Saturday, April 30, 2011

Expression 2: Did you get it?

My world has been upside down lately. I will not explain as of yet, but I have some purchasing news to share. I am getting a Cricut Expression 2 Electronic cutter. In case I said something foreign to you. Two or three months ago, I had a post explaining the different electric cutters ProvoCraft makes. They are
• The Cricut Personal Cutter (original)
• The Cricut Expression Electronic Cutter
• The Cricut Create
• The Cricut Cake machine
• The Cricut Imagine Cutter Machine
Since that time, ProvoCraft has introduced two more (actually 3 more machines) under the Cricut name and they are:
The Cricut Cake Mini-smaller version of the Cricut Cake machine, much like they did with the Create, making it a miniature version of the Expression, only allowing a person to cut 6x12 sheets of paper (or in this case, fondant)
The Cricut Expression 2 Electronic Cutting Machine-updated version of the Expressions cutter with some added features (more in a minute)
The Martha Stewart version of the Cricut Cake Machine. We all know that MS has to put her stamp on almost everything, so she got together with ProvoCraft, and basically told them that she approves it, she loves it, put her name on it, and in return she will create an exclusive cartridge for them.
Since QVC has basically broken almost all ties to the crafting world, HSN (The Home Shopping Network) has taken off when QVC stopped showing their famous craft shows, and has gotten into bed with ProvoCraft. The marriage seems to be working, because two months ago, PC announced to Scrapbooking update that they are coming up to their 5th anniversary with their Cricut product, and they wanted HSN to have exclusive rights to the new product (at the time, it was not announced as to what the product was). At that time, the Imagine was introduced, so it was not another version of that machine, so the Expressions 2 machine was born.
The machine is a cross between the Expression machine and the imagine, without the printing part added. It has all the features of the expressions cutting machine (such as center point, quantity, flip, etc..), but it has features of the Imagine as well (touch screen), but it also has other features to, such as a LED light where the cutting blade is, a little grove to hold the paper in place, you can use both regular and imagine cartridges in the machine (you just cannot print the images), two ports. Comes with a longer cord, and a USB cord. The machine is equipped to be used with WIFI (time for me to find a new router) for easy updating.
The only thing I am upset about it mine is on back order. Most people will receive theirs on or about May 6th (some are actually getting their this week, due to something HSN calls expedit shipping). I am getting mine on the 16th. I can wait, because I actually need to make some room for it.
In return for getting this rare piece of machinery (it was only available to HSN for that day only), I am selling my baby bug (the original) on Ebay. I have already written out the description and have it as a MS Word Document. I have to do it take a picture of it, and upload the photos on Ebay. I do not want to, but to honest, I have not used it since July 2010, when I had a class I was teaching at my church. I was going the basics of scrapbooking, and showed so extras.
I will be doing my actually comparison of the two expressions in a later post, after I do some playing around. Oh, I forgot the best part. The bonus is there are 4 build in carts in the machine. I guess the idea behind it is soon you will not need carts for it. Two of the cartridges are exclusive to HSN, and the other two will be available for the public. I should have written this post the day of the premiere, but I was out of town, and had to use my cell phone to call the order in. The only Cartridges I remember is Just a note, and American ABC’s or something like that.
Well that is it. You all be good, and I will talk to you later. Happy Crafting and God Bless You. For those of you cleaning up after the tornado in the southern states, I am praying for you all.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

A passion to be hold

Today is a good day.  A heck of a one, but a good day.   I do not want to bore you with personal problems, I recently got into trouble for that.  so I am keeping my distance from that topic.   I do want to share some good news:  I sold three note cards sets a couple days ago (actually last night, I forgot that I am no longer a self-proclaim night owl no more)  What is it about sharing personal problems that makes people run the other way, especially if you are not hitting them up with any type of financial request?  I will let you pounder that thought.

I have two cards on sale at ArtFire. The first one is called I Love You, and it is a set of 3 cards.  The materials I used was blank card, colored chipboard, ink (just for distressing) and pattered paper.   On two of the cards I used Bazzill ribbon.   My explanation of of my cards is from last year's you tube video.

My next card is a flower Thank you card.   I used the Cricut on this one, and the cut is from the Storybook Cartridge.  In case you have it, the cut is on page 46, and I cut two flowers, stacking one on top of the other to give that 3-D effect.   Then I took patterned paper, and cut a strip of it.  For the lettering, I used the Dymo label maker and placed on the black strip of cardstock.   I hope you enjoy it.

Well that is it for today.   Please enjoy the rest of your evening, and God bless you.