Monday, May 23, 2016

CRICUT: Crazy Cute Cards cartridge

Cricut have released a new digital cartridge called Crazy Cute Cards.

(**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.)

It's currently available exclusively in Design Space to Cricut Access subscribers only. So if you're not a subscriber you won't be able to see the images.

(There are about six of the images in the Make it Now projects though.)

Here's a preview of all the cards.

Maybe this will convince you to subscribe!  Here's the link to the Cricut Access page at Cricut. There are monthly and yearly options available.





I've made the Koala baby shower card and the Donut card so far.

Here's the Koala card. The baby Koala has space to write on and slips into the pouch.



And the mother Koala's arms close. ♥



I'm waiting to hear when the digital handbook will be available. Currently you have to guesstimate the size. And how to assemble the cards. I'll update when I find out more. ☺

Happy crafting!  ♥






Thursday, May 19, 2016

CRICUT: Slicing apart SVG files in Design Space

Sometimes you'll be using a SVG that has multiple parts grouped together, and you might want to cut some of those parts in a different colour. Or not cut some of them at all.  One option is to use the Contour tool to hide the parts you don't want to cut.

But if you want to separate the pieces so you can place them on different layers? In that case you can use the Slice tool.

In the example below I'm using a SVG called Flora Gatefold Card from Dreaming Tree.

I'm working on the blue layer and want to separate the two pieces so I can change the colour of the bottom piece. (That's the piece that goes behind the flap on the envelope.)



If you have attached the score lines to the shape you will have to first detach them. Otherwise the Slice tool won't be available.

To check, click on the image and if the Attach tool lights up (in the Layers panel) it means you haven't attached them and you're good to go.


If however it shows Detach, then that means you have attached them and will need to click Detach. Once you've done that you're ready to proceed with slicing your file to pieces. ☺



You'll notice that the Ungroup button is available on this image. However that doesn't ungroup the two pieces, but just ungroups the score lines from the card base.



It is important however that you do ungroup the image if it has score lines as you can only slice two layers at once. The score lines are considered a layer which is why you need to ungroup them from the image. 

Don't be tempted to just hide the score line layer using the Contour tool. If you use the Contour tool to hide the lines instead, then yes you will be able to slice... however once your slice has been completed the score lines will have also been deleted. 

Now that you have ungrouped the image you can begin to slice it apart.

Click the Insert Images tool then click the Square. (Choose a shape that works best with the image that you are slicing.)


Place the square over the image you wish to slice. In this case I placed it over the shape below the card base.

Click on the lock button to unlock the shapes proportions. This will allow you to stretch the square into a rectangle.



Stretch the shape and position it so it completely covers the bottom image. Make sure it doesn't touch the top image though.


Now, select just the card base and the rectangle.

You don't want to select the score lines as that will be three layers selected and Slice won't be available.



You can either click on the card base on the canvas and hold down the Shift key and click the rectangle. Or you can do the same from the Layers panel.

Once you have just those two layers selected click the Slice tool which should now be available.




Click the Slice tool.


After a few seconds the blue piece will appear on top of the grey rectangle.



Click on the blue piece and move it out of the way. Then click on the two remaining grey pieces and delete them.

(It doesn't matter whether you delete the blue shape or the grey shape. They are exactly the same size. When you slice an image the original shape is preserved and a new one is created. It's up to you which one you want to delete.) 



Now you'll be left with the two blue shapes, however they won't be grouped together anymore.


You can click on the envelope liner (that's the bottom blue shape and is now called Sliced Image) in the Layers panel and change the colour if you wish.

You could also click Print and flood fill this image with a pattern which will change just that piece to a Print the Cut image.



Before you go to cut this shape you will have to attach the score lines to the card.

You'll notice that the score lines aren't showing. That's because when we performed the slice, the layer that we weren't slicing was pushed to the back.


Click on the card layer then from the Arrange menu select Move to Back.



The score lines will reappear.



 Now you can select the card layer and the score lines and click Attach.




Note: You don't have to move the score lines to the front before you attach. They will still cut/score regardless of where they are positioned.

However, if the score lines are at the back they will cut/score first. Then the card base will be cut.

If the score lines are at the front, the card base will cut first. Then the score lines will cut/score. 

Would you like to see a video of this process? Well, Leo from Dreaming Tree has made one for you.  Enjoy!



Happy crafting!  ♥






Sunday, May 15, 2016

Cricut Explore One giveaway

We are giving away a Cricut Explore One over at Cricut Explore and More.




Don't miss your chance to enter!



Happy crafting!  ♥






Wednesday, May 11, 2016

CRICUT: May Mystery Box is available

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Here's what you'll find in the May 2016 Mystery Box.


Anna Griffin Elegant Embellishments cartridge

Edge to Edge cartridge

Four Seasons Home Decor cartridge

Washi sheets pack - Designer

Washi sheets pack - Woodland by Lia Griffith


Total cost - $29.99.

FYI - Anna Griffin Elegant Embellishments and Four Seasons Home Decor are not included in the Cricut Access subscription.

Don't forget to use the code CRICUTSPRING to get 10% off and free Fedex home delivery. (Continental USA only)

You can order yours from here: May 2016 Mystery Box


Happy crafting!  ♥






Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Dimensional Art Make it Now projects

Have you checked out the Cricut Make it Now projects lately?  If you haven't, you're really missing out on some fantastic projects.

Here's two that I've completed this week.

First up was the Earth Fairy Garden dimensional project.

I sized it to be 8" x 8" square and placed it in an 8x8 photo frame.

Here's the link to the project. https://us.cricut.com/design/#/landing/project-detail/10364



The second project is another dimensional scene called Water Fairy.

Again, I placed it in an 8x8 photo frame. (For this photo I left the glass off so I didn't have any glare.)

Here's the link to that project: https://us.cricut.com/design/#/landing/project-detail/10365



The frames are from Kmart (Australia) and only cost $6.  And because I'm a Cricut Access subscriber these were very inexpensive gifts. I have two more that I still want to make this week. They'll be gifts for my two Great Nieces.

If only these sorts of projects had been around when my daughter was little...

I'm kind of wishing I'd made them bigger now so I could have put them in a 12x12 shadow box.

A little trick that helped me work out how to assemble the layers was to open the project in two browser tabs. In the second tab I ungrouped the layers and fanned them out. Then once I had cut a layer from the first tab, I selected it in the second tab and moved it further down on the screen. That helped me keep track of what I had cut and which order they should be in.







And, if you're going to use different colours of cardstock to those that are in the project, I find it's a good idea to click on that layer in the layers panel and select a different colour from the palette. 

Happy crafting!  ♥






New tools at Cricut!

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.


Have you seen the new tools that Cricut have released?

Last week the extra large scraper was released.

The scraper is about twice the width of the regular scraper. Which means you can clean up your mat twice as fast. And it's great for applying vinyl.

The cost of the scraper is $9.99 less any discounts.*

Link here: Cricut.com - XL Scraper

Today they have released a Paper Crafting Set.



Here's what it contains:

• A piercing tool
• A Quilling Tool - perfect for rolling flowers
• An edge Distresser for creating a textured edge effect on paper. (Perfect if you like the shabby chic look)
• A Craft Mat that features multi-use piercing and self-healing surfaces

This set is $24.99 less any discounts.*

Link here: Cricut.com Paper Crafting Set

Current discounts available. (As at 3rd May 2016)

Use code CRICUTSPRING to get 10% off your purchase and free USA shipping.

Plus, if you are a Cricut Access member you'll receive a further 10% off.

And if you're a Cricut Circle member you get yet another 10% off.




Happy crafting!  ♥






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