Provocraft posted a video that covers several user questions about the Imagine. Among them - advanced calibration. Chris Dodge, beloved by many Imagine owners who frequent the Cricut and Yahoo Imagine message boards, gives a great explanation about how to get the best calibration possible. Enjoy the video!
4.01.2011
Some of my Favorite Blogs
I love to see what other people are doing and creating, probably because I am not very creative myself. I have several blogs that I check every day without fail and thought I would share them with you.
The Paper Boutique http://paperboutique.blogspot.com/ Linda Kaiser does a terrific job of demonstrating projects on her blog. Her written directions are clear and often she shows you how to make a project by means of videos embedded on her blog and on YouTube. Always my first crafting stop with my morning coffee. She also owns an Imagine and is very good about mixing in Cricut Expression and Cricut Imagine projects to keep the creative juices flowing. A must read!
Creative Critterz Imaginations http://imaginecritters.blogspot.com/ Primarily a Cricut Imagine focused site, you will find a stable of design team members who provide ample inspiration for your next big project. One of my top five sites to visit daily.
Everyday Cricut http://www.cricutholiday.com/ A mix of projects for all Cricut machines, Everyday Cricut does a good job of covering the Provocraft water front. Always refreshing and never tired ideas for ways to use the Cricut machine you own. Includes tutorials and "recipes". Another top five site I visit daily.
Capadia Designs http://www.capadiadesign.com/ My go-to site when I need inspiration for design and layout. This lady is an artist working in paper crafts. She freely shares her design ideas. A top five site for my daily blog reading.
Nadia's Beautiful Mess http://nadiasbeautifulmess.blogspot.com/ I enjoy Nadia's site because she focuses so much on the Cricut Imagine. Sometimes all I want to see is what someone else has done with the machine and cartridges I own. Nadia's is a great resource for that. Her blog rounds out my top five blogs to visit each morning.
The Paper Boutique http://paperboutique.blogspot.com/ Linda Kaiser does a terrific job of demonstrating projects on her blog. Her written directions are clear and often she shows you how to make a project by means of videos embedded on her blog and on YouTube. Always my first crafting stop with my morning coffee. She also owns an Imagine and is very good about mixing in Cricut Expression and Cricut Imagine projects to keep the creative juices flowing. A must read!
Creative Critterz Imaginations http://imaginecritters.blogspot.com/ Primarily a Cricut Imagine focused site, you will find a stable of design team members who provide ample inspiration for your next big project. One of my top five sites to visit daily.
Everyday Cricut http://www.cricutholiday.com/ A mix of projects for all Cricut machines, Everyday Cricut does a good job of covering the Provocraft water front. Always refreshing and never tired ideas for ways to use the Cricut machine you own. Includes tutorials and "recipes". Another top five site I visit daily.
Capadia Designs http://www.capadiadesign.com/ My go-to site when I need inspiration for design and layout. This lady is an artist working in paper crafts. She freely shares her design ideas. A top five site for my daily blog reading.
Nadia's Beautiful Mess http://nadiasbeautifulmess.blogspot.com/ I enjoy Nadia's site because she focuses so much on the Cricut Imagine. Sometimes all I want to see is what someone else has done with the machine and cartridges I own. Nadia's is a great resource for that. Her blog rounds out my top five blogs to visit each morning.
3.18.2011
Cricut Imagine Cartridge - Better Together
I as I was preparing to purchase my Cricut Imagine, I purchased some of the original Cricut cartridges that appealed to me. Since receiving my Imagine in September, I've decided to buy only Imagine cartridges and then only the ones that really catch my eye. It seems that am awful lot of the artwork on the cartridges is "cute" in nature and I am not a person that is drawn to the that sort of thing. Not that there is any thing wrong with that but it is just not my taste. That is one of the reasons I was reluctant to buy the Better Together cartridge. It just looked so "cute"! What turned me around was seeing some of the patterns on the cartridge. I saw the cartridge for a good price on sale so I decided to take a chance and buy it. I'm glad I did as it has turned out to be my go-to cartridge lately.
If you look at the digital handbook http://www.cricut.com/res/handbooks/BetterTogether.pdf you will be able to get a good idea of the quality of the patterns. For me, they make great backgrounds for my cards. Even some of the pieces of art and phrases have come in handy. My last batch of cards for OWH was made entirely from this cartridge. Sure made my life easier! I think this cartridge is especially useful to card makers. If you are looking for card shapes, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a nice assortment of cheerful backgrounds, with coordinating artwork, the Imagine Better Together cartridge is a great choice.
