CM Christmas Blog Hop

Hello & Welcome!!

You have reached the 2nd stop on the
CM Bloggers’ Christmas Blog Hop.  
Some of my sister CM Advisors and I are sharing ideas and inspiration for your Christmas layouts and projects.  If you’re hopping in order, you’ve arrived from Karyn’s blog.  At the end of my post I’ll send you on your way to Diana’s blog. Be sure to visit each stop – there are lots of  wonderful ideas being shared!  (More info, including the complete list of Blog Hop stops, is at the bottom of this post.)

Today I’m sharing some quick & fun elements for your baking themed layouts. 
This fun layout came together in no time thanks to some of my favorite CM tools.  It features items made using the Christmas Past Collection.
(Click on the photos to enlarge them)

Here is how to make each of the elements shown above:
Apron
Cut a 4”x 3” rectangle from whatever patterned paper  you’d like to use for the base.  With the 3” side at the top, mark 1/2” in from each end and 2” down from the top.

Using your Custom Cutting System and Oval Patterns Make the following cut on each side of the rectangle as shown:
5 O R
 
If you are not familiar with the system used to label the CCS see this post.

Add some coordinating paper, stickers, borders, etc. and a thin strip of paper at the top for the strap.
All of the items I used to make the apron shown above came from the Christmas Past paper pack.  I punched out the ‘'lace” using the Border Maker System and Lace Scallop Border Maker Cartridge and then added a little bit of faux stitching using the fine point of the CM Dual Tip Black Pen.
The snowflake pocket and strip are from one of the patterned papers, too.
When you add the layer to the bottom, you could easily create a real pocket - leaving it open at the top so you could add a journaling card…or a gift card, paper money or a note to use in other projects.

Tray of Gingerbread Men
Using the Shape Maker System and Square Cartridge, punch out a square from the Silver Shimmer cardstock.  Punch out 4 gingerbread men from brown cardstock using the Christmas Quartet Punch.

Handles
Again using the Silver Shimmer cardstock, first cut 4 I B then without moving the Oval CCS Template, cut 4 I G.  You’ll end up with an oval ring. Cut this in half to make the handles and attach to the back of your square cookie sheet. 

Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie
Using the Border Maker System and the Bubble Cartridge punch a few times on a 2” wide strip of paper, alternating sides.  If you want to make the holes more random, flip the paper over before punching on the 2nd side. 
Use the Shape Maker System and Circle Cartridge to punch out a circle from this hole-y paper   Punch another circle from brown cardstock. Adhere the hole-y circle on the brown circle using your Repositionable Tape Runner  (It’s perfect for small spots like this).

Sandwich cutout:
Use the Shape Maker System and Circle Cartridge to cut out your top layer.  Using your CCS & Circle Patterns, cut:
Filling:  2 I G
Bottom layer:  2 I G
Center the top layer on the filling and adhere using your Tape Runner.  Adhere this to the bottom layer, offsetting slightly. 
Add a shape cut from the same paper used for your filling punched with the Christmas Quartet Punch and adhere to the top of the cookie.

Sprinkles
Using the Shape Maker System and the Circle Cartridge, punch out a circle from brown cardstock.  Using the Repositionable Tape Runner, put adhesive all over one side of this circle.

The sprinkles are leftovers made when using the Border Maker System and the Lace Scallop Border Cartridge.  Make a bunch of these and place them on your sticky brown circle.  Press them down really well and rub your finger over the leftover adhesive.  It will roll off easily.
I punched my sprinkles from the striped paper shown below from the Christmas Past paper pack.

The Christmas Past paper pack has 12 double sided sheets with 24 unique designs.  You can click here to browse all the designs in this pack.

Sprinkles!

Here is a closer look at each page. (Click to enlarge)
“Christmas Memories” sticker is from the Christmas Past Sticker Pack.

I hope these ideas have inspired you! If can’t wait to see your take on them! Please feel free to share what you’ve created in my Lisa’s Workshop Facebook group.

