Cricut Imagine

I went to a crop over the weekend and a topic of discussion was the "next big thing" from ProvoCraft. If you follow blogs at all, you probably know by now that it appears to be the Cricut Imagine, which appears to be something that prints and cuts. Supposedly there are tickets in cartridges - similar to the other PC promotions that we've seen in the past. We haven't even seen a demonstration of this new machine, but the buzz is there. The excitement is there. The anticipation is there.

But will it deliver? I don't tend to buy something as soon as it comes out, because I generally have to save up for an item and I am always cautious about getting something that may still have bugs. I fully expect the Imagine to have bugs (no pun intended), but the idea is intriguing. If this thing is for real, here is my wish list:

1. I want an all-in-one unit so that I can get rid of my printer and get rid of my Cricut (or at least leave it packed so that I can take it to crops). I want it to print, scan, copy, and cut.

2. I want the printer to be wide format. I'm dying to get into digital scrapbooking, but the need for a 12" printer has held me back.

3. I want the cartridges I have and the Gypsy I adore to be compatible with it.

4. I want it to be expandable. I am so tired of a disposable society where we buy new printers instead of an ink cartridge, where DVD players are tossed because BluRay is the next big thing. Think of this as a long term purchase and I'll be willing to spend more for it.

So, there's my wish list. Now, if I could just find someone to deliver one of these cool new machines to my stocking in time for Christmas . . .

(Paper) Trail Makers Design Team Announcement

I am so excited! The announcement was made today . . . I was selected to serve as a Design Team member for the (Paper) Trail Makers Challenge Blog! (also take the time to check out the Paper Trail store - great site!) Six members were selected for a six month term. As some of you know, I've been scrapbooking for over a decade, and enjoy cropping and scrapping in my spare time. Over the past few months, it occurred to me that I could - and should - combine my two passions (writing and scrapbooking), so I began to investigate ways to build my scrappy resume. Becoming a Design Team member became a goal. When I read the call for this particular team, I knew it was a perfect fit for me, for leaving a paper trail of my life (and my family) is exactly why I scrapbook. So, I worked to complete the challenges and submitted my layouts . . . and then wondered why I had tried. Then, I got the offer! Yea!!!

I am really looking forward to the opportunity to work with such talented individuals, and to exploring and developing my own talents. I hope you'll take the time to check out the blog - Karen does a great job, and all the Design Team members are extremely talented.

By the way, I celebrated last night - popped a bottle of wine and sat down to browse the most recent Creative Memories catalog. More on that in another post.

And another note: check out the card I put together tonight. The handwriting was a bit of a challenge to myself - I don't like my own writing, but I am attempting to use more of it in my creations.