A's Space

Eye Candy

2009-10-09T15:53:00.001-07:00

Creativity Hiatus

2009-10-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

My summer was full of loads of creative projects and so for now, papercrafting is taking a backseat for school. But maybe just maybe I'll get some pics up of past cards with all their amazing texture.

We'll see.

Stampin' Up! Independent Demo changes

2009-09-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

1-Well since I've NEVER been a fan this does not change my opinion of the company in question, however, it changes all my favorite blog stops as I will no longer be viewing random SU! on blog hops.But I've never been a fan, believing that their stamps just don't have the 'Angie pizazz', rather I have avidly searched out happy stamping companies. Companies that allow people to be on more than one design team.

In fact I feel a lot of other craft companies encourage their products to be compared to others because they do not worry about inefficiency or lack of quality.

I am not a matchy matchy cute person, I like texture and freedom, to put on a 'mad scientist' hat to quote Tim Holtz and go to town. To create something that is unique to me, not like card parties with everything precut. Yes I am always the one who looks at it and says "well what if you did it different?" while others around me look at me like I broke a nice china plate.

So it is with a heavy heart that I see a hobby I love so much under attack for many fellow hobbyists. You see, this limiting of items is the very reason why I swore against crafting for years. It was not until I found reaffirment through Unity Stamps, Tim Holtz, Heidi Swapp and many many others that I realized that this craft is for creating, for making, in whatever form we want. With so many innovative tools with suggested use ideas, its clear the sky is the limit.

And for me, there are bits and pieces I like about different companies. However, stamp mogul, Stampin' Up! has decided that demo's that post projects listing other companies projects are no longer welcome.

One monumental hurdle for me is still submitting for publications under the new IDA; you cannot list using other products on items you submit for publication and if you do under section 20-b [I will be responsible for any and all legal fees or costs incurred by the Company to collect such debt, regardless of whether suit has been filed, includingfees in any mediation, arbitration, trial court, or any appeal.]they can in turn make you pay for legal fees if you advertise for other companies. How bad will this hurt other company's design teams and designers?

Other sources for people who are dumbstruck by this new Independent Demonstrator Agreement should check out Craft Critique who is documenting reactions as well as what Stampin! Up has to say.

A very eloquent Demonstrator's response by Cynthia is found here.

Changes For the Good

2009-08-28T07:39:00.001-07:00

I added some delightful links on the side!

You should check them out. I love all the stylish ladies blogs and one even inspired me to go through my closet and organize everything.

So a trip to ikea later, 3 days later, 2 bags of clothes unworn for at least a year, and voila!

An organized closet with clothes I actually wear.

There were moments of utter frustration, anger, denial, pain, bargaining, reflection, the upward turn, thoughts of reconstruction and new organization, with new acceptance and hoe.

Thats right I fully grieved for my closet.

And once in this new found purge mode, I couldn't stop.

I argue it was to prep myself for my last year on my undergrad, but I don't know if thats wholy true.

MSH is quite the struggle for me at times. Of course I love the price and location, but living in under 500 sq feet in a fully FUNCTIONAL home is quite the task at times.

But among my favorite Ikea new organizers are the laundry hanging rack and the hanging closet organizers.

Truly amazing and it has just saved me at least $2.00 a month on taking my clothes down to the dryer.

Next on the ikea organizing list is the problematic computer desk. Things just get thrown there, its awkward and built into the apartment.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on what they do to keep problem areas clutter free?

I Love My Life!

2009-07-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

So on the 4th of July, my sil told me she had free paper for me to go through! Its like Christmas in July! Anywho, so I went through it and the paper is divine. The deal: My sil's aunt works at a paper recycling place and they get loads of unused dp thats yet to be released to stores because there is something wrong with the packaging! The paper however is as beautiful as ever and so so lovely.

With upcoming CHA I'm fairly certain they are new papers that are unreleased to the public (that's how it was last Jan.). So I'm going to be careful not to put pics up of my paper until after CHA with projects. However, I have to say the papers are so so fun and quite divine.

Firsts

2009-06-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

So this card has a lot of firsts for me. It's the first time I have cut out a stamped item for a card. I really liked the result, so me thinks that there will be some paper piecing in my future. It the first time I have threaded through a button. First project after the big clean sweep of my craft area. So really just a lot of firsts. And its the first time sewing on paper! I know, kind of kidish of me, but I couldn't not use my hand held sewer that was found at a rummage sale when I was in Wisconsin. It was only a dollar and its very very small and portable. Mary would even be hard pressed to tell me it was a stupid expenditure.

And its the first card picture I've taken during a nice sunny day. I was home for lunch and thought I'd take some pics before I send it on its merry way.

Hurray for a whole new lot of firsts.

Paper: Bazzill Cardstock, DP Basic Grey 'Wisteria'
Supplies: Vintage Button, Twine, Handheld Sewer, Cuttlebug Textiles folder
Ink: Colorbox Winter White, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Black Soot

Organized Space

2009-06-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

My sister helped me review my craft closet this last weekend.

