Staz On

• I then filled the cup, put a backing on it and then put it into place through the cut out circle.

• I then assembled the bag, and closed it off with basic black and old olive ribbon.

One thing to note is that this is top heavy and when it's not filled, it will fall over.  Once it has stuff in it, however, it should be fine.

Products:
Paper: Whisper White cardstock (SU)
Ink: Old Olive classic (SU), Pumpkin Pie classic (SU), Staz On black (SU)
Stamp Sets: Autumn Harvest, Tasty Sweet, Sweet Centers
Other: sweet treat cups (SU), Cricut, Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, sticky strip

This next project is a 3x3 box, which I cut and assembled myself and it also shows the chalkboard technique. Right now it is holding some small little cards, but can hold treats or anything!

In the future I will try to do a tutorial on the box and the technique!  They both are really easy to do!

After the box is cut to size, scored, and the right pieces are cut don't assemble it until all the other pieces are put together.  I used Designer Series Paper for the sides of the box, and the yum.yum.yum, etc... on the top sides are done using the chalkboard technique using Whisper White craft ink and pumpkin pie Stampin' pastels.

The cards for the inside are very simple and is just made using whisper white cardstock, cut into 3"x6", scored at 3" to make a 3" square card.

Products (all are Stampin' Up!):
Paper: black cardstock, pumpkin pie cardtock, whisper white cardstock, Cast-a-Spell Designer Series Paper
Ink: perfect plum classic, old olive classic, basic black classic, whisper white craft
Stamp Sets: Sweet Centers, Batty for You, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Tasty Sweet
Other: sweet treat cups, stampin' pastels (pumpkin pie), word window punch, modern label punch, sticky strip

I'm sorry for the horrible instructions.  I am trying to get by on about 3 hours of sleep since my sons have been sick and I don't think my brain is fully functioning!!  And now since my husband just got home from work I am going to go lay down! :)