Create Your Heart Out

If you’ve noticed I’ve been absent from the crafting world lately, you are correct. I will be back soon, but would like to share some sad news.

My father, Joseph Monahan, passed away suddenly last week in his home in Cincinnati. Luckily he did not suffer, but he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. I rushed to Cincinnati when I heard the news and have been here with my mother ever since. This past week has been about family, and while it was much needed, I wish that the circumstances were different.

If you have called or emailed me about a crafting issue and I have not called you back, please know that I will get back to everyone as soon as possible. If you have called to express your condolences, I am grateful and will get back to you as soon as I am home and things are back to normal, which will probably be early next week.

Thank you for all the kind words, cards and flowers. It is nice to know at times like these that I have the support of many great friends. If I have learned anything from this it is that life is indeed too short and cherish those close to you, as you never know how much longer you have with them.

I love you Dad.

Day 123 at 365 Card Challenge is “Shades of Yellow” The challenge is to use three shades of yellow on your card.

•Bazzil Cardstock
•CTMH Bee Mine stamp set
•May Arts Ribbon
•Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll Pen

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Day 86 at 365 Card Challenge is Keep it Simple One stamped image, one stamped sentiment, & one embellishment of your choice. No patterned paper on this one.

•Bazzil Cardstock
•Inky Antics Stamp Set
•CTMH Ink
•Copic Markers E31, E44, 100

Day 85 at 365 Card Challenge is “Flora & Fauna” which requires that you include both plant and wildlife on your card. You must use a plant/flower image on your card and a wildlife and they must be from different sources.

•Little Yellow Bicycle Patterned Paper

•CTMH Inks Ocean Z2136, Sunny Yellow Z2122

•CTMH-buttons

•Cricut Cartridge “Life’s a Beach”

Day 84 at 365 Card Challenge Super Sketchy Sunday:

•Bazzil Cardstock
•CTMH- stamp set TLC C1364
•Color Box Metallic Chalk Ink
•Sizzix Embossing Folder

Day 83 at 365 Card Challenge 4 Wheel Drive. All you have to do is put 4 wheels of any kind on your card:

•Cricut Cartridge “A Word Party”
•Cricut Cartridge “Pooh & Friends”
•Liquid Applique
•Bazzil Cardstock
•CTMH-buttons
•CTMH-stamp set “Enjoy the Journey” B1334

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Today’s challenge at 365 Card Challenge is Buttons & Bows you must include 4 buttons and 4 bows on your card.

•Buttons-CTMH

•Ribbon-May Arts

•Tag cut from George & Basic Shapes

•Cardstock-Bazzil

•Patterned Paper-K & Company

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Well with being gone all weekend I had a lot of catching up to do at 365 Card Challenge I have the cards for the last 5 days done so lets begin with day 54 Fancy Folds. The challenge was to do a Joyfold card here is my take on the challenge:

For this card I used Basic Grey paper, CTMH stamps and inks using the puddle pad technique. and a brad and photo turn from American Crafts and cardstock from Bazzil.

Day 55 is on Pins & Needles your project must incorporate pins for a decoration and needles for the purpose of stitching.For this card I used the Heritage Cartridge from Cricut, May Arts ribbon, prima flowers, Cuttlebug embossing folder Textile Textures, cardstock from SEI and a CTMH stamp from the Thank you set D1361, & a hat pin I had.

Day 56 brings on another Super Sketchy Sunday:

For my card I used a Martha Stewart border punch, CTMH buttons, Bo Bunny patterned paper,May Arts ribbon and a CTMH stamp from the Fringed Phrases C1366 stamp set.

Day 57 is Ad Inspire

I have two pics on my card the first one is open so you can see how I made my side foldover card and the second one is closed. For this card I used papers from DCWVNana’s Nursery boy & girl paper packs, CTMH buttons, May Arts ribbon and Bazzil cardstock.

Day 58 is Crazy 8’s that means things in quanties of eight-using at least 3 different items on your card . For this card I used 8 different CTMH star stamps from Wishing Star D1333 and 8 different inks, finishing off with 8 different buttons.

Day 59 is Moving Parts and what moves better than pinwheels?

The paper is from Imaginisce, ribbon May Arts and the stamp is from CTMH’s Paisley Praise D1414

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

I’ve been out of town teaching in Gaylord, Michigan, a small Alpine village in northern part of the lower peninsula, and wow, what a wonderful group of women I got to work with. I taught two basic Cricut classes and a Design Studio class. Three days of food, fun and friends; I couldn’t have asked for more.

