A Beginner's Guide to Using Your Cricut

You just got a Cricut machine and you’re so excited to use it, but you are feeling overwhelmed and a little bit lost. Cricut is one of the most popular cutting machines in the whole world, and this is one of the best, most user-friendly options available out there. So before you make your first cut, here is a beginner’s guide to help you get started.

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9 Tips for Using the New Cricut Joy Foil Transfer Tool

I have a minor obsession with my Cricut Joy. I call it my small but mighty crafting tool. I am always blown away that it can do basically anything the larger machines can do, but the Joy can fit in the palm of your hand. I have done everything with it from wallpapering a closet to making clothes for my pups. I recently got to try the new Cricut Joy Foil Transfer Tool and I learned a few things I thought I'd pass on. Mostly though, I basically just became even more obsessed with my Cricut Joy and all the things it can do!

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How to Make Stickers Using the Cricut Joy

Just a few days into quarantine, my Cricut Joy got delivered to my front steps and I'm telling ya, that's one of the only things keeping me sane these days. I've had fun crafting and creating with it and learning how to use it. It's actually not hard to use the Joy. In fact, I find the Cricut products to be so much more user-friendly than the Silhouette products.  {read more about which one I think is better, the Cricut or the Silhouette} Because the Joy is the smallest cutting machine out there, it's got its own selection of smart materials that go with it. I'm trying out a new one and making stickers using the Cricut Joy. Come see how I do it!

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So Which is Better, Cricut or Silhouette?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

I received a cutting machine for Christmas in 2010. I jumped onto the Silhouette bandwagon and knew for sure that this machine would take my crafting to a whole new level. And it has! At the time, Cricut had a cutting machine that was dependant on cartridges. I didn't like being limited in my designs. I liked the idea of having a design space that was only limited by my own imagination. That's not to say that there wasn't a steep learning curve. I'd spend days designing and creating birthday invitations for my daughter. At one point, I did the math and found that each invitation cost me around $115 to create!

I have watched Cricut grow and evolve through the years and from the sidelines, I saw them making some pretty amazing advancements for a cutting machine. Heck, a machine that could cut leather, fabric and felt? You've got my attention. Talk about upping your craft game! When Cricut invited me to try out one of their Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine, and write an honest review, I jumped at the chance. So here you go, an honest review from someone who isn't new to the cutting machine game.

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Easy DIY Unicorn Notebook Back to School Craft

It's back to school time! Kind of hard to believe because I think the summer just started, but alas, we are back to another school year. I remember sending back some of my kids but not all of them and the ones left behind were always looking for school-like things to do while their siblings did their homework at the table in the afternoon. This DIY unicorn notebook would be the perfect thing for that! Or, maybe your kiddo needs a little journal to help jot down their thoughts after school. There is a lot that happens during the day, maybe they want to write it down and process it. Whatever you are using this unicorn notebook for, it's not only fun to put it together, but it's fun to use. I'm not sure I have met a kid right now who doesn't love unicorns, so give this fun little craft a try. I've got everything you need and a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it.

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Take Your Letterboard to the Next Level: Using Die Cuts and Stickers

I am obsessed with my new letter board. I've been using it to make snarky sayings and general observations. I happened to be in the craft store the other day and started thinking about getting more letters for my board when I came up with a different idea. Why not use die cuts and stickers to create a fun playful effect? The possibilities are endless! I'm sharing with you what I did and how I got them to stick to my board AND be reusable. Get ready to take your letterboard to the next level with die cuts and stickers!

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Anything's Popsicle Foiled Sign for Summer

Ever since I got a sample of Thermo Web Deco Foil at Snap conference, I have been foiling all of the things. I love it and simply cannot get enough! You can use the foil to create just about anything. Today, I created this little sign of summer that says "anything's popsicle" and I want to show you how you can make one too!

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Scrapbook Paper DIY Signs

Sometimes when I lack creativity, I head to my local craft store and start to walk the aisles. It never fails that after a few minutes inspiration usually strikes. This time, I was inspired to create a few of those fun wooden statement signs that are popping up and being sold everywhere you look. I made mine using scrapbook paper and some mod podge and I love the end result.

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Paper Magnolia Wreath

I've sort of been on a Fixer Upper fan girl roll lately. It all started on a college trip with my oldest son to Waco where we got to stop in at Magnolia Market. I knew I loved Joanna's style I just didn't know how much I loved it until I left the market wanting every single item in the shop. Then I did a little interview with a season 3 Fixer Upper client and loved getting the inside scoop so much that I found myself googling all things Fixer Upper and binging on past shows. Chip and Joanna Gaines are smart business people who have done a great job with branding. One of the things I looked at while I was at the Magnolia Market was their signature magnolia wreath. At $95 each, it was a bit out of my price range, but they are pretty darn gorgeous. This one is a little less expensive but it still seems like these things are made of unicorn tears!

