Grandmabonnie, I've been reading and watching videos on Design Studio, the Gypsy, SCAL, and just recently heard Make the cut mentioned. I understand that these things allow you to use any fonts or svg designs from your computer and with the last two, you don't have to buy any cartridges. How did you decide which one to go with? I'm not too savy about computer stuff, so prefer something pretty simple. Love the idea of being able to see the design on your screen and being able to weld things together. I have no plans for selling stuff, just like to be a bit creative and make things for myself and to use as gifts. Just seems more special if you can say "I made it myself". ;o) Kathy, I had never even heard of this type of machines until my DIL got hers--then I thought that since I don't scrapbook I couldn't justify buying one. But once I saw so many cute wood signs, blocks, and glass items with the designs and lettering on them, I knew I'd enjoy having one. Since your's connects to your computer, you will be able to make lots of fun things in addition to the signs you make for work. If you go to the Cricut message boards, allot of the gals there offer their svg cuts free. You could use your machine to label boxes, jars, machines, etc. at work and make fun things for at home too. I've seen glass jars labeled as canisters, signs on walls, lots of different blocks--the list goes on and on. I'm really eager to work on more projects with mine--it's easier to do a sign with it than it is when I paint one! ;o) In fact, I might even combine the two! Luvs

I understand why you stocked up, though. You haven't been able to find those things in the past 8 years, have you? You were moving to a completely different continent and thought you wouldn't be able to get them. And you haven't. Until now. There's only 1 store in Canada, after all. There are 9 in America, but only on the west coast--Washington and California. I've had so many things I like discontinued that I'm often tempted to stock up when I find something that *works*. Lucy, CreativeSpacesUSA.com has gone out of business, and that domain name will soon be owned by Organize.com.

I decant extra paint (from opened paint cans) into as many tip-tip full canning jars (of varying sizes) as necessary to contain it. Then I clean out the gallon can carefully so the label is intact (or remove it beforehand) and then put the canning jars back in the now-empty can and reseal it. That way I keep all the label info connected to the paint. Drill little holes in the handles of your paint brushes so you can thread in a wire (cut from coat-hanger type wire) and suspend the brushes without the bristles touching the bottom of the container and without the ferrules (metal part of the brush above the bristles) being under the water or solvent when leaving them to soak during breaks or between workdays on the same job. If using solvent as a soak (oil-based paints) have a container with a tight-fitting plastic lid that you pierce with a tight-fitting hole for the brush handle to protrude up through. If you are painting a room with the same color from more than one gallon can, then take the trouble to "box" it all together before starting in order eliminate slight color differences bewteen cans. Boxing means pouring it all together into one pail stirring and re-filling the cans (easiest, but messiest) or removing a good part of the gallon from one can and refilling with part of each other gallon and repeating until all the gallons have been admixed, and re-stirred. This ensures that if you have subtle differences between gallons that even if you start a new can in the middle of a wall, there will be no problem. If you can't do this, then try to start new cans at a wall break, keeping the remainders separate, and then pouring them all together and starting as if that was a new can. Working without boxing will make it harder for later near-invisible touch-ups, which is why boxing it all at the beginning is wisest. If you run out of paint and must buy more then, always re-start at a corner, or wall break. When spinning out roller covers (sorry Faron, I do this with all my good quality ones, especially on multi-day jobs using the same paint) put a large trash bag inside a big trash can and spin away within it. This contains the droplets where they can't get into trouble. Roller spinners are expensive, but worth it. I use them for paint brushes, too, prior to final hand shaping for drying. Save the covers from your brushes to store them in after cleaning and drying. Don't start painting w/o at least a roll (preferably two) of paper towels immediately at hand. These are rescue sopper-uppers in the event of an emergency paint spill. I once overturned a nearly-full gallon of oil-based enamel on an unsealed brick hearth (don't ask how stupid I was that day to allow it to happen!) Because I had the towels right there (and a gallon of solvent) I was able to get it all up with not a bit remaining in the pores of the bricks. But only by the good luck of having a new multi-pack of Bounty in the room. Buy good canvas drop cloths, and wash and store them for re-use. They are safer and will make your painting easier and less fraught. I use these under ladders and by walls I am painting. For other parts of the room and piled-up stuff not near the paint work, I use old bed sheets to cover. Bed sheets will catch little droplets, but only canvas will contain anything more serious. Take the trouble to learn to cut-in by hand. If you can apply eyeliner, you can cut in. It's much, much, faster than taping and makes a better looking job since you can easily fill in tiny little wall squiggles as you go along. It's partly in having good tools (properly sized, well-flagged and angled brushes) and also learning just how much to load it for the paint you are using. (Each new paint will require a bit of observation and trial and error to get the hang of cutting with it.) I like to start a big job with at least two cutting brushes ready for use so if one becomes over-saturated I can set it aside and keep on. Practice cutting with a new paint in an inside corner where both adjacent walls will be the same color, not at the ceiling/wall intersection or along door or window jambs. By using the corner your hand will get the hang of that particular paint, with less need for clean ups as it will all get covered with the same color. The same for trim: don't pratice at the intersection of wall and trim, practice at a place where two surfaces of the trim meet each other. Try not to paint if you are really tired, distracted or under heavy time pressure. That's when mistakes happen. Very good light (high wattage) from two angles makes it easier to cut and roll more evenly. When I was in college in the early 70's the University was trying to increase their Equal Employment numbers by adding female workers to their maintenance crews. I had a part-time job with the painters. Those guys schooled me in the ways of professional work. They insisted that (real) painters didn't wind up with paint all over themselves, even their hands. They heckled me mercilessly until I learned to work clean. They also taught me not to leave "holidays", that's places where the rolling was too thin and the primer or previous paint shows through. HTH, L.

About the only thing our cat really loves is a laser pointer. He can hear you pick it up across the house and comes running- it has a keychain on it and no matter how quietly you try to pick it up, he hears it. I'm wary of the laser pointer- making sure to keep it away from his eyes as he bounces around and all that, but it is by far his favorite toy, and it wears off his horrendous energy level like nothing else can. He also likes the little stuffed birds and mice that chirp when they are moved.