Facts and Feelings: The Paperclipping Roundtable

I had an awesome time on The Paperclipping Roundtable today! Noell and Izzy were just terrific, and chatting with Ali Edwards was pretty cool, too.  It was wonderful to share ideas and thoughts about scrapbooking special needs children.  Please click on the above link to listen to the podcast.  This is #151, and I highly recommend listening to the other 150.  They do a great job!  Thanks, guys!

Comparison of Cricut Expression and Cricut Mini

I've been a Cricut owner since 2007, and I currently own four machines:  the original Expression, the Mini, the Cake Mini, and the Gypsy.  My first Cricut was the original "baby Bug," and my most recent addition is the Mini.  Unfortunately, three of the machines that I have are no longer being manufactured.  The original Expression, the Cake machines, and the Gypsy have all been discontinued by ProvoCraft.  They have been replaced by the new Mini and Expression 2.  I was thinking about getting a Mini to take with me to crops and friends' houses; so when I met one of the PC representatives at Maker Faire this past September, I was thrilled when he said that he would like to send me a Mini to review for ScrapJazz!  First I'll compare the two machines, and then I'll give you my opinion on the Mini.

  

Similarities

Both machines:

• are manufactured by ProvoCraft.
• are electronic.
• cut in the same manner with a blade assembly that moves along a carriage.
• require mats to carry your cutting material through the machine.
• can use cartridges to cut shapes, letters, and numbers.

Differences

• The Expression uses 12" x 12" and 12" x 24" mats; the Mini uses 9" x 12" mats.
• The Mini (5.5 lbs.)  weighs much less than the Expression (12.6 lbs.), and it is considerably smaller than its larger predecessor.
• The dimensions of the Expression are:  21.25"W, 7"H, 7.5"D.
• The dimensions of the Mini are:   16.1" W, 7.3" D, 3.69" H.
• The Mini is portable, but the Expression was not intended to be a portable machine.
• The Expression can be used independent of a computer or other device; however, the Mini must be used in conjunction with either a computer or the Cricut Gypsy (which is no longer being manufactured).
• The speed, pressure, and blade depth can be manually adjusted on the Expression.  With the Mini, the pressure and blade depth can be manually adjusted, but the speed must be set either in Cricut Craft Room (ProvoCraft's online design program) or on the Gypsy.
• If you are using the Expression as a stand-alone machine, you need to use the keypad overlays with it.  The Mini doesn't have a place for the overlays, because they aren't used with it.
• The Expression, which is no longer being manufactured, is not compatible with Cricut Craft Room.  The Mini is not compatible with Cricut Design Studio, a program that is essentially a predecessor of Cricut Craft Room.
• The Expression has been available in other colors, but the Mini is available in only the standard "Cricut white and green."

Although the Mini is much smaller than the Expression, this little machine is a powerhouse.  I found that I was able to cut the same materials that I cut on the Expression with the same precision.  The mini is a little quieter during operation, but not much.  (I don't find the Expression that noisy either.)  It's very lightweight and easy to transport, and its design is sleek and simple.  The 8 ½" x 12" cutting mat is a good size for most projects.

There are some drawbacks to the Mini, though.  First, it doesn't seem to be as sturdy as its larger predecessor. It also squeaks sometimes when it's cutting, which made me a little nervous at first.  The Mini is a little slower than the Expression, and it sounds as if the motor is straining.  That could just be because I'm used to the sounds the Expression makes, but it did take some getting used to.  If you don't have a Gypsy, which, as I mentioned before, has been discontinued, you must use the Mini with a computer.  This could be a hindrance to its portability.

Overall, I think the Cricut Mini is well worth its cost, and I would definitely recommend purchasing it if you want a smaller, portable die-cutting machine.  It will never take the place of my Expression, but it is a welcome addition to my Cricut family.

Starting Project Life

Designed by Becky Higgins a few years ago, Project Life is a system, or style, of scrapbooking that involves weekly layouts that chronicle your everyday life.  Photos, journaling, and embellishments are placed in divided page protectors of varying styles and sizes.  Although official Project Life products are available only through Becky Higgins and her affiliates, there are many companies that make products designed for use in Project Life systems.

When I first heard about Project Life, I knew that there was no way that I would be able to take a photo every day and create a layout with those photos every week.  So I never even considered it, although I did admire some of the creative layouts that I was seeing in galleries and on blogs.

It wasn't until this past summer that Project Life became a realistic possibility for me.  I realized that I didn't have to create a layout a week.  I could make a layout a month.  I didn't have to follow any rules.  I could adapt this concept to work for me!

During the eleven years that I've been scrapbooking, I've come to realize that there are no hard and fast rules that scrapbookers have to follow.  Realizing this made it so much easier to start Project Life, because, as we all know, starting a project is often the most difficult part.  So deciding to begin my project in August, as opposed to January, was the first decision I had to make.  The rest came easily.

I chose a 12 x 12 three-ring binder for my album.  Then I decided on divided page protectors by We R Memory Keepers andAmerican Crafts; and I'm using the 4" x 6" landscape, portrait, and mixed orientation designs.  My journaling will be typed, and my embellishments and titles will be simple (the month and year).

The most challenging part of this project for me was, surprisingly, the journaling - not in terms of what to write, but deciding from whose point of view the stories should be told.  Even though I almost always write my journaling to my children, this time I'm writing to myself.

I finally decided to use a journal app on my iPhone, called "Day One," that allows me to write in journal form and add photos to my entries.  This also enabled me to have all of my photos in one place, although I did include photos from my regular camera as well.  It was so easy to keep my journaling in the same format and just print it out. 