Thanks for stopping by!  I will now send you on your way to the next stop in the CM Bloggers Christmas Hop -  Diana’s blog.

Here is the complete line up for today’s
CM Bloggers’ Christmas Blog Hop:

Karyn McDermaid-Rolfe
Lisa Brown Graham <-----You are here!
Diana Miller Brinsley
Stefani Jones
Fran Allen Smitherman
Noreen Smith

Please contact your Creative Memories Advisor to purchase any Creative Memories products.
If you don't already have a Creative Memories Advisor, I’m happy to help! 

You can find more information about the Creative Memories products used in this project on my CM Advisor site at:
http://www.creativememories.com/user/lisagraham
or if you’d like to contact me directly you can do that by clicking on the “Email me” link at the top of this page.

Merry Christmas! 

Sweet Treats– Fun to Make & Give!

Here are some quick ideas for stocking stuffers, classroom treats or a little something for someone special.  Each project only takes a few minutes with the help of some great timesaving tools by Creative Memories!  

Elf Legs






























 

Pants: Double up a piece of the red striped paper from the Christmas Joy paper pack about four inches.  Using the Shape Maker System and the Square Cartridge punch out a square leaving the folded edge intact (shown below).  Cut a small triangle (from both layers) on the edge opposite the fold as shown in the photo above.  Add stitching detail using the fine tip of the Black Dual Tip Pen.  
 

Buttons:  Leftovers from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge.  Add dots with the fine tip of the Black Dual Tip Pen.  
Shoes:  Using the Circle Cartridge from the Shape Maker System punch out a circle from black cardstock then place the paper back into the Shape Maker System and punch out a crescent shape.

Make 2 of these crescent shapes.  Fold each crescent in half and trim a little bit off the bottom.  
Apply a good amount of Tape Runner adhesive to the inside of the pants and shoes, making sure to get both sponts on the paper where the Sixlets will be placed. Assemble as Shown.
Bell/Ball on the shoes:  Leftover circles from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge.
Buckle:  use the Filmstrip Cartridge with the Border Maker System and punch out a small border from white cardstock.  Trim down one of the hollow squares on the edge of the border. (I found the Sixlet candies at my local Dollar Tree store.)

Candy Pinwheel

Using the Shape Maker System and the Square Cartridge punch one square from double sided paper.  Cut from each corner to almost the center.  Place a good amount of adhesive in the center of the square using your Tape Runner.  Fold every other point to the center and press down.  Place more adhesive in the center and adhere a Hershey's Kiss candy.  Adhere a tube of Sixlet candies to the back of the pinwheel as shown. 

Candy Cane Mouse 

 
Note:  See this blog post for info about the system below to identify Circles & Ovals with the Custom Cutting System.
Body & Ears:  From the grey patterned paper in the Christmas Joy paper pack cut the following using the Custom Cutting System & Oval Patterns:
7IR
5IG(2)
Cut from light red/pink designer cardstock:
5IB(2)
Gently fold the large oval in half lengthwise and make two cuts just a little off center as shown below.

Eyes & Nose: Leftover circles from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge. 
Adhere ears, eyes and nose as shown.
Add whiskers using the fine tip of the Black Dual Tip Pen.  Slide on a candy cane for the tail. 

Hot Cocoa Kit
 
Supplies Needed: 

• Sandwich bag
• Instant hot cocoa packet
• Cocoa mix-ins.  I used Hershey’s Kisses and cute peppermint marshmallows I found at Target but you can have a lot of fun with this!  Other things you could add: a candy cane, plastic spoon dipped in chocolate or caramel with sprinkles/salt/peppermint added before it hardens; caramel squares…lots of possibilities!

Put the goodies in the plastic bag & close it up.  Measure the width of your plastic bag and also how far down you want the topper to go. Double this last measurement.  If you want the topper to come down an inch & a half, cut the paper 3” x the width of your plastic bag.  Fold this in half and decorate as shown.  I used the new Lace Flower Chain cartridge with the Border Maker System and punched out a border from both red and green cardstock.  I trimmed several flowers from the red border and adhered those to the green border. Once the topper is decorated you can add a quick note or To: / From: on the back and adhere it over the plastic bag. 

