I really think that this is my favorite Christmas release so far! Heartfelt Creations Christmas release is gorgeous as always! I really love that their stamp sets coordinate so perfectly with so many Spellbinders dies. It is really fun to sit down and create more dimensional projects using dies and stamps together.

There has been so much going on around my house lately that I have had a hard time getting into my craft room! Lately I just pass by with a longing look, hoping that maybe I’ll have a few spare minutes to go in and create! (SIGH!)

Last night I finally told myself that I deserved a break, so between loads of laundry, I took an hour to sit down (well, sort of sit down) and do something I WANT to do instead of HAVE to do.

I have been dying to use my new Heartfelt stamps and coordinating Spellbinders dies, so I put together a fast and easy Christmas layout using the following products:

S5-055 Layered Poinsettia

s4-334 2011 Heirloom Ornaments

LF-347 Grand Labels Twenty Three

S4-347 Labels Twenty Three

S4-132 Classic Rectangles Large

HCPC 3415 Petite Poinsettia

HCPC 3416 Poinsettia Ornament 1

DCWV Christmas paper (older stack)

Tattered Angel Pearl Glitter Mist

Gold ribbon

1/8″ Scor-Tape

I stamped all my images first, then made my templates and cut and embossed all the shapes using my Cuttlebug Machine. Then I sprayed the poinsettias with Glitter Mist and let dry.  When it was dry, I used my finger to curl the petals then used glue dots to put them together on the ornament. I used a black Dew Drop for the center.

Everything else I did is pretty obvious by the photo! Ah, I finally had some time to play, even if it wasn’t for to long. I feel better now!

If you are like me and don’t have much time, try to at least grab some precious time when you can! It is very relaxing!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

Today I would like to tell you about a fabulous product sold exclusively by Scor-Pal! The top selling No More Shims Embossing Mat has taken embossing with the Cuttlebug from Provo Craft and the Sizzix Big Shot Machine to a new dimension. You can now emboss things such as leaves, sequin, lace curtain and lots more ordinary household materials to make great embossed backgrounds!

When putting one of your Nestabilities through and even your Impressabilities you will see the huge difference it makes. You can run coins and charms through and make your own embellishments by embossing them on to craft foil.(up to the thickness of a quarter.You can flatten bottle caps with the mat in both the Cuttlebug and the Big Shot. You can flatten up to 6 aluminum caps at a time. All instructions included with the mat for the Cuttlebug and the Big Shot.

*Do NOT use this mat in the Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine or Wizard Machine . It is to thick and can break the machine, so please use the Tan Embossing Mat from Spellbinders for embossing in those machines.

Please note you cannot run coins , bottle caps etc through an electric machine (such as the Sizzix Vagabond by Tim Holtz), but you will be able to emboss lace , leaves etc .

I thoroughly enjoyed the two gentlemen who developed and demonstrated this handy mat at CHA. Their English accents along with their enthusiasm for their product made them so much fun to listen to! I love the No More Shims Embossing Mat in my Cuttlebug Machine because I no longer have to use a chipboard shim with my embossing mat (which is one less layer that I have to worry about) so I am totally happy!

Take a peek at our video from CHA to see what I mean!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

I get the question quite frequently about what adhesives to use. Well, that all depends on what type of project you are doing and what your preference is! We carry a variety of adhesives, such as 3L Scrapbook Adhesive, Scor-Tape, and Beacon Adhesive.

Lets start with 3L Scrapbook Adhesives! We carry Repositionable and Permanent Mounting Squares, E-Z Dots Repositionable Adhesive, E-Z Runner Permanent Tape, E-Z Runner Permanent Vellum Adhesive and Photo Corners in several color choices! These are fantastic for mounting Photos, paper to paper, or vellum to paper, among other things!

I can’t imagine paper crafting without Scor-Tape! We carry all sizes from 1/8″ rolls(currently on back order) to 8 1/2 x 11″ sheets! If you like working with ribbon, I guarantee that you will fall in love with this stuff! I think it is the best double sided tape on the market! There is no easier way to apply ribbon! The rolls come with 27 yards per roll! It is easy as well as clean! No messy glue sticking to your fingers!

