Using the cricut like a robo with Sure Cuts A Lot

When craftrobo was first introduced I talked my mate into buying one, the pair of us just couldnt get it to work right. We spent hours with tutorials and when eventually it did start cutting it was 50/50 whether it would cut the card properly or not. All in all it was a bad buy for her and spent time gathering dust until she sold it. We were both gutted as others were getting good results and neither of us are dunces when it comes to pcs & graphics programmes. Sara then bought a cricut, wow what a difference... it cut everytime and was easy to use. She was over the moon with it but it wasnt for me, I rarely use diecuts and wanted to be able to do my own thing not what someone else has designed. I decided that I'd wait until the robo cut as well as the cricut.



Jump on a year and while reading the forum at UKscrappers someone mentioned there was a programme you could connect to a cricut and you could design your own patterns. I instantly realised that if this was true it was exactly what I'd been waiting for. Now being a bit of a sceptic I rang Sara and got her to download a trial version... within minutes she was on the phone saying WOW and paying for the full version. I dithered for a week or two (as I'm prone to) as to whether I'd really use one.... then while looking at how much carts are going for on ebay (Sara is selling all of hers now) I saw an expressions at a really good price and had to click to buy... Next day I went to see Sara use the Sure Cuts A Lot programme to cut a silhouette image on her cricut. Less than 2 mins later her cricut was cutting it out!! Normally I'm over hers for ages but my cuppa went down my throat in record time and I was making excuses to leave. She understood lol.


Now I havent actually finished anything but I was so excited by it I felt I had to share how & what I've done.

An A5 lattice gatefold card.

Now it's only cut on cheap duo card to show the lattice and it needs a wee adjustment (doors dont quite meet when closed) but it does show that the cricut will cut patterns without buying extra carts.

Here goes with how I managed it. It sounds complicated but trust me once the image was drawn it took a couple of minutes. If you are starting with a black & white image it wont take you very long.

Here's the image (drawn in PSP on a transparent background). Save it as a .jpg file and close/minimise your graphic programme.

Open Inkscape (www.inkscape.org free programme) and load your file. Click the image to select it then click Path, trace bitmap.

You'll have a blank image on the pop up box or the image you last traced, doesnt matter either way. Click update, then OK, then click the cross to close the box.
Save the file, this time as a .svg format. Close or minimise inkscape.

Open your Sure Cuts A Lot programme (www.craftedge.com) and import the file you've just saved. DONT click open file, it must be import.

Now all you need to do is resize & position the image where you want it. Then click the scissor icon to make it start cutting.

It might sound like gibberish but it really is simple.

Now I have to add just in case the legal bods read blogs, Provocraft do not endorse this programme, it is nothing to do with them and it's best to read about the technical bits at craftedge. The craftrobo has been improved since Sara had hers, they arent for us but others love them. If you're thinking of buying one go, see a demo and make your mind up based on the demo not whether I or others didnt get on with it.

2 Tildas

Thanks to the ladies that have left comments and nominated me for awards, havent figured out how to put them here but I will have another go later.

Now, I know I said not to look for stamping here as it's not really my thing but Tilda is an exception. I dont know what it is but there's something about these stamps that I actually love. Wish I had more time to play with them but I'm generally doing samples for shops that I have to use items they sell.


Petticoat tilda is probably one of my favourites, although the pic doesnt show it she has been coloured with polychromos with some paper piecing. Papers are from DCWV All Dressed Up stack, sentiment is a penny black clear stamp.


This was playing around with a sketch from a dutch group and ended up being nothing like it. Tilda was stamped on the reverse of some linen card and coloured with polychromos. Normally I would use smooth cardstock but I wanted to get a textured effect on her jeans. The large circles are cut using a CM cutting system and the sentiment with 2 nestie dies. I've got dozens of different colour prima & silk flowers but I never seem to have the right colours so I ended up using my clip punches.

Star Collection stencil

Here are another 2 made for Art Of Craft this time I've used this star collection stencil. I've played about with the placement and have found so many different ways of using it that it's going to be one of my all time favourites.