It.
Was.
Frightening.

And she took a few hours out of her last Saturdays in the US to bring order and control to my space.

What followed after many comments of "How can one person have so much paper" and "Do you actually use this?" and a garbage bag full of paper scraps and a donation bag was a lovely organized OCD eat your heart out space.

Luckily we forgot to take before pics.

But here are the Beautiful after pics!

I got the magnetic embellishment tin idea from my very talented cousin Erica!
An empty container perfect for crops and craft days elsewhere!
Hanging tools
Ribbon and more tools
Unity unmounted stamps
Paper organized into neutrals, warms and cools
Check out all that light and I can move it to just where I need it!

Ta-Da!

Mary really is awesome when it comes to organization, and I owe her so much.

Thanks Mar!

2009-06-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

Wedding card I made. I really liked how the embossing really makes it pop.
Supplies: Cuttlebug
Textile Folder
Staz-On Brown
Unity April KOTM
Paper Bazzill
Rafia
Fiskars Border Punch

Fantastic News

2009-06-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Well this is potentially fantastic news. On Saturday I went to Roberts Craft in Brickhouse and the store was pretty bare. I asked someone about it and they said they were redoing the store, so NOW is the TIME to put in requests for ALL your favorite companies, especially the LITTLE ones.

Now I love my little LSS but I love the coupons I get at Roberts, not so much the selection but that could change very very soon.

So, for all people with a Roberts nearby go make all your requests and get us the selection we deserve.

I of course requested Unity Stamps, Spellbinders and all things Heidi Swapp.

Funky Thank You's

2009-05-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Some funky thank you's for an exchange tomorrow, lets hope none of them peek at my blog.

Supplies: Cardstock Bazzill, Flowers Primas, Buttons Stash, DP SEI, Stamps Unity April KOTM, Ink Distressed Ink Black Soot

Sizzix Adornment cut

Tis the Season

2009-05-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

It seems that May is the kick off date for wedding season. I know of at least 5 weddings off of the top of my head that are soon which means time for wedding cards.

I made about a dozen of these cards for a card exchange in my neighborhood last month.

Supplies: Distress Ink, Martha Stewart Pearls, Bazzill Cardstock. DP Kaiser craft, Stamps Inkadinkado I really like how it turned out and know the cards will get used very quickly.

KOTM Blog Hop

2009-05-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

If you didn't come from Dee's blog view the start of the Unity Kit of the Month Blog Hop by starting at http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/ .

Thanks for dropping by on the Unity KOTM blog hop! What a fun hop to be apart of!
My project is a decoration for me at work.
The letters were purchased at my LSS and the papers were from my stash and include Colorbok, Cosmo Cricket, and MME. Stamps are all Unity and come from the Feb Endings and Beginnings and March Simple Life KOTM from this year. You can check them out here and here
This was a box that I customized to be my 'O' and stuck a pic of me dancing with dh.
The flower on here is a rub-on from my stash.
The flower is the only stamp not from a KOTM and it was in the Little Buggers set as seen here

Love Unity, they made this project and made it really pop. All the Past KOTM's are on sale this weekend, and being a KOTM member is really quite the bargain. One whole 8.5" x 11" sheet of rubber with about 19 stamps that are really big and perfect for all crafts for just $24.00. Really quite the steal.

Next up on the hop is -*Tiff*-. Thanks for stopping by.

Exciting News!

2009-05-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! Be back tomorrow morning and I'll have a post up for this! I love Unity, they are such fun and in stamps. Whats a more fashionable accessory than something you made yourself?

So this Blog Hop features people using one of the Kit of the Month Kits. This months kit that will be shipped tomorrow is this one

Each month they just get better and better, Unity has some very talented designers and a very talented DT. Every Thursday the DT has a 'Hip Hop' which is a blog hop and a full day of fun that all starts at Angela's blog here.

See you tomorrow!

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T13:03:00.001-07:00

So my mother’s day project was 15 cards for my mom and my mother in law. It was pretty intense and I even had to solicit Ryan’s help.

Typically this should have been a pretty ok endeavor, but I didn’t start the project until Saturday morning and still had a very full weekend schedule. Why did I wait until then to get started? Well it was for my sanity what with finishing up finals just days before.

So because I rushed through the project and had help from Ryan I completely forgot to take pictures of them and so have absolutely nothing to show for them, but they were really cute.

I will have pictures up soon for a few projects! This means, I now have a working camera!

I am really happy about this after being without one for nearly half a year! Our friends were going to pawn one off, and knowing that the camera was working I jumped at the chance to get it!

Pleasant Surprises!

2009-04-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

I got home last night and Ryan threw me a delightful surprise, My Unity had come! And a surprise scraponizer came with! It was so fun, of course I couldn't help but get it all inked up and started playing with it.

