Sept 29th Challenge Topic: Low Profile Dies

This week we will be working with low-profile dies, like those made by Spellbinders, Papertry Ink, QuicKutz, Crafter's Workshop, Technique Tuesday......and so many more.

September 26th Challenge: Low Profile Dies

The number of companies producing low-profile dies has skyrocketed and quite frankly, I LOVE it!  I have shared my love (aka addiction) to low profile dies in the past.  We actually used Spellbinders as our 2nd challenge for this blog. 

This time around we will be expanding the challenge to include all low-profile dies.  Some of my favorite dies are those with matching stamps.  But what if you want to create the look of a matching stamp where one does not existed?  That is my challenge this week. :)

4 Product Challenge: Cricut - Projects

Hello again! Shirley Pando here. Did you join me this week in the 4-Product Challenge using your Cricut (or other die cut machine)? If you missed the challenge, check out my post from Monday, HERE.

Here is a list of the products I used:

1. Cricut "Lite Bloom" cartridge
2. Scrap papers in various pink colors
3. Vintage music papers
4. Trim

Last day to save on the Color Inspiration: Gelatos workshop.

Do you own a set of Gelatos? Maybe you have yet to use them? Or maybe you have used them only a few times and now they are resting quietly in a lonely draw? Now is a great time to get them back out and join me the Color Inspiration: Gelatos.  This workshop is currently on sale for a very limited time.  Sale ends tomorrow, Sept 26th, at 10:00 am central time.

Gelatos are a wonderful option for adding color to your projects. they are easy to store and fun to collect. But learning to use them takes some practice. I will share my favorite tips and techniques. The results will amaze you....and hopefully leave you Color Inspired!

Strategies for Increasing Your Cricut Usage.

If every time I wanted to use the Cricut I had to pull it out, hook it up to my computer, figure out what carts and/or cuts I wanted to use, design my cuts and then cut them out.....I would NEVER, EVER use the Cricut.

There MUST be a better way.

After starting to scrapbook again I really wanted to start using the Cricut again.  I have so many cartridges with so many cuts I could be using, but the task seemed so daunting.  I don't have the time for complicated crafting. :)

Sept. 22nd Topic: Cricut - Getting the Best Use From Your Die Cut Machine

Hello! Shirley Pando here! I'd like to welcome you back to the My Creative Life 2014 challenge blog, the official blog of Craft Classes Online. We've taken a little hiatus to change gears and reorganize but we are now ready to bring you the best in crafting and creativity. We have a new website, new projects, new workshops, and, of course, new blog posts! :-)



Jeri's original mission for this blog is pretty simple:

1. To inspire you to make creativity a daily priority...or weekly or monthly...whatever works best for you.
2. To motivate you to use all of the supplies you have collected over the years. (Oh, goodness, I have so much it's embarrassing!!)
3. To explore the concept of creativity and practical ways for adding more creativity to our lives.
4. To find ways to lose the perfectionism, comparison, and pressure that are creativity killers. (I resemble that remark and I feel a new blog post coming on!)
5. Oh, yes, we will also offer a few online workshops along the way.

Now, let's get on with the show!

Cricut: Getting the Best Use From Your Die Cut Machine

So you made that big purchase of a die cutting machine. It can do some amazing things. And you are a crafter, so you tell yourself that it will make your life much easier, right? You may have purchased it many years ago or just a few months ago. You bought (most all of) your favorite cartridges with the adorable little characters and/or lovely fonts. Life is sweet!

Why I am finally joining the pocket scrapbooking craze!

I have never been one to jump on a trend....ok, that is a complete lie. :) I have a number of tools and supplies that ended up in my craft room because they were the next big thing. (The Cricut comes to mind.)  I do tend to wait to jump in, but when I jump in it is at 100%.  Such is the case with the topic at hand....pocket scrapbooking.

The whole Project Life/Project 365 craze never really appealed to me.  I will admit that I only recently started scrapbooking again. While I would make a page here and there, I was very inconsistent. So maybe I would have joined the fun sooner.

Death of the scrapbook?

With the closing of Two Peas in a Bucket and the merging of so many companies....is the scrapbook industry dying?  This question has been posted a lot over the last few months.  So that got me wondering....is it dying?  Has it peaked?  Was there a bubble?

So many possibilities!

I love a clean desk....so many possibilities.  I think the theme for this fall will be one of new beginnings.  New classes, websites, projects and more.

The future is NOW!

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike....and all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless.  We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us." ~ John Steinbeck

Today is a bittersweet day for me.