Denise Cather from Ostego Club put on a great event with 80 crafters. Each attendee got 8 feet of scraping space, welcoming gifts and personal lighting. There were lots of enthusiastic, knowledgable vendors. Michelle Nist from Close to my Heart hosted a scrapbook contest and make and takes. The best part is they have invited me back for their event in October. I plan to teach a Copic Marker class, as well as all of my Cricut classes. If you are interested in joining us, send me an e-mail and I’ll get the information right to you.

I had three good friends who joined me for this Scraptabulous weekend: Rosie, Jennifer and my cohort Jo. Because we arrived a day early, we were on our own for breakfast the first morning. We slept in after our long trip — extended by food and bathroom stops and a visit to a big Brighton, Mich., scrapbooking store – and we had lunch at a great little local restaurant. You can’t beat the daily lunch specials at the Sugar Bowl.

After lunch, we headed for the main scrapbooking area to get set up. Staff from the Ostego Club was there all weekend to cater to us. Massages, manicures and pedicures were available for those who wanted them.

We took a break before dinner to get a memorable pic for those who wanted to scrap their memories of the weekend. (Here’s Mike getting everyone in place for the picture.) The accommodating staff of the Ostego Club provided curbside porter service for getting in and out of the scrapping area. Having someone there to help load and unload our many bags of supplies was the perfect touch for a Scraptabulous-filled weekend.

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Think there are some things that can’t go digital? Think again. One of the latest crazes in stamping is just that: Digital stamps.

Digital stamps, or digi stamps, are black and white digital images that are downloaded onto a computer where they can be manipulated before printing out.

Basically, when they are printed out, digital stamps are just like traditional rubber or clear stamped images. One of their attractions is the fact that the images can be resized, flipped (create a mirror image) or manipulated in other ways before printing it out and colored in the same way that a rubber stamped image is colored. This gives a stamper a range of new design opportunities. The most significant difference between digital stamps and traditional stamps is that there is no physical stamp. A digital stamp is just the image.

There are some pros and cons to digital stamps. One pro is the digital factor. If you do a search you can find just about any image you want in the blink of an eye. You can download it, use it and go. No more storing bunches of stamps you only used once. They’re pretty inexpensive (and sometimes free!) and easy to use. The downside is that unlike a physical rubber stamp, you have to print it out, so using it on some projects can be difficult.

I love stamping, but I have always hated the fact that while there are some stamps I’ve used over and over, it’s frustrating to find one that I like but only use once. I’ve found that while digital stamps can never replace physical ones, they can definitely open up new possibilities and compliment the use of traditional stamps.

I have also been using Make the Cut software to make my own digital stamps from images on Cricut cartridges. The picture above shows some of these. It’s easy, free (once you have the software) and you can use your Cricut cartridges to make all the stamps you want. Click the link above for more info on Make the Cut, and contact me to learn more about making your own digi stamps!

If you can think it… you can Cri-cut!

Today’s challenge at 365 Card Challenge is a color challenge, here are the colors:

For today’s challenge I used:

•Bo Bunny Patterned paper
•CTMH stamp from “Enjoy the Journey” B1334
•CTMH cardstock
•May Arts Ribbon
•Cricut Cartridge “A Walk in my Garden”
•Darice hot fix embellishments
•Prima Flowers

The card says it all “Each day is a Gift” Happy Easter!

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Today’s Challenge at 365 Card Challenge is Recipe Card. Nope not a Card Recipe,but an actual
Repice Card you don’t need to include a detailed recipe, but create a card that is suitable for that
purpose.

For today’s card I used 3 Cricut cartridges: Sweet Treats, Celebrations, & Hello Kitty to make a digi stamp and colored it with Prisma colored pencils, and added some glossy accents. I also used:

•DCWV Patterned Paper
•Bo Bunny Ribbon
•Ovals from Alphalicious Cartridge
•CTMH Cardstock

If you can think it…;you can Cri-cut!

Today’s Card Challenge at 365 Card Challenge is Imagine this. This challenge you use some object to inspire your card. In this case the challenge is to think cotten. Your not limited to color on this one.

For this one I used:

• White linen cardstock
• Martha Stewart Border punch
• Creative Imaginations rub on
• K & Company wedding rhinestone
• CTMH Bitty Sparkles

If you can think it…you can Cri-cut!

Do you:

• Have a new Cricut and don’t know where to start?
• Own a Cricut but don’t feel like you are getting the most out of it?
• Want to upgrade from the Baby bug to the Expressions but don’t know if it’s worth the money?
• Just not know if a Cricut is right for you
• Want to know how you can get the most out of your Cricut machine using Design Studio Software
• Plan on being in the Cincinnati area on March 27th?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to come see me, I’ll be at:

Madonna Knight of Columbus Hall
7700 Seward Ave.
Mt. Healthy Oh. 45231

• 10am-1pm: Cricut Basics
• 1pm-1:30pm: Lunch Break (lunch provided)
• 1:30-3:30: Introduction to Design Studio
• Cost of each class is $25. Seating is limited so sign up today!

