Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Just opened my cricut last week and what a learning curve for me. Any suggestions on the best way to learn this machine and the best cartridges to buy (and why)? Any help would be most appreciated.
YouTube has some great videos. I also learned a lot from The Pink Stamper.
Which cartridges you'll use really depend on what you are trying to make. I have little kids and tend to use Create a Critter and the Sesame Street carts a lot. I have made a ton of vinyl cut outs for the kid's rooms and birthday invite/ cards for parties. I try to pay under $20 for any cart by buying on ebay and watching the sales/clearances at craft stores. NEVER pay full price!
I got out the manual and some scrap paper and went page by page to see what the machine could do. I keep the book right next to the machine so if there is a function I havn't used in awhile, i can just look it up.
As to carts, it depends on what you want to do with them.
I tend to get most of them if I see them on sale.
I have a friend right now who is having a ruff time, she is selling all of her crafting supplies. She has over 100 carts from $15 to 80..most about 20-25 if you are interested I could email you her list or her info and you can talk with her directly. I am in ny and she is in missouri
Have fun with the machine!!
I would get on the mailing list for cricutmachines.com. They will e-mal you their sales. You can buy many cartridges for under $20. They have great deals on mats also.
The Expression is a very easy machine to learn. Just get some lesser expensive cardstock and sit down with your machine. As previous poster said, try all the features of the machine shown in the User Manual to see how they function. It's really the only way you'll learn.
Take the cartridges you do have and try each feature on them using the buttons in gray on the left of the overlay.
The more you work with your machine the more comfortable you'll be with it. Give yourself about 2 weeks just to practice with the machine before you really try to complete a project.
As far as cartridges. You have to determine your style so you'll know which you want to purchase. There are many places to purchase the cartridges for lower price. I have over 100 and have never paid full price for any of them but the Lite ones.
I LOVE the Paper Doll cartridges. They are so versatile, also a couple of different Alphabet ones are good to have. The machine itself is a breeze to learn.
Thanks for all the cool info ladies...CRAFTSRIB I would definitely be interested in seeing the list of your friends carts she is selling. Also, does anyone know wich dvd ( A-Z DVD or the Cricut Begineers DVD) would be the best to purch
Thanks for all the cool help ladies. CRAFTSRIB I would definitely be interested in seeing your freinds cart list. Does anyone know which DVD would be the best to purchase to help get me started (A to Z or cricut for begineers?)
Aboverubiesstudio com sells Cricut A to Z. It's a really good Cricut DVD. The site also has a downloadable Cricut manual, that lists all the recommended blade depths, pressure and speed for every brand of cardstock you can imagine.
Last edited by LizSwickley; 08-18-2011 at 06:44 PM..
Reason: corrected web address
Aboverubiesstudio com sells Cricut A to Z. It's a really good Cricut DVD. The site also has a downloadable Cricut manual, that lists all the recommended blade depths, pressure and speed for every brand of cardstock you can imagine.
I've had my machine for 6 months...have really enjoyed it but have wasted SO much paper...some cheap and some really expensive and/or paper that I absolutely loved. What about the Cricut for Beginners dvd. Anyone try that and really like it?
Like Ceili, I would also recommend both Paper Dolls Carts, they have 100's of images.
I also have found the Cricut Design Studio was a blessing. After downloading the DS software to my laptop, I can be sure what size my image will cut, can easily resize if I need to, and LOVE the feature of welding my letters together....and so much more.
I would second getting the Cricut Design Studio. I got mine on Ebay for less than $18 and with free shipping. Easy to use and I like having a computer screen to see rather than the small window on the machine. You do have to own the cartridges that you want to use for cutting though. Design Studio has given me a new outlook on my Cricut!
I would second getting the Cricut Design Studio. I got mine on Ebay for less than $18 and with free shipping. Easy to use and I like having a computer screen to see rather than the small window on the machine. You do have to own the cartridges that you want to use for cutting though. Design Studio has given me a new outlook on my Cricut!
I've taken two classes at my LSS, have Design Studio and a Gypsy, the Above Rubies DVD and I still have trouble with my Cricut! I am not usually so technologically challenged but I really seem to have a blind spot with this machine :???:
When I bought my E several years ago there weren't 'how to' DVDs. I found the 'My Pink Stamper' blog and watched her video tutorials and found them helpful. I know they are old but the info is still useful - functions of the keys, how to access the different images, etc. These could be helpful while you are waiting for a DVD you order.
I, also, vote for the Paper Dolls cartridges. I don't have real little one that I make thing for (youngest 11) on a regular basis but have used these carts often just for the 'other' images.
Don't know if you got any cart with your machine but check the Cricut website to see the images on each cart. See which cart has shapes and fonts that you think fit you style. (someone here will link you to the exact site but I don't know it offhand, sorry.)
The site I love the most is mycutsearch.com. If you are looking for a cat image and you don't know what cart it is on you just enter cat and a list of cart appear! Voila!
I have cat on the brain because I did something I swore I never would! I bought Kates ABC's for full price yesterday! It is full of cute cats though.. Full price... head_desk *sigh
I have grand kids so I tend to do things for the little ones. Hello Kitty seems to be the favorite again. I also suggest going to cricutmachine.com and sign up. I have gotten some really good deals on that site. I have a list and wait for it to go on sale. I'm not paying full price. I just got design studio a few weeks ago for under $20.00.
__________________ You never know how strong you are until strong is the only choice you have.
anyone have the Expression2? I have it and have not played around with it much yet. Has alot of nice features but wasting paper on the Expression is also a problem for me.Any suggestions?
