Checking In!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks. I have been working diligently on converting a bunch of images so I can get some serious crafting done this summer and of course all projects I make will include the files in Make The Cut format for you wonderful folks. With me just working on converting files I haven't done any crafting and haven't had anything to post.

After all the devastating weather Oklahoma has had the last two days I thought I better check in here since I have heard from people on Facebook all over the United States, a few from Canada and even as far as the UK and Australia wondering how I am fairing in this terrible outbreak of tornado's in Oklahoma.

Luckily my town has been spared so far. On Sunday the town Shawnee was hit heavily and that is about 55 miles north of me. I didn't have any loved one's in that particular area that got hit but my heart went out to all those effected.

Today we had massive tornado's in the area from Newcastle to Moore. I grew up in Newcastle and have cousins that live in that town. I have sisters, nieces and nephews in Moore. I can say I honestly prayed and prayed during the time the newscasters were giving reports of the devastating tornado. The reports given let me know the tornado was headed straight to my sister Cheryl's home. I was able to finally get a hold of her husband and he let me know that she had gotten the dogs in the car and drove south to another town called Norman. I have heard from or reports of all of my family expect for two of my nephews at this time. Cell service is down in the area so I am unable to find out updates on my sisters home or the welfare of my nephews at this time but they likely were at work and not in the area at the time.

I can't even begin to express my feelings right no of how blessed I am feeling but the guilt for feeling blessed when others are suffering greatly from the loss of their homes and loved ones. At this time the death toll is at 51 and they are still doing a search and recovery at an elementary school that was leveled.

Please keep everyone in your prayers.

Elephant In The Crafting World

There is an old saying "elephant in the room" which is a metaphor for an obvious thing that is ignored or not discussed. According to Wikipedia it is "based on the idea that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook; thus, people in the room who pretend the elephant is not there have chosen to avoid dealing with the looming big issue". Well today I am going to talk about the "Elephant in the Crafting World", or rather the elephant in the world of die-cutting machines. The Elephant to which I am referring is the one concerning a CD that contains SVG files for 270 Cricut Cartridges.

I heard about this elephant sometime ago and how it was floating around the crafting world. As the rumor goes, a disgruntled employee made the CD before leaving or being released *okie isn't sure which version, if either, is true*. I know there have been many people talking in hushed tones about this CD. How this CD was released to others is part of the story I can't seem to find, evidently that part is a bit sketchy. I do know there have been stories of copies being sold on eBay, websites offering downloads, CD's being sent through the mail to others and even some folks being bold enough to sell certain images from the CD of certain hard to obtain cartridges.

As the story goes, or at least how I have heard it, ProvoCraft has tried to shut down any talk or exchange of the CD, and if there was any evidence on websites have it removed by individuals offering the coveted files. Now this caused much panic about what would happen if people admitted to having these files. And thus, lead to the hushed whispering discussions about the CD. I wonder what would the repercussions be if someone came out and said "YEP! I got that dang CD and ya know what...I'M USING IT!"? Would ProvoCraft try and come take way the offenders machines, computers and anything related to their products? *okie pictures men in Cricut suits knocking on doors and strong arming their way into homes across the country, storming into the craft rooms of those homes and disassembling all the contents in search of the elusive files*. Would ProvoCraft slap lawsuits on the individual for infringement of copyright? I believe that is what has lead to the "Elephant in the crafting world" and how no one openly discusses the fact that the CD is in existence. And yes folks, IT DOES EXIST!

Now I am wonder what would happen if people weren't trying to sell the elusive files, but instead share them freely. Would that be against the Golden Laws of ProvoCraft? Would the Sheriff of Nottingcricut be able to enter the craftrooms and demand taxes for use of the files or if the person refused, would the Sheriff cut off the hand of the offender? *okie wonders sometimes if her imagination gets the best of her*.

I also have given thought to how much money ProvoCraft has lost due to this CD being released out there somewhere. But ya know it's not like you can't import any image into the programs like Make The Cut and Sure Cuts A Lot and make your own cutting file. Heck you can even do a screenshot of any of the Cricut images and import those. Of course most of the instructions on how to do that have been removed due to threats of legal ramifications. It doesn't mean it isn't being done though, everyone knows it is being done.

A link was posted not long ago for a website that claims to have 300 cartridges in digital format and you can buy one or all of them. There is only one post on this blog and no comments so I am not sure how legit it is, but it is there.