Candy Cane Rudolph

Wrap a piece of brown cardstock around 2 candy canes placed side by side.  The piece I used measures 3 1/2” x 2 1/2”. You may need to adjust yours depending on the size of the candy canes you use. Put a line of adhesive on one of the shorter ends of the cardstock.  Place the adhesive lined side of the cardstock facing up on the back of the candy canes & wrap cardstock around the candy canes until it overlaps and adheres in place.

Add eyes & nose made from leftover circles from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge.  

I hope these treats help to sweeten the holiday season!

Merry Christmas!! 

CM Circles and Ovals Blog Hop!

Seasons Greetings! 

You have reached the fourth stop on the CM Circles and Ovals Blog Hop.  My fellow CM Advisors and I are sharing some ideas and inspiration featuring some old friends – the Custom Cutting System (CCS) Circle & Oval patterns!

These will be added to the CM core line but there is no telling how long this first shipment will last. Fair warning - if these go quickly there could be a bit of lag time until the next shipment arrives. 

Instructions for these CCS cuties are soon to follow but first I’d like to share a system I learned a long time ago in my early years as a CM Consultant.

Labeling Your CCS Circles & Ovals
This method saves a lot of time & effort when following directions for a project.  By using this system you can easily know exactly what size oval or circle to cut when following instructions at a class, workshop or online.  It also makes sharing instructions a breeze!

Here is how to label your templates:

Using a permanent marker, label the sizing chart and patterns 1 through 7 using the following system:

Circles (1-3) - 1 is the smallest circle, 3 is the largest

Ovals (4-7) - 4 is the smallest oval, 7 is the largest

While you’re at it – you might want to label your patterns & cutting guides with your initials, too.  Lots of people have the same tools & labeling them with your name or initials makes it a snap to see what is yours when cleaning up at a crop.

The following abbreviations are used in projects:

I = Inside Track O = Outside Track

R =Red Blade     G = Green Blade     B = Blue Blade
If a layout calls for the following:  1 I R (2) then you would use the smallest circle pattern (#1), cut on the Inside of the pattern with the Red blade and cut 2 circles.

Let’s give it a whirl!

Gingerbread Boy
Using the dark brown Designer Cardstock from the Shades of Neutral paper pack cut the following shapes using the Custom Cutting System:
Head:  1IR
Body: 5IR
Arms:  4IG(4)

Buttons, Eyes, Nose & Cheeks: leftover circles from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge using the following papers:

Christmas Joy paper pack
Red striped paper for the nose and cheeks
Christmas Countdown Days for the buttons
Black & white Designer Cardstock from the Shades of Neutral paper pack for the eyes.
Icing: Punch several short borders using the Medallion Frame Chain Cartridge and the Border Maker System.  Cut chains lengthwise in half and then trim pieces as shown.
Adhere everything with your Regular & Mini Tape Runners.

Gingerbread Girl
Use the same method we did to make the Gingerbread boy but punch only one button and add the following: 

Dress:  5IR - cut from the red striped paper from the Christmas Joy pack.  Cut a small notch from one shorter end of the oval and trim the opposite end.
Punch one shape using the Blossom Place n Punch and trim as shown.

Flower:  From the red striped paper use one leftover shape punched using the Medallion Frame Chain Cartridge and the Border Maker System.

I like to showcase a special photo by using the CCS to cut it into a circle or oval shape – matting it for even more emphasis.

Thank you for stopping by!  Be sure to visit all of the fantastic blogs for more ideas!!  Your next stop is Celebrating Your Beautiful Life by Fran Smitherman.

