Five years ago I bought my first die cutting machine, a Cricut; affectionately known as a "Baby Bug." Recently I sold that one and bought myself a Cricut Create. It is basically the same as the Baby Bug, but it has more features and thus can do more things.
This is the Cricut Create:
In April 2003 I took a "Beginning Scrapbooking" class just to see what it was like. I'd seen many scrapbooking displays at craft shows, but I figured you had to be really talented to do them. As I found out, "tools" are the key to scrapbooking. After this one 2-hour class, I then took "Scrapbooking 101", which was three 2-hour classes. I love picture taking, and now I love scrapbooking, which brings pictures to life.
Check back regularly for updates .... I will be taking pictures of more of my pages and show some of the invitations I've recently made.
I have subscribed to a number of scrapbooking blogs and one very super special site ... Above Rubies Studio (www.aboverubiesstudio.com). I have learned so much from others who love their Cricuts and especially Megan Elizabeth at Above Rubies Studio. Now that Provo Craft (the maker of Cricut) has celebrated their 5 years in business, they have come out with an awesome new Cricut called the Expression 2 (also affectionately known as E2).
This is the Cricut Expression 2:
Up to now there were keypads and buttons to press, but with the E2 we've moved right in to the technological world with a computer-type screen and a stylus. Also, the Baby Bug and Cricut Create can only cut on a mat that is 6"x12", whereas the E2 can cut on mats that are 12"x12" and 12"x24". Imagine what you can do creating something that large!!
A little story to go with "why" I bought the E2.....
Not long ago my 25-year-old daughter came over and told me her Blackberry phone had died, and she was just going to go ahead and get an iPhone now versus waiting until she was "up for renewal." I told her she didn't "need" an iPhone (costly to say the least). She stood with her hands on her hips and said, "Mom, I was born and raised in the technological age. This is what I am used to and this is what I need."
Fast forward about a week. She came in to my office, and I looked at her and said, "Help me talk myself in to buying the new Cricut Expression 2. It's $300." So she asked me "why" I wanted it, as I just bought the Cricut Create about six months previously. I started explaining all it could do, and before I got too far, she said, "Wait, wait, wait!!! I get it now! The Cricut is the iPhone of scrapbooking."
Thus I found a reason to buy it! I will say, however, I did not pay the $300 that most places were charging. I bought it off eBay and paid $235 for it .... free shipping, too. Thus, I don't feel "too bad" about having bought it!
Each fall my best friend, Kim, and I head to Richmond to the annual Virginia Christmas Show at The Showplace Exhibition Center. It's basically a craft show, but there are other vendors such as people who make breads, pretzels, fudge, etc.
In the Fall of 2008 it turned out to be a beautiful ride to Richmond .... with the trees at their peak color. I couldn't help but take pictures of the beautiful scenery and scrapbook them. Kim drove, and thus there is a picture of her in these shots.
Some friends of mine, Jackie & Dave, bought a fifth wheel camper some years back. They started out going to different places, but then they found a campground they loved and parked it "permanently." The campground is called BethPage.
In June 2009 I went up to spend the weekend with Jackie taking along my scrapbooking. We had a really enjoyable time. I, of course, had to take pictures, and here are a few pages I just scrapbooked a couple of months ago.
I have been scrapbooking for quite a number of years now, and at one of my first crops I went to I met a wonderful lady named Denise and her young daughter, Sarah. Sarah has grown in to a beautiful young woman and is now in college. She still goes to crops with us, and her books are wonderful!!!
Sarah went to a private school and played softball there. During her last two high school softball games she was honored (being the only senior). I, of course, took pictures, and I'm so glad I did, as her parents didn't think to take pictures. Her father was her coach, and her mom worked at the school, so they just sort of took for granted her playing because they saw every game. Below are the pages I did of Sarah's last two high school softball games, and boy was she surprised in October 2011 when I finally had a chance to show them to her!
