Hi! I have the Anniversary Edition Expression 2. My wonderful DH and equally wonderful sons bought it for me for Christmas 2011. My DH found it on Craig's List. A lady who had bought it from HSN just did not like it....she had an original Cricut, and 2 Expressions. She told DH it was just too hard to learn. It came with 4 pre-loaded cartridges on my E2, 2 pre-loaded on my Gypsy, and I have 105 physical ones, no digitals that I have purchased.
I have been very blessed to have received many of my carts, especially the Lite ones, as gifts from the parents of the children I teach my card classes to at my church. I have also received a few as gifts from family members, and friends. I have also purchased from EBay, and gotten great deals from there. And, I have purchased many used and some new carts from MB members. Early on, I paid too much for a couple carts, but I learned my lesson. I have an amount I stick to now, unless the cart is being purchased for a specific job, and I need it right away. I sell cards, and occasionally a customer will request a theme or image I just do not have, so I will have to buy a cart for that reason.
And, I use all my carts....yes, every one. If I find that I am not using a cart, I will try to use it specifically over a couple of weeks. If that does not work, then I sell it, thus why I just sold 3 of my Lite carts. Teaching the free card classes helps, kids get bored easily, so I am always using new images. And, I have a system to making cards at home. I have my carts in alphabetical order, with the carts that begin with numbers first. So, when I am just making cards to add to my stack of cards to sell I start with 3 Birds on Parade, and move on from there. I go through the handbook//tri-fold/page, and find at least one image with which to make a card. I usually already have a color combo in mind that I want to work with, so once I have that image, I build a card from there. Now, I do not always do this. If inspiration strikes, I go where that leads. But otherwise, it is a good way to make certain you are using your carts, and that you like them.
I have some of the older carts that I am considering selling now as well. Why? Well, ProvoCraft's technology and designs have advanced a great deal. Where once there was a very basic, simple bird cut, there is now a much more complex, multi-layered bird cut. The designs are better, which obviously makes my work better, which means I will use a newer cart more than an older one. This is not true of all my older carts, but I think it is true of a few of them. I will have to see what comes of giving them the opportunity to inspire me!
I recently posted my new storage for my carts...an old Samsonite hard shell suitcase. I have refurbished the inside. Now, I just need to paint the outside, for which I am still working on a design.
Sorry this is such a long post...it is just such a simple question, but very probative in it's answering. GG
Edited by user Monday, March 04, 2013 1:52:53 PM(UTC)
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