Cuttlebug Crazy

I recently bought some beautiful cuttlebug embossing folders...
a couple of my favorites thus far are the swirls and paisley...
they add such a wonderful textural element to the papers.
Here are a few favorites.




In the top set I lightly sanded the paper to bring
out the swirl design more on the mini purse and shoe
and it looks fab on solid paper!

If the shoe fits...

Someone looking at my purse and shoe collection suggested they would be great for giving lipstick and nail polish. What a great idea! (Thanks, Kelly!) So, I had to try out some of the different sizes I had already made. In the largest shoe is a slender lip gloss stick, a good fit for the large shoe. For a standard lipstick it seems a slightly smaller shoe is better.



I can't seem to break away from my purse and shoe themes just yet, however we've been making some beautiful roses on the Sure Cuts a Lot forum so I included one I made from the file provided there. Check it out for some great inspiration! I included in my purse a little candy with a complementary nail polish to go with the lip gloss.


These sets are fun in any size and it's one case where a 2-sided paper can be used to good advantage...I think it would be great to use as a unique gift set or party favors and a fun way to use some old jewelry or attach some pretty silk or paper flowers instead. What fun for a little girl's party!


Here's a link to some other purse and shoe sets on the Cricut messageboard in response to an earlier design I shared.

Displaying Vintage Jewelry

I really like the file I got from Denise's Scrapbooking Room. The shoe is wonderful and the purse is great...I take the tab off for my purposes but I was in a shop that features a vintage area and we got to talking about a way to display some of the cool jewelry. She does have actual shoe clips but so many earrings are beautiful that I decided that Denise's set would be perfect. I've shown it here with a set I have. The bag needs to be weighted down but it's a fun way to enjoy your own pieces that might otherwise just sit in a drawer.

More mini purses

I finished some purses recently and this is one project where the heavier two sided paper is a perfect choice! The patterns and colors are fun!

Earlier purses designed with wallpaper samples always needed to be lined to add weight and hide the copy that was on the back, so I appreciate the ease of making these because you still have some labor in the beaded handles.

I've posted the mini purse svg template in the scal forum as well as the Scrapbooking & Cricut Chatter forum at http://www.thealliancetrader.com/ but if you missed it you can find it here.

Details on construction in my April 2009 Mini Purse post on this blog.



I put a simple strap in to hold a gift card or certificate or cash.









On this one I covered the square piece of magnetic sheeting with a flower.




On this one I used two buttons. I really liked the soft blue of the larger button and I pulled the pink and blue into the beaded handle.

Another purse and shoe - Denise-style!

Okay, I confess...I've been spending too much time at Denise's Scrapbooking Room and was among the many eager for her designs to become available! So I wasted no time once I got them and have made several items.
If you've seen my earlier posts you know I have loved some purse and shoe ensembles so I was eager to do a version of her set, too!




I opted not to crease the front of the shoe preferring a softer shape and added a little band to match the flower on top.



I also chose to do an big offset flower on the bag, creating additional petals from her design and added a matching band and snipped off the tab that is in the original design so I could use it as an open gift bag. It's a fun change from my favorite cricut bag and I look forward to creating more sets! The shoe is far easier than the beaded version I've done on the earlier posts. Thanks for all your hard work, Denise! I encourage you to check out her page! Aside from designs to purchase she has many free .svgs as well!

Mini Purse

For that extra special touch...here's an adorable mini purse...it can be used for a variety of things...this one has a couple of tea bags in it but it could easily accommodate a gift card or certificate or a small tissue wrapped gift could be tucked in...the .svg file is in "More of my scal images" link.



Now, for details on size and construction. The finished height is just over 3½" high not including the beaded handle. The cut size of this one is 9" x 4.255". I scored it at the widest point for the first fold and once it's folded up you have a guide for the next fold and I measure about a 1/4" up for another fold line so I have a small ridge where I attach the beaded handle.



I cut a piece of wire at least 4" long and string about 2" of beads. I poke a small hole about 3/4" in from either side for the hand and then on the inside I add an extra bead and turn the wire with my round nose pliers 2or 3 time and bend slightly to flatten. I cut off the extra after pulling the second side through. If handle seems loose you may need to bend the wire a little more from the inside area and/or put a little white glue to secure. I used two small pieces of the thicker magnetic sheeting as a clasp though I have used a velcro circle cut in half as well. For the inside, I cut a 3/4" strip of matching paper and glue in so it could hold the tea bags and print a message in Print Shop. On the outside is a white button I cut the shank off, sanded it smooth and glued.

Have fun...

Did a ton of these for a Spa Day a few years ago. I put a small bag with a Tablespoon of Foot Therapy...long before Cricut and SCAL so cut all by hand out of wallpaper samples! The inside design was much more involved than the one presented here...

Pretty in Pink

I really do try and control myself but I just thought I had to try another shoe made with a paper heel (it was a challenge!) and of course, it had to be part of a set! So once again the Plantin Schoolbook bag with a large flower (2 petals at 3", 1 at 2½",and the last petal set on Italic at 1½" with a metallic flower accent in the center.) I opted for a pink heel...the paper,double-sided printed paper, DCWV 'the Spring Glitter Stack' from JoAnn's Fabrics.

For the basic shoe design check my sidebar label 'shoe' and you will find a link in an earlier post to the paper artist who inspired the shoes I've created. He provides a tutorial as well as a template. He provides instructions for creating a beaded heel so I had to experiment with a paper version, not perfect, but fun and challenging.

Here's a link to the Cricut Messageboard posts that shows some of the other shoe sets created by others!

Another purse and shoe

This purse is done with the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, black cardstock and 2½" wire ribbon. The shoe was done with the same ribbon...the link is in the other purse and shoe post...check label "shoes" for details!

Purse and shoe

Just another fun purse! I used Plantin Schoolbook cartridge on the Cricut to make the purse and the flower petals.

The great little shoe is about 2½" high. The shoe is from a handcut template by an amazing artist...here is his site. Click on tutorials and videos and it will take you the page with the shoe template and a video on how to construct it.

Purses with Plantin Schoolbook cartridge...

Posted here are some of the design I'm doing using my Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge...I love, love, love the adorable little purses I can make!

These were done with some with beautiful rose gift wrap that I spray glued to card stock...on some I've added some additional flowers and leaves and on a few I stamped a design on the inside of the purse for an additional design touch.

Adding more purses...they are a perfect touch for giving a special gift...earrings, a necklace or a gift card.