I decided to come home and make one of my own...with a twist. I used green scrapbook paper and used my silhouette machine to cut out the leaves. The whole thing cost less than $5 to make and I love it. I call that a win!

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Using scrapbook paper to create a journal with a pocket

I'm a lover of a good print. It could be a good print on fabric or a good print on paper, I don't play favorites.  Lately, though I have found some pretty amazing scrapbook paper prints that have been screaming for me to create with them!

If you are local, my most favorite craft store is Artco in Tacoma, WA.  It's locally owned and while it's more expensive and doesn't have 40% off coupons like those other craft stores, it does have some pretty awesome items in stock.

I picked up a plain spiral bound notebook for $1 and these two pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper.  It took me all of five minutes to make something I love that would cost five times as much at those specialty paper stores!  Wait until you see it!

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Back to school with a school themed album from Live Love Scrap

Back to School with a School Themed Bullet Journal Album You can Make

I am so excited to be welcoming a few guest posts this week as part of my guest blogger series.
If you are a small blogger
{less than 500 readers}
and are interested in posting on my blog, please contact me at rachelteodoro@yahoo.com
and we can talk details.

Today, I am excited to welcome Laura from Live.Love.Scrap.
I adore paper crafting, I'm just not good at it!
People who are, blow me away.
So with that, I'm turning it over to Laura.



    My name is Laura, and I love all things crafty. I'm a junker at heart and love to turn trash into treasure. I am married to my best friend and have two darling sons. I work one day a week as a nurse and spend the rest of the week homeschooling my boys.
I love spending time with my family and serving the Lord.

My blog is a good representation of my interests. On Mondays, I either show a project I've made or feature a mini scrapbook album. Tuesdays I share a recipe -usually one that's quick and easy!
On Wednesdays, I do a step-by-step tutorial on making a scrapbook layout. Thursdays I feature my thrifted finds, and on Fridays, I show another crafty project- usually with a tutorial.
You can find me here at Pinterest or here at Facebook.

I am tickled pink to be here today guest posting at Holy Craft!

I'm sharing a step-by-step tutorial on making a school themed album.

Here's the album we'll be making.

The cover is a file folder.

The framework of this album is:

one file folder

two pieces of 8 1/2"x 11" cardstock

one piece of 12"x12" double sided school themed pattern paper

one 8"x 10" Manila envelope

two office rings

You'll want to start by cutting the file folder in half- you can cut right on its fold line.

Then trim the pattern paper to 8"x11".

Next cut off the bottom of the envelope- that way it will have two open sides and give us two pockets in our book.

Fold all six pieces in half "taco style" (is everybody familiar with this term? You basically want to fold them so they look like a book.)

Once all the pages are folded, you need to punch holes for binding. You'll want to mark 2" down from the top and 2" up from the bottom, then mark 1/2" from the edge. Use a hole punch to make the holes where your marks line up-- in the file folder first. You can then use that to mark holes on the rest of the pages.

Once you've got all the holes punched, you can put them in order: file folder, pattern paper, cardstock, envelope, cardstock.

Bind with two office rings.

Now we're going to go page by page and I'll show you how I embellished my book. You can make yours just like this or you can pick and choose what you'd like to add.

I used different office supplies in this album in hopes that you'd just be able to use products that you have on hand: things like small pieces of map, page from an old book, graph paper, handwriting paper, and ledger paper, page tabs, binder clips, etc.

You will need two pieces of 8"x8" pattern paper- double sided is best as it gives you two

more options- and one set of school themed stickers.

It will also be handy if you have a set of small alphabet stamps as we will use them a few times throughout.

The first page is pattern paper, so we don't need to add much.

I placed an office tab in the lower right corner and stamped "learn" on the insert for the tab.

Then I placed a "Hello, my name is" sticker in the lower right corner.

If you can get your hands on one of these, it will add a lot to the book as you can have the student write his or her own name on it documenting how their handwriting is at this point in time. I have seen them at dollar stores. If not, just use a regular label sticker which can be found in the office supply section.

As you flip the first page, you now will see the backside of the pattern paper on the left and cardstock on the right.

Trim a strip of pattern paper measuring 1"x 5 1/2" and adhere it at the top of the left side. Add a sticker at the bottom left edge of the pattern paper strip.

On the right side, you'll need a piece of handwriting paper or a piece of notebook paper. Trim it to

7 1/2"x 4 1/2" and adhere it in the center of the cardstock. Place a sticker in the upper left corner slightly overlapping the right edge of the paper. It should hang off the edge of the cardstock- it will be backed by another sticker when we turn the page.

Using my alphabet stamps, I added a few words above the handwriting strips on the paper: grade, school, teacher, favorite subject, least favorite subject, and best friend.

I thought these would be important things to remember about the school year.

On the left page, you need to trim another strip of pattern paper, this time measuring 1 1/2"x 8". Adhere it to the left side of the paper. Place a sticker in the upper left side of the page placing it back to back with the sticker from the other side. Because they hang off the edge of the page, they act as a tab to turn the page.

