Technique of the week -Artfullysent cards

I am falling in love with Close To My Heart products all over again. I am finding new ways or renewed ways of using things I have had and DO use but finding the versatility of what I have.

In the left hand picture, the left mat is the All-Purpose Mat.  It is a non-stick mat which wipes clean and is heat resistant.  I have always had it by my wet embossing things but when you cut the Artfully sent cards, there are a lot of small things cut in the paper which you need to glue to have the card look finished.  You can use paper but sometimes the card shifts and the glue gets on the front.  Here you can use the Bonding Memories glue on the card while it is on the All-purpose mat.  The wide tip on the glue easily covers the card with all the small pieces.  You put the backing on the card and hold it so it sticks.  Then you just wipe the excess glue up from the mat and you are ready to make the next card. 

The black mat is the VersaMat with one side for cushioned stamping and the other with the grids the self-healing mat.  The Artfully Sent cards have small cuts.  Sometimes they don't always cut through.  I would drag out a small self-healing mat I had forgetting I could turn over this mat and everything is right there.  For large groups, I use the 12x18 fun foam for stamping with the Close To My Heart desk pad paper sheets on top.  I love this mat at home for stamping.  I incorporate stamps with the cut cards which is fun.

Above the black mat is the Bonding Memories glue, the corner rounder and the bone folder.  These are helpful tools in making many things but help in the creation of the cards as well.

The score board (not pictured in the first photo) helps make the scoring of the cards so that the cards are easier to fold for a finished look.  In a pinch I use the bone folder on my paper trimmer which has a groove rather than mat where it cuts. 

I have talked about using the Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge for the 4x6 and 3x4 pocket cards.  The Pop-up cards are fun as are the scene cards. The scene card below folds out.  Also on this photo is a matching envelope.  You can cut a liner for the envelope or use it plain.

I have used the Sleeve cards on scrapbook pages for "hidden journaling".  As I am getting ready for the vendor fair, I realize that Mother's day, Father's day and Graduation are all coming up.  These are times when people give money and gift cards.  The Sleeve card is just the right size for a "gift card" to be taped on the Pocket Card that you make for inside the Sleeve Card.  These are some of the Mother's day samples.

On the top photo, on the black mat are 2 shiny objects.  At the vendor fair, I was worried about people looking at the cards and the cards getting dirty.  At www.clearbags.com you can get many sizes of clear bags.  I got 4x6 for the small cards.  I will have the inside greeting stamped and showing on the back.  I have the sleeve cards with the envelop in the middle with the sleeve on one side and the 4x6 pocket card on the other.  I included an envelope because many people might send them through the mail.

I got 5x7 clear bags so that people could just send the card through the mail - not needing a paper envelope.  I learned later that just like cards being too thick, these plastic envelops need extra postage.  I am making paper envelopes for all the cards but the plastic will keep them nice. 

This fall Close To My Heart will come out with another Cricut cartridge. I have been going through and seeing if I have missed some of their features and low and behold I am having fun finding new and different things from all the cartridges that I have used.  It is so much fun to explore what you have and find out new things that you didn't know you had.  It is fun to look around and see things you might not have used for a while and see in that they have new life in new ways.