When I have an idea, it take a bit of time and experimentation to create something from it.
Sometimes it takes a lot of time to make a dream in my mind become a physical item. Then once it is a physical item it can take time for it to become a version that I am happy sending out into the world.
There are so many minute choices I make each time I sit down and design or make something. Should it be silver? Should it be bronze? Is this too heavy? Is it a millimetre too big?
I am always wanting to learn more, try more, and experiment with new processes in my art making. While I am mostly hands on and love the tactical sensations that touching something as I make it allows, sometimes it is good to step a bit out of my comfort zone.
Recently I purchased a Cricut machine after about a year of thinking maybe I should invest in one. As I hummed and hawed about getting one several people encouraged me to just go for it. It was a hard decision for me.
So, I did. My list had 27 things on it in about as many minutes. I knew what it could do, and what I wanted to do with the Cricut cutting machine. So, I ordered. Then it arrived.
I opened its box on July 17th. After making a test project with the materials and instructions that came with it, I also altered one of my cacao pod designs and had a cacao pod removable sticker within two hours of opening the box.
My next project was a test card from a ready-made project file. Then it was onto my own things.
I have played with making some 3D objects, cards, bookmarks, and a few other items that I am not quite ready to share yet.
There has been a big learning curve in figuring out how to create the right kind of computer file so it will cut, or print and cut, and in transferring a drawing on paper into a readable computer file. So, I have learned, read, tried, made, failed, and created with the Cricut for the last several months.
It has made some things easier and less time consuming. It had made me go huh more than a dozen times, but it has also opened up so many more possibilities for things I can create and how the process of creating happens.
I have made a bunch of cards, partly because they are a product I already offer in my shop, but also because they are an easier place to start. That said I don’t make basic cards.
I have learned to make lace style patterns to create a design like this, which I have used in regular sized cards, mini cards, and on a bookmark. I have even made a vinyl iron on that I really should iron onto a shirt to see how it looks.
I have made single line drawing files so I can use a pen in the machine to create cards and use pens and foil to make them a little bit extra. Perfect for adding to a chocolatey gift. I used them to make this Happy Birthday card with cacao flowers on it. It will soon be available in my shop with any sentiment you like such as Congrats, Thinking of You, Just Because, or anything else you like as these will be made to order.
I love creating my own designs and bringing them to life with Cricut.
So much to try and explore. There are so many ideas floating around in my head, the possibilities are endless.
