The Wonderul Sounds Of A Cricut

Hello Everyone.
Welcome to our first Blog about how to work with a Cricut. A Cricut is a machine used to create shapes, words and different layouts to use for your personal scrapbooking needs. This machine is so handy and practically does all the work for you with just a few clicks of the buttons.
Well I can't really tell you that it practically does all the work. I'm sorry to say that you still have to do the lifting, the laying and the pasting. But it does help to lighten the work load!
Let me start out by showing you a couple of Different Cricuts you can choose from:

                                                     

           

The Cricut in the first picture belongs to Tamara. It is called the Cricut Expression Machine. It uses a 12"*24" or a 12"*12" mat to cut on.It's use of full size paper makes it great for making classroom decor, scrapbooking layouts and signs.
The second Cricut belongs to myself. It is called the Personal Electronic Cutter. It does the same things as Tamara's Cricut only my cutting mat is smaller and weighs only 7 lbs! There is a size button on the right hand side that let's me choose the size of what I'm cutting from 1"-5 1/2".
So basically our machines are the same. Only one can cut on a larger mat than the other. But it is your preference as to what you prefer :)
Now I would like to show you what one may expect to happen in their first stages of using a cricut.

When you first start you need to pick your shapes,sizes,and paper before you begin.(Your keypad in the first picture is where you would select what you would like to see on your paper).So for my example, I have shown what would happened if you loaded your cricut with the wrong paper.
You don't use regular scrapbooking paper in this machine. You need a kind of cardstock instead. Also make sure to set your cutter to the right pressure before you begin. As you can see...I neither set the right pressure nor did I use the right paper. So when I tried to remove my page away from my lettering to begin lifting the letters off my sticky mat the paper I used tore around it and the letters did not lift off . I outlined the word I was trying to lift in Blue.

So don't be discouraged if this is what has/does happen to you. Tamara has kindly sent me a picture to share with you as to what you can create when you have learned to master your cricut a little more!

Thanks Tamara!

The Possiblitlies are endless with the cricut machine.The more you practise the better you become.

Your main supply list for your cricut should be:

                    Paper

                    Vinyl-If you choose.

                    Cutting Mats

                    Color Inks

                    Blades

                    Cardstock
                    Lifter
Well thats all for today. I hope to have a tutorial up and running for you by next week. Have a good Friday!

Here is a link for you to check out the Cricut styles and Accessories: http://www.cricut.com/products/