For Cricut Basics you’ll need to bring:

• Cricut machine (doesn’t matter which model)
• Cartridge that came with machine, plus a cartridge with upper and lower case
• letters if possible.
• New cutting mat
• New blade
• Paper will be provided

Nothing is needed for the DS class.

If you are interested or have any questions you can contact me here and I’ll give you more information on how to sign up. Spots are filling up soon, so if you think you might be interested be sure to contact me! Oh, and don’t forget to tell all your Cricut loving friends!

If you can think it… you can Cri-cut!

I get lots of questions asking me about Cricut Rewards, especially in my Cricut classes. How do I sign up? How do I cash in? How do I…? Well you get picture. So in this episode of This Bug’s For You, I’m going to go over all of that so that you don’t miss out on all the freebies (like cartridges or even a brand new Create) you can get just for spending money you would have spent anyway.

If you can think it… you can Cri-cut!

I know the Gypsy isn’t exactly the same as some of the other options I’ve discussed, but I think it deserves a mention. Why? Well consider:

By now you’ve had time to think about all of your options and maybe decide which you are leaning towards. I’d like to offer you a Yfew more thoughts to ponder before going any particular route:

• Cricut machines are designed for the average crafter who just wants to be able to cut images out of paper for cards, layouts etc. They are pretty easy to use out of the box and although expensive, they are much less so than professional plotters which require tech skills most of us don’t have.
• These software programs are all designed for those of us who want to get the most out of our machines. While you can still be creative using cartridges, your abilities are severely hindered when you are only able to use certain shapes even if there are hundreds of them. Hence, Cricut Design Studio.
• DS was Cricut’s answer to this problem while also making sure we are still tied to the cartridges. It’s actually brilliant when you think about it from a business standpoint.
• What if we no longer want to use cartridges? Well, now you don’t have to but remember this: Cartridges are big business for Cricut, and without them Cricut does not make money. Without money there may be no more Cricut. Something to think about.
• Your Cricut machine is expensive and should be considered an investment. Before you purchase any third party software you need to ask your self the following questions: Is my machine under warranty? What would I do if it the warranty was voided and it broke down? How would I feel if I invested time and money into software that suddenly became useless? Can I replace my machine if I had to and if not, could I live without it? I’ve answered these for myself, but everyone’s answers are not the same.

I have used all of the software programs I’ve told you about and find all three of them meet my needs (remember, this is my line of work so my needs aren’t necessarily your needs). Everything in the last few posts are just my opinion and mine alone, you need to do your own research and come to your own conclusions to find what’s right for your needs. That being said, I hope this helped and if you have any questions, I’ll do my best to find the answer.

If you can think it… you can Cri-cut!

I’ve told you about Cricut Design Studio and SCAL these past two days. Today I’m going to tell you a little bit about Make the Cut.

Make the Cut is a brand new software system for your Cricut machine (it was just released last month!). Like SCAL it is a third party program, so you need to proceed with caution as it can void the warranty on your Cricut and/or shut down if Provo Craft decides to do the right firmware update.

Also like, SCAL you don’t need cartridges, that’s part of the appeal. What’s the difference you ask?

Well for one thing, it’s much easier to use. The Cricut concept was designed for the average crafter who wanted an easy way to cut things out without having to buy an expensive intimidating plotter used by graphics designers and computer experts. It’s pretty easy to use the basic functions of it right out of the box. Since not everyone is a computer genius, programs like Sure Cuts A Lot and even Cricut’s own Design Studio can be very intimidating. Make the Cut is not. You don’t have to mess around with Inkscape  (unless you want to, you’ll get more detailed images) which is one common complaint with SCAL, your files are opened right into MTC, skipping that dreaded middleman.

Pros:

• No more cartridges. With this program you should not have to buy any more carts and you can cut all of the images from them.
• While it is still relatively new, the developer seems very interested in pleasing everyone and has been doing updates like crazy, so it seems like he wants a perfect product.
• Looks a lot like DS so if you’re familiar with that, you’ll do great.
• Easy to use and the learning curve is minimal. If you are familiar at all with DS (and if you own a Cricut and a computer, you should be!), you will be able to use this program without all the intimidation and frustration of SCAL.
• There is a free trial version, although it cuts a small mark into your images. Also right now you can get the software at 40% off the regular price of $129.95, although I’m not sure for how long so you better hurry!
• The developer promises no charges for updates.
• A great forum on the program itself so you don’t have to close out of it and search the net for info.
• A great feature is the notes page. Each page allows you to keep notes, so you’ll always know where you got your image, the size etc.
• This program was designed by a developer whose  wife owns a Cricut and knows how it works and what features she wants. So essentially this is almost like having a Cricut user like yourself doing the updates.

