Being Creative this Christmas

(c) 2016 P.Lynne Designs
Note Cards cut out with the Cricut Explore Die Cutting Machine

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

It has been a long time since I have writing in this blog.  By now, I expected to be in my brand new, shiny, yet rough around the edge WordPress to the gills website.  Something things have gotten in the way.  I will not bore you with the details on this blog, but you may read about it here on the My Ambiance Life blog.  There you will find all my writings about everything else (except home styles and home life, which is coming in January or February).

I cannot let this blog go, before adding in a few things about this holiday, and having the website sitting in limbo is not one of them, so for right now, all of my products are still listed on the Etsy shop, and will remain open long after the website starts. I do not have any plans to take it down.  I plan to add other items to my shop from time to time that I have not created, but the website will have mostly my products.

So, my first post before the new year happens to talk about being frugal, which you can do.  This includes making your Christmas gifts.  It does not have to be expensive, and if you own a die cutting machine like the Cricut Explore Air 2 machine, cutting will be a breeze.  The Cricut cuts almost any type of material, not just paper. 

For instance, I use my older Cricut Explore (with the Bluetooth adapter-Air 2 is on its way) for my card projects.  With a subscription to Design Space, I can pick out any design from a 1,000’s of images, rearrange them on the virtual mat, before cutting them out.  If I do not like the way it looks on the mat, I can toss it out, and start back over on a clean virtual mat no more wasted paper. 

I use it to cut out stickers for my planners too.  With Design Space’s Print then Cut feature, you can cut out SVG images as well.  The best thing I use this feature for is when I design my labels for my businesses.  Often times in the past, I do not buy the right Avery’s label to print directly onto the paper.  Sometimes it was me, sometimes it was the computer/printer/software, and sometimes I did not know what side to put the sticker paper on.   Now, I use only one size (Avery #8165 TrueBlock^® Sticker sheet or equivalate) print it on the correct side and then have my Cricut machine cut it out.  The best news is I can cut some labels ahead of time, and when I am ready, I need only one label per flyer or catalog.   I am already planning on gifting my mom a set of labels for her Christmas cards.  Call it an early Christmas present. 

Well, that is all I have to talk about today. 

Oh, one other thing.  There is a sale currently going on about the 12 days of Christmas.  I will post the link, but be sure the check it out, and you may find a product to your liking.  In fact, I know you will.

Psst….

There is also something for those of you who already have a Cricut machine.  The December Mystery box is out.  I cannot tell you what’s in it because it a…Mystery.  All I can tell you is the cartridges are very festive, and everyone’s box will be different.  But don’t just take my word for it…. check it out for yourself.  Only $39.99. (Sorry, I sounded like Melody Lane for a moment in the last paragraph, but I like her.)  She also inspired me to start a Patreon site, so look for it in January 2017.  I will tell you more about it as I get closer to the date.