Artfully Sent is here!!

I recently received my Artfully Sent collection, Close To My Heart's latest addition to their Cricut Collection.

• The image booklet is streamlined without extra pages.  
• There are image summary pages, sorted by type. 
• Each button is themed:  birthday, Mother's Day, etc. 
• The booklet recommends a size for each image.
• The color coding between summary pages and button pages is consistent.
• An assembly booklet is included (similar to Artiste).

It is important when using Artfully Sent that you understand the Real Dial Size button. 

When turned off, all the piece are cut IN PROPORTION to the size you have your machine set.  If  you set your machine for 5" and cut several images for a card, all the pieces will fit together properly for a card that is 5" wide.

When turned on, all the pieces are cut to the ACTUAL size you have your machine set. If you set your machine for 5" with Real Dial Size on and cut several images, they will all be 5" wide.  This means that you can cut the images for ANY size you want, not just the recommended size.  

Although a flower may need to be small to fit on a 5x7 card, you can also turn the Real Dial Size button on to cut the flower 12" wide for a scrapbook page.

In the Cricut Craft Room, Real Dial Size is shown at the bottom with examples in Aa (see above, circled in red).  Do you want the lower case letters proportional to the upper case (Real Dial Size off) or do you want all the letters the same height (Real Dial Size on)?

Flipping for Flip Flaps

Flip Flaps are amazing! This little pocket memory protectors can do so many things, you'll wonder how you ever crafted without them. Close To My Heart offers several sizes and packages.

• Z4114 contains 15 of the original 4"x6" Flip Flaps
• Z1726 gives you ten 6"x6" Flip Flaps
• Z1325 is our 12" assortment in 4", 6" and 8" widths
• Z1747 offers an assortment of the smaller sizes: 2"x2",  3"x3", 3"x4" and 4"x4"
• Z3027 is the newest addition, 15 of the 3"x4" size

Flip Flaps are fun and easy to use. The most common use of Flip Flaps is to add more photos to a page. Simply design your scrapbook layout (or use one of our How To books), then add extra photos of the same size.

While the 12" assortment can be used for the ultimate interactive layout...

they're also good for protecting mementos you still want to access from your scrapbook.

Are you wondering if you can trim down a photo? Use your smaller size Flip Flaps as templates.  Just place the Flip Flap on top and you'll be able to see which size works for you and where to trim.

Making a mini-album? Use Flip Flaps as page protectors.

My favorite use of Flip Flaps is to protect mementos that I wish to include on my scrapbook pages, and allow them to be viewed interactively.

Update 11/9/2014:  Here's some more Flip Flap pictures and ideas from my Facebook Page.

Welcome to my new blog!!

Over the years, we've had several different social media outlets. Right now I have My Online Business Account (OBA) or website, Pinterest and a business Facebook page. While there is a lot of overlap between all of these, I've decided to start a blog for more in-depth info and because they are easier to search than Facebook.

PLEASE, feel free to send suggestions and feedback. This is new technology for me so I'll be starting simple and expanding as I learn new things.  I'd be thrilled to hear someone say, "Let Me Show You How!"

At the end of June, I spent a few days at the Disneyland Hotel with 1,000 of my closest friends for this year's Close To My Heart annual convention.