I made 7 LO's last night, and this from the girl who vowed to not scrapbook until I'm a mom, well I broke. And why? Well I was talking to my sister monday and we were talking about hoarding things and I completely justified scrapbooking as it centralizes the hoarding. And it made me start to think about my wedding pics I just stuck in a 12 x 12 album and it all went scrappy from there.

Although the clean up was a disaster, still is, all my alphabet stamps dried with brown stazon ink....

But it was really a lot of fun and once done, I was really happy with the layouts. Too bad I can't have creative time like that every day, but one day I'll have a lot more than I do now.

Other awesome news, I'm being given a past KOTM from the lovely people at Unity just for finally participating in the Hip Hop Forums! What a fabulous company, and what a great way to introduce newbies to Unity.

This is the kit I'm getting:

I'm too excited! I love all the flourishes and the quotes! soo fun! I'm already envisioning a layout with canning, and food storage, thanksgiving, halloween, buying our first home. It will be grand.

My other current orders include:

And of course their new storage containers for the unmounted rubber stamps! I just love the whimsical feel and optimism of the quotes, the awesome frame in birdie inspiration, and all the many possibilities with the feel the joy set! Perfect for graduations, mothers day, weddings, gratitude, birthdays.

Now with this new scrapbook bug I've got I must get a decent working camera, work on my picture taking skills, and just enjoy the journey.

April Showers Bring....

2009-04-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Another Unity Kit Of the Month and its a beauty. I just adore the dress stand and it will add an awesome vintage touch to anything! The kites are just too cute! The only hard thing about this kit is it won't be sent until the 15th and I'll probably get it on the 22. So the anticipation just might kill me but it will be well worth the wait.

In the meantime check out the Unity website for other incredible stamps!

Also, I found 4 sets of Nestabilities scalloped for under $75.00 check it out for yourself here.

They cut emboss and stencil and that special collection has the scallops for the oval, square, circle, and rectangle.... now I just have to convince Ryan... but this is a phenomenal deal as each set runs for about $25 plus s&h and when I have seen them at stores just under $30, so these are under $20 each including the s&h.

Tonight has a lot of projects in store, I said I'd make some cute (25) personalized thank you's for someone, but the only problem is I really have no idea just what her style is, in fact when I asked it confused me even more, well I guess I have a night to make a guess at it.

Pay It Forward

2009-03-29T14:32:00.001-07:00

Pay It Forward

This has been going on on a few of the daily blogs I read, and I finally was one of the first 3 on my cousin Jessica's blog!

Here's how it works:
1. Be one of the first 3 bloggers to leave a comment on this post and you will win a handmade item from me!
2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on your post about this giveaway.
3. You have 365 days to make/ship your item which can be in any price range. Remember it’s the spirit and the thought that count!
4. When you receive your gift, blog about it and share the appropriate link love. Don't forget to post your winners and your handmade gifts when you're done, too.

Can't wait to see who comments!

2009-03-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is the Unity Inspirational Blog Hop what fun! If you didn't come from http://organisedmess.blogspot.com/, the beginning is here. There are over 200 people involved in the blog hop, so be prepared for the Unity love!

My project is a Birthday card for my Mom whose birthday is today. The March KOTM stamps worked out lovely.

My card uses Provocraft white cardstock, Bazzill brown cardstock, Colorbok DP, Prima's #6, and garage sale find buttons. Stamped in Versamark, colored in with pastels for a take flight look, and Craft Smart Embossing Ink White pad. Border is Fiskars Border punch 'dandy doodles'

An inspiring quote to me is:

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love"
-Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)

Next up head on over to http://www.kimbermcgray.blogspot.com/ and leave her some love!
Thanks for stopping by!

Easter Card

2009-03-28T01:18:00.000-07:00

So eventually I finally bit the bullet and put together an Easter card among everything else that went on this week. I really struggled a lot, but finally pushed through and here is the end result.

Supplies Used: Craft Smart White Ink, Versamark Unity Feb KOTM, Colorbok DP, EK Success Corner Photo Holder Trumpet Bell.

I really like the egg, and am satisfied with the results

Blog Hop Tomorrow!

2009-03-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

So Saturday is beyond busy for me, but how can I pass up the chance to be apart of a blog hop?

So tomorrow I'll be apart of the Unity World Record Blog Hop! So check back then for something cute.

Another Thank You Set

2009-03-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

So I'm still massively struggling with what to make for my card exchange this Thursday, I have plenty of ideas, its just settling down and 'making' them.

Below are some cards that I thought turned out really well. The pics were taken with DH's macbook, and with that in mind the pics turned out really well. I really need to get on either fixing one of the broken cameras or finding another.

The cards were for a friend who just had a baby. Her style is so fresh and so clean, so I tried to keep my cards along with that style.

I love spring colors, and the stamps and paper just scream 'baby' to me.
For being good ol' Photobooth, the pics turned out pretty well. It took some maneuvering of the mac and flipping the photos so I could read the stamps. Love my Unity. The stamps are Unity's "Just My Type" and Feb KOTM. Paper is My Minds Eye, and Basic Gray. Buttons are garage sale buttons, and Flowers are Prima's.

