The Best Invention Ever

Last year I recieved a Cricut for my birthday. I got sucked in by the late night informercials and thought this is the machine for me. Once I saw it I couldnt' shut up about it and my parents actually heard me and they purchased it for me.

Of course once I got it home I started playing with it and realized that I didn't really need it. It was fun, but how much was I really going to use it. I also thought it would be great for scrapbooking, only problem there is that I don't really scrapbook. Actually I've never scrapbooked. I have all the intentions in the world to, but have never gotten around to it.

I used it when I first got it here and there for cards, but I found it really difficult to acutally use any of the letters or wording that I would cut out because it was just too darn hard to adhere it to the cards I was making. I'm not exactly on the up and up as to what kind of adhesives I should be using for stuff like this so I tried a few things and it just seemed a little messy and goopy and didn't really work.

Then at Christmas my sister bought me the best stuff ever. She has a bit of a QVC addiction problem. She lives in the US and doesn't really have much to do other than watch her husband play hockey, so she watches a lot of QVC. One night they were selling paper. Sounds boring right. Not so much. It was self adhesive paper. She thought I might be able to use it for cardmaking, and man was she right.

I have no idea if this stuff is actually decent paper. But I have a gigantic pile of it. Its works awesomely in the cricut. I have never seen it sold in any stores in the GTA, so I must use it sparingly.

Now that I've written that all out, it seems like a bit of a let down. Yep the best invention is self adhesive paper ;p

Butterfly Award!

Thanks to Jes and Jodi for the nomination. You are great friends :) Thanks for reading my little start up blog.

The rules once you've been nominated are

1) Post the award’s logo on your blog

2) Add the link to the person who nominated you

3) Nominate at least 6 others & post their links

I'm clearly not the coolest blog, or even close to the coolest blog because I cannot for the life of me figure out how to code my blog so that I can post a link to other blogs or back to your blogs.

Once I actually figure out how to do things I will indeed be back to follow the rules of the award and nominate six other people for the award. Until then I am in fact the biggest loser blogger ;P

Be Mine

This morning we (Kid #1 & I) spent the morning making Valentine's for the husband and Kid #1 & Kid #2. Its funny to see #1's creative side come through and how happy she was with her little card that she made for her Dad. She kept saying over and over again "He's gonna love it"

I wish that I felt as confident in my creativeness as a two year old. I so don't. I realized once we started that I have very little in the way of "Valentine" supplies. I have two stamps and only a handful of paper & ribbon that isn't super girly. So I made do with what I had on hand. I'm actually really pleased with the card I made for my husband. It turned out a lot better than I thought it would. Its hard to see it through the vellum, but the vellum was what made it decent. If it wasn't for the vellum, quite frankly the card would suck.

The card I made for #1 I thought was cute and girly. She'll love it just because it is pink and has ribbon on it. #2's card remains unfinished at this moment, but will get done in time for the big day tomorrow. Although she won't have a clue what day it is, so really I could make it next week and it would still be alright. I just need something for her scrapbook (ha what scrapbook - we'll see if it ever gets done)

(someday I will find someplace in my house that has decent lighting so I can take halfway decent pictures)

Not quite right

I'm in the process of making kid #2's first birthday invitations. I've done a few mock ups and nothing seems right. I've got my cute little jungly themed stamps, I have some awesome ribbon, I've got the plan for the card, but I can't get the colours to go. I can't decide on the colour of the card itself, and anything else. I'm trying to match it to the ribbon, which has a lovely light orange, green and a darker orange. I've tried Yellows, Oranges, Reds, Greens, Blues and nothing seems to go. I may have to hunt for some new ribbon.

ETA: Here are all the elements I've got and the little mock up that I've done (excuse the crap colouring job and any other parts that look rough, it is just a mock up afterall :))

I'm also horrible at coming up with a little verse to put on the inside of the card. The only one I can come up with is unbelievably similar to the card I did for Kid #1's birthday two years ago. I can use it, but I wanted something a little more unique. So if anyone can come up with something that rhymes with One other than Fun, and incoroporates Lions, Giraffes, Monkey's and Elephants I'm all ears :)

So many birthdays

In my family there are only three months that there are no birthdays, April, November & December. One we get past December its full on Birthday mode for a couple of months. This month alone there are four. Which means its card making time for me. I'm having a hard time coming up with some designs for cards, because I can't find any new birthday stamps that I love. I've had Stampin Up's Big Bold Birthday for what seems like forever, and have used it for pretty much every birthday card I've made in the last couple of years. I think the fam is getting sick of seeing these stamps. None the less until I find a new stamp(s) that I like, Big Bold Birthday it is.

This is a card I made for my nephew's 8th birthday that we just celebrated in Hawaii, except silly me I forgot to take it with me. So its still at home waiting to be mailed to the little guy.

I haven't ever really kept track of the type/colour of ink, the paper or ribbon that I've used on my cards, so I have no idea what I used for this one other than the stamp set, but I will in the future try to keep track so that I can post what I've used. I shall also try to take much better pictures than this crappy one. I have bad lighting in my house ;p

My entry into the world of craft blogging

I read so many different blogs about card making and paper crafting that I figured it was time for me to enter the world of craft blogging.

I haven't been making cards for a very long time. My first adventure in card making was 2 1/2 years ago when my first daughter was born. My older sister invited me over to make thank you cards for baby shower gifts. I thought the cards I made were fantastic. I have a few of them hanging around still, but they are by no means fantastic. They are cute simple little cards that I guess were a good go for a first timer.

That little foray got me hooked. I have been on a stamp/ink/paper buying extravaganza ever since. It has become an obsession.

I don't have a lot of time to enjoy my hobby because of the two little girls and the one big kid I share my life with, but I try my best. I'm also not the most creative or the most skilled card maker going, but again I try my best and hope that maybe I can inspire someone elses creativity, or brighten someones day by sharing my craftiness with them.