National Craft Month - Thurs. March 7, 2013 - Cricut Craft Room

After a busy day at school, I made it home and put a pork roast in the oven with baby carrots and  spices and poured the rest of the jar of spaghetti on top. As it cooked, I was in my room , looking for the white cable to connect my Cricut E2 to my computer so I could try out the Cricut Craft Room (CCR). After dinner and a bit of tv, I went up to my room. I had designed a couple of cards on the CCR earlier in the week. But I couldn't cut the 2 free cards out because I couldn't find the white cable.Finally, I found the cable in the rolling bag where the E2 usually is stored. Once you have the right cable in your hand, it is easy to connect the E2 to the computer.

I had a rough time resizing my designs. It took CCR a while to think about changing the size. I also tried to rotate the small design so I could see if I could cut more out on a page. But I couldn't find the way to change the number for 0 to 90 and the up button would not move but 1 or 2 numbers at a time then it went to "not responding". I finally got the cards resized to fit the base.

Cricut is letting you cut some designs free for a week or 2. The designs are from their newer carts. CCR is just like the Gypsy - you have to own the cart before you cut from it. The free ones let you cut ones they pick but once the free week is over, the design is gone from the program unless you buy it. I don't like that I can't upload my carts to CCR because they are already on my Gypsy and Cricut is allowing you to have your carts in one place or the other but not both. 

Here's the free Rain card. I added some teardrops to the card, which I like but not sure the teardrops would make it through the post office. I added a scrap piece of blue behind the words.

This is the second free card. These are simple cards without any layering. I want to play around a bit more on this one. Maybe I'll use 2 different papers to back the design.

Cricut now has the Southwestern on CCR for free for 2 weeks. I have a couple designs on a mat on the CCR and later in the weekend, I hope to cut them out.

Thanks for stopping by.

National Craft Month - March 4 - Another Rocket card

 I did this rocket card first but posting it second, having posted the kiddo's rocket card first in my last post.. Again I had to wait till the card was gifted before posting. I made the card, using two pieces of white 8.5x11" cardstock and stapling them together in the middle.

I used several different patterned papers of space-themed designs. The cloud papers were in a boy's-themed 8x8" paper pack. Additionally, the planet, shooting stars and boy in rocket in the last photo are from the paper pack too. I punched stars from blue bling paper and the yellow moon was cut using my Cricut. I inked the stars and the moon with shiny silver ink as well as some of the paper. The long rocket in the middle of the card is from K& Co., I think.

The retiree collects pop-up books so I decided to try my hand at making a very simple pop-up card. I made 2 strips of papers and glued one to the card. After a bit of trial and error, I fit another strip at the top of the card so when the card was closed, you see the strips. But when it opens, the rocket and stars dangle and move.

I used stickers from Bo Bunny and another space-themed sticker set.

Inside, I wrote:

As you set a new course to retirement at supersonic speeds,

We’ll continue the mission of helping the wiz kids and the scientific wonders here at school!

Best Wishes on your new journey.

From

The Captain and Crew of the Sizzlin’ Rockets at

 Elementary School

The retiree hadn't read the card before he left the building as he didn't want to cry. He did like the pop-up though.

Sunday afternoon

Sketch # 158

I checked out the new Sketch on OWH's website and decided to get to it this afternoon. It looked fun and easy. And I needed some to do in my scrapbook room while hubby hammered, sawed, and drilled at the window sills. We got our new windows installed this week. Hubby wanted to finish a couple of the sills himself instead of the installers doing them. The new windows look great!

On to Sketch #158! 

I had been organizing some items and found some Cricut cuts I had made a while ago and hadn't used yet. The OWH blog skip this weekend was Cards with Critters in honor of Groundhog Day. I had some critters to use and found some critter papers.

The first one is kitty paper. I had bought a package of 25 sheets at Tuesday Morning or Big Lots for a project at school and hadn't used all the paper yet. The Cat Chatter was doublesided so I used the dark back for the small rectangle and cut lime cardstock for the 2 1/4" square. I used some of the lime paper for the 1/4" strip. I had a sentiment - Have a purrrrfect day! - for a few cards but then I just put Hello on them. I added some bling and twine. I had some flowers in a stack and they were sticky-backed. Not sure where I got them but they worked on the cards for the 2 embellishments on the sketch. The cat was cut on my Cricut awhile ago and I drew its face.