On the right side, trim a piece of pattern paper measuring 5"x4"- for this block, use some of the leftover paper from your large piece of pattern paper.

I added a 5"x1" strip of handwriting paper right below the pattern paper.

At the top of the page, you may place a binder clip to hold mementos.

To customize a binder clip, simply trim a small piece of paper and adhere it to the plastic part of the clamp.

In the upper right corner I placed a label sticker (cut in half). You can find these at the dollar store as well.

I tried to make sure that there was room for jounaling on each layout.

This layout is my favorite one in the book.

I used a paint chip on the left side. You can pick these up for free at home improvement stores- I got mine at Walmart. I placed it so it was peeking out from behind the envelope flap.

At the bottom of the flap, I adhered a circle punched from a page out of an old book. I then added two star stickers- these are the old fashioned school star stickers found in the office supply aisle. I am old enough that I remember getting these on my papers:)

On the right side, I placed a piece of graph paper measuring 4 3/4"x 4 1/2". I tore the top edge off before adhering it.

At the top right edge of the cardstock, I placed a circle punch stamped out from a map. It's overlapping the edge to act as a tab to turn the page.

For the journaling on this page, I used a tiny brown paper sack, folded down the top and stamped the words, "My favorite school lunch." Then I added a sticker to the lower right corner of the bag.

You can get these tiny bags at gas stations. More than once, I've asked the attendant if I could have a tiny sack.

All my embellishments are optional and customizable. If you don't want a paint chip in your book, replace it with a piece of Washi tape or pattern paper. Don't feel you have to make yours exactly like mine. Because you'll be choosing your own pattern paper and stickers, your book should be one of a kind!

The page with the paint chip is the envelope which gives you room to tuck special things.

I also placed a large index card in mine for either more photos or journaling.

When you flip the next page, you'll be at the center of the book.

Trim a piece of map paper to 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" and adhere it on the bottom left side. Partially overlap that with another label sticker cut in half. I placed a star sticker in the upper right corner of the label sticker.

Back the map circle from the other side with another circle.

Mine is punched from a piece of ledger paper.

Place a strip of paper measuring 1"x8" on the far right edge. My piece is leftover from my large piece of pattern paper. I try to use every scrap!

On the next layout, add another piece of graph paper in the upper left corner. It should measure

4 3/4" x 4". Tear the edge and adhere.

Place an office tab in the upper left corner- I stamped "study" on the insert.

Trim a piece of pattern paper measuring 2"x8" and adhere it on the right edge. Overlap the bottom corner of it with a sticker.

Because this page is the open edge of the envelope, I placed a binder clip on the side to help keep it closed. I enclosed a large index card in here, too.

On the backside of the envelope, trim a page from an old book to 4 1/4" x 6 1/2". Tear off the top edge, then adhere at the bottom of the page.

Place half a label in the upper left corner.

On the right side, we're going to use the last scrap form the large piece of pattern paper. It should measure 4 3/4" x 4". Adhere it in the upper right corner. Place an office tab on the right corner. I stamped "know" on the insert.

On our last two page layout, you need a piece of map paper measuring 4 3/4" x 3 3/4". Adhere it on the bottom left side.

On the upper right corner, place a circle overlapping the edge. This will act as a tab. We'll place another one on the back.

Trim a note card to 2" x 4 1/2". I stamped "favorite things to do at recess" on mine. Adhere it in the bottom right corner.

The last page is pattern paper, so we don't need much here. I placed a circle tab punched from notebook paper. I backed it up to the circle on the other side. Then I added two star stickers on it.

My last step was to place a piece of handwriting paper measuring 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" on the back cover. I labeled it with "favorite memories" and placed a sticker in the bottom right corner.

I adhered a piece of pattern paper measuring 5"x 8" to the back cover.

The front cover took several steps which is why I saved it til the end.

Adhere a piece of pattern paper measuring 4 3/4" x 8".

Place an index card measuring 4 3/4" x3 1/2" over the top of the pattern paper.

Place another strip of pattern paper measuring 1" x 8" along the right edge.

Adhere a small strip measuring 1/4" x 3 1/2" along the left edge of the note card.

Now place your title along the edge of the long strip of paper on the right while overlapping both pieces of paper in the center. You can use a sticker if you have one.

I used half a label sticker and placed it on a piece of book page. Then I used a label maker and stamped out the words "My School Days."

Finally, I added two red strips of fabric on the office rings.

Once again, feel free to make this book your own, Leave out some of the embellishments if you like. Once you put photos in this, it will look full.

It will be a fantastic memoir of the school year!

If you like this, but have more than one child, simply choose different papers for each one.

This would also make a great teacher gift.

I am honored to be here today. Thanks so much, Rachel!

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,

and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

Psalm 97:12

Isn't that the most adorable keepsake album you have ever seen?! Thanks Laura for joining us today! Now head over to her blog and follow her. You won't be disappointed!

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