Cons:

• It is third party software which means that like SCAL, Provo Craft really doesn’t like it as the idea of no cartridges means no more $$$ for them. Also could void your warranty on your Cricut and be shut down. You know the deal by now. Proceed with caution.
• It’s new. Not to say that’s a bad thing, but although it’s getting tons of rave reviews, it’s gonna take time to find out if it sticks around. I’d like to think the developer will continue with the awesome updates and such, but only time will tell.
• No Mac version as of yet, but they’re working on one.

Bottom line? Due to the ease of use, this software could easily take the place of SCAL for those of us who just want to craft without being tech friendly. And there are a lot of us, so it could happen. If you want a program that is easy to use and gives you  unlimited access to fonts, I recommend this program.  I personally love Make the Cut and I hope that doesn’t change. It’s a great program for those of us who want something easy to use and the idea of no cartridges is a wonderful thing. Let’s just hope that lasts!

Oh, and if you are in my area I am having my first Make the Cut class on Monday night, see the events page for more details and contact me if you are interested.

Come back tomorrow for a bit about the Gypsy as well as a roundup!

If you can think it… you can Cri-cut!

Today I’m going to tell you about Sure Cuts A Lot or SCAL for short.

If you’ve played around with Design Studio (and I recommend that you do, see yesterday’s post), SCAL will be much easier to understand.

SCAL is a program similar to Design Studio but different in some ways. For one thing it’s not made by Provo Craft (at least that’s what they say), it’s made by a third party. This is important to know because at any time Cricut can do a firmware update that makes this program useless and any money and time spend rendered lost. Just because this hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it can’t, so proceed with caution!

If this is the case why not use Design Studio you ask? Well lots of reasons, the best one being, you don’t need cartridges to use it.  And although it can be intimidating at first, I think it’s much easier to use.

It’s mostly used for fonts and can cut all True Type fonts on your computer, plus there are thousands of free ones available. If you are only going to use it for fonts, you’ll find that it is pretty easy to use.

It does not cut the images from the Cricut cartridges, however with a free program called Inkscape you can import the images from Cricut Design Studio and cut them with SCAL, so essentially you never have to buy another cartridge (you do need at least one to put in your Cricut machine while it cuts, but it doesn’t matter which one) and there are plenty of people out there who use SCAL and never mess with cartridges.  And like Design Studio files there are lots of free files out there, as well as more detailed ones for a price. It’s not as easy as popping a cartridge in your Cricut and pressing cut, so if you take this route you are going to find yourself extremely frustrated if you are not a computer person.

Pros:

• You no longer need cartridges, so it definitely can save you money over time.
• If you do a lot of fonts I’d say it’s more user friendly than Design Studio once you’ve mastered the interface and learn how it works.
• There is a free trial version which you can cut anything on, however it will cut lines into your pieces until you pay for the software.
• There is a Mac version.

Cons:

• This is third party software not made by Cricut or Provo Craft so there is essentially some risk that Cricut could come up with an update rendering this software useless with their machine or at the very least it could void your warranty. I think this is a small risk but each person should evaluate their own individual risk before using or purchasing this software. I’m not positive but I believe Cricut has tried to do this before and the developer just updated the software again. I don’t think it’s happened in a while, but it’s always a possibility.
• Because it’s not made by Cricut, you won’t find it on the number one Cricut resource: the cricut.com message board. Sure you might find snippets here and there but unlike Design Studio there is not a SCAL section where users can automatically go to find information. There’s info out there, you just have to do a little more research if you have a problem or question.
• While it has been updated, the developer has charged for updates in the past.

Bottom line? I personally love SCAL, and although I also use Design Studio pretty extensively I could definitely switch to using SCAL only if I had to. A lot of people have stayed away from it either because they don’t like the idea of having to rely on a computer exclusively or they simply don’t like they risks involved. If you do a lot of fonts for layouts and don’t want to spend a fortune on all the font carts, this is easy to use and is a nice balance between buying a few carts and still saving money. The choice is really up to you and whether the risks are worth the reward to you.

Tune in tomorrow for the newest software for your Cricut, Make the Cut.

Until then, if you can think it… you can Cri-cut!