OK, it seemed only fair to make some dog cards too. All three papers ( maroon, dog treats, and striped dog words)  used on this card are Making Memories papers from  the stash with a few scraps for the Hello sentiment. I didn't add a 1/4" strip to this card since it had stripes on it already. I added dog bones brads and a bit of ribbon and again drew the facial features on the dog, from a Cricut cart awhile back.

 I finished the adding  of the card to the base and the drawing of the faces during the Super Bowl game. The second half of the game was pretty good after the added excitement of a 35 minutes delay. So I got 50 cards done today, with most of the cards going in OWH box.

Another fun Sketch done and checked off my list. 

Sketch #156

Sketch #156

I love this OWH sketch this week!! They post the new sketch on Sundays and I actually did the sketch challenge on a timely fashion this week. I was visiting my sister and I papercrafted while she quilted. Those quilters are fast!! They can get so much while I'm still cutting paper bits.

Back to the Sketch #156. It is fun to do, easy to do, and can flipped a couple different ways.

I used it for a few of quick cards, using some stickers from a SNAP set and from a journal stack. I had the pink paper from a package of paper from Michael's. It is printed on one side and solid pink on the other side. I used tiny stickers on the top and bottom of the cards and buttons on another card. 

 I liked these quick cards but then I had another idea.
My sister plans quilt retreats and I make a card for each of the participants.
The theme of the next retreat in the spring  is Everything is Just Ducky.
So, I made the next 2 cards. The first card has the sentiment under the duck and it just didn't look right since it was under the water. So I moved the sentiment to the top. My sister really liked the cards. I used more paper from that package of Micheal's paper and I also used some ProvoCraft paper my sister had for a while. I used Viva Pearl Pen yellow for the three little circles in the sketch. I cut the ducks out on my Cricut, using the original Paper Dolls cartridge ( the water is from the same cart too) . The duck's beak and wing was colored with an orange marker and I added some of the Viva Pearl Pen yellow on the duck in various spots. My sister printed the sentiment on her printer for me since I didn't have any sentiment stamps with me at my sister's house. I popped the duck using Scotch foam tape and  a bit on the smaller water strip.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sketch #113

Sketch #113

I had cut a bunch of this sentiment out on my Cricut and had layered them. I made them but never used them till now. I found the blue paper for the base in the stash and the rest of the paper in the scrap files. I added a tiny ribbon of brown at the top. I used a kraft paper base.

Another New Cart on its Way

 While I was ordering the Teddy Bear Parade cartridge, I saw this one and ordered it too. It is titled Children Around The World. It is a Cricut Lite cartridge too. Hopefully, I'll save it in my travel album and on a bulletin board at school.

Doing a Happy Dance!!

I'm doing a Happy Dance!! Cricut just released a new cart!! 

I have to have it. 

TaDa!!

 It is Cricut Lite Teddy Bear Parade. 

Isn't it  too cute? It looks like the bear is the same little guy but so many little outfits. 

I hope it will have some sayings too but I didn't see any sayings in the promo pictures. 

I showed the cart pictures to my hubby.

 He quickly agreed that I NEEDED this cart. (Isn't he so smart? ) 

I mean I only have about 600 stuffed teddy bears in my house and every year as Media Clerk, 

I talked about teddy bears in the kindergarten and 1st grade classes.

I have really ordered my cart today on Cricut.com. 

Since it is a Cricut Lite, I didn't think I would ever it in Walmart around here. 

The Walmart around me are getting rid of the scrapbook area or severely limiting the area.

 I haven't seen any Cricut stuff in the local Walmart in a long time.

A friend had said that Cricut was getting this cart out soon. 

But when I asked Cricut in a email earlier this month, they didn't know anything about a teddy bear cart.

 I had asked Cricut Support so they probably couldn't say if it was in the works or not.

I can't wait to get my new cart!!

 All the cute little teddy bears on the cart! 

