A new Adventure

Starting something new can be intimidating.
Opening yourself up to other people can be frightening.
Sharing your creations with the world can be nerve wracking.
Doing all three at once...well, you get the idea.

I have been making cards for friends and family for several years. I always enjoyed creating a unique card for each unique person. Of course little kids probably never cared to much about the card and how much time I took to put it together, but to my surprise, older nieces and nephews began to look forward to them. So I put more effort into them. I bought embellishments and tools to help cut fancy edges, hoping to make up for my inability to cut a straight line.
Eventually I found out about cutting machines and purchased my first one off of Craigslist. My husband paid $50 for a used Cricut Mini-a small machine that hooks up to a computer and uses a program (Cricut Craft Room) to cut images with surprising accuracy. I loved it. I bought pens to draw and write messages on cards. I made my own multi-layered embellishments. My cards look much better than they ever had and I was excited to do more and more. 
Eventually my husband surprised me with an update machine-the Cricut Explore Air and my crafting continued to evolve as I discovered the new features of my machine. More intricate cuts. More materials. Printing and Cutting. The ability to cut and draw or cut and score at the same time. I have tried my hand at vinyl decals for water bottles and walls, light boxes, iron-on vinyl, and stencils. I am still learning about new features and tricks to help make my projects go smoother and look better.
I have discovered websites, groups and products that have helped me along the way. I learned how to trace jpeg images and turn them into svg or png files. I have learned how to download and use fonts on my computer and iPad, and there is still more to learn.
I hope that I can help you along the way. Whether you are just starting out or have been at this for a while. I hope that we can have a bit of fun while creating things for ourselves and for others.

At this point my Crafting space is small and my crafting supplies only slightly organized so that I have a general idea of where stuff is. I hope to some day have a room to myself, one with shelves and drawers labeled and neat for my odds and ends, paper, vinyl, and so on. For now I make due with what I have. Boxes and bins for paper, vinyl, and stickers. I stole a hanging wall file holder for my 12x 12 mats, masking tape, and the little pouch I keep my Cricut tools in. I have a small "desk" with my machine on it and a little bin that holds scraps and my portable trimmer.
If you don't have a machine yet, I suggest looking around for one. Craft stores have them but so do places like Wal Mart and online retailers like Amazon. Often times there are sales (but be sure to check the fine print of coupons-they frequently exclude die cutting machines) Try craigslist like I did-it was worth the $50 to see if I would even like the machine, and I ended up reselling it once I got my new machine.
You can use all sorts of paper products. They do not have to be Cricut brand in order to be used in the machine. Same thing for vinyl. You can even find lists of pens and markers that can be used in the different Cricut machines. Cricut obviously has its own brand of pens to be used, and so far that is what I have always done.
My next post will focus on the need to have supplies and the nice to have supplies, later posts will focus on projects I have completed and I hope to provide photos and videos to help show you how to put some things together. Next week I will be showcasing an artist who I think is worth your time.