I have been asked on more than one occasion where I get my inspiration from…well I usually answer, I get it just from things I see in everyday life…lego blocks for example was my latest inspiration for my Christmas Tree Cards. I love pouring myself over my Cricut Handbooks to get ideas and think “outside of the box” with just my cartridge handbooks or my overlays. I get tons of ideas from looking at actual website design templates. You can also get great ideas for color schemes through that as well, and finally, I have to say nature is a huge source of inspiration to me. God’s great creation is FULL of details that you have to fully stop and admire to get the fullness of the details in every little thing. Not that my projects necessarily reflect “nature” in anyway, but sometimes just looking at the way a flower sprouts out between two bushes is enough to make want to run home and put together a scrapbook page. 🙂
Anywho, that isn’t really what this post is about. I want to do a REALLY thorough post on color scheming and layouts later…I know some of you are ANXIOUSLY awaiting it, but I am still putting it together and want it to be full of GREAT resources for you 🙂
This blog post is about other blogs…blogs that I love and visit often to feel part of this AWESOME community…I almost feel it unfair to say I only have 5 favorites – because I have WAYYYYY more than 5! There are SOOO many talented crafters out there…oyyavey I love so much! So I am just going to start listing them a bunch! There are TONS upon TONS out there, but this is a START into my world…what I was checking out, what gave me juice – I love so many! I am not on all these sites everyday, but they are great!
- Tim Holtz – I loved Tim Holtz designs and videos from day one of ever looking at a scrapbook or cricut or card making video – so much inspiration and wonderfulness he designs and I just love it! I don’t always make what he creates nor do I try to always mimic it or anything…I just truly admire his work!
- Obsessed With Scrapbooking – HappyHappyJoyJoy – she was the FIRST blog I ever came across when I was looking into Cricut info and inspiration. Joy has become such a huge part of why Above Rubies Studio came about, and I don’t think she has a clue how much I adore her! 😉 I am totally honored and THRILLED that she has been apart of the growth of Above Rubies Studio and that she would take time to also have THREE amazing Projects in the Above Rubies Studio Cricut A to Z DVD! She is just awesome and has AMAZING projects, resources and info constantly! 🙂 I love her!!! 🙂 If you haven’t been on her blog recently – you need to go check her out again or for a first time if that so happens to be! 🙂 Her original cutting guide is what put the fire under me that there was even more of a need for a guide for cutting with the Cricut and I don’t know if I ever gave her public recognition for that inspiration! 🙂
- Jennifer McGuire Ink – when I was looking into dreaming about someday owning my own studio, Jennifer McGuire’s scrapbooking room was a first that I had found and fell in love. I found her by doing a search for scrapbooking rooms, and I absolutely adore all that she does with stamping. Jennifer was seriously the biggest reason I decided I had to start stamping! She also does amazing things with Tim Holtz inks and such and I just love what comes out! 🙂 If you have never seen her scrapbooking area/room – you NEED to check out this link – I am IN LOVE and can’t wait until our Studio is completely done being designed to show you our finished project – for now enjoy Jennifer’s!
- My Cricut Scrapbooking – Beth has done some amazing things over there with free .svg files for Sure Cuts A Lot I get a lot of .svgs from her and she is always a great resource 🙂 Great stuff!
- Christmas with the Cricut – Joy, Tammy and Melanie do an AMAZING job posting a new project everyday for your Cricut Christmas projects, decor, layouts, and tons of cards – they are just SO awesome! You need ideas for Christmas, you check them out – I can’t even begin to give you the resource they give you – PLUS they do weekly giveaways BONUS! 🙂
- Craft Junkie Too – Tracy is a sweetheart! You will love her posts I am sure – she is just great!
- Kristina Werner – Card inspiration CITY over there! Kristina is AWESOME at wiping out ideas for Cards.
- My Pink Stamper – Who doesn’t LOVE Robyn??? She has some really cute card and scrapbook page layouts and she is always a bundle of spunk in her videos
- Capadia Designs – Diane has amazing Cricut Design Studio work on her blog, it truly amazes me how much work she puts into some of her Design Studio projects, GREAT Inspiration – she also has some amazing projects in the Cricut A to Z DVD that you will NOT want to miss!
- Joy’s Life – Another Joy in my life 😉 She has given me some amazing inspiration over time and she was the one I learned about numbering your Cricut handbooks through. I asked her awhile back when I was first doing videos if I could user her method and make it my own, and that’s exactly what I did 🙂 I did a little video on how I number my Cricut Handbooks, changed up her way a little bit and you can find exactly what works for you! 🙂
- Custom Crops – I didn’t know if I should put this link here or wait and then I decided I just had to! Custom Crops has a ROCKIN’ Design Team of Crafters and they are a HUGE inspiration! You need to check out all their awesome design team members and see what I mean! Click here to check it out!
- CreationswithChristina – She has done an awesome series on Wild Card Cricut Cartridge – Love it! 🙂
- Chic N’ Scratch – Believe it or not, I only recently found Chic N’ Scratch and she is awesome if you have not yet heard of her! Great stampin’ up demonstrator with great tutorials on stampin’ up projects!