                                 Below are a few individual cuts Cricut.com had on their website.

2 New Books

I love Amazon! I can look for new books and order them right away. Of course, I have to wait to the books to be published some times. I got these 2 books just today on my front step. : )

The books were much bigger than I thought they would be. I was expecting books of about 50-60 pages and they are both over 200 pages (Sketches is 288 pages and Cricut book is 210). I'm excited about both new books. I have been making lots of cards lately but I am tending to use the same design over and over. Hopefully, the Sketches book will help give me new ideas for new designs. The Cricut book looks like it is filled with lots of ideas too. I have an Expression and recently bought an Expression 2 and the book will help me learn more about the new machine. Each design has the elements in a chart so you cut by the recipe to get the size of the cuts right in the right colors. With school ending soon, I have my summer reading list ready with these 2 books.

"What to Scrapbook?"

I ran into a friend the other day. We hadn't seen each for a while due to new jobs, kids are married or at college, and life in general. She chatted about her new grandchildren and what her kids were up to. I gave updates about my kids and their moves. Then I mentioned that I still scrapbook on Friday nights. She asked what I scrapbook now that the kids were gone from home. I was surprised by the question. Am I to only scrapbook kids, and their sports, dances, and other fun? Another friend quizzed me, asking if I was "caught up" with my scrapbooks. She quilts and her fabric stash is a bit bigger than my paper stash and she is still quilting.

While I don't scrapbook my kids' activities as I once did, I still scrapbook. I scrapbook my trips, our holidays, our fun like the night at the hockey game or the weekend at the State Park. I am sure I'll be scrapbooking for my kids again as they marry and finally have their own kids. But for now, I still scrapbook. I still make cards for my friends and family. I still add to my stash of paper, stamps, ink pads, ribbons, and tools. I still love to be in my scrapbook and cut, glue, glitter, sticker for an hour or 3. My hubby still startles me every time he walks in the scrapbook room because I'm so intent on my creating that I don't hear him come in the room. I love to get my Cricut ans cut shapes and letters for my layouts or projects at school.

I love to scrapbook and can't imagine my life without creating layouts, cards, and other crafty things.

I loved this image from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HOvCZpW293WqXCUwuqVNvG_KBgZ8W2ELWuVe-6Zrkrgq859VQIFDKChWESfmfYUmmfTMypf7nkzHAds4HCvHqg3tN-wCVs3N_RLEKY08cWRSOb6vPB1z-NchS86k2Z4R5Zb3OzCtSlU/s1600/digital+stamp+craft+basket.jpg as it sums my love of scrapbooking.


Happy Scrapping!

5 things for Scrapbooking

Five things I need to scrapbook:

1. My new Cricut Expression 2


2. Lots of Chocolates - any kind is wonderful.


3. New tools like a good Fiskars punch.


4. My trusty Point and Shot Camera with good batteries and a empty memory card


5. Good friends to share a scrapbook evening with as symbolized by the mug I got for Christmas. 

I am ready for the New Year. Bring it on, 2012!!


Happy New Year!!

Black Friday Shopping 2011

I went Black Friday shopping with my sister and my hubby. We went to Joann's, Michael's, and Bob Evans. We did go to Michael's last night and got several carts plus a free Julibee cart. I got 2 carts for a friend and 3-4 for me. One or 2 more would have jumped in the cart but hubby was watching!

At Joann's, this morning, I got two more carts and the ArtBin for the carts (free with rebate). At Joann's, I picked up Graphically Speaking and  Straight from the Nest. These 2 are older carts but I thought they were cute. The rebate for the ArtBin container asked for the original receipt, and the UPC from the 2 carts and the container, which seemed like a lot of work. But the box will be free after the rebate. The container will be good to take carts to crop that my friends can use while I have them loaded on my Gypsy.

      

          

This morning, we went back to Michaels to get a baby bug for the little sister's niece. We  even got the baby bug shipped to her on the home. Personal shopper and personal shipper.

 I ordered the Cricut plushie from Cricut.com . I had been wanting one but they were out of stock for a while then I had to wait for a sale. Anyway, I finally got a plushie on my way!