Here’s a complete list of all the stops on this CM Blog Hop in case you lose your way:

Stop 1 - Julie Tambrini
Stop 2 - Diana Brinsley
Stop 3 - Stefani Jones
Stop 4 - Lisa Graham <=== You Are Here
Stop 5 - Fran Smitherman
Stop 6 - Noreen Smith
Stop 7 - Candace Bouldin

After you’ve visited all the Blog Hop stops head on over to the CM blog!  CM is giving away a CCS bundle - including the hexagon bundle (with the jumbo hexagon CCS template, all 3 blades and the self-healing mat) plus the circles and ovals!  Leave a comment after the blog hop post on the CM blog for a chance to win this fantastic prize pack!!

• Cut out 6 rings. In the example above I cut 2 sets of rings from 3 different papers.
• Determine what size and shape rings you want.  The wreath above was created by cutting 5OG & 5OR..
• If cutting on the outside track of the pattern cut the larger shape first, then the smaller one.  Do the opposite when cutting on the inside of the pattern (cut smaller shape first).
• Be careful not to move your paper or the CCS pattern until you are completely done.
• Layer the rings and adhere stickers or other embellishments. 
• To make the wreath shown above I used items from the Christmas Joy Paper and Sticker packs.
  Inspired by an idea borrowed from Donna Bobbie, R.I.P.

CM Holiday Blog Hop–Stop #3

Hello!!  
You have reached the third stop on the CM Holiday Blog Hop.  My fellow CM Advisors and I are handing out some Holiday treats: ideas and inspiration for your pages, cards and tags featuring Creative Memories products.
I hope you are inspired by these Christmas Cuties!
This layout features papers, stickers and a Slide-In piece from the Christmas Joy product line. CM just released some wonderful new products – including some old favorites, too!   You can see all the wonderful newly released products by clicking on “What’s New” at the top of your CM Advisor’s site.  (If you already are working with a CM Advisor you’ll be taken to their site when clicking on links in this post. If you don’t have an Advisor already you’ll be taken to my CM Advisor site.)
Many of these Christmas Cuties need just a few shapes punched with the Border Maker System.  Did you know you can quickly do this without using the positioning guide?  Just pop in the cartridge, punch what you need & you’re good to go!
Christmas Cuties
Rudolph
Head: Circle Cartridge from the Shape Maker System
Muzzle: From the light brown cardstock (Shades of Neutral) punch a tag using the Circle Tag Cartridge with the Shape Maker System.  Cut out the inside circle.
Nose & Eyes:  Circle leftovers from the Bubbles Cartridge and the Border Maker System.
Ears:  Using the Picket Fence Cartridge and the Border Maker System punch out a partial border from the dark brown and light brown Designer Cardstock from the Shades of Neutral paper pack.  Clip off two of the top triangular pieces from each color and layer them - offsetting the lt. brown below the dk. brown a bit. Adhere to the back of Rudolph’s head.
Antlers:  Use the leftovers from the Diamond Scroll Cartridge and Border Maker System. Cut them apart to get the swirls, layer and adhere as shown using the wonderful Mini Tape Runner!!!!  I’m so glad this is back!  Remember, this Mini Tape Runner Refill fits in the regular CM Tape Runner!!
Mouth: Draw using the fine point of the Black Dual Tip Pen.
Santa
Body: Using the Circle Cartridge from the Shape Maker System punch the following circles:  one light brown (Shades of Neutral), two red circles (Shades of Red), one white circle (Shades of Neutral) and also this shape from the corner of a piece of white cardstock:

