Mothers Day Scalloped Lace Doiley is fixed!

I finally got the Mothers Day Scalloped Lace Doily to look the way I wanted. Thanks goes out to Diane at www.capadiadesigns.com, for helping me get a DS version working! It turns out, I was using all the right pieces, but DS likes you to draw them in a particular order. So, I created on scalloped edge, added a middle square, and then made the next three edges. If I made all the scallops first, the center would not weld correctly.
Thanks to Pam at bugbytes.blogspot.com, I have a workable Gypsy version. Still not sure why my version isn't working, but suspect it has to do with order of drawing shapes too! Now if we could just get the software to think the way we do!
Thanks for your patience!
Here is the DS version.
I will post the Gypsy version as soon as I get it transfered to my computer.

Crop Out Diabetes Online Crop starts Today!

See that flashing banner at the top of my screen?! Well the online crop opens today! You can participate by making a donation for as little as $5.00! There are great prizes, one from my shop worth $40.00! And it is for great cause!
Also, I thought I would share a picture of my niece, just diagnosed with diabetes this last year. She is the girl in the Santa hat. She is now 10, but I think she is 8 in the picture. I think of how her life has changed and want to help! Find more information here.

Blog Candy at AMKSCRAP Contest Closed

I love to share blog candy give aways! Here is one for the 3 winter mini carts. Her drawing will be held February 10, 2010. See her blog for details on how to enter.

Guru help still needed!

So, I took a look at Bugbytes advise and she recommended I use the scalloped edge form Plantin Schoolbook. I am sharing a picture of the shape and how I added it to the Mother's day shape in DS just because, I know how to screen capture in DS.
So, I went ahead and made a border around the entire lace motif and grouped the items. I then tried to weld. No luck again! Some of the shapes turn purple and some turn black. Here is the new version (not working yet).Will email Bugbytes and hope for more help. Sometimes, we just have to think like the computer to solve the problem. Just wish I knew what the Gypsy was thinking!
In the original file, I used multiple cirlces to weld to the edge of the lace. Here is that picture.

Hoping for a visit from a Gypsy Guru!

Ok, went on the Cricut Message boards looking for help with the file above. As you can see, I made a beautiful cut file with George and Mothers Day. But there is something wrong with one of the scallops. I have tried to fix it without sucess. I thought I would delete the evil circle (that makes up the scallop) and copy a good circle and reweld everything. But now that I have replaced the evil circle, I am unable to weld. So, the use named Bugbytes has offered to help. I am posting my Gypsy cut file here for her to look at. This the version with the scallop cutting the wrong way, so if you download it, beware. If I get it working with the help of Buybytes, I will repost. You can find her blog here. She is the Gypsy go to girl for me. Thanks!

Pretty in Pink Expression Cover

Just finished up this cover for a custom order from a Cricut MB customer. When she said she wanted skull fabric I pictured a very different cover. She found this fabric online and forwarded me the link. It's Michael Miller, one of my favorites and I love how this turned out! Even the embelly makes me happy! What a great combo! It is fun to make things in fabrics chosen by customers and see the finished project. My customers, being paper crafters, have such great taste!

Blog Hop with Etsy Scrap

It's time for me to participate in my first Blog Hop with Etsy Scrap. The challenge this Saturday is to make an item with a winter theme. I am fascinated with snowflakes, so here are two of my snowflake items on Etsy. The first snowflake has been glittered to have the look of a fresh snowfall. These would be great for a sledding page, a Christmas card page, or even cut up in a card! Find my shop here.
The blog hop starts Saturday, January 16, 2010. I am posting early because I have a busy weekend. Scraping a gift for a 90th birtday, making a card for same birthday, working a custom order for a Expression, stamp camp tonight, book club tomorrow, and my boys have a four day weekend!

Controlling My Craft Clutter!

