Monday Mystery

It's a mystery to me that scrapbooking is no longer the relaxing hobby that it once was. It just seems like I have problems with everything I try to do. I spend so much wasted time. It's become very frustrating.

Case in point. So, on Saturday, I was working on a layout for my AYM group's round robin.

I decided that I was going to use my Circuit for the title. I got out my Gypsy and probably spent at least a half hour trying to decide what font I wanted to use. I ended up finding the word "family." I decided on the paper and was all set. 

The mat wouldn't load. I got a message that I needed to update my Circuit. I probably spent about 15 minutes trying to do that. The instructions were to power off the Cricut and hold down the "stop" button until you hear the beep. I swear, I did it about 20 times! There was never a beep! Then I tried it with the Cricut powered on. It still wouldn't work. I kept getting a message that "there was a problem. Please try again." I cannot tell you how many times I "tried again."

Finally, I unplugged this Cricut that had belonged to Sandy, and got out my old, very first Cricut. The only reason that I was using Sandy's was because mine has a problem with the little "doors" opening. I have to physically pry them open. I plugged it in and it worked! I loaded up the mat and cut the title. Thirty minutes down. When I was finished, I ran it through the 5" Xryon. This happened:

Are you kidding me??!! Apparently, the Xyron was at the end of the tape roll. Of course, it ruined my title! This has happened to me more times than I can count. Seems like there should be some sort of warning that the cartridge is nearing the end. This cost another 15 minutes.

Now I had to start the whole cutting process over. You might know that I did not have another full piece of that cardstock. I had to take the time to piece it on the Cricut mat. I cut it again without further problem. Luckily, I hadn't put everything away yet. I've learned that lesson the hard way many, many, many times! Something always messes up and then you have to get everything out again. (Side note, while I had everything out, I cut another title for my AYM club).

Next came the journaling. I figured out the size I needed, created a text box and typed it up. I went in to my office to print it out. My printer wouldn't print. Are you friggin' kidding me!!! I swear, it's always something!! I kept getting a message that there wasn't any "paper in the rear tray." I wasn't using the rear tray! I took all the paper out and reloaded it. I turned the printer off and then back on! That took me two tries before it worked. I got the journaling printed out and was ready to finish the layout. Another wasted 15 minutes!

As aggravating as the whole process was, it came out pretty nice.

 This layout is for my friend, Susan.

 The title is "Family matters." I used my labelmaker for the "matters."

I added stitching across the bottom of both pages. Susan is not a stitcher, so I try to make it a point to add stitching to any layouts I do for her. Also, my friends allow me to add to their journaling. Often times, they just list the facts. I like a little more than that!

All in all, I wasted a full hour with all the aggravations. I'm sure that it's always been pretty much like this while scrapbooking with one problem after another. I just don't remember it that way. It's a mystery to me that scrapbooking--which was once so relaxing--has become so stressful!!