Okay, I talked about it...I talked about the elephant in the crafting world. It's out in the open as far as I am concerned and I feel much better. So shall we stop whispering about this dang thing and just say "Yep, that CD does exist".

Did Some Vinyl Stuff

I made a double wall tumbler for my cousin Shelly to take to her last Sunday. I forgot to take a picture though! But anyway when I was going back on Wednesday I asked her if there was anything else she was wanting and she told me her husband was wanting to know if I could make some decals and sent me a picture. It was a simple design and I told her it would be no problem with the Make The Cut program.

It really didn't take long to do the design in MTC and I think they were fascinated by how simple it was for me to make the decals. My cousins husband, Donny, wanted some memorial decals for his truck. He had seen some on some other rigs and thought it would be nice to have one for his. I did end up cutting about 6 small ones and one large one. I also cut out a cartoon character he draws frequently.

Shelly posted a picture of the decal on Donny's truck last night. He originally wanted the larger one but decided to use two small ones, one an each side at this location. I think that size worked perfect for that area. I believe those were cut around 4 inches.

Here is a picture of me where I just got finished weeding the cartoon characters Donny frequently draws. I wanted to show them how I could scan something and import it into Make the Cut and then cut it out. And yes I have to have reading glasses in order to see close up. It sucks getting old! But in the grand scheme of things I am glad I have my eyesight, even if I need contacts and 240 pairs of glasses. Okay, maybe not that many but I do have several pairs of readers laying around!

Remember my post about my cousin Shelly a few days ago? Well this is her! Actually both of us. I am going to have to see if I can find a picture of us together when we were teenagers and then do a "then and now" layout.

They moved back to Ohio not long after getting married and time with them was greatly missed. I did however go spend several weeks a summer with them and I have to say those visits are some of my best life long memories!

For The Love Of....

BUTTONS!!!! Okay so who here has a button fetish like I do? Please raise your hand if you suffer from this infliction *okie counts the hands*. Yep, just as I thought. See I got this theory that there is something about crafters and this secret love of buttons. When ya think about crafting and what kind of things are used with different genre's it seems that buttons can be used in a lot of them. Usually not for the practical purpose for which they are intended but they always seem to add just a touch of decor in so many other crafts.

My earliest memories of buttons is probably the jar of buttons my mom had that always seemed to have the perfect button in it that was needed when one would go missing. I am pretty sure that anyone reading today's drivel can likely remember their mom or grandmother having a similar button jar. I started saving buttons when my daughter was a baby and I would make her clothes, even cutting buttons off of clothing I was discarding. One time at a garage sale I came across a purse that was covered in buttons. I bought the purse, brought it home, promptly cut off all the buttons and put them in my jar and discarded the purse. Told ya I got a button fetish!

Last weekend when Linda and I made our stop in Joann's I had to go to the bathroom. Wait, stay with me here, this is not about my toilet habits, just trying to explain the process in how this happened. Upon completing my visit to the bathroom I saw the clearance section, see I told ya it wasn't about my toilet habits, and of course I can't pass up checking out clearance sales. I immediately spotted...BUTTONS!!! I started going through them and snatching up packages, I couldn't believe they were only 50 cents each. Evidently I was taking a bit to long because Linda found me and I had already gathered some up I thought she would like. We both finished sorting through them and getting all that we thought we would use. Amazingly, or miraculously there were some we thought we wouldn't use.

I didn't get a picture of all of the ones I picked up, because ya know I had to put them away when I got home and was in the process when I thought "dang it! I need a picture!", but here is a picture of some of the ones they had in the clearance bin.

So now I want to know who reading this post would have not gotten the buttons at 50 cents a package when they were regularly $2.29-$2.49 a package!!!

Cousins Are A Blessing

I think one of the things I enjoy most in life is when I get to visit with my family. I don't have any family other than my daughter, who live in the same town as I do so when I get to see family it just makes life a little better. This past one of my cousins has been down from Ohio and I got to make two trips up to Seminole where my Aunt Betty lives to spend some time with her. I don't get to see Shelly often but anytime we see each other we can turn back into those giggly teenage girls.

