Discover the Possibilities of Cricut® Craft Room

If you love your Cricut^® machine, then you are going to adore all of the fabulous things you can do with Close To My Heart Cricut^® cartridges in the Cricut^® Craft Room. Create layers, cut negative space in the shape of your choice, make borders, and link elements together for a connected look. It’s easy! We’ll show you how.

Here is how to get started with Cricut^® Craft Room:

1. Create a FREE account in a few easy steps.
2. Download and run the application for PC or MAC, depending on the type of computer you use.
3. Connect your Cricut^® machine to your computer using a Type B USB cable. (Note: For more info on this type of cable, see your Cricut^® user’s guide or your local electronics store.) Once you have connected your computer to your Cricut^® machine, the “Load Mat” button is the only button you will ever need to push on your machine in the entire process. Cricut^® Craft Room will do everything else for you.
4. Once inside the application, choose the type of Cricut^® machine you own.
5. Insert your Close To My Heart Art Philosophy or Artiste cartridge into your Cricut^® machine.
6. In the lower left portion of the application there is a tab that is labeled “Images/Cartridges.” Select “All Cartridges” from the dropdown menu. (Note: You must choose a cartridge that you own. You can also purchase individual images from the Cricut^® store.)
7. Scroll to find the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy or Close To My Heart Artiste cartridges you own.
8. The virtual mat in Cricut^® Craft Room is just like the mat you’ll load into your machine. And, it is oriented the same way that you will load your mat into the machine, with the arrow at the top.
9. To drag an image to the mat, simply click on the image in the image selection tool box and move it to the mat.
10. Once the image is on the virtual mat, you can adjust the placement by clicking on the image and moving it to any location on the mat.
11. Now that you know the basics, you can start creating and exploring the possibilities!

Follow these steps to create the negative space on a card base, like you see on this Cheer Up card, featuring images from the Art Philosophy cartridge:

1. Select the “Card” tab in the Art Philosophy images. Find the card base you prefer and drag it onto the mat. (We used Square 1 for the Cheer Up card.) The image will be cut in the exact direction and location that you place it on the virtual mat. At the top of the screen, or at the left under the “Shape Properties” tab, you’ll see size boxes. Enter the width and height for your shape. This is the size it will be cut on the machine, regardless of what size your machine indicates on the flip screen.

2. Choose an image to cut out of your card front. We have chosen a butterfly by going to the Basics tab, clicking the “Show Shift/Lock Images” at the bottom, and then selecting the butterfly. Drag the image to the right side of the card base, position it, and alter the size, as desired. Once the image is in place, you will see a cut-out image in its place. This Weld feature is automatically on unless you disable it, and allows you to see how the card base will look with your images cut out.

3. Select another image, drag it to the card base, and position it how you’d like it. Continue adding images to the card base, if desired.

4. To cut your finished artwork, load the mat into your Cricut^® machine and insert the corresponding cartridge. Next, press the green Cut button at the top of the computer screen and follow the prompts. The machine will cut the shapes as you have prepared them in Craft Room. If more than one cartridge shape has been added to the project, the machine and screen will prompt you with instructions.

Here are so more artwork examples that have been made using Cricut^® Craft Room software. Follow the instructions below to learn some more fun tricks we used in creating this artwork.

Birthday Greetings card

Here’s how to create the bracket frame as shown in this Birthday Greetings card:

1. Drag a card base from Art Philosophy cartridge and size it to be 9" wide and 4½" high.
2. Add a 1½" bracket frame (from the Basic tab) to the center of the right side of the card. So far, all of the shapes have been placed in Layer 1. You can add additional layers using the Layer feature located toward the top of the screen, directly above the mat. Each Layer will be cut from a separate sheet of paper and is indicated by a different color on the screen. Using the Layer feature allows you to fully design your Cricut^® shapes before cutting any pieces.
3. Add a second Layer by clicking the plus sign. Click and hold the Layer 2 tab and drag the tab to the left so it is first in the row. This allows you to see the second Layer on top of the first so you can visualize your finished project. Drag a 3" bracket frame to the card base and position it over the 1½" frame. Then, still using Layer 2, add a 1½" bracket frame in the center of the 3" frame.
4. Maneuver the Layer 2 frames so that they perfectly line up with the Layer 1 frame. Use your keyboard arrows for exactness.
5. Cut the pieces following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine. Layer 2 will be cut first, so be sure to load that paper first. Then load a new sheet of paper for the Layer 1 pieces.
6. Embellish the card as desired.

All Boy page

Want to create a border that spans the entire length of your 12" page? It’s easy!