Beacon Adhesives Zip-Dry Paper Glue is fast drying for fast results on almost all paper types & scrapbook embellishments such as rhinestones, beads, and glitter. It never wrinkles paper and dries crystal clear. It is mistake-proof and removes easily when wet without leaving any residue. Zip Dry bonds metal stampings, beads, glitter, wire and other embellishments to paper. It is acid and lignin free for archival quality. It has a special precision applicator top for accuracy. One bottle of Zip Dry goes for 2000 inches!

Hopefully, this will help answer some of your questions! I personally use all of these products and they are all fantastic! If you are just beginning to get into paper crafting, or a consider yourself a pro,  adhesives are a must have!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

We want to congratulate all the graduates of 2011! QuicKutz has released some great new dies to help us do that! Their new Diploma, Grad Cap, Seal and Stacked Books are 2×2 dies which contain 2 dies per package!

We also have 4×4 dies to help you create the perfect layout for your grad! The Greek Alphabet helps to create that special embellishment if your grad has been part of a sorority! Awards, Books, and Globe remind your grad of their scholastic achievements and where they want to go after graduation!

We also carry a Diploma Holder! This set includes six pieces that measures about 3 1/4 x 5 1/4″.

There are more school days dies in either our School Theme or Graduation Theme.

I tinkered a bit with a couple of the 2×2 dies last night. Here are a list of items I used for these projects:

Congratulations and Dream stamps from the Just Rite Stampers Elegant Frames Set, Precious Metals Premium Craft Foil, Seal, 1/8″ Scor-Tape (this item is back ordered until the end of the month).

Labels One Small, Diploma, and Grad Cap, flourish stamp and ribbon!

These were lots of fun to make! I think I will give one to my son who is graduating next week with his Masters in Accounting!

Our hats off to you grads! This is a great achievement and we are proud you!

Thanks, and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

P.S.  More updates on back in stock items!

Sizzix 656537-Decorative Label Set #4

656982- Butterfly Migration

Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine!

This Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die Mini Paper Rosettes from Tim Holtz is such a fun die! I love how it is so easy to cut out and fold! I think I could cut out rosette flowers all day!Just make sure that you have a good strong adhesive to hold them together!

You receive two different sizes of rosettes: 2 1/8″ and 1 3/4″. Each Decorative Strip die measures 12 5/8″. It coordinates with the Decorative Strip Die Paper Rosette which shape measures approximately 2 5/8″.

For my Thank You card I used one of the Spellbinders Grand Big Scalloped Ovals, then used my Scor-Pal to score down the middle to make my fold for the card.  I used the Mini Paper Rosettes Die to make my flowers, then used Spellbinders Foliage to make my leaves! The butterfly is from the Fanciful Flight set. I finished it off with stamping my phrase from the From My Kitchen stamp set from Just Rite Stampers onto my paper then cutting it out with a die from Floral Doily Accents set. Add a couple of pearls and dew drops and it is done!

I’m sure that your imagination can think of lots of possibilities with these babies!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

It always amazes me when we receive new product like the new Just Rite Stampers new stamp sets! The designs just keep getting better and better! Their ideas and talent entice us to break our resolve of “not spending another dime on our hobby until we’ve used what we already have”! How can we stay away? WE CAN’T! Of coarse, we never really were committed to that stupid resolve anyway! There are just to many wonderful new products coming out that inspire our creativity!

The latest from Just Rite include Charmed, Birdhouses, Heart to Heart, Hugs to You, and more, including Elegant Frames and Birthday Celebrations which I used on the projects below. These stamp sets coordinate with Spellbinders dies to create a fabulous stamped image!

For more info on what stamp sets go with what dies, we have Just Rite and Spellbinders Compatibility Charts on our BLOG page that will help you! I just love compatibility charts! They are so helpful!

Now on to our projects for the day!

As mentioned, I used the Birthday Celebrations for this first example. I used markers to color the image, then cut it out using a template from Spellbinders Standard Circles #6 die. I placed it over the #4 die from the Eyelet Circles set cut from the DCWV Whimsy Mat Stack which is also what I used for the rest of the card. I applied 1/8″ Scor-Tape around the circle and between patterns on the card and applied puckered 1/4″ ribbon.  If I had a brain last night (which I didn’t) I would have run the ribbon through my sewing machine to gather it instead of painstakingly doing it by hand! DUH!