It is that time of year, when many of us are reflecting on what we want to do to improve ourselves, and our lives. I have always struggled with craft clutter and have tried repeatedly to clean up my act. While pondering over this issue this morning, I considered my house and what works for me there. What strategies do I use to keep my home clean that I could apply to my craft clutter? So, I'm gonna look at them and try some strategies in my craft space.

Here is my first step in keeping my home clean: my daily minimums. Every morning I try to have the following three things done before I leave the house: bed made, dishes done, floors swept. Ok, so how to apply this to the craft space? What are my daily to do's before I leave my craft space? I have choosen, clean work table, file cardstock, put away tools.

Second step: the 15 minute pickup. I have two young children and DH who is a neat nick. So, everyday 15 minutes before he is due home, I coral the kids and we pick up. So, I will try this strategy in my craft space, and every time I craft spend 5 minutes. If I am doing the first step above, this will allow me a little organization time.

Third Step: weekly, monthly and yearly to do's. The yearly do to, go through things and purge! Weekly, dust and spray clean. Monthly...not sure of yet I may end up breaking up the yearly purge into monthly tasks.

This month I am going through all my paper. I have trouble throwing away scraps. I am frequently frustrated while trying to file things away that smaller irregular pieces keep my big pieces from fitting in my storage properly. I found a solution this week: my magazine storage plastic. I used to subscribe to every scrap booking magazine in the US. But have found that I can get all the inspiration and contests online! During December, I went through every magazine I had saved and ripped out the following: Items I wanted to make a cut file for, pages to scrap lift, color combos I loved, techniques to try and products to check out. Now I will use my magazine holder for all the decent size scraps and it will be easy to file and use!

Share a crafting clutter control method that works for you in the comments please!

I keep the "cut files to be made" in a folder and every time we take a drive for more than an hour, I grab the folder. I can work on my files while the DH drives and not be stressed by his desired to follow slow drivers too closely!

Color Choices

I love to mix black and white with a bright! I just had a customer, request some swatches of a black and white with lime green. Etsy, has cropped my photos to fit in their standard form, so the top piecing options are lost. So these pictures are for Chris.
Can you guess which one if my favorite?

SCAL 2 Users You Gotta Try this: Break apart your TT Font!

I am so excited, I have to share this idea! If you have SCAL 2 you can break apart your true type fonts! So, I got on line this morning and found some free Valentine's day fonts. Then I downloaded them and installed them using the tutorial from SVG Cuts. Thanks SVG cuts, love your tutorials!
I then pasted a heart from the font AEZ Executive Hearts unto my matt. But it was too complicated and I wanted to recreate the cut out look of a paper I saw at Archivers. So, I high lighted my font item and hit the Break Apart. I then deleted the outline cuts and all the little itty bitty items. I moved a couple of items that over lapped. I selected all my items and grouped them. Adjusted the size and cut! If you try this I would love to see your cuts!
If you have MTC, tell me if you can do this please!

Stretch Your Stamps!

If using the supplies you have, is one of your New Years Resolutions, have I got an idea for you! I had to make a sympathy card today and wanted to use my Close to My Heart Stamps. The stamp sets I chose were: For Every Occasion and Tender Tags. But, my sentiment did not fit in my tag!

Then it hit me! I could visually stretch the Tender Tag stamp, by rolling the stamp edges on my ink pad. I started by stamping my sentiment first. I then rolled my Tender Tag on the ink pad at the edge, being sure to ONLY INK half of the stamp and the middle scallop. I stamped this on one side of the sentiment, re-inked the stamp and stamped on the other edge of my sentiment. I then cut carefully around the edge of the stamped edge, making a gentle arc in the middle of my image at the top and the bottom. Next, I used my dauber to antique the center and other portions of the image, and carefully rubbed the edges on the ink pad. And suddenly, I have a much more versatile stamp set then I had before. I love clear stamps and CTMH!


Also, I thought I might share what I did with my last cut file. I cut it in red and used my sewing machine to zig zag around the scallops. I then top stitched the inside circle. If you would like to see the stitching detail, just click on the second photo. Quick page and I got to pull out the Cricut and my sewing machine!