Use the Two Way Corner Rounder to round the pointed corner of the white piece.
Cut the light brown circle in half. 
Place the red circle on the bottom, then adhere the white circular shape on top of that and then the half circle on top. 
Santa’s Beard: Use the leftover pieces from the Diamond Scroll Cartridge and Border Maker System.  Cut them apart to get the swirls, adhere as shown.
Hat:  Place the white and red circles behind Santa’s head as shown above.  Use one of the large leftover circles from the Bubbles Cartridge and the Border Maker System for the pompom on Santa’s hat.
Belt:  Cut a thin strip of black cardstock using either your Personal Trimmer or the 12” Trimmer. For the buckle use the Filmstrip Cartridge with the Border Maker System and punch out a small border out of gold cardstock (Shades of Bright.)  Trim down one of the hollow squares on the edge of the border. Santa’s Face:  Use leftover circles from the Bubbles Cartridge and the Border Maker System for the eyes (lt. blue from the Shades of Pastel paper pack), nose, cheeks and mouth.  For Santa’s mustache trim a tree punched out of white cardstock using the Evergreen Cartridge with the Border Maker System. (See image below)
Place the holly sticker from the Christmas Joy Sticker Pack on Santa’s hat.  Ho Ho Ho!!

Snowman

Body:  Circle Cartridge from the Shape Maker System.
Head:  Inside circle from the Circle Tag Cartridge using the Shape Maker System.
Scarf: Using the Shape Maker System and the Circle Tag Cartridge, punch a tag from the plaid paper from the Christmas Joy paper pack.  Trim the inner circle from the tag and place this between the body and head.  For the ends of the scarf, punch a small border using the Filmstrip Cartridge and the Border Maker System from the plaid paper.  Trim off the edge of the border with the small squares.  Trim the ends to make fringe and separate these pieces just a bit. 
Face:  Eyes and mouth – leftovers from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge. 
Nose:  Cut in half one of the leftover small rectangles punched out of orange cardstock using the Picket Fence cartridge and the Border Maker System. Add detail using the fine point of the Black Dual Tip Pen.
Penguin

Body:  Circle Cartridge from the Shape Maker System.
Tummy: Inside circle from the Circle Tag Cartridge using the Shape Maker System.
Wings:  Use the Circle Cartridge with the Shape Maker System and punch out a circle from black cardstock. Position the circle back in the cartridge to punch out the shape for the wings (punch 2).
Hat:  Punch white and red circles using the Shape Maker System and place them behind the penguin’s head as shown above.  Use one of the large leftover circles from the Bubbles Cartridge and the Border Maker System for the pompom.
Eyes: leftover circles from the Border Maker System and the Bubbles Cartridge. 
Nose:  Cut down a tree punched from orange cardstock using the Evergreen Cartridge and the Border Maker System.
Flippers:  Punch out a shape using the Blossom Place n Punch. Cut this in half, then in quarters. Use a quarter of the blossom for each flipper.
Page Elements Trim one of the pieces from the Christmas Joy Slide-in Pack to make a festive place for journaling or a title.

Cut 1/2” strips of various papers from the Christmas Joy Paper Pack and tuck behind one of the photo mats.  Notch the ends with your CM All Purpose Scissors. (Remember those lovely original CM scissors?  They’re back – just as good as you remember but with a little updated look!)
Cut the holly strip from the piece of paper shown below and adhere where the green & silver pieces of paper meet.  I cut the green dotted paper a little over 3” wide and the silver paper just over 9” wide. (Click here to view each of the 12x12 papers) Photo mats are 4 1/2” x 6 1/2”.


Thank you for stopping by!  Be sure to visit all of the fantastic blogs for more ideas!!  Your next stop is Celebrating Your Beautiful Life by Fran Smitherman.
Here’s a complete list of all the stops on this CM Holiday Blog Hop in case you lose your way.

Stop 1. D. Brinsley's Memory Keeping Blog

Stop 2. Crop with Stef

Stop 3.  Lisa's Workshop <=== You Are Here

Stop 4. CelebratingYourBeautifulLife  

Stop 5.Click Write Share 

Stop 6. Scrappin' Jpegs 

Stop 7. Julie's Creative Memories Blog

Don’t forget to check out the CM blog, too!  They have been sharing awesome ideas all week long as part of their Birthday Bash!!

(Blossom Place n Punch to make the pieces for the wreath, leftovers from the Bubbles Cartridge  and the Border Maker System to make the berries.  “Merry Christmas” sticker from the Christmas Joy Sticker Pack.)