Unusually Optimistic

2009-03-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

So I wasn't quite sure where to stick this post, but I've finally decided it belongs here.

Its Wednesday, and I'm happily reflecting on this past weekend and weeks.

Last Saturday was a ball! My cousin Erica and I had a grand craft day! We went to a Scrapbook Garage Sale at the Bountiful and Taylorsville locations of Heartland Paper.

Its an amazing store and we got amazing deals. I'm going to try to be aware of the next time it happens and take some of my own items that are collecting dust so they can find happy homes where they can be used.

We went to a store in Sandy called Heartfelt Creations. My cousin had told me that they had everything and indeed they did. They had a better collection than any other craft store, it was straight up incredible. I even found Spellbinder Nestabilities, but still no Unity in Utah.

After a most excellent time shopping we went back to her house and looked over our spoils.

Her kids were adorable and I had so much fun playing with them, even though afterwards I was beyond tired and they still had oodles of energy. How can little ones so small have soo much energy?

They even got into the crafts and enjoyed coloring in the versamark stamps with chalk. The cricut case rather intrigued them and they wanted to open it and get into it. It reminded me of when I truly loved the Cricut and everytime I plaed with it for the first few months.

I guess I got tired of the novelty that everyone felt about the cricut, and now, days later, I remember when I was up there with them. I still have my many irritations, but its a pretty cool machine nonetheless.

Yesterday Ryan called me at work and said Provo Craft called and I now had a serial code that would work. So I'm excited about that, but I have to be careful about what machine I put the Cricut Design Studio on. Ryan newly acquired a free laptop that just has to be restored to factory settings last week. The timing made me feel like maybe, just maybe all of my stress with ProvoCraft has actually been for my own benefit.

I can't put the Design Studio on the Mac, but if the other laptop is restored then I will have a computer that will be a lot more convenient for both our tiny apartment, craft days and nights I go to, and other such things. I might even stop cringing from having to cut out individual letters individually for sayings as they will be able to be 'welded' together.

So I'm still irritated by the excessive accessories, but I'm going to be much more grateful to the cricut and even ProvoCraft. I'm happily surprised at the easiness of getting a new serial code for my defaulty one.

Still loving my Cuttlebug, and the embossing feature, I still want nesties, but I'm ok with what I have right now, and know its more than ample for the projects I want to do.

So now on my list is fixing the laptop, and then installing the CDS on it and then the sky is the limit.

Also, my KOTM should arrive today! What a fabulous Wednesday it is indeed!

March brings....

2009-03-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

This is coming, very very soon and I'm uber excited. Love Unity, they just rock. For further Unity proof of love look at the below projects and notice the birds, 'thanks', flower and mushroom are all Unity stamps. They never cease to amaze me, I just wish there was a store, here in Utah that sold Unity...

I'll keep dreaming.

And in other news Provo Craft has not improved my opinion of them, the CDS still isn't authorized, I may ebay it and buy nesties with the profit.

Valentines

2009-03-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Ryan challenged me to make him a less girly Valentines Day Card, and so I think this card rose to the challenge very well.

I love square cards! They are so elegant and beautiful that putting the card together doesn't take as long. He thought the card was cool, and I think the green hard is my favorite stamp on the card.

Although I used more Rafia than I would have dared use on other cards, I love how big the bow is and have learned that all craft rules, biases and other limitations are meant to be broken.

Supplies: DP Basic Gray, Cuttlebug 'Swirls', Rafia Bow Stamps CDS Heart, Inkadinkado 'funky letters', Fiskars 'Fleur de Lis' border punch

Let it Snow?

2009-03-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

The snow outside says its ok to post these cards and if the weather has to be the way it is, I would be ok with it being just around Christmas. I'm so ready for spring, but

Supplies: CDS stamps, cuttlebug ornamental tree, DP My Big Idea 'Fall Stack'

Supplies: CDS Stamps, My Big Idea 'Holiday Stack'

Oh well here's to the snow melting this afternoon and a return to warmer weather!

Life is what it is, and so why not live it in color?

2009-03-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

I had to make a project that defined my identity, well I was completely at a lose for words, so I made this little project. Daunting at first but with the help of my friend Kapri who can make boxes in her sleep and is an Origami pro all around it came together rather nicely. Ironically everyone else in my class turned in poems and papers, mine was definitely different from all other projects handed in.

But I guess that was my point, if you read the poem after my explanation it states that I don't want to define myself as that would be a limitation to who I really am. I think I cried before I decided to make a crafty project, cause I don't think its fair to try to define people, we are always changing. I felt like it was a cold dive back into the nightmare of my sophmore and junior year of high school.

Nostalgia is a bitter thing, it has its pro's and cons and can be a good thing, but one can't live the present pining too deeply for the past. It isn't healthy to spend too much time analyzing the past and the things we would change with new found knowledge.