When I was 15 my Aunt Betty and her family moved from Ohio to Oklahoma. I remember feeling sorry for my cousin Shelly because it was her Senior year and she was going to have to attend not only a different school but a different school 1,300 miles away from all the friends she had her whole life. I think it did help that her boyfriend moved down as well so he could be close to her. On a side note, they started dating when she was 14, got married when she was 18 and in June they will celebrate 31 years of marriage. Since I lived in the country, and there wasn't much socialization going on, Shelly and I become very close during the few months they lived at our house while getting their place ready and it continued for the next year until she got married.


One of the fondest memories I have of growing up and having Shelly for that year in my life was our nightly ritual of watching The Twilight Zone. Way before cable, which most of you probably remember, there were only like 5 channels available and reruns of old shows were always fun to watch and one of the stations ran TTZ every night right before it was time for us to go to bed. One night in particular I remember having to walk Shelly home because she was too scared to walk herself home down through the pasture. I still remember the episode so clearly....Talky Tina. That doll first said "I love you very much" but after the dad was being mean she told him "I think I hate you" and by the end of the episode she was saying she hated him and one crucial statement was "I'm going to kill you" the show ended with him at the bottom of the staircase *okie suddenly wonders if this was one reason she never let her daughter have a talking doll*. Now I never was one to be scared of anything, probably because my daddy always said "there is nothing out in that dark bigger or meaner out than you" and of course I knew my daddy didn't lie, but that night I was a little frightened on my way back home and believe I ran through the pasture back to the safety of my own safe house.

While I know my cousin often thought the move was not good for her family I have tried to explain to her that I truly believe God sent them to Oklahoma to save me. When they first arrived I was at a pretty dark place in my life and I have always felt it was a blessing of God they became such an integral part of my life when they did.Shelly did a lot for me that she never realized. She taught me how to drive, how to accept others, how to see the good in people and to laugh at myself, all things I likely would have never done if I wouldn't have had that year of closeness with her. Even today, some 30 years later we can say one word and bust into fits of laughter, ya know the kind where tears stream down your cheeks and you are holding them because they hurt but are trying to hold your stomach as well because your sides hurt...yeah that kind! 

I sit here smiling to myself because remember other stories of that year with Shelly and realize I have so many good memories with quite a few of my other cousins as well and I have to admit...MY COUSINS ARE A BLESSING TO ME!

Match Box Project - Graphic45 French Country

Linda and I had a blast on Saturday during our day out. We hit Tuesday Morning and didn't find a thing. We picked up some photo box storage things I use for buttons and small flowers at Joann's. At Hobby Lobby I found another photo box thing and some bins I am going to recover for my beach bathroom. Neither of us found a thing at Micheal's we wanted. It's getting to that point for the both of us anymore, there just isn't much we feel like we need or have to have and we are trying to use up some of the stuff we have which shouldn't take more than ohhh let's say about 20 years!

The purpose of our trip was to go to And Bear Makes 3 for the class on the matchbox using the Graphic45 French Country collection. We arrived about 2 minutes before class started, of course it was my fault since I needed to hit a vapor shop and pick up some supplies.

Supplies Used:
Graphic45 Matchbox
Graphic45 French Country
Acrylic paint
Pop Dots
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink
Tim Holtz Flower Die
Buttons
Ribbon
Twine

I was a bit confused as why it was a matchbox until I got there and saw that the drawer slid out and that the bottom of the drawer was decorated as well. In the picture online, which I posted last week, it just looked like a frame with a picture in it, at least to me. I took this one so you could see the dimension of the drawer better than just a straight on picture.  I do love the banner at the top and how the side images over lap the square opening.








The flower we made was cut out using a Tim Holtz die. All the pieces were ready for us so we didn't have to do much other than trim a piece of paper here and there and then cut out the images we wanted to use. I decided to crumple my flower instead of just using it straight.

I really love the sunflower paper we used at the top and bottom of the box and I think I will be looking for some of it *okie suddenly remembers she has some sunflower paper and probably doesn't need a bit of sunflower paper*.

I am generally a practical scrapper. I want my projects to have a purpose for the most part. For the life of me I can't think of one purpose for this box other than for it to look cute on a shelf and gather dust. My daughter fell in love with the picture when I showed her the project we were going to make and asked if she could have it when I got it made. As promised, it will become a part of her collection of things to move to her house when she moves out *okie is beginning to think that will never happen but still holds hope* to a place of her own again.