The lily decoupage is from Joy Crafts, all I've done is emboss the simple flourish in the corners on some white card. Matted & layered on pale blue pearl & a dark blue with a few stick on pearls & an organza bow. Very simple and not too time consuming.

The pansy card uses papers from Joy Crafts and added some stickles glitter glue. Same stencil but a different section. Again I've embossed into the corners but this time I've played with my knife and cut away the lattice area. Hidden under the white card is my favourite deep purple card which peeps through the cutwork. Not sure if there's a brand to it but I buy a1 sheets at the Range. This is then mounted on some green glittery paper from a DCWV stack and a 14.5cm sqr base card. I've had real fun adding plenty of bling with 2 shades of purple 2mm and deep green 4mm gems. To stick gems I find it best to use art institute or anitas tacky glue applied with a tiny steel nib. I dip the tip of a cocktail stick either into the glue or a pot of water, the moisture is enough to pick the gem up and move into place.

Suzy stencils from Marianne Design.

These are both samples made for Art Of Craft and are made from the same new Suzy template from Marianne Design. The floral decoupage is from Joy Crafts. I've used a flourish stamp with versamark & some stampendous gold detail powder to create the illusion of a background paper it's then been layered on some gold silk mirri. A plain gold border peeloff helps define the area. The suzy template has been used twice to emboss on to white pearly card. Both patterns have been cut, embroidered with a gold rayon thread and finished off with some gems then mounted on green card & gold satin mirri.

The elephant paper is from Marij Rhyder. This time I've cut the same white card into a 13cm square. On the reverse I marked a 2cm border and used this to position the stencil into the corners. It's then been embossed and had a few areas cut away. I've used the same gold satin mirri & some red card to matt & layer. I'm a bit of a magpie and love sparkly things so added a few small green gems, the bindi style ones are from Joy Craft. A nice organza bow in the corner with some gold bead chain threaded through and a peeloff to finish. I think I might pop to the shops later and get another elephant sheet to make it 3d but I'm housebound until Argos turn up with the new tallboy & bedside cabinets so it might stay as is.

ATC books.

Made from a sheet of A4 card or firm paper.

Each holds 4 ATCs and by glueing several together before adding a pretty cover can hold as many as you want.

Score along the 4 lines shown

Bring the bottom half up.

Fold as shown so that the middle fold is towards you.

Unfold and using the fold lines as start & stop points cut as shown.

Fold up again.

Turn over and squiggle some glue over one of the inside pages. Bring together and hold tight until the glue has set properly.

Use some double sided sticky tape along the middle to stick down a piece of ribbon. Make sure you leave enough loose either side to tie into a bow.

Use the book as a guide to make a paper cover. It doesnt have to cover totally. Glue to the front and back along the edges but not over the spine.

Now it's ready to decorate.

Sequins & Bead cards.

This is another of my old tutorials, they arent quick to make but are great for sat watching the tv on an evening.

The pattern is designed to fit on to a 12cm * 16cm piece of card and mounted on to a slightly larger base card. Save and print the pattern, resizing if required. Attach to a piece of card using masking tape and prick all the holes. Thread a beading needle with a long piece of single ply cotton and sew between the holes using the pattern of your choice. Once the sewing is completed you'll need to decide where you want the embellishment. The holes that are underneath or partially underneath the embellishment must not have sequins or beads sewn on or you may have problems attaching the embellishment. Thread the needle with either the same thread or one which matches the beads.

Sew the beads and sequin on to the pattern by bringing the needle up through the card, sequin & bead then sewing back through the sequin then card as per diagram. Stick and trim all loose ends of thread to the back of your work. Stick the work to your base card with either double sided sticky tape or 3d foam pads. Finally stick the embellishment in to place

Trapeze Cards

For those who don't know Trapeze Cards are works of art suspended in mid air by threads sewn between an outer border and an inner shape. You'll need a template & pattern made by Marianne Design.