Life is what it is, and so why not live it in color? Dress up an other wise straight forward paper with all of the passion found from all other aspects of life?

I was really happy with this project after I got it back, my stomach did a bit of a toss and turn before I handed it in, but why should I be afraid to show all of my true colors? I don't want to, I want to be exactly who I am, I'm happy being this girl and life has never been better.

Supplies: DCWV Rock Star DP(cover) Embossed with Cuttlebug Folder "You", Ribbon ?? Rub Ons ?? DP inside MY Big Idea 'Fall Stack'

Set 3

2009-03-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

A doctored up Happy Birthday Layout I used, but I really like how it came together as a Thank You card.

Supplies: Penny Lane DP, Prima's, Unity Stamps 'Just My Type'

Set 2

2009-03-10T08:22:00.001-07:00

Before buttons and embellishments....

After!

Supplies: Penny Lane DP, Prima's set 6, bag of garage sale buttons! Stamps Unity: Just My Type, Feb KOTM

Pict to the ures! Set 1

2009-03-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from one of the sets I gave my friend for her Mission. She's awesome so the cards are awesome and her cool personalitly inspired the cards retro fun aspect.

Supplies: Basic Gray DP, Stamp Inkadinkado, Eyelets American Crafts

Supplies: Basic Gray DP, Stamp Inkadinkado, Eyelets American Crafts

Supplies: Retro grab bag/garage sale find buttons, Stamps: Unity Just My Type and Feb KOTM, stamped in versamark and colored in with pastels.

Supplies: Retro grab bag/garage sale find buttons, Stamps: Unity Just My Type and Feb KOTM, stamped in versamark and colored in with pastels. Basic Gray DP, Stamp Inkadinkado, Eyelets American Crafts

Supplies: Retro grab bag/garage sale find buttons, Stamps: Unity Just My Type and Feb KOTM, stamped in versamark and colored in with pastels.Stmped in Distress Ink Black Ash, Basic Gray DP, Stamp Inkadinkado, Eyelets American Crafts

That's right I finally caved and bought Prima's! They aren't as big as the Heidi Swapp Flowers but they rock this project just the same.

Supplies: Retro grab bag/garage sale find buttons, stamped in versamark and colored in with pastels.Stamped in Distress Ink Black Ash, Basic Gray DP, Stamp Inkadinkado, Eyelets American Crafts, Prima's!

Organized

2009-03-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

So it happened today, the half closet is now my craft nook. I tried it out with an awesome folding stool from Ikea, Angie hearts Ikea, and its passed the test.

I grabbed my hot glue gun, added embelishments finished with that and moved on to another task. This is monumental. And I didn't have to clean everything up after, it was already where it needed to be. So happy.

Last night however I was not happy. Ryan surprised me with the Cricut Design Studio because it was on sale at Roberts for like half of normal cost and I was trying to connect it to the PC and it wouldn't connect, and then the serial code I was given had 5 parts and not the 6 required. Mighty fishy, and mighty frustrating. It gets better, since it was after 6 I can't call Provo Craft until Monday morning...

But so happy about the craft nook and a silly computer program can't take away from how organized and awesome things are. Besides in all reality, I'm still skeptical of the cricut, I don't think it adds to the creativity process, but detracts. We'll see if the CDS can change my mind on this topic.

Winners and Aspirations

2009-03-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

Winners: Erica and Shanna, Call me to set up a time to go through the items, they are yours as promised.

I'm just itching, this weekend is full of fun oppurtunities! And my fll nerdiness will be unveiled. I'm planning on turning one of our closets as my closet nook. Which means, no more dragging everything out and cleaning it back up, it means a nook and a SPOT for this aspect of my life. Ryan agreed to this project a while ago, but I don't think he knows that I'm doing it this weekend.

I'm thoroughly excited and quite giddy and I figure I can listen to those tedious online lectures while I'm organizing and creating my space.

So I've been thinking of other aspirations, some that seem like they aren't really coming from me, but who or what I've become. The dream has always been to be a Children's lit editor, I mean, thats what I'm in school for right? I've realized a few things about my self, I don't want to be limited to just one oppurtunity, I want to do many things, and some of these things as of late are highly tied to crafting.

I've heard people call Utah the "craft mecca" of the world, but all of the really phenomenal products don't come from utah a lone, and one has a terrible selection at most local salt lake craft stores unless one goes to specialty stores, specializing in only one aspect.

I was talking to a friend the other day and she asked me where I get my supplies and it both alarmed and irritated me that I had to go so many places and order from so many websites. So my proposal, what if there was a place where people could meet to craft, get help and socialize with others, and buy ALL of their supplies in ONE place?

Could use all of the tools for a fee, but not actually have to own it all at their house.

Dare I to dream?

Illnesses put a damper on things...

2009-03-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

So I know I promised pictures and they are coming(because Maren ROCKS!), I just didn't expect to get so sick so fast. It was really scary. But other than the being sick part, I had an awesome day of cardmaking at my friends and made some really incredible card fronts.