I am hoping to get another card finished this week but that dang Candy Crush game is giving me fits...okay I might be a teeny bit addicted to it but just a teeny bit, and I can't seem to focus on crafting when I need to send lives, extra moves and tickets to my friends!

Birthday Card - Graphic45 Curtain Call

I struggled with this card for 3 days and finally gave up and this is what I ended up with...a piece of crap!

Supplies Used:
Graphic45 Curtain Call
EK Success Daisy Punches
Sheer Ribbon
Stampin Up birthday stamp

There really isn't much to this card. I think I had so much trouble because there wasn't many colors in the patterned papers and I was at a loss as what to do. I finally decided on accenting with a bit of lavender colored paper and came up with adding a flower. I will admit it does look a smidgen better in person than in the picture...but that is a very small smidgen!

Things Are Getting A Little Crazy...

AGAIN! Thankfully it isn't my personal life that is in turmoil right now.

Things are crazy at work and will be for a bit. My McCall's folks were all excited about Special Olympics and then it was cancelled and rescheduled twice due to weather conditions. They have also been facing a huge staff turnover and that puts the residents in bad behavior cycles, but not all the residents thankfully have behavior problems. I was talking to another therapist that works out there as well and she said she noticed the increase in behavior problems and we discussed it is likely to the staff changes but also due to the odd weather. It's nice and sunny for a day or two and then POOF we are back to wearing our coats. The residents look forward to the warmer weather so they can go outside and also enjoy an increase of on campus activities, such as cooking out and water balloon fights and with the weather going back to cold they get cooped up again just like the rest of us.

We lost another resident on Wednesday and the facility asked a coworker and myself to be present when they broke the news to the ladies that lived in the same home. One of the ladies who is a lower level stated "Does that mean she's dead?" and when told yes she smiled and said "Oh good! That's nice! She's with Jesus". I couldn't help but smile at the lady as she seemed so happy for her friend being with Jesus. Some of the other ladies didn't take it quite as well and we have had to do few follow up sessions and likely will for a bit.


School will be especially topsy turvy for the next two weeks as testing starts. My schedule will likely be changing not only from day to day but from hour to hour. After t hat we will only have two weeks left of school and the kids seem to go in super lazy, I want out of this hell hole mode and makes for such a pleasant time for those last few weeks. And of course there will be rampant cases of Senioritis going on! A few years ago we actually had a student quit 2 weeks before graduation. As soon as I think I have the teenage mind figured out, oh who am I kiddin? There is no such thing as figuring out the teenage mind!

On the home front things are going pretty good. Some of you might have noticed my little ticker on my sidebar that is from My Fitness Pal. I decided I needed to get more serious about what I eat so I downloaded the app to my phone. I actually downloaded and played with it before going on vacation but didn't start faithfully using it until this past week. Once I stopped smoking cigarettes I started eating more and sadly gained 17 pounds. My doctor was not thrilled with my weight gain until I told him I had quit smoking. The man was downright giddy about the whole situation then and said we would deal with the weight gain. So, that is what I am doing. Now if I could just get my lazy butt up to exercise. I even loathe the word!

I am going out of town this afternoon to spend some time with my Aunt Betty and then tomorrow I will get up early and meet Linda to head to the OKC area for a class we are taking. The project is called "French Country Box" and I guess it is just for a decoration type thing. With it being Graphic 45 paper Linda and I decided we needed to take the class. Of course will will hit up Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann's, Tuesday Morning and likely go to lunch at Ted's *okie thinks she should try and remember how to spell the rest of the name but decides it really isn't that important*.

I will return home Saturday night and then head up to my Aunt Betty's again on Sunday as my cousin her her family are coming in from Ohio and Aunt Betty has a family get together planned.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Birthday Card - Graphic45 Le Cirque

At first glance I didn't care for the Graphic45 Le Cirque collection but when I started searching images I found some fantastic projects so I couldn't resist! I had gotten a few sheets that would be good for backgrounds but once I did see the projects my friend Helen was nice enough to pick up the other sheets I wanted. I of course split the collection with Linda.

Supplies Used:
Graphic45 Le Cirque
Various Cardstock
Stampin Up Ticket Corner Punch
Button
Flowers
Brads
Twine
Hallmark Card Studio
Colorbox Chalk Ink
Stampin Up marker
EK Success border punch

I wanted to use up some of the "poster" patterned paper and this was the best way I could come up with. Each of the card bases are the same as are the embellishments. They look different due to each one having different "posters" as focal points.  I did include a small "postage stamp" image on each card as well. I did punch a border and add to the cards but it is a bit lost behind the images. I think I should have put it on the other side of the striped paper.

