It just hit me this morning….do I need to upgrade…again?

I was watching one of the latest scrapbooking presentations on HSN (which I watch very often) and they spent about half an hour on the newest Cricut Expression 2.  While I wasn’t surprised (I mean, when they start bringing down the price and having crazy deals on items like the previous Cricut you know something new is coming), I also wasn’t interested.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love new toys.  I don’t know any scrapbooker/crafter/cardmaker/artist/insert your title here that doesn’t love new toys.  And, how many blog posts or articles have your read about how crafters are going on a craft “diet” and/or are challenging themselves to use what’s already in their stash?  You don’t fool me.  I see that pack of paper that you had to have but haven’t opened yet.  That ink over there…I see it.  It’s still wrapped up.  And don’t even get me started on that set of dies, that pack of stamps, that…that..you know what you have!

I know because I do it too.  Yeah, I have an open cart on several online scrapbooking stores.  And while I have gotten really good at leaving something on the shelf in the store when I really wanted it or organizing my stash better so that I use what I already have, I do get weak from time to time.  At the top of my wish list this year? A new Silhouette SD.

I was really close to buying one last year, but I held off.  And I’m glad I did.  Know why?  If you didn’t know it already, there is a new and improved Silhouette machine called a Silhouette Cameo.  While I’m sure there are numerous upgrades, one of the most significant features that I notice is the fact that the Cameo will fit 12 x 12 paper.  While I mostly only purchase 12 x 12 paper, I don’t necessarily want to upgrade my choice or change how much I may have to spend to get a new machine.  However, after taking a look at the Silhouette website, it says that they are discontinuing the SD and have started shipping the Cameo this month.  Huh? So I have to automatically upgrade even if I don’t want to?  Of course, places like Amazon and other companies still have the SD for sale, but I guess that will be limited too. Oh my.

A little while back I decided to upgrade my original Cricut to an Expression.  It didn’t hurt that they had lowered the price and threw in a Gypsy that had several carts pre-loaded for almost no cost.  This was right around the time the Cricut Imagine came out, then the limited Anniversary edition, and now the CE2, and next year…who knows?  I suppose if you have an unlimited amount of disposable income (and space), the crafting world is your oyster and your wallet is always at the ready for the latest and greatest.  Maybe you can do that (and, bravo by the way) but I have to limit my inner shopaholic.

Back when I first got into scrapbooking I remember when everything I owned fit into one medium-sized tote.  I used to pull out a 4 foot folding table and scrap in front of the television.  Now my smallest bedroom holds all of my wares.  And back before I owned a Cricut or a Cuttlebug or a red Sizzix or a Big Shot, I remember making my own die cuts.  Yeah..that wasn’t a typo.  I made them.  As a matter of fact I remember going to the craft store, strolling the aisles thinking…”But what if I need a custom fill-in-the-blank-here for my page?” When I couldn’t find anything that would work on the page I was designing, I took a clue from the flowery patterned paper I was using.  I ended up hand-drawing a complementary flower die cut, colored it with colored pencils, added some journaling and adhered it to the page.  It was very nice if I do say so myself.  And I didn’t need a bug or a crank to help me cut it out. Decorative scissors anyone?

Don’t get me wrong.  I love, love, love my tools.  That’s what a good tool does, right?  It makes life easier.  But I don’t mind stretching my creativity sometimes and going back to what I enjoyed so much about scrapbooking when I started.  I have also sold or donated tools, materials and supplies to help me purge what I don’t need anymore (like the original Cricut).  It helps me save money and make room for the things I really, really have to have.

So does having access to all of these uber-fantastic tools help or hurt your creativity?  I think it all depends on how you use them, but I won’t speak for you.  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!