The most important thing to remember when doing Project Life is that you can change things around any time you like.  The system is flexible, and there are lots of ideas and products to help you achieve your individual goals.  Before you begin this project, however, you should answer these questions:

• Will you be creating a layout weekly, monthly, or randomly?
• What type of album will you use?
• In what size will you print your photos?
• Which style page protectors will you include?
• How will you approach the journaling?
• What types of embellishments and titles will you have?

I really enjoyed my first month with Project Life, and I hope you decide to give it a try too. 

Boy Scouts' Day

Hi everyone!  My latest article has been published on Scrapjazz.  It's all about Boy Scouts' Day.  Thanks for looking!

Winnie the Pooh Card

Did you know that January 18th is National Winnie the Pooh Day?  Well, it is, and being a lover of that "willy nilly silly old bear," I just had to make a card with his adorable face on it. I decided to give him a chef's hat, because my niece, who is a pastry chef, has a birthday coming up soon. Because I love my Cricut machines so much, I wanted to use my Pooh and Friends cartridge. (If you don't have a Cricut or this cartridge, you can find some wonderful free coloring pages on the Internet.) 

Here are the materials and supplies that you will need for this project:

• Cricut machine
• Cricut Pooh and Friends cartridge (or coloring page)
• cardstock:  goldenrod, red, black, white
• adhesive or glue (I used a Zig 2-Way glue pen.)
• Distress Inks:  Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick
• "Happy Birthday" greeting die-cut or sticker
• white gel pen
• twine
• Washi tape
• scalloped-edge scissors or border punch

Directions:

1.  Using the photo for color reference, cut the following images with the Cricket for Winnie the Pooh (button 2 on page 17 in the manual) at 3":

• Icon
• Layers 1 and 2
• Blackout
• (I cut some extra images and a greeting, using Cricut Craft Room.)

2.  Layer and adhere pieces together. Ink edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

3.  Cut a chef's hat from page 65 of the manual (Icon in white and Shadow in black) at 3". Ink edges with Black Soot Distress Ink.

4.  Cut a piece of goldenrod cardstock to 4 ¼" x 11".

5.  Score at 5 ½" to create a top-folding A2-size card, and fold in half on the score.

6.  Trim ¼" off the bottom of the card front with either scalloped-edge scissors or a punch.  Ink edge with Fired Brick Distress Ink.

7.  Cut a piece of red cardstock to 4" x 4 ¾", and adhere it to the front of the card.

8.  Cut a piece of white cardstock to 3 ¾" x 4 ½", and adhere it on top of the red cardstock.

9.  Adhere the assembled Pooh image onto white cardstock.

10. Tie a piece of baker's twine around the bottom of the card front.

11. Add your sentiment to the inside of the card, and add a strip of Washi tape to the bottom edge.

 

The last step, of course, is to give your card to someone you love.  Don't forget to share your cards on the Scrapbook.com website.  Happy Winnie the Pooh Day!

Neil Gaiman's New Year's Wish

I had to share this with you all, because they are, indeed, words for me to live by this year:

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”

― Neil Gaiman

Have a wonderfully imperfect 2013!

Scrapbook Calendars

Scrapbook Calendars

by Jeanette Giancaspro

The first scrapbook project that I made was a calendar.  It was a Christmas gift for my mother back in 2001, and I really didn’t know much about scrapbooking at the time.  I had a blank calendar, a paper trimmer, some lettering stencils (Yes, I cut out ALL of the letters by hand!), an acid-free adhesive runner, and a few patterned papers.  The calendar was a big hit, and my mother still proudly displays it at Christmas time.

 Times have changed since then, and scrapbooking is much more sophisticated - and often more complicated - than it was back in 2001.  There are ways to simplify things, though.   Many companies offer coordinating lines of papers and embellishments.  Everything matches, and the hard part of finding products that work together has been done for you.  You can even buy a blank calendar and add your own papers, photos, and embellishments to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake.  Here are a few photos of my most recent scrapbook calendars.  The kit is by Basic Grey.  Everything is included, and there are step-by-step directions for each page.

Place in Time is a calendar collection by Graphic 45 that makes it easy to build your own calendar.  You can purchase individual double-sided calendar foundation sheets, as well as two individual double-sided sheets for each month.  There are also add-ons such as sticker sheets,   a cut-apart word sheet, and alphabet stickers.  You can also purchase the sheets all together in pad form.  This collection is available in both 12 x 12 and 8 x 8 formats.  These papers and embellishments have a lovely vintage theme.

Another company that has put out a wonderful scrapbook calendar line is Memory Works.  Their Simple Stories Year-o-graphy Collection has a fresh, fun feel to it.  Included in this collection are double-sided papers, cut-apart journaling cards, a border and title strip sheet, quote and photo mat elements, and cardstock sticker sheets.   You can also purchase this line as a collection kit.

If you want a blank spiral calendar that will provide plenty of room to display your photos every month, this 13 x 13 wall calendar by Karen Foster is just what you’re looking for.  Each month has a full page on top and a customizable calendar grid on the bottom.

And if a smaller size calendar is more your style, try the 14-month 8 x 8 calendar by Paper Accents, or their 5 ½ x 8 ½ calendar. 

For those who prefer to have everything all together in one kit, several companies have done this as well.  In the Scrapbook.com store, you will find kits by Die Cuts With a View, K and Company,  and Karen Foster Design.  All you will need to add are your photos and journaling.

Whether you like to mix and match, or you like having everything coordinated and packaged for you - or a combination of the two - there is a calendar collection for you.  Creating your own scrapbook calendar is not only a practical project, but it is also a keepsake that will be treasured by your family for generations to come.