Since I was brainless for the first card, I was not going to complicate the second! I wanted something a bit more masculine, so I went with paper from the Natural Mat Stack and Natural Solid Cardstock Mat Stack. I used the Elegant Frames Stamp Set which coordinates with Spellbinders Labels Ten. I then put it on a frame from the Labels Seventeen. Done!

And there you have it! They work great with their coordinating die!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

We are so excited to have received the new Sizzix Textured Embossing Folders! We Oooed and Ahhhed over them while deciding which were our favorites! Now, I can tell you, that was hard! They are all gorgeous!

I love the embossing folders for making quick cards! You are probably starting to realize that I am all about quick! Sometimes I feel like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, always in a hurry because I might be late! Needless to say that quick works best for me! You will most likely see quick ideas from me on our BLOG because that is what I do best! (Or at least have time for)

For this card I used the damask folder from the Corners & Damask Set. I ran white card stock through my Cuttlebug Machine then ran a Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink all over the top, which helped bring out the design. The pattern strip is from Basic Grey’s Hello Luscious 6×6 Paper Pad with a strip of ribbon. I used 1″ Scor-Tape to adhere the strip and 1/2″ Scor-Tape to apply the ribbon. The tag is made from Spellbinder’s new CHA release Grommet Tags.

Using the corners folder of the Corners & Damask and both the DCWV Luxury Mat Stack and Linen Closet Solid Mat Stack, I made a quick wedding card! I finished it off with Spellbinder’s CHA Fancy Tags Two and Basic Grey’s Opaline Half Pearls!

For this next card I used a card from DCWV Latte Box of Cards and embossed the front with one of the Country & Flowering Foliage Set, the ran the card stock strip through with the other folder in the same set. I used another new CHA release, Labels Eighteen #3 die for the stamped greeting.

Last of all, I simply used two of the four folders in the Butterfly Migration Set for a simple, yet pretty “Thinking of You” card! I used a dauber to dab ink around the edges of the greeting and on the butterflies to create contrast to the rest of the card. 5 minutes tops!

I hope these give you an idea of how pretty these new Sizzix Embossing Folders are!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

There are an abundance of adhesives to choose from in this business! From liquid glue to adhesive runners, you could spend half a day trying to decide what might work for you! One of my favorites is  Scor-Tape from Scor-Pal! It is absolutely fantastic to use!

Scor Tape is an amazing product. It is a premium double sided adhesive,best on the market, acid free, heat resistant and incredibly sticky tape. It can be used with embossing powders, foils, beads, glitter, ribbon etc. It is the perfect permanent adhesive for card making, boxes, books and Iris Folding.

I use this adhesive tape on all my cards and scrapbook pages, especially if I am using ribbon or paper strips! It is easy to control for straight lines, you can control the length of the pieces used, and your fingers stay clean! Fantastic!

It comes in several different widths in rolls as well as 8 1/2″x 11” and 6″x6″ sheets!

If you haven’t tried this product, I highly recommend that you do! It really is a great product that will definitely help increase your productivity! You will want to tell all of your crafting friends about it!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

Have I mentioned lately how much I love DCWV Paper Stacks? Well, I do! Of coarse, I don’t know if I have also mentioned that I am just a plain ol’ paper junkie! I love, love, love paper! Even as a kid I had an obsession for pretty stationery and note pads! I know from talking to many of you that there are those who share my obsession! Paper is a staple! You have to have it!

Over the weekend I got to play with DCWV Cotton Bloom Paper Stack! Oh, so cute!!! I had a blast! The hardest part was trying to figure out which pattern to use! It was hard to decide! The whole stack is great!

For my “Family” page I used two of the Grand Labels Eleven (Pre-order item due in March!) for my picture mats. My flowers were made with the Floral Doily Motifs (this has arrived and is in stock, and you can now use your coupon on this item!). I used 1″ Scor-Tape to apply my ribbon and flowers. (Have I told you how much I love Scor-Tape? I believe it was inspired just for those of us that like to use ribbon!)

For my Tiny Bubbles Layout I used a QuicKutz Circles Embossing Folder to make the bubble background for my title. For those of you who have never used these, QuicKutz Ebossing Folders are very similar and work the same as Provo Craft’s Cuttlebug embossing folders. My title is cut from QuicKutz Winter Wishes Holiday Gift Set with QuicKutz RS-0099 Bubbles 2×2 die.