If you look at the digital handbook http://www.cricut.com/res/handbooks/BetterTogether.pdf you will be able to get a good idea of the quality of the patterns. For me, they make great backgrounds for my cards. Even some of the pieces of art and phrases have come in handy. My last batch of cards for OWH was made entirely from this cartridge. Sure made my life easier! I think this cartridge is especially useful to card makers. If you are looking for card shapes, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a nice assortment of cheerful backgrounds, with coordinating artwork, the Imagine Better Together cartridge is a great choice.
3.11.2011
Japan Earthquake
Extending thoughts and prayers to our Japanese brothers and sisters so devastated by the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami March 11. May you find some sense of security in the coming days and weeks.
2.10.2011
My Experiences in Making Cards for Operation Write Home
I thought I might share some of my experiences and lessons learned while making cards for OWH. I have set a goal of making 100 cards a month and keeping to that schedule has allowed me to understand some simple truths for myself. In not particular order I will talk about budget, the creative process, the assembly process, and keeping up with needed stock items (papers, adhesives, inks, etc.).
How much money one chooses to spend making cards is is highly personal. Since my own goal is for 100 cards per month, I have decided to forgo lots of little bits and adornments and stay with cleaner, simpler layouts. That means I don't have to buy lots of buttons, flowers, ribbon, and bling. $$$ Savings! With the Cricut Imagine, my primary expenses are paper, cutting mats, blades, and ink (it prints and cuts). Other than my Cricut, expenses include tape, glue and envelopes. Secondary expenses include enhancements like stick-on jewels and pearls, ink pads, some rubber stamps, paper punches, corner rounders, and ribbon. Throw in craft knife blades, paper trimmer blades, markers, and a bone folder or two and you have the bare bones of what is needed.
In one months time I will go through a minimum of 80 8.5x11 sheets of paper, 100 sheets of 12x12 paper, 2 36yd rolls of 3M ATG tape, 3 cassettes of Mono tape, 2 Zig 2 Way glue pens, 15 yards of 3M foam tape, 2 Cricut cutting blades, 2 Xacto #11 blades, 2 Cricut cutting mats, 100 envelopes, and 2 paper trimmer blades.
However, money is not the only item that must be budgeted. Creating, printing, assembling, stamping, gluing, taping, and wrapping all take time. A simple card might look like it took no time at all, but it can include elements that have 4-5 small paper layers that had to be individually cut, glued, taped, and assembled. Some of these can take much more time than anticipated. If I can find a general layout that works with three or four different elements using the same color scheme, then I can produce three or four sets of ten or twelve cards without too much trouble. When I really get a rush on, like when I made a quick batch of cards for kids, I spent 4 10-12 hour days getting it all done. You wouldn't think it took that long by looking at them, but those cards had more bits and pieces and layers than my usual cards. I usually do cards several days at a time in batches and I can get twenty or thirty done in about 3 8-10 hour days.
I really enjoy that sense of satisfaction when I package up the cards for shipment. After that box goes out, I tidy up my crafting table and get ready for the month's batch of cards.
How much money one chooses to spend making cards is is highly personal. Since my own goal is for 100 cards per month, I have decided to forgo lots of little bits and adornments and stay with cleaner, simpler layouts. That means I don't have to buy lots of buttons, flowers, ribbon, and bling. $$$ Savings! With the Cricut Imagine, my primary expenses are paper, cutting mats, blades, and ink (it prints and cuts). Other than my Cricut, expenses include tape, glue and envelopes. Secondary expenses include enhancements like stick-on jewels and pearls, ink pads, some rubber stamps, paper punches, corner rounders, and ribbon. Throw in craft knife blades, paper trimmer blades, markers, and a bone folder or two and you have the bare bones of what is needed.
In one months time I will go through a minimum of 80 8.5x11 sheets of paper, 100 sheets of 12x12 paper, 2 36yd rolls of 3M ATG tape, 3 cassettes of Mono tape, 2 Zig 2 Way glue pens, 15 yards of 3M foam tape, 2 Cricut cutting blades, 2 Xacto #11 blades, 2 Cricut cutting mats, 100 envelopes, and 2 paper trimmer blades.
However, money is not the only item that must be budgeted. Creating, printing, assembling, stamping, gluing, taping, and wrapping all take time. A simple card might look like it took no time at all, but it can include elements that have 4-5 small paper layers that had to be individually cut, glued, taped, and assembled. Some of these can take much more time than anticipated. If I can find a general layout that works with three or four different elements using the same color scheme, then I can produce three or four sets of ten or twelve cards without too much trouble. When I really get a rush on, like when I made a quick batch of cards for kids, I spent 4 10-12 hour days getting it all done. You wouldn't think it took that long by looking at them, but those cards had more bits and pieces and layers than my usual cards. I usually do cards several days at a time in batches and I can get twenty or thirty done in about 3 8-10 hour days.
I really enjoy that sense of satisfaction when I package up the cards for shipment. After that box goes out, I tidy up my crafting table and get ready for the month's batch of cards.
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