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Don't know if this is the place to post this, but I am thinking of getting rid of my Cricut. Why may you ask? I'm frustrated because I lack imagination and I look at the thing and I just can't seem to come up with ideas and such. Is there anyone else out there that feels like I do? I either need a pep talk or have people agree with me. Help?
Keeping or selling your Cricut depends on what you originally bought it for. I know there are newer machines but you have to decide which, if any, machine fits you needs.
Have you tried any of the challenge blogs? or even the challenges here? I mostly use my cutter (Craft Robo) for scrapbooking and for making my faux nesties and flowers.
Have you tried any of the challenge blogs? or even the challenges here? I mostly use my cutter (Craft Robo) for scrapbooking and for making my faux nesties and flowers.
Hi!
Your frustration happens to all crafters, regardless of their medium. We all get the item that will make our crafting fabulous and then hit that wall of nothing-ness. Sort of like a writer looking at a blank piece of paper (or computer screen), LOL!!! We've all been there and done that.
I would suggest you start by copying other images from the internet or the handbook that comes with the cartridges. The handbook sample project is designed to walk you through the functions/features of each cartridge.
Then do an internet search for that cartridge, either google images, you tube or pinterest, and start casing/copying what you see on the screen. There are a lot of you tube videos and blogs that go through cartridges, image by image, or go through the Cricut machine step by step.
Of course your finished project won't be an exact match, because you won't have the same paper or ribbon, but you'll end up with a great design all of your own.
When I teach beginning cricut users I always tell them it's just paper. If it didn't work the first time, get more paper and try again. Use the back side of a sheet a paper from a paper stack you don't like so much, then color it to fit your project. I would tell beginning stampers the same thing back when I sold SU products, it's paper it has two sides, try again. Great craft projects are trial and error and it takes practice to make it look easy.
Always ask questions, there are many wonderfully, helpful people who can answer your questions.
I have been paper crafting for a long time now, and I still start and chuck projects, then try again. It's supposed to be fun, not stressful.
I second this! There are lots of Cricut challenge blogs, some even give sketches on layouts or cards or projects to make and submit for prizes. I would say if you're lacking a spark of creativity, the challenges could really help. I personally adore my Expression, but I truthfully haven't used it in a while as I've been doing more stamping. I do love it for fancier touches and little characters. If you're not using CCR, get it and try some of the free digitals they let you use for a week! I've gone in and just made cuts for later with those.
I use my cutting machine to cut the nesting shapes, then I cut one with a negative border of 1/8" all around. I then emboss the larger one on top of the smaller one so that I get the ridge like you do when you cut with the nestabilities dies. Works great and I can make them any size I want. Here's a card I made quite a while ago using this technique:
I think that is one of my problems. I don't have an Expression so I can't get small shapes shapes. That's kind of a frustration in itself. I bought it about 3 years ago I think. I never seem to be able to know where to look for examples. Thank you for the help with that.
I have a Cuttlebug. I'm really getting into using that. Seems a lot easier for me to handle, and the frustration level is less. Maybe I should just focus on that and ease into my Cricut. lol
Cat Woman your card is amazing!! In my dreams could I do that.
Maybe there is somewhere that you can take a class. At most classes, there are class kits so you won't have to be stressed about what paper to use. In the class, the teacher will tell you what paper to use from the kit, what cartridge to use (teacher will have the cartridges at the class), what images and their size, etc. You just follow the directions of the teacher and at the end of the class you will have completed your projects. This might be the way to go that will give you the 'push'-the teacher will be right there and usually, the class has students of different abilities so just go at your pace.
Using Cricut Craft Room which is a free computer program, which you can hook up to the Cricut you own will allow you to size images on the screen different than what the Cricut you have can cut. Then you can make the faux nesties and a lot of other things like welding and do more with your machine.
There are a lot of video how to's to use Cricut Craft Room (CCR) as well as things to do with the Cuttlebug
The closest place that are classes, I believe, is about1 1/12 to 2 hours away from me. :(
What what? Cricut Craft Room? Never heard about it. Faux Nesties is like Nestabilities right? I will check that out. That sounds cool. I'm trying to get into Heartfelt Creation stamps/dies and they use a lot of those types of dies also I think. And to use the Cuttlebug also, well that just fabulous.
I had an Expression, took classes, bought a DVD, software, yada, yada, yada. It just wasn't for me. I gave it away to someone who really liked it.
I found that I really didn't want to work at remembering the settings for all the different kinds of paper I wanted to cut. Yes, it would be great to have the ability to cut any size and it saves money in the long run but it was just taking up space. Since I gave it away, I've never missed it. I do regret that I kept buying cartridges and then didn't use enough to justify the cost.
I love my BS and have a ton of dies that seem to keep me happy and no regrets.
Stamphappy1650. I'm with you!! Made the decision that I'm going to sell it and the dies and buy more for my CB. Might need to invest in a BS. I'm loving my decision now that I've made it. I do have 2 friends with Cricuts who have said that I'm more than welcome to borrow theirs or have them make dies for me. Best of both worlds now. Have you heard of Heartfelt Creations? stamps/dies that work together. I'm starting to get into that. Loving what I'm seeing in their galleries.
Stamphappy1650. I'm with you!! Made the decision that I'm going to sell it and the dies and buy more for my CB. Might need to invest in a BS. I'm loving my decision now that I've made it. I do have 2 friends with Cricuts who have said that I'm more than welcome to borrow theirs or have them make dies for me. Best of both worlds now. Have you heard of Heartfelt Creations? stamps/dies that work together. I'm starting to get into that. Loving what I'm seeing in their galleries.
From one nascar fan to another, I love Heartfelt Creations. I go to an annual retreat and for the last 2 years Anjelica, one of the paper designers for Hearfelt, taught us a class. I have several stamps and dies and the paper is to die for. I've attached a sample of a couple of the cards we made this year.
I still don't miss the Expression. Have fun at the races and with Heartfelt Creations. P
Selling Cricut