Some of the "posters" were rather large and I used them in a horizontal fashion instead of vertical. I did have to remember to print my sentiment on the inside of the card horizontally for those cards. I did a search and found a Circus font on dafont.com and then used the feature to outline the text in the Hallmark Card Studio software. I can't tell ya how much that software comes in handy and I am still appreciative of Linda sharing it with me!

Here is a picture of the last two cards of the six I made. I wanted to show all six so you could see how different each one looks while still using the same embellishments. I think this will help me use those sheets of patterned paper with such images in the future as well. Matter of fact if I remember correctly I think I did this same thing a few  years back with a sheet of Graphic45 I was given.

The little ticket on the front was printed in Microsoft Word on a piece of 4x6 cardstock and then I just cut each one to the size I wanted and then punched the corners with the Ticket punch.

Birthday Card - Graphic45 Proper Gentleman

I think I mentioned earlier this week about being excited when I found the few sheets of Proper Gentleman and how it is difficult to make a masculine card sometimes. Well even after I had my cuts all done for the base of the card I had problems thinking of what to put on the card to embellish it! As you see I finally came up with a pocket watch, a small snip from one of the sheets and then the sentiment.

Supplies Used:
Graphic45 Proper Gentleman
Various cardstock
Make the Cut
My Creative Time All Around Birthday
Colorbox Chalk Ink
Stampin Up Punches
   1.75" Circle
   Word Window
   Modern Label
Hallmark Card Studio

I got the idea for the card base of Pinterest but once I got it done I was stumped on what to put on it for embellishment. I got the little piece that looks like a postage stamp cut out and put together but it was just too small to be the focal point. I literally thought about it all evening and part of the next day before coming up with the idea of the pocket watch!

I found a clipart image of a pocket watch and I chose this one since it looked like the front of the watch included. This way I can cut it with or without the front for future use. I love how you can really change a file so easily in Make The Cut!

I measured the stamp and then put a circle on my mat to adjust the size of the pocket watch to match the stamp. I love the My Creative Time stamps. They always give a good impression and Emma has some wonderful designs. She also has dies to match quite a few of her stamps and they work wonderfully! I forgot to shade the front of the watch but I think it looks okay anyway.

The sentiment on the front and inside was done with Hallmark Card Studio. I just used the same sentiment a for the the card from yesterday and tweaked the font a bit. I started to add "old man" but decided that it might not be appropriate for everyone's taste.

The file for the Pocket Watch Card is available for download and includes the base cuts of the half circles and half top note shape *okie calls it that since that is what Stampin Up calls the shape* as well as the Pocket Watch. You can delete the extra shapes since I cut 6 at a time.

Download the file here --> Pocket Watch Card (MTC file)  

Birthday Card - Graphic45 Steampunk Debutante

Ya know good and well I got the layout for this card from Pinterest, as I said before I am still trying to get back in the swing of crafting. It's amazing how taking some time way from daily crafting zaps the creativity out of a person.

Supplies Used:
Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante
Various Cardstock
Make The Cut
Stampin Up Paper Piercing pattern
Stampin Up Marker
Colorbox Chalk Ink
Hallmark Card Studio 
Brads

The Time Flies and the gear was from a file I downloaded from Pazzles, at least I think. I can't even remember now to tell ya the truth! There were more gears in the file but I just wanted one for this card so the beauty of the paper could still shine through. I wish I had made my oval a little smaller so the text print paper would have shown more, live and learn...live and learn!

The paper piercing is something I am starting to do more of. I use to try and do it but my holes were never turned out perfect like they do with the Stampin Up paper piercing pattern things. It always seems like it is going to take a long time to do the paper piercing but it really goes quickly.

I am also getting more into double matting my cards as I think it adds some interest, it wastes paper a bit but it does look nice!

More Cards Made

But don't have the pictures ready to post! HA HA I am so mean! One of the cards will have a file available for download to use with Make The Cut. I used some of the Graphic 45 papers I got while in Orlando, and all three are birthday cards.

One card I made is using the Steampunk Debutante collection. I was only able to acquire 3 different sheets of this collection, but ya know that means I actually get 6 designs so it works out okay.

