Cricut Creating with Wini and Joyce....

So the other day - I met up with Wini, Joyce and Cheryl at Ben Franklin's to do a Sizzix make n' take because the mainland Sizzix rep is in town doing demos (see Cheryl's site for a list of schedule of where you can do FREE mn'ts all over the island for this week!!). Good thing it was during the weekday, because there weren't that much ladies there like it was on the weekend. Anyways, at the MnT - Joyce had mention that she wanted to come over, and since she is on vacation time, she wanted to learn some Circut Design Studio tricks. I myself wasn't really familiar with it, but that night, I went home, and played around with the machine and the program. To my surprise, it was soooo much fun. I was only going to show them a few things, but because it turned out to be so much fun - I decided to have them do a card and a 12x12 SB page layout.

There are several different things that the DS program is good for. Here are a few.... 1 - you can use die cuts from different cartridges, and cut them all at 1 time (whether you are using 1 cardstock, or different colored cardstocks). 2 - You can be create your own cuts, and there are soooo many created cuts out there that will amaze you!!! Check out this site to see a few..... 3 - You no longer need to use the keypads, so I have taken each cartridge out of their box, and stored them in a large TAC stamp container. I can fit all 14 of my cartridges in them, and I could probably fit about 10 more - allowing for more space n' storage (see 1st photo). I didn't throw the keypad or boxes away, I've just stored them elsewhere. But now, I don't have to always open each box individually - I just open this one plastic container, and they are all there for me to easily access. 4 - You can create your own sentiments, and "weld" them together (or connect them). Oh - there are more reasons, but these are the 1st few that come to mind. The possibilities are endless.....

The SB page that I've shared with them was of a layout that I've seen in this month's Scrapbook Etc., magazine..... it was simple to do. So thought it would make a good layout. Part of the layout required about 1/2 of my DS paper to be a scallop cut - and usually, I would have the extra piece left over, and would either cut down to small scraps, or trash. Now, with the DS program, I can easily see how much piece of cardstock I would have left, and use it up at the same time cutting other cuts, and not affecting the 1st cut at all. See my 2nd photo - this is the screen shot that I copied to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. I was able to use a scallop cut from the cartridges called Mini Monograms, and then the other dies are from Walk In My Garden & Celebrations. I did this to show the ladies how it was easy to cut these dies from different cartridges, all at 1 time.

Ok on to the projects. Here they are..... The 1 project was a 12 x 12 SB page layout. Now all that's got to be done is to add photos, and embellishments if desired. The sentiment is a ready made cut that comes with the cartridge.

The 2nd project is a card that I was actually inspired to create because of one of the card samples I saw that the Sizzix rep had. There are these new die cuts that are soon to be released - and you'd be able to cut out windows where ever you place the cut. And I thought hmmmmm.... maybe my Cricut could do the same?!!?! With a little help of the DS program..... YES!!!! It is possible!!! With the program - you can put exactly where you want it to cut on your card, and you can make these windows too.... any shape... the possibilities are ENDLESS!!! (I know I said that already!!!!). I placed a photo of CY3 and myself - which was taken during my birthday. The sentiments are of TAC. The ice cream die cut is of Cricut, and I was able to show the ladies how easy it is to cut on different colored cardstock at 1 time, using the Cricut DS Program. I glittered up my entire ice cream, and used red stickles for the cherry. TOO CUTE!!!!

During our get together, we all started brain storming about possibly meeting up once a month to do a few Cricut projects, like these that I've shared. WOW!!!! Like a Cricut Club... would anyone on Oahu be interested?! More than likely, we'd hold the gathering on a weekday, since my weekends are filled with other gatherings. Well - if you are interested, let me know, we'd like to see about how many people will come out and create with us. We are looking at Fridays, during the morning hours - so if you think you might be interested in learning about the Cricut and doing Cricut projects, contact me or post a comment here. You don't have to own a Cricut machine to attend, and a there will be a $15 monthly fee to attend. I will post dates when we decide on meeting up via email and on this blog.

Well, that's it for now... hope you are somewhere creating too!!!

Hugs,