![]() The cost, though, is really my only complaint. And, since the big box craft stores periodically have sales on Cricut products, you could collect them over time at a significant discount. You could certainly get along with a single cartridge for quite a while, though, since there are so many effects, and even the alphabet cartridges contain other decorative elements. Not only is the machine pricey (over $300 suggested retail), but the cartridges each run anywhere from $45-$55. Trial and error, in this case, isn't so bad, since paper is cheap, and it literally takes only moments to test out one combination of settings.Ĭool, huh? But, of course, like all good things, it comes at a price. It is, of course, a good idea to practice a couple of times to make sure you have the right selections. ![]() You then need to select the correct blade length (longer for thicker paper and cardstock, shorter for thin paper) the speed of the cutter and the amount of pressure it needs to apply for cutting.įor the snowflake, which is relatively detailed, I used the #6 setting for blade length (cutting Shimmery White cardstock from Stampin' Up!), medium pressure, and medium speed. It automatically loads the paper into the correct position. You insert it at the bottom of the machine, and then press the "Load Paper" button, which is in the same place on each key pad, no matter what cartridge you use. In the picture above, the cardstock is white, and the mat is the blue-green underneath it. In order to cut, you adhere your paper or cardstock to a special, tacky mat. Just to the left of that is an object that has a round, green top- this is the cutting blade assembly. In the center right of the photo is a small, gray, triangular shaped object- this is the cartridge that contains the software for the set of images on the keypad. The key pad on the top, just to the right of center, is how you select your image. There is a screen on the top left that allows you to confirm your selections. Above, is a head-on shot of the Cricut at work. In about 2 seconds (slight exaggeration, but you get my point). In maybe 10 minutes, tops, I had all of these cut out of three pieces of cardstock, all while I was doing something else! In the second project, I created a snowflake in two different sizes to use as a stencil. For one, I was filling an order for 40 Christmas cards, all of which required a 2-1/2" star cut out of Purely Pomegranate. I've used my machine recently for two different projects. So your alphabet or embellishment can be 2" tall, or 12" tall (no kidding!). ![]() It will cut one image, and stop, or you can set it to cut multiples of the same image without reloading. You select your image, load your paper, and press a button. I really do hate to sound like an advertisement, but the Cricut helps you get around all of these limitations. You cut whatever is in that particular die, which is usually more pieces than you are actually interested in using. May not sound like much, but think about it: with a traditional die-cut machine, you have to manually put together the correct "sandwich" of materials, and manually crank it through the machine. Basically, it is a computer that makes die-cuts. Such was the case for my purchase of a Cricut Expression Personal Cutting Machine, made by ProvoCraft. If there is a complete new toy, I might hesitate for a minute, but then, I generally succumb and buy it, too. If there is a new way to do something, I'll buy it and try it. Okay, so I admit that in addition to hoarding all manner of embellishments, I am a sucker for gadgets.
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