On the way to Italy...

If you read my blog regularly, you probably remember that I was trying to decide what to do about my daily blog posts while we are on vacation in Italy. I made a resolution to post at least once every day in 2009 and the record is unbroken so far. I have set up something that I hope will be fun for you -with a little luck this will work (!)

So my clue from yesterday's post - AFADWIAA - means "A File A Day While I Am Away" (don't ask me how to pronounce it). All you need to play along is any Cricut machine, Design Studio and the "Wedding" Cricut Solutions cartridge.



This screen shot shows the single element we will be using - in a variety of combinations and using some Design Studio magic to get completely different looks.

Here is the element cut out in a size suitable for an A2 card.

I will be back on the 28th of September (and I will be trying to check in with a few posts from the road with my Gypsy) so there will be a total of 12 files. I will post the first one today just to get things going.

The posts are short and sweet with a photo and the file each day. I have used solid cardstock and no embellishments for the test cuts - consider these a base to begin your own creations. I'd love to see what you make - especially if you complete the whole series.

Don't forget to watch the Cricut Gypsy World Launch on HSN on September 24th.
It starts at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (that will be 6:01 a.m. in Italy - maybe I will be able to see it online).

Here is variation #1 - just a few hidden contours.

A File A Day - Card 1

Some nice things that happened today...

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am about to leave on a long anticipated vacation. My husband and I will be going to Italy to visit some friends and do some site seeing (and of course I'll be taking lots of photos). Visiting friends - both old and new - is one of my favorite things to do. Today I got to meet an internet friend who has also been a student in the Design Studio classes Jen and I teach through our Let me Show you How to Do that blog.

Pam and her husband are here in Concord on a visit from California - Pam's first time to this part of the country. They invited me to join them for breakfast and it was so much fun to meet the real person behind the computer connection! After breakfast and a quick tour of town to point out a few restaurants that would be good places for dinner, they dropped me back at my house and went off to check out all of the historic sites in our area. Of course we needed photographic evidence of the visit and Pam said it was fine to share these photos - just ignore my wild hair - it was not a "good hair" day!

When I got back to my house there was something waiting for me on my front porch - can you guess what it was? It's something that will be great to take with me on vacation....


Yes - it's a Gypsy - thanks so much to Provo Craft for sending this to me to preview, review and share with you. I've just started to work with it but I can already see that it will be a great way to pass the time on the transatlantic flight - and so light and easy to carry along.



This photo shows all of the contents of the box. The carrying sleeve is really bright and colorful. I think the color scheme of orange, yellow and pink that was chosen for the Gypsy is a perfect fit for a new and innovative product.

I know everyone is eager to know more about the "nitty gritty" details and I am in the process of writing up my initial review for the Cutting Above blog. Remember, you can enter to win one of the two free Gypsies that ProvoCraft has provided to celebrate the launch of the Cutting Above blog and the Cricut Gypsy World Launch on HSN on September 24th.

I will be posting a few times from my vacation (when I have internet availability). I will let you know how I am getting along with my new "G." I have the idea that I could be making scrapbook page titles as I visit places and then be a few steps ahead of the game when I get home and print my pictures. So watch for a few photos of me "crafting on the go" - you can guess "Where's Gypsy?" (look for landmarks).

I have one other surprise in store for you - can you guess what AFADWIAA stands for?

I'll tell you tomorrow...

Two weeks from tomorrow....

....I will be on a plane on my way to London and then flying on to Italy the next morning! Many of you know that our family lived overseas for eight years - first in Germany and then in England. The thousands of photos from those years are one of the reasons I became interested in scrapbooking. We made many friends during those years - as an ex-pat you bond quickly with people since everyone knows that it is likely they will be moving on in a year or two.



While living in England, we took a vacation to Tuscany and stayed near Lucca - a beautiful and very old walled town.



We stayed at this old farmhouse and had a wonderful time.



Four years ago, we returned to visit Italy after our older son finished his summer studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. We returned to Lucca and visited American friends who have "retired" to this area.



They love the life there and have olive trees in the garden along with this great "forno" for making fabulous homemade pizzas and bread!

I am telling you about our trip not to make you envious but because I have a bit of a dilemma. In January, I made a personal resolution to post on my blog every day this year and so far I have been able to stick to this commitment without missing a single day. It was my "take" on the Project 365 idea.

I have posted from various trips within the USA, but I am not sure if I will be able to keep up from overseas - and I think I need a bit of a vacation! I am even considering leaving my laptop home (gasp!) but, after eight full months, I am reluctant to give up on my posting resolution.



So, here is what I think I will do...

Many of you write to me and tell me how much you enjoy getting the feed emails each and every morning - you never know what I will post and enjoy the surprise factor! I started the blog for sharing Cricut Design Studio files but it has evolved over the last year and a half and posts can be about almost anything (but usually have something to do with crafts).

I think that I can set up a series of posts to publish automatically while I am away so you won't miss your morning email. I will probably be able to access the internet from time to time, but I am not taking a Cricut with me to make new projects while I am away. (I wonder if they have Cricuts in Italy - I will definitely be on the lookout for interesting papers).



I probably won't be able to edit and upload photos from the trip so be prepared for a "travelogue" post when I get back. On our last trip I had camera problems so I don't have many photos from that trip. I plan to make up for this by taking lots of photos with my digital SLR (Nikon D40) that is very reliable and takes much better photos.

I think this compromise will work and I can still keep my record of daily posts going even though they have been "pre-posted." If you have any thoughts or ideas about this, please leave a comment to let me know.



One other note - a few people have written to me to say that they are no longer getting the emails. When I check the subscriber list I still see them listed as active so I have no idea what is causing the problem and I can't seem to do anything to fix it - it may have something to do with the internet or email service that you are using. As an alternative, you can sign up to be a "follower" and then the posts will appear on your Google dashboard reading list.