I know I have seen this on the forum but I am at a loss for where. I want to print names using my computer and then cut them out on my cricut. Can someone please tell me how to do that? Thank you

I was able to figure it out. I use Microsoft Publisher and draw a test box the same size as the shape that I'm going to cut out. I lay out my CCR mat and my Publisher document exactly the same. You can tell CCR where to put the items on the mat by using the X and Y axis on left side. For instance x=.50 and y=.50 will put the top left corner of the object 1/2" from top and 1/2" from left side. It takes some work to figure it all out. If you are using the same program (Publisher), I could try and walk you through after we get back from Key West (where my daughter is having a destination wedding next weekend). We used this method for place tags and menu's etc. Anyway, once I get everything set up I do a test print on plain white paper and then cut it out on the cricut to make sure everything lines up. Adjust as necessary. Once you have it like you want it, then print the text on your paper or cardstock and then cut out on Cricut. Maybe there's an easier way, but for doing multiples on the same page I find Publisher the easiest to work with.

Thank you for the replies. This gives me a place to start. I am making name tags for a friend's wedding. We wanted to print the names on paper and then use the cricut to cut the tag out. Never thought of using CCR.

Edited by user Saturday, January 19, 2013 9:26:37 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I work at a university's career services center and am using my Cricut Mini to demonstrate how many employers are attending our career fairs this semester. The plan is to use Valentine's Day as the theme and to tape approximately 200 heart-shaped cutouts all over a glass wall. I started with about 60 employers to work out the bugs.

Using mail merge in MS Word, the list of the employers was imported into a shipping label template, one with 6 labels per sheet. I then used CCR to create a cutting template with 6 heart-shaped cuts placed in the shipping label layout. I took the "negative" from the cutting template and placed it over each sheet of a plain paper printout to make sure all of the names fit properly. I re-formatted those names that didn't fit until they did. When everything looked good, the employers list was printed on 65 lb card stock, then cut out in white, pink, red, and purple. They look great! I plan on "playing" with them to try to make each one as unique as possible (ah, how the glue will flow).

The hardest part has been formatting the employer labels. The plan was to have them all be the same font and to center them in the middle of the label. Since doing each one individually would be a pain, I attempted to format them all at once. I did it by accident with the first batch, so I know there's a way to do it, but I can't remember how! Word 2010 is such a pain to work with and their help section is a joke! I learned how to mail merge by watching a YouTube video, so I will probably use YouTube again on Monday to rediscover what I did accidentally the first time.

I think the key to cutting mass numbers of printed material is to decide how to develop your template(s). I tried to visualize what I needed, then started experimenting. Except for the Word formatting difficulties, things actually worked pretty smoothly for the first batch. Happy cutting!