My weekend surprise

[curriekidsmom]

This weekend my husband and kids surprised me with an early Mother's Day gift -- a Cricut. I'm so excited!! We had such a busy weekend that I've only got to play with it for about an hour, but as soon as I finish a little more housework & laundry, I'm going to take a couple of hours and see what I can do.:D

Sheila

[kasiahbug]

Lucky you! You will love the cricut. I've had my cricut for a couple years and use it every day. There are a lot of cricut users here- if you have any questions on how to use it, just ask and I'm sure you will get lots of help!:D

[Sonshine]

Yipee!!! rare is the DH that comes up with a gift you REALLY REALLY want. Have fun!

[curriekidsmom]

He probably got the idea from all the time I've spent in the Cricut section @ Hobby Lobby:D

[cantstopstampin]

Well that is what I call a husband who REALLY knows his wife ! Lucky you, let us see somethings that you've done with it...................so excited for you.

[love2scrap]

Woooooo Hoooooo!!!! Have fun playing!

[craftynana]

Have fun playing, I would really love the cricut. Trish :)

[Teresa]

WOW What a great Mother's Day Gift!! I wish my family would take my hints. Hints? They don't even take straight talk. I have been asking for gift cards from the craft stores around here for the last couple of years and have not got one yet. I have just about decided to tell them if they can't get me something from the craft store then save their money. To me that is why you ask a person what they want so you can give them something they want. Sorry about going on! You got a great gift!!!

Teresa

[Heather]

Oh how cool! Have fun with it!:)

[Kissedby2]

Bought my Cricut on a late night insomnia stint. Best thing I've ever done. Now, Michael's has the carts on sale for $39.99. They are usually $89.99. The M's I went to had lots and lots of carts.

Sorry, I became an enabler. I bought 3 today. My intention was to go in and get adhesives......darn that voice in my head that says "they will never be that price again". LOL

[curriekidsmom]

The nearest Ms is about an hour away, so my bank balance is safe for now.:(

[Dee_Dee]

Now there's a Happy Mother's Day!

[asiverson]

What a terrific gift; and what a terrific husband! I've had a Cricut Expression for some time now and love, love, love it! And I still don't know everything that each cartridge can do. Have lots of fun creating with yours; and Happy Mother's Day!

[banditsmom]

You will LOVE your Cricut so-o much--my husband surprised me with the Cricut Expression last Mother's Day! What a wonderful combo--HOTP and Cricut!

[egarcia]

My husband got me a Cricut for Christmas. I was in such shock. What I had asked for was for PW products LOL. Leave it to my high-tech hubby to choose something more high-tech than paper and adhesive to give to me in support of my addiction :).

[Sonshine]

I got an early Mothers Day present from my dh today. I used my Hobby Lobby 40% off anything not on sale coupon, and got the 72 Prisma Colors pencil set. I'm so excited to try them out. After hand sharpening the first row - I sure was glad I didn't opt for the 120 set right about now. Ouch. Anyone got a wrist brace? :D

[kasiahbug]

I got an early Mothers Day present from my dh today. I used my Hobby Lobby 40% off anything not on sale coupon, and got the 72 Prisma Colors pencil set. I'm so excited to try them out. After hand sharpening the first row - I sure was glad I didn't opt for the 120 set right about now. Ouch. Anyone got a wrist brace? :D

LOL -
I bought some color pencils last year and don't use them much. I just recently started coloring images and got them out. They are not watercolor! I was trying to hard to blend them and they wouldn't blend... I use watercolor markers now. My next big purchase is to get the Copic ones.
Oh and mine came sharpened. I should have known just by that they were cheap!

[fabyon]

LOL -
I bought some color pencils last year and don't use them much. I just recently started coloring images and got them out. They are not watercolor! I was trying to hard to blend them and they wouldn't blend... I use watercolor markers now. My next big purchase is to get the Copic ones.
Oh and mine came sharpened. I should have known just by that they were cheap!

They weren't pastel pencils by any chance ? As you need a solvent to blend them.

[kasiahbug]

They weren't pastel pencils by any chance ? As you need a solvent to blend them.

No, they weren't. They are called "Memory Pencils." And they say waterproof on the front (in small letters.) I didn't know that I would eventually want the watercolor pencils.

[Sonshine]

Yep - you have to watch and read labels thoroughly to find out in the world of pencils just what you are buying. I have a set of water color pencils that I do my pen & wash SMALL art with (botanicals mainly), but I haven't seen anything yet like the MCPT method shared by Kissedby2. What I don't like about water color pencils is it takes so much blending to "bleed out" a color into fade. And if using a blender pencil, it can pick up and transfer unwanted color to your fade area. But it is true that if you try using the mineral spirits to blend a cheaper pencil into fade, there's not enough true pigment & wax in some brands of pencils to get your desired results. This is where you get what you pay for I'm afraid. I haven't seen examples of work painted with the copic markers yet. Do you know where I could find some?

[kasiahbug]

There are so many people out there using them now.
Here is a site (http://countrylovincardmaker.blogspot.com/) and an example (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aEtHRK76CXM/SeYcl_YoIuI/AAAAAAAAC5k/4sPcQEz704g/s1600-h/cct+floral+fantasy.jpg) of one - but almost all the "good" card makers use Copics now. I remember when I first started I never heard of them and didn't really care so much. Now that my skills are getting better, I need a better coloring avenue. They are super expensive, but they are also refillable so may be cheaper in the long run.

[Sonshine]

oOOH - thanks Angela for sending the links to these. They're really bright, aren't they? I'll have to check that out more thoroughly to see the blending method and paper used. I plan on using the Bristol paper as I have so much of it I've used in painting. I'm sure Bristol would work equally as well for copic's. See - being a newbie to cards has brought about a whole new world for me. My poor dh - I feel like I'm bleeding him to death with art stuff. :( I'm just glad he's understanding...to a point. ;}

[kasiahbug]

Here is a link (http://ilikemarkers.blogspot.com/) on how to use them -- It's a great blog.

[kissat@hukassa.com]

You are such a lucky you!! Go to this blog
http://www.thepinkstamper.blogspot.com/
I love how Robyn explains everything.

[Sonshine]

Wow - thanks to both of you - I'm quite impressed. I really like the look. So perhaps it can be goal in the near future. Right now, I'm going to have to master these pencils. All I need is time, right? Thanks for sharing these. I LOVE to learn new things, new techniques. The really good thing is you're learning color theory, lights and shadows, all the things you would need to grasp for painting, without having to master the use of brush and paints. Must give this a try soon. Thank you!