Just wanted to stop by and say Hello..My Husband gave me the Cricut Expression for Christmas. Came with the Cricut Classic Font and Cricut Lite Playtime. Looking forward to trying it out. Have it out of the box but thats as far as I have gotten.

Thanks so much for the Welcome. Looking forward to all the great tips I will get here.

Welcome to the party! I have made amazing friendships over the years and learned so much.

Jump in and join discussions, swaps and post your work.

Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone........

I too just received a Cricut Expression from my husband for Christmas. I played around with it yesterday a little but just feel a little overwhelmed and really don't know where to start to create something using it. Any suggestions for a first project?

Welcome to you all.

Grab one of the carts that came with your Expression and just start cutting things out.

Get to know what each button can do. Play with the blade depth, pressure and speed settings.

Be aware that your mat will most likely be super sticky. You may have problems getting your paper off it at first. You can try patting it all over (with the plastic cover sheet off) with your hands to take some of the sticky off. Don't try and use thin cardstock on it till it's a bit less sticky or you'll have the worst time getting it back off without ripping or curling.

Have fun and don't forget to post any questions you have!

WOW Ladies! I just got the baby bug for Christmas...I think that I should be jealous.

welcome! glad you discovered the forum, lots of helpful tips on here!

Since you've been so warmly welcomed, I will dispense with the welcome and issue an
ENABLER ALERT!!!!!

You have no idea what these people here on the MB are capable of. They can come up with the most amazing LOs (Layouts), cards, and other crafts you could imagine (no pun intended). You will be mesmerized into thinking thoughts such as "Wow, I want to do that" or "I've got to have that cart(cartridge)" or similar expressions (no pun intended).

You will lose sleep thinking about buying carts, which carts to buy, should I take that back, "Oh, no, I hope nobody finds out how much I spent". There's no end to it. This is a dangerous place to be for anybody even remotely interested in crafts. There is so much encouragement and inspiration here that you will continue to come. You won't be able to resist. When you're not here, you'll be thinking of what cartridges and other soon-to-become necessary items you need. You've been warned. Take the advice given regarding your credit card(s).

When I was warned, I tossed it off, but I should have listened. I won't mention my "crimes of crafting" here because I hate to leave a paper trail.



WELCOME TO THE MB NEWBIES!

Edited by user Monday, December 27, 2010 10:41:12 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

tee hee hee

The baby cricut can definitely cut vinyl. One difference between the two is that the Expression has a Multi cut button. This means you can cut thicker materials by getting the Expression to cut over the same area twice.

The baby cricut doesn't have multi cut, but you can achieve the same thing by pressing LOAD paper after you have cut your design once (the blade will return back to its original position) then press Repeat Last, and then the Cut button.

DS is a computer program that allows you to weld, copy, skew, rotate, group (kind of) and flip objects. You create your design on the virtual DS mat, attach the cricut to your computer (with the supplied USB cable) and press the Cut button in DS. (Most of the buttons on the Cricut don't work when you're using DS and the Gypsy.)

With DS you still need to have the physical cartridges to insert into the Cricut before you can cut the design.

The Gypsy is a hand held device that is similar to the DS program. However you have to link your carts to the Gypsy (they remain permanently linked) before you can cut the design. But in this way you don't have to insert the carts in your machine. (You should put them away for safe keeping, because if something happens to your Gypsy, you'll need them to load back on the new/repaired one.) The Gypsy also has a much smaller screen than DS, but MANY people like it more because it has some features that are easier to use than on DS.

You can download DS from here: http://www.cricut.com/CDS/Update.aspx. It will stay in trial mode until your purchase a copy and use the serial number off the cd envelope to activate it.

You'll need a type A/B USB cable to connect your cricut to the computer. The one on your printer will most likely work.

With the trial version you can design with all the carts but only cut with the George cart. (It should have come with your Cricut. Unless you got Playtime with yours????

Edited by user Tuesday, December 28, 2010 4:24:19 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Welcome to the MB. Keep your first projects simple so you can just get a good feel of what your machine can do. Then move to the advanced "OOOHHHHH AAAAHHHHHH" projects that you see on these MBs. Enjoy and can't wait to see what you can do.

Afternoon everyone. Yes I'm new to the Expression (and have today also received CDS). Haven't really used either of them in anger yet (uploaded new version of DS). Will definitely be using the forum to 'pick people's brains' and look for projects/ideas.

Happy New Year to you all.

Take care, Shirl

Just another warning.....if you are like me as well as starting to feel more of the deadly sin of LUST you will become a posting addict where you will put a project on the boards and then keep going back 50 times a day to see if anyone has commented on it. If you don't get any or only a few comments you will plunge to the depths of despair and look at other peoples projects and think...mine is as GOOD as if not BETTER so why don't hey like it???????

On the other hand you will also get so many fantastic ideas ( the word scraplift should be in the new dictionaries as it is so widely used) and great support from all the other ladies and men who share this wonderful craft with you.

Good luck and can't wait to see your first projects

Rosy

I just got into the Expression with the gypsy and am loving it. I have to say this site has been a wonderful enabler! There are so many wonderful creative people here that I love seeing what others will create and what ideas that will give me.

Welcome to this addictive habit, can't wait to see what it will help you create.

Welcome to the MB! :) I'm new too! And love learning and sharing ideas...this MB has helped a TON!