A Good Steward

Hi y'all!  Happy Thursday.  I've been working like mad trying to get all the behind the scenes tasks done for our release.  So this afternoon I thought I deserved a quick little break to recharge my batteries.  So I popped up to my studio to make a little gifty.

From a very young age, I remember my parents telling me I needed to be a good steward of the things given me.  Not only talents and skills, but also the things that fill up our homes.  It's a good thing to use what you have instead of constantly wanting something you don't.  I find myself in a constant battle trying to remember this.  And I've had this guilty little secret hiding in my stamp room since Christmas.  It's called a Cricut Expression and SCAL (Sure Cuts a Lot) software and it's been nagging at me all year long, along with the gluttony of papers and supplies filling up my studio - a big, loud reminder of my failure to be a good steward of the blessings I've been given.  Another thing I just HAD to have that hasn't been used.

So this weekend I watched a few YouTube videos on how it works, then pulled it out, dusted it off and installed the software.  Kelleigh Ratzlaff (template designer extraordinaire) has started designing cutting files to use with digital cutters, so I had to test things out to see if it really was as easy as everybody said.  Well, let's just say I am in LOVEEEEE!  The first template I cut out, I seriously felt like I was cheating!  {You'll be seeing that one this weekend.}  All I had to do was score and decorate!  EEEK!  I'm hooked and you'll see a lot more from me in the near future using this new best buddy of mine!  Mr. Cricut and I?  We're pals now!  :)

Kelleigh has just released a few of her best selling templates as cutting files for only $1.99 over at the digichick.  And now through Friday, they're on sale for only $1.59.  SERIOUSLY???  I spend more than that on a pretty piece of paper that I only get to cut into once.  For today's project I used the Funky Bag #1 Cutting Files and also laid it out on my screen so I could include the freebie Paper Flower Pieces and the freebie Fancy/Funky Bag Scallops all on one 12x12 piece of paper with one pass through the Cricut!  Since my paper was double sided, I flipped the scallop border horizontally so that it would line up when I used the other side of the paper.

And that yummy paper flower?  See those nine little flowers from the free Paper Flower Pieces?  Cut perfectly with my Cricut using some SU! specialty paper that's been collecting dust.  Then I just followed the easy steps in this flower tutorial video.  While the flower was drying, I simply scored and assembled the bag, then made a little tag with a sentiment from Fluttering By and attached it all with some black wrinkled ribbon and a bit of twine.  Super easy and fun!

Oh, and speaking of Fluttering By, if you're planning to participate in our Fluttering By/Petals & Stems Ready, SET, Stamp challenge, the deadline is quickly approaching.  Link up your entries {over here} by Sunday, 8/15 for a chance to win!

Okay, thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!