My Cricut

My Circut Mini

 You may remember me saying I got  Cricut Mini for Christmas!  This is my first experience...and it's a lot of fun! It's EASY. A Cricut is simply a "cutting machine." You have a certain amount of basic shapes and fonts that come with the machine and you can add more images and fonts by purchasing new cartridges.

 Have you ever seen on or used one? They are easy and fun!
 
The mini Cricut is connected to my computer and I "design" all my cuts on the computer screen. I simple pick from the images that appear on the bottom of my screen. Click on the image I want and move it to the area I want, enlarge it, etc. Easy. You can copy and paste, change the sizes, and save projects. Everything is cut on a sticky mat and then removed.

Vinyl:

Vinyl is great for doors, and walls. It peel right off and leaves no residue. I thought this was much better than the hand-written paper that reads, "GET OUT!"

My first thought was that vinyl would be hard.......NOPE. Cuts just like paper and Voila!! You have add transfer paper to the back. I have seen on blogs that people even use duck tape over the letter. This transfer paper keeps the words lined up and together.  You place on door..scratch off and your letters stay!

 I did this Vinyl wall quote took a few minutes!  I think it's a good message for the kids!

And one last vinyl project:

 So you can see I LOVE the vinyl! I am going to be changing this to No. 1234
with our address in white, I think.

Here's how to make T-shirt:

 So, of course I wanted to try T-shirt vinyl or heat transfer vinyl!! How cool. Here's a great site to buy some. You can buy it by the sheet. Great for trying out the first time! Oh, and they have glitter!!!!  http://www.expressionsvinyl.com/. Amazon has great prizes but you have to buy a lot. T-shirt vinyl has two layers. The actually vinyl for the T-shirt and a plastic heat transfer layer.


You start with the same steps:

 Design what you want on the computer, and cut. T-shirt vinyl comes with a special plastic already in place. Letters must be cut in REVERSE for T-shirts. Images, etc. can be cut right side up. You spell out the name and hit a button that reverses the letters. I could do it. So EASY.


 I designed a T-shirt for Lucie, a Crown and her name in glittery silver. The size of the crown I see on my computer screen is the exact size I'll have on her T-shirt. So I just picked the size I liked. This crown is found on the "Sophisticated" cartridge.

 I was amazed! Once your image is cut and the extra vinyl around it is peeled off...place on the T-shirt and iron right onto the shirt! The plastic doesn't melt!!

 Peel the plastic off and...voila!I was really impressed.

Letters must be cut in REVERSE for T-shirts. Because you want to cut the vinyl, not the plastic. The plastic must be placed face down.  Images, like my crown can be cut like normal. To reverse letters and words, simply spell out the name and hit the reverse arrow. I told you it was EASY.

Now her name, because she can never find it in The States spelled the French way!! Notice that I have peeled off all surrounding vinyl. If, Ironed it would all melt unto the shirt. Also, here you can see that the name was in reverse.

 I think this is our favorite project yet! It's so easy! I have seen many...many Cricuts on shopgoodwill.com. I recommend a Mini!

 I am in love with my Mini Cricut. I am going to make the most of and use it a lot!! Oh...I wish I didn't work!!

Bisous!
Karen

I am linking up with:

http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/