As you can see, the paper in this stack is adorable! I hope you enjoy it too!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

I hope that you are all as excited as I am about the Heartfelt Creations New Releases as I am! These will help you expand your creativity to new heights! I was able to play a bit over the weekend with the HCD 709  Springtime Medley Die, along with the coordinating stamp set HCPC 3359 Daffy Daffodil! Talk about springtime fun!

I chose the Daffodils because they are one of the first flowers to pop up and bring a sign that spring is here, and I am in need of a good dose of the warmth they promise!

For the card tin, I chose to use the smaller daffodils using two shades of yellow card stock. I stamped the image on both colors then cut out a template with a piece of scrap card stock. Taking the template, I cut out the images out through my personal Cuttlebug Machine. I shaded around the edges and the leaves with watercolor crayons. I actually cut several and layered them using adhesive foam for more dimension.  I placed them around the S4-269 Lotus Pendant that gave it a doily look. I used one of the smaller pendants for the center. Add a bit of ribbon around the edges. I use Scor-Tape for applying my ribbon. Easy!

For my CD organizer Box, I used the small daffodil for the front of the box and the daffodil with stem for the sides, using the same method as the Card Tin to shade. I placed the larger flowers in frames using S4-138 Petite Ovals Large #3 die inside S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals Large #3 and #4 dies. I glued everything together with adhesive then used Mod Podge to adhere them to each desired area  of the box.

Last, but not least, I used the large Daffodil from the Daffy Daffodil Set for the center of a Sticky Note Holder!  I used colored pencil on this project to give it a softer look. These make great little gifts!

I cut 2 pieces of chipboard 3 1/2″ square. Cover each of them with paper cut 4 1/2″ square, with score marks on each side approx. 7 1/16  from outside edge. I used the Whimsy Mat Stack for my project. Cut out corners, glue to to the chipboard. Cut 1 strip of card stock or heavier paper 8 3/4″ x 3 1/4″. Score 1″, 1 1/2″, 4 7/8″, and 5 3/8″ along the strip. Glue to pieces of chipboard so you will have a front, back and flap.

I used S4-301 Labels Sixteen #4 die for a frame around the flower, stamping a random flourish to make the leaves. I raised the Daffodil with foam adhesive so I could place the flap of the holder behind the flower to keep it closed.

I had so much fun making these projects! These new sets are a must have for your collection! Take a peak at all the rest on our site!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’

Carrie

The long wait is almost over! We have confirmed the arrival date of the Scor-Pal Scor Buddies! As you know, Scor Pal had a tremendous response to their travel size Scor-Pal, the Scor Buddy, and they sold out of their first shipment last summer. The Scor-Buddies have been shipped and we will be receiving our shipment on Tuesday, November 16th! We will be shipping orders in the order we receive them. We are also running a special on the Scor-Pal. It is only $29.99 until the end of the year. Both the Scor-Buddy and the Scor-Pal make great Christmas gifts!

Thanks for your patience and Happy Scorin!.

Marcie

It is Independence Day on Sunday here is the United States of America, so we will be closed on Monday, July 5th and the mail will not be running. So plan on an extra day to receive your USPS mail! To celebrate the 4th of July, I am sharing with you this Patriotic card from Holly on the Spellbinders blog using the S4092 Star Nestabilities:

Thanks Holly! It really gets me in the mood to celebrate!

I have been busy loading new product on our website this week. I have most of the new Boss Kut dies and the new Quickutz dies, including the Special Delivery Spring Gift Set!

I will have the rest of the Quickutz new release dies on the website on Tuesday, so if you don’t see what you are looking for, please check back on Tuesday.

I also added more Scor-Pal tape in bigger sizes.  The Scor-buddies are due to arrive July 19th AND the sale on the Scor-Pal has been extended until August 31st!

Look for our July 7th newsletter. We will be celebrating Christmas in July all month long!

Thank you and have a safe and happy July 4th weekend! I hope you have some time to yourself so you can scrap!

Marcie

WHAT IS SCORING: Scoring breaks down the fibers in the paper and allows it to bend and fold accurately without creasing other part of the paper, making your fold EXACT!