There are 2 ways of making the cards, 1, where the trapeze is mounted onto the base card (cards above) the other is cut directly into the base card. The first doesn't quite show the true cleverness and beauty of Trapeze but it does mean an insert and writing in the card don't show through. This one is mounted but the principles are the same. I'm using the stitching pattern on the pink & mauve card above. Because of copyright if you want to replicate it you will need to buy the pattern book.

Equipment. You will need a template and pattern. A 13cm square base card, 1 piece of thick card 12cms square, colour isnt too important if you will be covering the central area.12cm square piece of card to make a frame.A cutting mat, very sharp knife, scissors, pencil, low tack tape, threads, beading needle & seed beads.

1: To make the trapeze attach template to card with low tack tape and cut along the inner lines with a knife. Some people trace the area and cut freehand with a knife and ruler. I prefer not to do this as the metal template will stop accidental over runs.

2: All 4 sections are cut away.

3: Using a fine pricking tool hold the needle at right angles to the template and pierce the required holes. Cut around the outer layer.

4: To make the frame draw around the outside & inner part of the template on the reverse of the card. Using a ruler mark a 2mm border to enlarge the frame by 4mm in total. Click the pic if I'm not making sense.

5: Cut the frame out.

6: Check you have made the right size frame by placing the trapeze over the top. There should be a 2mm border on the outside as well as the inside.

7: Thread the needle with a long piece of cotton/lurex/metallic thread and stick one end to the reverse of the trapeze using sticky tape. Sew as per pattern.

8: To attach the beads thread through one end, pull through until the bead is near the card and thread the needle through in the same direction as before. You're creating a loop around the bead as per picture.

9: Continue stitching but remember that you may have to break and reattach the thread several times to get to the next hole without the thread snaking over cut away areas.

10: When finished sewing remember to attach the end to the back with sticky tape and trim away any excess.

11: Very carefully snip away the supporting struts using scissors. If you do accidentally snip a thread just unpick at either end and reattach a new thread and sew between the 2 affected holes.

12. Add double sided sticky tape around the outer edge and stick to the frame made earlier.

13: The trapeze part is now finished.

14: Attach foam tabs to the reverse of the outer trapeze. If you are using a heavy embellishment it's worth adding tabs to the central area as well

15: Mount the framed trapeze to your base card and decorate as required. Gently nudge beads along the threads into place if needed. All finished, although I've not shown it decorated and will leave to everyone to guess what I did :o

Spring Cards

At the moment these are all the rage in the UK with many people still unsure of how to make them. Most people are unaware that the original templates were produced by Marianne Designs in Holland. There are 6 plastic folding templates, 3 square, 2 flowers & 1 c6 size. Each has a co-ordinating brass embossing/embroidery stencils and 3d sheets which fit within the designs perfectly.

To make the card you will need a sheet of A4 medium weight card, small ball embossing tool, ruler, craft knife, cutting mat, strong double sided sticky tape/glue and your choice of pretty papers & embellishments.

I’m using my own folding & cutting guide, feel free to copy it and pass on to your friends. I took the idea from the original templates but I wanted something tall to fit into a C6 envelope. If placed carefully you can cut 2 from one sheet of A4. By making the paper 14.8cm wide instead of a5 you will get a square card. Feel free to pass on the template to your friends, just dont include it on any cd or print to sell.

Template:

Using an embossing tool score all the lines including the broken ones.

Cut along the green lines.

so you end up with a tall "House" shape.

Fold along one of the blue lines, use the back of the ruler or a bone folder to sharpen the crease then flatten. Repeat along the other line.

Flip the card over and using the ruler/bone scorer create nice

folds along the 2 scored and uncreased lines at the middle of the

cross and at the bottom.

Bring the folds together to create the spring shape. You might want to “anchor” the top to the base with a piece of strong double sided sticky tape or glue. If you're using a pretty paper along the base make sure you use strong sticky otherwise in a few days the tension in the folds will pull it off.

I've got several spring cards in my photo bucket if you want a few decoration ideas. I'll also be adding fancy templates here once I've uploaded all of the tutorials from my yahoo site.

Be great to see any cards you make.