In the meantime I am on my way to being better and my home is a shambles, but I think that can be forgiven since I was scarily ill. Ryan was pretty scared, my friends that brought me home from crafts were scared and I was blacking out, and thats always pretty scary.

The cell is dead, because somehow the charger was left in my bag of craft stuff, oh well life did exist before cell phones right?

Sometimes I forget just how fragile I am, or just being totally and completely well. My heart goes out to everyone who rarely has a 'well' day in their weeks, let a lone lives.

Unity Rocks My Socks!

2009-02-26T08:55:00.000-08:00

Unity Rocks My Socks, I could be down there, but here is my praise of this fab company. When my stamps came, I was so excited, and I gushed to Ryan "this ain't your momma's stamp club", this requires a small bit of explanation as Ryan hates Stamping Up with more fervid passion than anyone else I know. His mom was a demonstrator and she has more stamps (used and unused) than anyone I have ever met. But they just aren't quite Angie stamps, they lack a certain flair or funkiness and Unity seems to encompass everthing I ever wanted from a stamp company. Oh and did I mention that the packages they come in are environmentally friendly?

I got my Unity KOTM (Kit of the Month) and I just about died! It is sooo much fun and will go amazingly well with a bunch of retro Thank You's I'm working on for my friend.

Check it out:

Doesn't it just make you want to get them inked up and colored? OMG, I'm just sad that I don't have more time. And as I so lovingly said to Ryan when they arrived "this ain't your mother's stamp club" and while it was said in jest, its completely true, I don't have to buy everything to go with everything, everything already goes and is just awesome.

The possibilities are endless! And they are all really big, the words fit right in the houndstooth frame and its just all sorts of exhilirating! Also, today and tomorrow there is a special deal on the KOTM, if you join you get that one ($24.00 +$5.00 s.h.) and a choice of one of 5 kits for free!

Some other sets that are satiating my inky-ness:

Just My Type
I am going to cut them up into individual letters at some point but for now I like them as is.

"Be Owl Mine" with the upcoming Wedding Season, I have gobs of ideas and oppurtunities to use these.

"Flowers From Neverland" I'm thinking easy for a clean crisp quick card or using on backfround paper.

And last but not least, "Itsy Bitsy Giggles" and just as rockingly versatile.

I'll be back in a few days, I'm off to get my hands inky and hopefully (crossing fingers) with some pictures!

Wish me luck. Oh and does anyone else want to play with these items? I'm happy to do craft days.

Also, if you are intrigued check out http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/ where Angela (the owner) posts all sorts of incredible sales and thursdays blog hop starts(featured this week is the Feb KOTM and a Joy stamp). The website is, http://www.unitystampco.com/. I love these sites, they put the creative boost in my day, and the Design Team is incredible. Happy Hopping.

Have a good day!

In Honor Of

2009-02-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

In honor of the aforementioned awesome freebies as it were, I am offering people the chance to rummage through the new free bag and take what they think they can use.(this means YOU!) Just contact me and I'll let you know if I can just hand it over or if I have to ship it off somewhere. (Pictures will be coming soon?).

This is going along with my whole contentment theory, its funny the more I give away and share this awesome loot, the happier and more craft juices start flowing.

I love my daily blog hop with my rss feeds, those women are incredible, they sew cards, put buttons on them. Its with both sadness and fondness that I have to acknowledge I'm on my way to that level of dedication.

We'll graduate in December and then the sky is the limit. Though being a SAHM is probably not within my immediate future, due to both myself and the economy, it is one day within my future and then I can put forth the dedication these hobbies require.

I have determined an awesome location for my crafts, its a half closet that with a high enough stool/chair and the right storage equipment will become my craft nook.

I'm excited with this new venture, and makes the apartment not nearly so cramping for my hobbies. I'm envisioning a permanent location for the cricut which may mean that I will actually use it!

Alas, this isn't so for Ryan, he tried to have a Jam session there and the neighbors called and complained. Rightfully so, and I'm glad I wasn't there for the loud drumming.

But I'm ok with where I am, I just have to constantly remind myself that I am super young, though friends have condos and houses, it is in my future, just not the current one, and priorities for everyone are always different and thats ok.

Spoiled without Lifting a Finger

2009-02-11T09:37:00.001-08:00

So I've newly discovered that I am spoiled. This became evident as I meandered my way through my inspiring blogs and what to my wondering eyes did I find? I found that I had received free paper that had not yet been released to the public just yet! Aside from giggling inside all over I'm in a little bit of shock. You see I have a connection at a paper recycling facility and I get "reject" paper from her with some flaw or other. Except that I'd already made gorgeous birthday cards with My Minds Eye new papers for 2009.

This is not the first time I have noticed this. I discovered from various pictures of CHA that what women were going ga-ga over I already had.

I didn't notice any flaws in particular on the papers and now I am just wondering how the paper landed in my lap, or better yet at the Paper Recycling center?