From Scor-Pal to Crafters Companion to Scor-It-All to Martha Stewarts Scoring Board, we have had many questions flying about what is the BEST scoring tool out there or if there is really a difference in which one you should buy.

So here at CutAtHome.com we did our own investigation visiting forums, talking to owners, designers, and of course most important YOU the PAPER CRAFTERS! Here is what we found out. Many like the Crafters Companion because of its options (i.e. envelopes),but complain that it does not have the deep channels like the Scor-pal. With deeper channels the score line makes for easier scoring and not having to press so hard. The Scor Pal is lines with a scoring tool, thus the “learning curve” is much easier. The crafters Companion is geared towards the paper crafter that is okay with complexity and a large learning curve. It is also double the price of the Scorpal because of everything it comes with and does.

Okay lets talk about the new MS scoring tool (Martha Stewart Scoring Board). This is the newest scoring tool on the market and is less in cost than all, but also has the most complaints. When scoring it tends to jump out of the tracks if you don’t push down really, really, hard. This is due to the flimsy material it is made out of. If you are planning on doing ONE project and then will never do card folding again, then this is an option. The other thing we’ve seen across the message boards is that eighth inch marks are VERY confusing. Here is another good article on Scor-Pal & Martha Stewart Scoring Board

There was NOT much talk about Scor-It-All (Scor-It) Tool that we could find other than what the owners say, which is it comes in 5 different styles ranging from 6 inches to 36 inches. It has a ruler function that seems to be useful. We also read through a bunch of reviews online and Scor-Pal still was favored by majority and that the Scor-It-All was more sturdy, but more difficult to use. If you are wanting to score chip board or other REALLY hard materials this could be an option. Here are what other people are saying that had a debate on Craft Critique: Scor-Pal vs Scor-It

Why Cut@Home chose to carry the SCOR-PAL over the others?

1. More sturdy with two side rails, which help with stability and compatible for right and left handed people.
2. Wider Deeper Grooves so tool does NOT jump rail. And helps with scoring thicker materials. Has been tested for depth perfection over & over. (see image to the right)
3. Quick measurements at every half inch making it SIMPLE to score.
4. Easy access to the tool on top of board and Multiple scores w/o having to move the paper.
5. Many accessory items also offered like the Scor-Mat and Scor-Bug.
6. The Price is affordable for the excellent quality you receive &  so much more!!!

CONCLUSIONS:

If you don’t need anything fancy and want a scoring board and tool that is EASY to use and practical, but built with quality and durable enough to score through MOST materials for an affordable price, we feel the Scor-Pal is the BEST OPTION! Read more about Scor-Pal… or see the NEW Scor-Buddy, which is portable and ideal for card making, invitations, and small gift boxes! Grooves are at every 1/4 inch. (Arriving in second week of June, but available for Pre-Order).

Cut@Home Team

Feel free to comment below!

Do you just love your Scor-Pal? If you are a huge fan like I am, then you are going to want to take a peek at the Scor-Buddy, the latest brain child of Diana Crick, the creative mastermind of the Scor-Pal products. Lady Di has so many ideas rolling around in her head, and this mini version of the Scor-Pal is sure to be a huge hit with card makers. If you travel to crops or just need to whip out a card really fast, the Scor-Buddy is lightweight and portable and comes with its own storage tote. The price point is very affordable at $19.95, which is down five dollars from the projected MSRP they advertised at CHA.

Happy Scoring!

Marcie

This stuff is amazing! I am in love with Scor-Tape and the 1/4″ is what I use most!

It is absolutely the easiest thing to use for applying ribbon, paper strips or fabric for borders. It is also great to use on photo mats if you want them to stay in place! So many uses!

Easy to apply, all you do is place it where you want it to go, peel off the backing, then apply whatever it is you want on top! No sticky glue on your fingers! No break in the adhesive because you didn’t run it right! No puckering of paper or ribbon! This is a “Must have” for card makers and scrapbookers alike!

Scor-Pal has been out of stock on the 1/4″ Scor-Tape, however, I am happy to report it is back in stock and we just got a large shipment! So give it a try if you haven’t already and let me know what you think.

Have a good weekend and I will see you Monday.

Carrie