There's just not enough pop ups in the world...

I love paper.  I have loved paper since as long as I can remember.  In fact, one of my first memories as a kid was making crafts, and not the glue and macaroni kind but folding paper and learning the art of Origami.  I remember being friends with a little Asian boy in my kindergarten class in Anchorage Alaska, at the Anchorage Christian Schools (obviously a private Christian facility) that was part of my parents' church, Anchorage Baptist Temple, and while I can't remember why (maybe it was my birthday) his mother brought me a package of origami paper and a simple origami book.  That was it, I was hooked.  I love the smell of the origami paper (if you've ever worked with it you know what I mean) and I was fascinated at how with a few simple folds and absolutely no cuts we could make amazing things...frogs that jumped, balloons you could actually fill with air (though they of course would not float).  The sky seemed to be the limit.  I wish I could remember the little boy's name because really this first introduction to paper had a very profound effect on my life as a crafter and a see-r of design. 

Growing up I was fortunate to have such a crafting/DIYing Mom and Grandmother but they excelled at sewing, quilting almost anything to do with fabric and I just wasn't as into it as I was painting, drawing and folding paper. I've probably made more cards than I have bought in my life.  Since then I have of course fallen in love with sewing and making my own patterns.  My Mom laughs because there were times as a kids when she wanted to show me things and quite frankly I just was not interested, thankfully, now I've seen the light and often call her up asking for her advice....

My other obsession as a child also involved paper...pop up books...pop up cards...if it popped up I wanted it. I loved not only the 3-D nature of these items I loved the movement.  As you opened the card or turned the page the objects literally came to life and the more precise ones even had those awesome tabs that you could pull or slide to make the objects and characters move.  It is just so fascinating to me...and that fascination has only gotten more in depth as I've gotten older and started to craft more and more.

I used illustrator to print out the font and size I wanted.
Then I traced it onto my photos and cut out by hand.  Doesn't seem like a big
deal unless you're used to using a machine to do all these types of things now!

When the scrapbooking craze arrived several years ago I stayed away quite on purpose.  I knew I could easily get sucked in...and that wouldn't be good for my practice time (I do have to still practice my horn!) or my pocket book (as a freelancer money can be very much hand to mouth most of the time). I made cards still from scratch and simple paper punches and some imagination.  I even started a scrapbook of my time in Japan with the Pacific Music Festival using only scissors and my computer to design paper templates, etc... I have to say I am still impressed with my ingenuity...I mean look at this page! 


I even made pop up cards:

Up until 2011 I had heard of this "Cricut" machine plenty of times.  I practically lived in JoAnn's so it was hard to miss and then there's the fact that I have a good friend from Alaska who was a product rep for Provo Craft...but it wasn't until I saw my fellow crafter's Cricut in use that I knew I had to have one.  I didn't dream I'd actually get one and the nice big one at that! But my awesome Mom who still loves crafting more than anything surprised me with the Cricut Expression my birthday last November.  It was love at first sight.  I was hosting a baby shower for my crafting friend Kelly and we put that thing to good use making everything from the invitations to the decorations and party favors. As the holidays approached I naturally began to think about making my holiday cards...Well...I made 10...10 pop up holiday cards...it takes alot more time than you think...and because it took so long I was too anxious to get them in the mail so that I didn't even take a picture of the two designs I did.  Take my word they were cute.  But now I am sitting here once again behind in my sending of birthday cards for both my Mom and Mother-in-law.  I could have just ran to the store but where's the love in that? I could have quickly cut out something cute, slapped some glue on it and stuck it in the mail...but where's the creativity? No, I had to design yet a new pop up card (though I will admit they and my father will be getting the same design) and redesign the way the pop up part works.  In my frustration with Cricut Craftroom (it keeps freezing on my) I've written this blog and complained openly to my husband about how long this is taking...why do I do this to myself...and he said something that made it all worth it... "but your cards look amazing and they bring joy to those that open them up"  and I think to myself, even if they don't to those who open them...I certainly still get a kick when I put them together and crack 'em open a few times before I slide them into the envelope.  I think this week I'll even experiment with some Valentine's pop ups...maybe I'll get them finished an in my Etsy shop in time for next years' holiday!

The basics...it took me three tries before I
finally got this basic mechanism right!

Everyone loves a cupcake!

Waiting to glue it all together...I love this color combination!

The finished front, with glitter of course...

and...surprise...a pop up cupcake...what more could you want!

Now wouldn't you just LOVE to be the reciever of this pop up of happiness?!?