Calendar

Some of you know that every year I make my MIL a calendar for Christmas, it's quite a job and now that there are 8 grandkids, it's even tougher to collect all those pictures! Every year, I swear I'm going to do it each month and be done, but every year on Dec. 23 I am scrambling to finish it! this year was no exception, but I managed to get it done!

I gave myself the goal of using a different cricut font cartridge on each month and I actually just went right down the list on my gypsy, though you can't tell that since I didn't do the months in order! It's hard to think of something different for each month when there are so many pictures!

As always, thanks for looking and if I don't get back here before Jan. 1, I am wishing you all a very safe and happy 2011!

First Design Studio attempt

So, a few weeks ago, I decided I would take the plunge and get the SCAL program. I had never had any interest in the Cricut Design Studio, I had heard too many negetive things, but people were raving about SCAL. So, I convinced my husband that I needed this program (to save money on buying cartridges) and also that a laptop would be great to go along with it! So, I got the laptop at the end of January, knowing that I would have to wait awhile to get the program. I have really enjoyed the laptop, I must admit. So last week it was time for me to finally buy the SCAL program, while I was waiting on it to arrive, I decided to ready my cricut machine. Well, wouldn't you know it, I couldn't get it to work on my laptop! It worked great on the desktop, but no go on the laptop! Long story a bit shorter (LOL) I ended up buying the dreaded Cricut Design STudio software, thinking I might be able to get it to work if I had the disc. It still didn't work! It took me 4 phone calls to Provo Craft one to HP (they couldn't help, but tried really hard), more than 4 1/2 hours on the phone (nearly 3 on hold) and I finally am able to use the SCAL program! Phew! I played with that a bit yesterday and am working on a project, but today I decided to mess with the CDS and make this little notebook for Khorey, one of my little daycare girlies. Today is her 5th birthday and she is all about writing things. So this is for her! I used George, Plantin and Storybook. I must admit it was pretty easy, turned out pretty close to what I was invisioning (I was thinking the scallops would be smaller) and I really like it! Best of all, I used only scraps and items I have had for a long time, some I had to have, but haven't hardly used (skittles). Sorry for the long post, here's the notebook!

Fifty is Nifty!

I finished 2 more pages today! I have now accomplished 51 pages since January 1st! And 22 pages in February! I have also used 30 pages of patterned paper! I really want to use up 100 sheets before the new releases come out this spring, because there are some fantastic new lines coming!

So, this is when Brandon lost his first tooth this past August. He has since lost 6, and on of his top teeth is being stubborn about coming in. I've only done this page for Brandon's book, because I want to put all his teeth on my page (he made little envelopes for them) and I haven't been motivated to make all of the shadow boxes for them yet! I used eyelets again and laced some ribbon through them! I have never done that before. I wish I would have used a colored base page now, but...

This page is for Randy's book. He and Clinton thought they were so funny trying to convince me Randy really wanted a mohawk! It's a good thing he didn't really want one, as it was a bit off center! I used Mini Monograms for the title on this one, and it really gave me some troubles on some of the letters. I really wanted curly q "n" 's, but they just kept tearing. I usually don't have much troubles with my cricut. It was kind of frustrating. But, the page turned out "okay"...
Well, hopefully I will get a few more done this week. I would really like to hit sixty by the end of February. Only 9 to go! Thanks for looking!