I actually got one of the sheets at a Tuesday Morning here in Oklahoma and then found two others in Orlando. I split my  paper with my friend Linda and this time I also have some set aside for my friend Carmen.
 

When I found the Proper Gentleman collection papers Linda was rather excited. We also find it difficult to find masculine papers for cards without paying an arm and a leg. I think I ended up with 4 different papers in this collection. I wish I had found more designs since this is a fabulous collection *okie wonders who she is kidding when everyone knows that all the g45 collections are fabulous*.

This one will have the file available for download.

The Le Cirque is a fun collection and sometimes fun means challenging when trying to make an A2 size card! I was able to finally figure out how to use up some of the "poster" images from one of the designs and more will be explained in the post of the card. There are some sheets in this one I am still trying to figure out what I can come up with but the good thing is that even if the front is a big print the back usually has a smaller pattern for backgrounds and accents.






I could give you along excuse about why I don't have one of the cards to post for today but I will just be honest and tell you in three words.

Game
Of
Thrones

I am totally addicted to this show and since it was on last night I didn't get the pictures edited. Hopefully I will get them edited tonight and get the posts scheduled for this week. I still have to use my 1 sheet of Brides to Babies, Christmas Emporium, Curtain Call and Wizard of Oz collections for projects so I can at least say I have used each collection!

To Find The Perfect Machine

Someone posted on Facebook a link to the Die Cutting Machines Review 2013. There was some opposition about the accuracy of the machines. I haven't used all the machines listed but it did make me think about the machines I have tried.

Cricut Original - This was my first die cutting machine and I instantly fell in love. It cut so accurately and with the help of Design Studio I rarely wasted any paper. I got perfect circles and scallop circles from this machine. During a recent Facebook converation it was discussed how this machine seemed to be more solid built than the newer versions of Cricut machines. I think I have to agree. Mine was a work horse for sure and I have to admit it cut beautifully.

Cricut Expressions - I upgraded to an Expressions after some very generous people donated to my website thinking I needed to get with the program and be able to make bigger cuts.

I had to return two different machines because I wasn't getting accurate cuts. ProvoCraft was very gracious about fixing the problem. I finally got one that cut decently, but still not as accurate as my baby bug did. I then purchased a Red Expressions because, well...I LOVE RED! I did luck out there and it cut better than the one I had previously. I sold my original Expression and made a friend in the process.

Cricut Imagine - I got to use one of these machines while I was on a Cricut Cruise and I was not impressed. It was too testy and the slightest bump seemed to knock it off calibration and made the cuts inaccurate. Not that I go around bumping my machines or the tables they sit on I sure didn't want to bother with a machine that was so touchy. I did think the whole printing and cutting thing was pretty cool, but not cool enough for me to be come an Imagine user. I guess it is a good thing I didn't want one since these are no longer being manufactured. I do know some folks who have Imagines and love them. I also know a lot of folks who have them and hate them.

Cricut Expressions 2 - I won one of these on the Cricut Cruise, and also won one during an HSN contest for a layout I entered. I sold one to my friend Wendi, who was also the person who bought my original Expressions for her mother-in-law who was wanting a Cricut. I used this a few times but since it didn't work with Design Studio it was more of a paper weight. The times I did use it I had to use my Gypsy...which we all know I loathed. I did get good cuts from it and I think I would have liked it more if it could have worked with Design Studio *okie suddenly wonders if that program will even open up on her computer now*.




Cricut Mini - I won one of these on the last Cricut Cruise. It cuts great and is a little quieter than the Expressions. I have to use Cricut Craftroom if I want to use this machine and I don't much care for that program. It seems to lag due to the internet connection and is notorious for shutting down during the middle of crafting and if you don't save save save your file it is lost *okie so hates losing work*. The machine it's self seems to be a pretty good little cutter. Again, it didn't work with Design Studio so I didn't use it much. I still do have this machine, it's a dust collector now that I am using Make The Cut.

Pazzles - This machine can pretty much do anything I do believe. I acquired a Pazzles through an individual and I am still getting use to the settings on it. I use the machine with Make The Cut and it seems to cut very well so far...if I can get the settings right. I think if I had started out with this I wouldn't be so intimidated or make mistakes like I do. When I first got it I about cut straight through a mat. It has a lot of force and can cut a good variety of materials, everything from vellum to chipboard very easily. My decision to get a Pazzles was based on research on several machines. I originally wanted to get a Silhouette Cameo but after finding it can't cut chipboard I decided against it.


