1. You can get the Cricut Expression for under $200. Our PX has it for $350, Hobby Lobby was selling it for around $270 I think but did you know at least for now, Walmart.com has it on sale in colored versions for $175? Site to store means no shipping costs, so even with tax you are still under $200! Mine even came with a 12x12 mat, the cricut classic font and the cricut lite playtime cartridges in the box which I wasn't even expecting.
2. The second most important thing to purchase if you really want to be able to use the Cricut to it's fullest potential is the Sure Cuts a Lot software (known as SCAL). I got mine for $75 from Amazon but I believe you can get it even cheaper at craftedge.com ($60 last I checked) or even better at scrappingtable.com (this is a re-seller) the download (no CD) is even under $50 and you get lots of free SVGs if you order from them (wish i had!). Apparently you will void the warranty on your cricut if you use SCAL. Provocraft (who makes the Cricut) apparently hates the SCAL people. I would too if I was them. They are still trying to sell those cartridges at outrageous prices and the SCAL program cost as much as ONE of them. And it can do 10,000+ more things. It's really sad for the Cricut-makers because if they had just (in my opinion) invested more in R&D, they would have come up with the program first and could have charged $500 for it. But yea for us. If you really want some cartridges though (and you have to have one--any kind--inserted for SCAL to work), Amazon.com is the way to go! I got the paper doll dress up cartridge for under $25 and to me it was totally worth it. That cartridge totally rocks.
3. SVGs (scalable vector graphics) are simply the form a file must be in for SCAL to make your Cricut cut stuff. You can get many free SVGs on the internet (or pay for them) or make them yourself. I'm all about doing things myself, so I quickly learned that the free internet program Inkscape give you the ability to turn pictures (jpegs, etc.) into SVGs. I went to youtube.com and began learning things little by little there. It wasn't long after that that I wanted to mess with the pictures before using Inkscape even, which led me to GIMP (a free and way simpler version of Photoshop which program my husband actually owns but when he dropped a big fat book in my lap when I asked how to use it.....yeah, not right now). Again youtube has been very helpful. Would probably be helpful for Photoshop too. :-)
4. Onto cutting vinyl...this is a very popular use for the cricut. People have made so many cool things to put on tiles or walls or whatever, it is really awesome. With the SCAL program, I have hundreds of free fonts to choose from (all the true type fonts on your computer will come up) and can really do any little saying I want, any way I want. Or any picture for that matter. But vinyl can be tricky to work with. I began cutting some things out and as the letters would slip around and I'm working up a sweat trying to make things work right, I once again looked for answers on youtube. Maybe this post should be an ode to youtube. I learned all about the "kiss" cut. I had been cutting all the way through my vinyl and its backing. NO! This is bad. This is why the letters won't stay still. If you adjust your settings on the cricut, you can get it to cut through JUST the vinyl. Way better! My dreams of doing intricate designs in vinyl were resurrected! Check out the "thin" lines on this baby. And I designed this tile myself with a favorite conference quote.
5. Still discussing vinyl...this is about transfer tape--I bought a roll of this so I could lift my vinyl up in perfect position and then press it wherever I wanted. I hear blue painter's tape works as well. It is very worth it to find some way to lift your vinyl. Repositioning it bit by bit will give you the fits. I would know.
6. More vinyl...so the rolls of vinyl at Hobby Lobby are $8 or so. I got a roll of 2 12" by 36" sheets of white vinyl for $8. Then I read about how contact paper is the same thing and went to Lowe's to the shelf liner section. I got a roll of white that is 12" by 10 feet (so four more feet than HL's) for $2! And I found some metallic liner and some marble--looking liner for a great price too.
I blinged up my cricut with the silver vinyl (and didn't bother with transfer tape--will I ever learn?!--sorry, it's just a bit crooked).
Can't wait to come up with something for the marble stuff--maybe some pillars in my new house? Yee-haw.
7. Lowe's (or Home Depot or Ace's, whatever)--these places have great prices on individual tiles so you can make cool Christmas gifts or whatever. I love how crafters keep finding ways to use stuff at the big hardware stores--remember the glass-block craze? Hardware stores are the bomb. And don't worry, I haven't messed up my budget for any of this. I used my allowance first and then Jer went on a TDY and came home and dropped extra cash in my lap. Oh happy day! When can you leave again, hon? :-)
8. Now for glue. I am no expert at this yet. You can still see the glue here and there on the cards I have made. When I had nothing to work with but a glue stick I thought I was going to go crazy. Then I was able to get a couple glue pens. Still not crazy about those either. Back to the glue sticks for now which I am actually getting pretty good at using. It's a process.
9. Learning how to weld together letters (or objects) in SCAL is a very useful thing to know how to do. Youtube it!
10. There is a "duplicate" button in SCAL. I tried to help Tina do something on my cricut when I was first learning how to use it and couldn't figure out how to do it until she left of course. It is under the object button when you have something "selected". You have to fiddle with the horizontal and vertical spacing to get it just right but it's WAY better than copy and pasting things over and over and over...sorry Tina! (she's used to me being lost though)
11. You can also pick just regular paper up off the cricut mats in perfect position with drywall tape, then apply glue to it and lay it onto your project then carefully remove the tape. Drywall tape is cheap in rolls at Lowe's. And I am going to cheat and throw another one in with 11--I haven't done this yet, but according to the many cricut users on the internet, you don't have to
6 comments:
Well I won't be doing an 11 list about the cricut. I would love one. Actually, I am seriously considering the Silhouette, which is pretty much the same thing but you don't need cartridges. You can hook it right up to your laptop and use fonts, images, whatever from your computer. But I still have a lot to learn. And I don't think I want one until we move again. But we'll see. You have some great tips though, that I'm sure will work for either machine. I especially love to know that you can use contact paper instead of their vinyl. That totally rocks. You are awesome.
You guys need to come visit so you can teach all you've learned. Especially the thin lines:)
To much estrogen in here for me.
Can I be your apprentice? When you start learning something, you go all out. I wish memory transfer worked with our brains. Thanks for all the info. It will be very helpful as I continue to learn my Cricut.
BTW- I love, love your tile!
They didnt have green anymore but I am so happy to say my AQUA cricut walked in with my husband yesterday!!!!! Yipee!!! I printed out your list btw. If you have anymore tips keepum coming!
Post a Comment