It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

I just cut and applied my very first Christmas decoration for this season. I get all geddy when Christmas starts popping up all around me!!

Thanks for looking as always! I totally enjoy getting to share my creative side with all of you, my blog readers! :)

Credits: Oh, I LOVE decorating for Christmas. This is my first official decoration to go up. {What you don't know is that my mantle, just 2 feet away, still has fall decor on it - oops!!}Credits: Vector images - Christmas Magic Word Art by Tay Silver at Peppermint Creative; Vinyl - Oracal 631

Write Plate Decked Out for Fall

I finally got around to taking a better photo of my write plate. The silly pumpkins are still turning out yellow in all the photos, though. I give up. So, yellow pumpkins it is. :)



Credits: Credits: Vector images - Birthday Cupcake BlockART by Tay Silver at Peppermint Creative

I will have to say that I enjoy decorating for fall even more than Christmas, GASP!! I think it has something to do with my DH. I adore Christmas and he vetoed my Christmas tree decorations about 4 years ago. So, now I just do a tree with plain balls and a little something on the mantle. He complained that I had decorated in peppermint candies and ginger breads. He didn't think that was "Christmas". So, I quit. But fall colors make me happy around this time of the year.

Digital Cutting and Puchasing Shapes to Cut

I know there is a lot of debate over which is the best cutter out there.  I am certain that there are pro's and con's about every machine.  You really need to find those and figure out which one most meets your need.  I personally purchased a cricut.  I am by no means touting that it is the best machine, but simply the best machine for me. 

Reasons I love my cricut:

• It is compact, easy to store, easy to get out, and easy to put away.
• I can find blades, mats, etc. at many local stores (Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby are both within 2 miles from my house).
• I can use it with my computer (go to http://www.craftedge.com/ to find out more) to cut any true type font I own.
• I can design any shape I want to cut and cut it on the computer.
• I can get wonderful cartridges that have such cute graphics on them.  (watch online - many online stores get very competitive with pricing and you can pick them up for much cheaper than the regular price).
• I can take it anywhere that I have power and still use it.
• I am able to cut with my computer, but not bound to it.
• I can do cart swaps with my friends.  If I want to use a cartridge that I don't have but a friend does, we trade carts for a few days.  You cannot trade, share, or swap digital files though, only the physical cartridges.

Here is my write plate decorated for the fall using vinyl, my cricut, and SCAL.


For my plate I used a design by Tay that can be purchased at http://www.peppermintcreative.com/.  It is easy and fun to get pre-made designs.  It takes a lot of the guess work out of a project.  Tay gives good instructions with her downloadable "Vectors for Vinyl Cutting Machines" (a fancy way to say a pre-made file that you can import into SCAL and cut)  There are tons of shapes, decorations, die cut images, and such to fill your day with cutting.  You can use them for all types of things: cards, scrapbook pages, home decor, paper crafts, just to name a few.
Credits:  Graphics - Tay's Pumpkin Patch Commercial Vectors for Vinyl Cutting Machines available at Peppermint Creative; Vinyl - Expressions Vinyl

Down but Not Completely Out

I had my wisdom teeth out this week, but I still wanted to share my
newest Cricut Creation using SCAL. I used SCAL and two different fonts
to make a gorgeous Scripture to go under my newest find. I saw this
cross from across the store and immediately knew I had to have it. I
have been wanting a scripture in our living room for a while and was
pleased with the outcome. So pardon my "hopped up on pain meds" post.
I hope you enjoy what will probably be my only share this week.

Sent from my iPhone

My First Vinyl Cut

I saw something similar in some pictures that I was looking at for ideas. They put something like this on their wall and lifted the idea - more or less. I used some random fonts and cut it with SCAL using my Cricut. This was my first vinyl cut with my Cricut. It was AWESOME! I will be doing more. It went on easy-peasy. I have some suggestions to you, though. You will need some sort of transfer medium. I used delicate surface masking tape for this one. I like cutting all the way through the vinyl. Then, I arrange it onto the masking tape. I pull off the vinyl backing and put it on the wall, masking tape and all. Then gently pull the masking tape off of the vinyl letters and it is in place. I put this one in the play room. My son is posing by it climbing on top of the slide.

Edit: I have no idea why this photo is so blurry. I took a quick closeup for you.