I think the machine a person should get really depends on their needs. I still feel the Cricut is awesome for those who don't want to be tied to a computer program. It does limit what you can do because so far none of their programs have the capability to do what Make the Cut or Sure Cuts A Lot can do. Overall from what I have found there is no perfect machine. Everyone has different opinions about pros and cons about any machine on the market.

I can say this...I have not regretted, not even once, from getting away from using cartridges. My Expressions works great with Make The Cut and I do believe it cuts even better than it did with using carts and Design Studio, the cuts just seem a little more accurate.

When I can find a machine that can pick out my papers, add adhesive on the back and put the layers together then I will have found the perfect machine. Until then I am happy with my Pazzles and Cricut Expression for my crafting needs.

Uplifting Birthday - Yep, It's A Card!

Linda spotted some really fun looking cloud paper when we went to the scrapbook store last weekend and when she got a few sheets I knew she would do something fantastic with hers and I would be jealous she had the paper and I didn't. I couldn't let that happen so I got a few sheets too! I told her I thought it would be good to do a card with hot air balloons. This one turned out to be my favorite card out of the 5 different designs I did over the weekend.

Supplies Used:
Make The Cut
Miss Kate Cuttable's File
Studio Calico Here and There Collection
Various patterned cardstocks
Cri-Kits Gel Pens
Brads
Colorbox Chalk Ink
Stampin Up Markers

I will not be offering this file for download since it was purchased from Miss Kate Cuttlables. You can purchase this file here - Hot Air Balloons, for a mere 50 cents. I did tweak mine a bit and welded the basket to a balloon so I could have a solid base layer.

I looked around for different SVG files for hot air balloons and there are a few out there. Some were quite elaborate and I knew I didn't want to spend time putting together tiny little pieces for a card. If I had a layout to do I would have loved to used a more elaborate file, but this one worked well for the card I was wanting to make.

I did make my banner in Make The Cut and I used the Cri-Kit gel pens to get the sentiment on the banner. I moved the letters around to get them to work on the wave of the banner.  I forgot to take a picture of the inside of the card, the inside sentiment reads "An Uplifting Birthday" and it was done using Hallmark Studio. I was able to match the fonts, which is another feature I love about using Make the Cut.

I usually always use mounting foam to add dimension and this card definitely needed dimension to add to the over all theme. I added it to one of the clouds and then the larger balloon.

The dimension on the banner was done by curving it in several places and then just adding glue to the part that is under the balloon and then on another wave *okie isn't sure if that made sense or not and wonders if there are classes for being able to give clear instructions and then decides she is too lazy to even google it*. I guess you will just have to take my word that it was easy and it made the banner look really cute and wavy looking.

Over all I would say my "get back into the groove of card making" weekend was a success. I know I would have gotten more done if it weren't for that stinking True Blood marathon I was doing but I still say that a total of 30 cards isn't bad for a weekend of crafting!

Still Love My Cuttlebug Butterflies!

This was suppose to be a simple and fast card...NOT! Once again episodes of True Blood interrupted my crafting groove and I couldn't make up my mind on what butterflies to make. I ended up with a small pile if different butterflies, punched, stamped and several different colors before settling on the Cuttlebug Combo butterfly done with Coredinations Vintage cardstock.

Supplies Used:
Cuttlebug Butterfly Combo
TPC Studio Rustic Garden paper
Coredinations Vintage cardstock
Vellum
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch
Stampin Up Tag Punches
Imaginisce Glam Rocks
Magic Mesh
Grosgrain ribbon
Paper Flowers
Twine
Brad

Magic Mesh was sold in scrapbook stores a few years ago and I don't think I have seen it in a long time. I was going through some of my supplies and found several 12x12 sheets and thought I would try it on this card and I do have to say I like the effect!

The larger flower layer is one that came from Iam Roses, a wonderful company that has awesome flowers for a fantastic price! A few friends of mine had been talking about this company and then my friend Tricia sent me a few *okie thinks a few is quite the understatement* and I loved them. I told Linda about the place and she and I ordered some to see how we liked them...we LOVE them!

Tomorrow's card is my favorite I did during my "get back in the groove of card making" weekend!