2008-12-21T22:56:00.000-08:00

Done back in October, but I really liked how it came together. Paper is My Big Idea Fall Stack, used Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" folder, and Cricut "Beyond Birthdays" and Cricut "George and Basic Shapes"

Heart to Heart in Honor of World Alzheimer's Day

2008-09-24T23:35:00.000-07:00

This is an Incredible Heart to Heart by Cammie over at myblogbycammie.blogspot.com .
Cammie has $1,000 dollars worth of Blog Candy being given away for one lucky person who participates in the Heart to Heart in honor of World Alzheimer’s Day last Sunday Sept 21.

This is a card that will be sent to my friend who worked in an old folks home. She started working their when we were in High School and she's always been willing to help others. What an incredible person, she makes me want to do more service to those in need.

A personal note: This is something I will likely develop when I am older. For now life is amazing and wonderful but I can't help but dread the day that I can't remember who I am or any part of my life. I've seen the fear and worry of this disease take away happiness from people who would otherwise be happy. I don't want to let the eventuality of this eat at me, because thats too much of my life gone. I pray modern medicine is able to make leaps and bounds as concerned with this disease.

The paper is a basic black embossed with the "twigs" folder on the cuttlebug. The Ribbon is self adheisive by...! The paper is from "My Big Idea"s Fall Stack and the Letters are by the same person as the ribbon, I'll have to investigate who is the genius behind self adhesive embellishments, cause I'm officially a fan. I rubbed a silver crayon over the embossing to make it pop and colored a few of the branches with red and gold for hope, thought the pics don't seem to emphasize this. Small side note: I'd like it better if it was gold...
apologies for all the pics, the metal embellishment made it hard to get one nice shot, and knowing me the best one is crooked.

Because I Like to Make Cards!

2008-09-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

I guess I should explain, well I was really quite pleased with these cards and decided to upload them back in July, and now its September. Anyway, here they are regardless. The first card is just cutting out paper, a stamp and then some sticker buttons, officially one of the greatest creations ever! DCWV Mat Stack Neutrals, DCWV Mat Stack Just for Girls, Rock Star set by DCWV?
Second card, really easy as well, cutting paper a stamp and a few sticker embellishments, told you I loved them. Paper DCWV Mat Stack Neutrals, RockStar by DCWV?
Third Card, Bon Voyage was cut out with the Cricut, Beyond Birthdays Cartridge, Paper DCWV Stack 5 and SBW Mega Pack.
Words ZooBaloo Cricut Cartridge, Castle Use Your Imagination, paper DCWV Stack5
Flourish Cricut Use Your Imagination.

Spoilage

2008-09-23T10:25:00.001-07:00

DH temporarily revoked my craft store grounding, not that I blame him for grounding me in the first place, and let me get a few items with some Birthday money and gift cards. New favorite thing in the world, gift cards to craft stores, someone was a genius.

Anyway, the new acquirements included a fall paper stack, a Cuttlebug and a few embossing templates and a few embellishments. Officially, I am spoiled, and I both don’t have room and don’t want any more things for a while. Ah the fall binge, its coded into my brain as one of the best times to go shopping, not for sales, but for new quantity. Poor Ryan, but when I started playing with the Cuttlebug he was pretty fascinated by the machine too, and I’ve been really impressed so far, its been super easy to use, and the parts are fairly economical.

So my versus,
Cricut vs.

Amazing yes but, the mats are 10.00 for new ones and wear out after major cutting projects.
Extensive youtube videos have convinced me that the cricut is very versatile.
Of the many things you can make with it are:
Stamps
ChipBoard
a ton of varieted dies
metal imprinting
vinyl lettering
it draws if you get the markers

So one of my favorite things it isn’t able to do is texturize, and that is pretty unfortunate in my eyes.

Cuttlebug, (cricut minus design studio)

Affordable
None of the parts seem really able to wear out
only imprints one size, don’t get me wrong, its awesome, and the cricut has spoiled me with my seemingly limitless choice selections.
I think one could do metal imprinting
really makes the paper pop

So how dare I compare two incredibly awesome machines? But one can’t help it, for instance, why would a poor starving college student get two machines that did pretty much the same thing? So of course I have to rationalize, and dream of a day when I have time to work on my many imagined projects…

And the reason for the delay in getting Design Studio, it only works on PC’s, which last time I checked, most of the artistic world has converted to Mac’s, so I’m boycotting until it is available for the Mac, call it will power, but it seems silly for a program to be PC capable and not Mac, simply for the versatility and creative capability of the Machine.

I was explaining to someone once, the difference between a PC and a Mac, its simple

PC’s are for people who have a cluttered desktop, can’t think outside of the box and are uninventive, i.e. most of corporate America

Mac’s are for people who like clean desktops, infinite possibilities, and are very creative i.e. artists and people who would use that capability.

So, how does Provocraft justify not having Design Studio, a program that would fully benefit from the many possibilities, not compatable with something created to make the creative process easier.