- LiveLaughScrap – Lori is someone that has sorta found me and I found her through that – but she has such AWESOME stuff on her blog! Someone who I have grown to greatly admire in this HUGE online world of crafters, but I have to share her! She is just great and I love her ideas! 🙂
- Courtney Lane Designs – Melanie can whip out those cards! I was introduced to Melanie through Joy Tracey through Christmas with the Cricut – I can’t tell you how sweet and awesome all three of these girls are and you have to check out each of their blogs! Ok, but Courtney Lane Designs – seriously, awesome stuff, regular posts of just amazing card projects and much more 🙂
- Creative Critters Club – Tammy is yet another one that simply amazes me in her work – I follow her mostly through Christmas with the Cricut and her other design team projects, but you can check one of her blogs out here 🙂
Ok, so that is a SHORT list of the many blogs I visit – There are many more – so please don’t be offended if you read this and i didn’t mention you! 🙂 This is just such a HUGE awesome online world and I am SO blessed to be a part of it – what an AWESOME gift this technology is that we can share our ideas with the entire world with a few typing words and a click of a button!!! 🙂
Keep sharing your ideas, keep creating and keep inspiring!!! You are wonderful! 🙂
I love to check out new blogs…
thanks for the list!
TR
Some of my favorites are listed. I love that.
You are so right, technology is a wonderful thing!! Everything I want to learn I just jump on the web and go to it!! You have a few sights listed I have not visited, will definitely try them out. Thanks for sharing!!
Yea for this. I just posted this question on another site for moms. I am in a group called scrap n moms and I cant wait to look at these sites. I love watching/looking at others work for inspiration. Thank you for this one!!
There are a few names/blog in your list, that I myself are not familiar with, but many that I do like to frequent. Thanks Megan I can go have a look at those.
Hi Megan,
I enjoy reading your posts and all your top 5 stuff. I was hoping I was in the running for your top sites of inspiration… just kidding 😉
I’m a newer blogger and would love for you to pop over, check out my blog and become my friend.
http://robinscreativecottage.blogspot.com/
Have a wonderful day!!!
Robin 🙂
I just recently stumbled upon your blog, and I am loving it! I LOVE the name of your blog. amazing.
Thanks for introducing me to Kristina Werner. I am really loving some of her cards.
Megan – you ROCK! This is an awesome list….
Oh my, Thank You so much. you are so sweet & have put me in such great company. You have listed so many of my favorites too, but some I have not found yet. I will be off to visit them too.
Lori
Thanks for the blog listing…check out mine:
http://cleversoiree.blogspot.com, nothing fancy but I love to play…
You are such a source for information! Oh, but I wish that I had the time to visit every one of those blogs every day — I have SO much to learn and then I NEED so much time to practice :0)
thank you so much for sharing these sites. It makes my day to receive new Above Rubies posts, and this one was a special treat!
Great List, TFS!!! 🙂
LOVE looking at blogs….but I hate sifting through non craft ones…thanks so much for making it easy!
I was surprised not to see the Cricut MB on your list!
Keep those TOP 5 comin’ girlfriend.
“All – I – want -for-CHristmas- is….”
more Cricut videos from Megan!
Well, a pair of diamond studs would work, too. LOL!
Hi Megan!! So many of these are on my list of favorites, too!! I was thrilled to see Custom Crops listed (because I truly admire the work of all my fellow DT members at CC and I’m honored to be a part of the team!!!!.
Happy Holidays!
Terry
Thanks for the list!! There are a few on the list that I do visit—love, love, love Jennifer McGuire & Chic N’ Scratch (and also, don’t think it’s listed but, Gina K). I have learned so much from Jennifer McGuire, words could never express how much I appreciate that woman. Recently I watched all of the Thinking Inking series and just couldn’t get over how awesome it was of her to share her knowledge so freely and in the depth and detail that she did it. I am new to this world of crafting and her videos nearly knocked me outta my chair.
Also…sorry, this comment is turning into a post…lol But I just discovered your blog yesterday!! And I also ordered the DVD!! Just got my very first Cricut (e) about a week ago—an early Christmas present. I love it but I know there is a ton more I could be doing with it. I’ll get there. Thanks for the Cutting Guide you have on the sidebar—wish I had found your site about a week ago as the (cut) settings with my Cricut was the first thing I screwed up….lol Will also look into SCAL a bit down the road but first need to get a few of the basic techniques down 🙂
What great, great websites! I LOVE Jennifer McGuire too. She is such a super talent. Thanks for sharing your favorite blogs! Here is the link to Jennifer’s scraproom videos. I followed your link and it just brought me to her general blog.
Ooops. Here’s the link…
http://jennifermcguireink.typepad.com/my_weblog/my-scraproom-videos-and-photos.html
Megan! You are so sweet!! Thank you so much for your kind review!!! I feel the same way about you!
Thanks so much for making me #10!! It’s nice being another “Joy” in your life, LOL!
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