Tote Bag for my Cricut Accessories

Last time I blogged, I talked about needed/wanting a bag for my Cricut accessories.  Well thanks to Pinterest I found a free tutorial on Simplicity.

So last weekend I was at Hobby Lobby and found the perfect fabric and trim.  I couldn't find the webbing for the handle there.  I did find it at Joanns this week.

Here is what I did.  The directions can be found in the link above.

  I did deviate from the Simplicity directions and went by my Urban Handbag.

 All done, but I am going to get a piece of corrugated plastic to put at the bottom so it is firm.

Lots of room for mats, cartridge binder, tool kit, paper and rolls of contact paper.

And I think it goes very well with my Cricut Shoulder bag.

Cricut Shoulder Bag

Since I bought my Cricut Expression 2 last year, I never found a good way to travel with it.  I am so afraid that I am going to drop it.  I also have the original Cricut that fits perfectly in a reusable shopping bag with my tools and mats.

So after VBS I started looking online for a bag.  I found a bag from Cricut on so many sites.  But the reviews were a bit scary.  Like these from various sites:

Doesn't work good for larger crickets 
Doesn't fit right for the cricket expressions if it unzipped from side instead of front it would have been better.. Takes 10 min to figure out how to get it in the bag

This Cricut bag is well made and great for protecting a small/original Cricut machine from dust. In my opinion, however, if travelling outside your home, you'd have to be careful not to drop the bag because it isn't cushioned very well.  As far as fitting the Cricut Expression, despite the zippered extensions, it is "one wrestling match" to get the machine into the bag.  Think it's tough getting the Expression into the bag? Try getting it out.  The zippered opening seemed too small. Overall the fit is a pressed fit. It took 2 of us to handle the removal of the machine from the bag; one to get the Cricut Expression out and the other to prevent dropping it. ProvoCraft needs to come up with something better for the Cricut Expression. I'd be happy to have a cover or a bag just to keep the machine dust free. For the crafters that work with their Cricuts away from home, they'd no doubt want a cushioned bag

Cricut Shoulder Bag
This item was purchased for the Cricut Expressions machind and althought it can zipper open to expand to take the larger one, it really does not work well for putting the unit in and out or giving the larger Expressions the support and protection it needs. More of an after thought than really a design for the Expressions Machine.

Well finally after seeing negative comment after negative comment (all recent), I spotted one that said there was a hidden zipper on the end.

I decided to go for it and bought it on eBay.  Look it fits!  It was so easy to get in and out.  It might have been helpful  if the zipper was a different color besides black.

 Power Cord and USB cord is stored in the front pocket.

 It zipped up just fine.

 

Now I am on the hut for a cute polka dot fabric and I will make a tote bag that can hold the mats and my little tool kit.

So the moral of this entry....stick with your gut feeling and not all reviews are correct.

A photo tour of Jungle Safari, Where Kids Explore the Nature of God

I am normally better at taking pictures of all the sites, but somehow forgot this year.  Anyway here are some fun pictures of setting up for Jungle Safari.

Monday was supply moving day and starting on vines and leaves.  My husband brought a bunch of stuff on Sunday.  This is what was left for me to bring.

ACK!  I think we will work on Slug A Bug S.W.A.M.P on Tuesday morning!

Here is the Jungle Hallway to Slug A Bug S.W.A.M.P and Zipline Bible Time.  We made long vines from dollar store brown craft paper and stapled on green leaves.  We used a few different styles and colors of leaves.  You can find the template at Weelife.  I also cut down dollar store green plastic table cloths and hung them over the lights.

Next we are arriving at Slug A Bug S.W.A.M.P.  Miss V and her friend S.R decorated the door and created the tree inside.

 Some of the crafts were a little to hard for my Bouncy Beetles (Kindergarten-1st grade) so I found this mural at S&S Worldwide.  I also realized last year that cheap plastic flower pots make the best thing to hold markers, colored pencils, and fabric markers in.  They also can be used year after year.

Again we put paper vines and leaves everywhere!

 I also printed out what craft will be made on each day.  I get so excited when supplies are sorted.

While setting up, Gemini called and said our shirts were ready (a couple days early) so Miss V and I ran out to pick them up.

 A first peek at the shirts.

After Slug A Bug S.W.A.M.P was done, we cleaned out Zipline Bible Time and moved everything to the library to work for the rest of the week.

Next up theme signs

Base Camp is set up and ready for the Explorers to pick up their T-shirts and drop off their cell phones.

Next up pictures of Jaguar Junction.

I forgot to take good pictures of the ceiling, I found a mottled green and white gossamer and covered the lights.  We also wrapped the concrete pillars in brown paper and made them into trees.  At the very top I used foam pipe insulation and had green crepe paper hanging down to look like the tree top.  When the AC would turn on the crepe paper would gently move around.  It was really cute!

Sadly I didn't get to many pictures of Lizards Leap's decorations.  I took lots of busy children.

We went really simple with Toucan Jam and used the ancient pillars and jungle vines.  I have learned that it is better if we remove a few sections of chairs so that the kids can get up and dance and not fall over the chairs.

This is the Rainforest Learning Wall

I tried something new this year.  I put a table in Toucan Jam and had a bucket for each group.  This was a great way to keep track of the name tags and any notes or projects that needed to home.  This ended up working really well and will definitely do it again next year.

Finally for Jungle Safari, I use that opportunity to give back to a local charity.  Pregnancy Solutions is a charity that is very close to my heart.  This year we collected just under 50 packages of diapers, 19 packages of wipes, a whole box of shampoo, lotions, baby wash, a box of food and other feeding supplies and a hamper FULL of clothing.

Some of my Mighty Monkey's loaded up my car.