Cricut Consuming

2008-08-06T15:44:00.001-07:00

So I was the cricut’s able bodied assistant again last night, but I am a peculiar card maker, I like giving my card’s personality. That makes the card match up with the person better and then that makes me feel like I made a quality card. Last night was a scrapbook crop, which was a lot of fun, but I don’t have any current projects that I am working on, and unused cards can only take up so much space. So being designated the cricut worker was fun, and I love to help people use it, it makes the machine more enjoyable and useful to me.

I was in a home with more stamps than I could ever fathom and even more paper, I felt like I was in a scrapbooking store, it was awesome. What was even cooler was that it was all organized. She had a book of all of her stampin’ up stamps so that she can see at a moments notice what all she has. It is definitely a genius idea and I am tempted to make something similar for the cricut, because its so hard to know what all you have without really seeing it, I might even go so far as to cut them out in all different shapes and functions. That would be a lot of paper, but I can see it being very worth it, and that binder would be priceless.

I keep seeing more things and I have to pace myself, at first all I had was a basket, then drawers and a basket and now drawers and the cricut case, must pace self…

Contenting Myself to be Content

2008-07-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

I got to the end of MEE’s book on contentment again and I was happily surprised by the ending like I always am. Most of the chapters have me pondering how to simplify, but the last chapter is always great as it says we should enjoy what we have and share with others. It makes me feel a lot better about what I have so long as I keep a tally on what is used and what is not.

When clothes have gotten so beaten down its kind of nice to get rid of them, it means there is room for more, and typically worn clothes should be retired because they do no one a service by staying in the closet, and typically they are the clothes that are not flattering because they do not fit. And getting rid of them means the promise of more, I know I’m terrible. So clothes are not an issue, as I have Ryan as a watch dog, but books are my weakness, and most of these books for my major, typically all paperback and worn, but they hold something infinitely more dear, my comments at the time on the literature.

Its like a time travel device when I’ll look for a passage and see comments scrawled all over the page, and even better I see how much I have learned, am still learning and hope to yet learn.

I utilize the library a lot because of the lack space, and I do not like to reread entire books and its just a lot more economical for me in general. If I did not have so many books each semester this would not be a problem, but when I think of all the books already being stored and see my disheveled bookcases, baskets and other odd book storing items, it makes me realize; I have a problem.

Hello my name is Angie Meeks and I am a book hoarder.

Well this means I need a box to put the less used ones in until I have a book room.

Card Making and Why I Love it.

2008-07-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy making things I give away, it means less stays in my apartment. If only that were true, but eventually it will all be whittled away. I really like working with people on their scrapbooking, with the cricut, but still I shy away from it myself.

I think part of the reason is I don’t have time with school and work and life on top of that, but one day. Despite the lack of time, I really enjoy making time to help other people with projects.

Cards, are like blogging, I don’t have to be a committed scrapbooker and I can make a few cards one night with great satisfaction. Whereas scrapbooking seems like a full time career, and that scares me. I feel spread thin enough as it is. Anyone else feel like scrapbooking is a full time job? Or is their a secret to it that I have missed out on?

Questing for Contentment

2008-07-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

I'm looking at the wish list to the side and feeling guilty. For the past 2-3 years I've been reading and rereading "You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need: The Quest for Contentment", and now I realize how much of a rollercoaster that is for me. It seems to hold a pattern with how clean my apartment is as opposed to when its a bit more messy and I can see everything but can't find anything.

Well since we've lived in our apartment we've rearranged the furniture over 3 times. I still feel its pretty dark and would welcome any suggestions on lighting up the area. When the windows are open we don't get a lot of sun because we are hidden behind the foliage of a big tree.

I keep seeing mirrors, but the frames are dark, and I really want to bring in vibrant colors or more of an antique style. Thus far I'm pretty stuck and would welcome any suggestions. Also, somehow I want another floor lamp but making my own lampshade seems timely and daunting.

Any super quick and easy ideas?

Domesticity and The Modern Me

2008-07-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

I recall a time when crafts and other domestic activities made me shie away, and now, I've come a long way although, when it comes to scrapbooking I'm still trying to suppress the urge. The reason, scrapbooking is rather expensive. There is always a new gadget that makes things easier and it seems being content with what one has is a rarity.

However, the links posted on the sides are filled with adorable and creative ideas that really impress me. A lot of the things are pretty inovative and not to drastic which makes them so fun to read and try. One of my favorite ideas is my cousins finding in using soft drink lids to make pretty punch outs for really adorable cards.

Last Christmas my mom gave me a Cricut, a very very extravagant item for one so young as myself, and decidedly spearheaded me into the crafting world. Still not a scrapbooker, but an avid card maker and inspired daily by the craftiness of others.

One of my favorite ways of being crafty is watching other people use the cricut, because functions I'd never thought of using it for, have now become my favorite. So thanks to all those who have inspired me and convinced me that, even I, can be crafty.