I save my scraps and use them for my punches (make butterflies, flowers etc etc). I also use them to layer my sentiments etc. I am always reaching into my bag and folder of scraps.
I have an E2 and LOVE it...so far the only frustrating thing in not having the arrow key...I too got most of my basic knowledge from "My Pink Stamper" even though her projects are not "my style" she really "simplified" it for me and gave me the "confidence" to just get started.
i have Sure cuts a lot software I only own 1 cart. The SCAL cuts svg format. You can download a lot of free SVG's. if you can't find one you like I have also made my own. There are lots of you tube videos that tell you how.
I just bought my Expression two weeks ago. Have learned a lot from Youtube.com but will definitely check out some of these other sites that have been recommended. I have had trouble with the blade depth/speed. Sometimes the cuts don't go all the way through, even though I have it on the Max. setting. I am really enjoying it! Any other tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
i have Sure cuts a lot software I only own 1 cart. The SCAL cuts svg format. You can download a lot of free SVG's. if you can't find one you like I have also made my own. There are lots of you tube videos that tell you how.
I don't think you can buy SCAL or any other 3rd party software for Cricut anymore.
FWIW you may find alot of things on the BST board as many people are switching from Cricut to other die cutting machines because of the inability to use 3rd party software with the machine.
And I have another vote for the Pink Stamper.
For me the best thing was to decide a project and have to find all the steps to make what I need. The most infuriating thing is when the paper/card stock lifts from the mat and ruins the sheet.
There are plenty of thrifty ways to clean and reuse mats and re-sticky them if necessary but you may not want to do that until your warranty is expired.
Best of luck - BTW my blog entry for today I did on the cricut with the Create a Critter cartridge.
I seldom run into any one else that has SCAL also! I LOVE my program but the newest version can't be used with the cricut. I did a big project for Mother's Day and ended up using both SCAL and cartridges. My favorite cartridges are Elegant Edges, Wild Card, Serenade, Heritage, Picturesque and the Lite ones (Walmart..which by the way you can also order online and have them delivered to the store with no shipping charges) are Lacy Lables, Bloom, Botanicals and Lovely Florals. My taste runs to trees, leaves, butterflies and flowers and all of these cartridges fit my needs. I have 100's of free files that I have downloaded for my Sure Cuts A Lot and I love using them as well. I just have trouble keeping them organized. Penny Duncan makes awesome files and so does Sherry K Designs. I agree that the best way to learn is just get cheap paper and practice and I also watched YouTube and Pink Stamper video's.
anyone have the Expression2? I have it and have not played around with it much yet. Has alot of nice features but wasting paper on the Expression is also a problem for me.Any suggestions?
I'm a first time Cricut owner as well, and I have the Expression 2. I love it!!! I've watched a lot of YouTube videos as well as the ones from Provo Craft. I feel like I've been a sponge. Also look a series of 3 classes at my LSS specifically for the E2 which was really helpful, and cleared up some questions I had.
I think it's one of those machines that the more you use it, the more comfortable you become with it. I'm sure having fun so far.....
ClearlySouthern.....Your having a problem with not cutting all the way through the cardstock sounds like you need to set the blade depth higher. On the housing for the blade, I keep mine at 5 and have no problem with cutting all the way through the heavy cardstock I use.
Dear "dcb",
I hope you enjoy your cricut expression as much as I do? I have so many cartridges I devised a "system" for myself to save time. I scanned the page that shows the imagines and printed it out, trimmed it down and punched a hole in the corner then laminated each one (I also have a Xyron 510) and NOW I just go to my "flip chart" to see which cartridge I wish to use! It does take a bit of time to make the flip chart, but it SURE saves me from pulling out all of the booklets to do my project. Just a thought. Hope it helps? Stampin Busia
What a great idea...I'm all about the booklet/flip chart as I made one up for ALL my stamps!! Quite a job but so easy now to just add on. I only have one cart at this time so a picture of what you did would be so helpful...got one you can share?
the cartridge I used the most when I got the E was the george basic shapes one, cut out different sizes of circles and other shapes and started making cards and loved that I had the shapes cut out already
dcb,
I don't do Face Book or any of those webs. I KNOW I can get a picture of what I did of my "Flip Chart" in my computer, but HOW do I show it to you at this site??
Stampin Busia
My favorite cartridges are
- both paperdolls
- going places
- Disney (princess & Mickey ones)
- Tags, Bags, boxes & more (my 11 YO and her friends love making the boxes)
- fonts
- Doodlecharms
I have used mine mostly for scrapbooking, so some of these would be difficult for card making since you have to scale them down so much.
If you are a stamper, Close to my Heart just came out with a cartridge that comes with some stamps. Cut out the image then stamp. Several other stamp sets in the new catelog also work with shapes from the cartridge.
You can Google Cricut blogs and find lots, even through SCS that have lots of good ideas and info. When I got my E2, just through Google searches on videos of how to use it, I found lots of great blogs with wonderful projects and cardmaking/scrapping ideas. They'll show cartridges that you'll either like or not and that will help you also decide what you might like to use. I know what my tastes are and what appeals to me, and since I combine stamping I like the cartridges with background images so I can mount my stamped images on them.
I wasn't into cutesy, but now that I have grandchildren, I have bought a few things I can use for the kids, so tastes will change and you find yourself buying things you never thought you would!!
I do love the new Close to My Heart cartridge, it's loaded with images. Love Lacey Labels, Elegant Edges, and the new Sophie (just bought it through ebay). And, love the cake cartridges for their borders, they have some good ones. Good luck and have fun, there is no end to your creativity with this machine, it's so much fun!
CRICUT EXPRESSION
You might want to check out this review of a Cricut DVD: 
