Once my new Cricut arrived, it was like I got my craft groove back. It didn't take long to get used the Cricut Design Space software and I've already figured out how to get all layers to cut on a single mat so I don't have to unload and reload it for each layer. My first craft was the Create a Critter squirrel birthday card (seen above) that I made for my nephew's third birthday. My second was a birthday card for my daughter who turned 12 yesterday. She loves dogs so I found a cut one on my Animal Kingdom cartridge and used some fancy s.e.i. design paper for the mat. I also embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. Of course, I needed some inspiration for the layout so I turned to Freshly Made Sketches. I rarely make square cards, mainly because I don't have any square envelopes, but I absolutely love how it turned out. Then, last night, my daughter and I designed our own bookmark with a horse and personalized it with her friend's name who will be celebrating her birthday soon. It was so fun!

I am determined to keep up with my little hobby and, as such, am in the process of relocating my craft supplies to our office. I know having a quiet space with good lighting and a place to sit will make a huge difference. I can't wait to finish purging the rest of the office and linking up the dozens of Cricut cartridges to my online account. In the meantime, I hope to update my craft blog over at Diana's Designs with my newest crafts.

What can you do with a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Stampin' Up! stamps and some design paper? How about a handmade greeting card with pink butterflies and blossoms?

You know what I miss? Making my own cards using my Cricut. So when I was asked to make invitations for my nephew's first birthday, I couldn't resist. My sister-in-law chose the dalmatian cut from the Create a Critter cartridge, which was perfect because the hat has a number 1 on it. Aren't they just adorable? Head on over to my craft blog dianasdesigns.ca to find out how I made them: Cricut Create a Critter Dalmatian Invitations.

'Tis the season to be crafty! I made these Christmas cards a couple of years ago but only now shared them on my craft blog. You can read more detail about these cards here: Cricut Paper Pups Christmas Card with Holly. They're the kind of cards that inspire me to dust off my Cricut and make some new designs. Now if I can only find some spare time...

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While I haven't crafted in a while, I did manage to put a couple of birthday cards together at the request of a colleague at work before the school year was over. For this one, I used my cherished Martha Stewart butterfly punch that I found at Walmart last year. It's a simple design but she loved it. You can find more details over on my craft blog: Diana's Designs.

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Over the past few years, I have shared some of my handmade cards here on my blog but have neglected to share many of them on my craft blog. Now that I have a fancy DSLR camera, I have been making it more of a priority to share photos of these cards over at Diana's Designs Blog. This week alone, I have posted three new cards and hope to post some over the next few days. I would love it if you could pop by and share your thoughts on any of your favourites. Any feedback would much appreciated.

This weekend, the weather was so cold that we had to turn the heat back on. While Mother Nature may have a hard time understanding that it is spring, Stampin' Up! knows full well that it's the perfect time to celebrate the season of May flowers with their Spring Surprise Bundle, coordinating inks and card stock in bright colours. Stampin' Up! sent me a sample of the bundle that features the Round Array stamp set (available in clear-mount only) and the coordinating Scallop Circle 7/8" punch featured above. The stamp set includes five stamps with sentiments and three generic stamps that are perfect for everyday embellishments.

The Stampin' Up! Spring Surprise Bundle is a perfect set for those looking to incorporate stamping into their crafts as it includes all the elements required to complete a project. With these stamps and coordinating punch, you can easily embellish a variety of projects, like cards, notes, jars of homemade goodies, and more!

Since I love to make greeting cards, I chose to use some Stampin' Up! card stock in Primrose Petal and Raspberry Ripple with coordinating water-based dye ink to create a couple of birthday cards which measure at 5.5" by 4.25". I stamped and punched two of the same images and attached them using a dimensional to add some pop.

Here are some invitations I made for a co-worker this week. I wish I had more time to share my handmade greeting cards over on my craft blog Diana's Designs but I just can't seem to find the time. I'm definitely looking forward to the summer break!

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Here's a personalized card I made at the request of a co-worker. Can you tell I love making butterflies using my Cricut?

You can view additional cards over on my craft site Diana's Designs Blog. And don't forget that the  Stampin' Up! Storytime Suite giveaway valued at $70 is still running. Open to Canadian residents only.

Ever take up a hobby that brought you much joy but later you find it dropping lower and lower on your must-do list? That's how I feel when it comes to crafting handmade cards. I love it SO much but the demands of motherhood, teaching and life in general make it extremely difficult to find the uninterrupted time I need to get down and dirty in my messy craft space. I do manage to make some at the request of a friend or colleague but even still, I can't do them all. And that makes me a little sad. But then I look at pictures of some of the cards I've made over the years and I feel a spark go off. I found one today that I really liked so I posted it on Diana's Designs Blog. This is just a glimpse of what you'll find.

What hobby brings you the greatest joy?

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Happy 2012!