1. In Craft Room, change the mat size to 12" x 24" under Machine & Mat tab on the left of the screen.
2. Drag your selected border to the mat and rotate it so it is vertical.
3. Change the height of the border to 12". It will automatically change the width proportionally unless you click the aspect ratio button between the width and height measurements.
4. Whether you have a 12" × 24" mat or a 12" × 12" mat, you can use this function with a 12" × 12" piece of paper. Simply place the border as close to the top of the Craft Room mat as possible, but not exactly flush with the top.

5. Cut the piece following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine.

To create the title with the letters joined together to form one piece instead of individually cut letters…

1. Drag your letters to the mat
2. Overlap portions of each letter to connect them
3. Use the Weld feature to join the letters together seamlessly.
4. Cut the piece following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine.

There are so many possibilities to explore in the Cricut^® Craft Room using the versatile Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges from Close To My Heart! If you have any questions about using Cricut^® Craft Room, visit www.cricut.com where a Cricut^® employee will be glad to help you. Be sure to get your Art Philosophy and Artiste Cricut^® cartridges today in order to create with them in this new and exciting environment!

Artiste-Style Diaper Card

With 700 images to choose from on the new Artiste Cricut cartridge, I don't have any trouble being creative. My issue is having too many options and wanting to try them all:-) I just became a Great Aunt again to a great nephew born on Tuesday:

My nephew and his wife haven't announced his name yet but I'm sure they will very soon. Naming a child is one of those times in life that you don't usually do a "do-over" so I'm sure they are trying to pick his name carefully!

So for his card, I chose the new Diaper card found on pg. 64 of the Artiste book. I cut it at 5" which used most of my 8 1/2" x 11" white cardstock. The insert was also cut at 5" with a white layer cut at 4 3/4".

The outside sentiment ( Accent 1 ) and the diaper pins (Accent 2) were cut from the images found on page 64 on the Cricut.

The inside sentiment is from the stamp set New Arrival.
To go along with his card I cut the shoe image found on pg. 63 in the Artiste guide. I used black card stock with a strip of white card stock stamped with the saying "Little Dude" and I made some laces by paper piercing 6 holes and threading string through them.

I've mostly seen girl shoe examples and I knew that would never work so I had to come up with a way to change the look to be more boy-like. Hopefully they will like them.
Thanks for stopping by!

Card Chatter-Love

I LOVE this stamp set and have used it over and over again for Valentine's Day, a wedding card or anniversary card. It has great sentiments and the Scalloped Heart is so fun!
The base is from CTMH's colonial white cardstock. The patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye with a tulip cardstock backing. I used the Cricut to cut the heart and tag. The heart was run through my mini-crimper (from days of old:-) The scalloped circle was cut with a Nestabilities-type die. I stamped the "Love" heart with Tulip ink and cut it out free-hand. Then I attached a sheer gray ribbon with a tulip button. The strips were cut from Tulip and Grey Wool cardstock (CTMH)and then I used a Large Polka Dots embossing folder from Quickutz to add some texture.

The inside uses a sentiment from the Art Philosophy collection from CTMH. I used that cartridge with my Cricut to cut the shapes. I added a scalloped border by removing the guards on my corner rounder.

This is a close-up shot:

A Side-view....thanks for stopping by!

iSpy Sketches Challenge ISSC01

A new sketch challenge has begun over at iSpy Sketches.
It's for fun and inspiration and I decided to play along. I chose the Stella B&T paper from CTMh with an olive cardstock base. The stamp set I am using is called "A Tree" (A1124 $6.95) and it's a new release at CTMH. The cocoa cardstock was embossed with my Big Shot and a large dots embossing folder from Quick Kutz. I added some stitching and glitter along with some new CTMH baker's twine (Paradise Asst. Z1702 $4.95) and 3 buttons. The shapes were cut at 3 1/2" (olive) and 3 1/4" (colonial white) using the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge from CTMH. Thanks for stopping by!

From their blog......

Here's how to play:

Create a paper crafting project (card, scrap book page or 3D item), based on the sketch provided.

Post your creation on your blog or an online gallery (using a code ISSC01), and link it here with the inlinkz widget below. Please provide a direct link to your post - not the generic link to your blog.

A new challenge will be posted every Friday at 12.01 AM EST, and you have until noon on Wednesday EST to submit your entry.

You may enter as many times as you like, but please provide a newly designed project with a new link for each additional project.

We will choose the top 2 creations to be featured in our "Top 2 Thursday" post where we will announce who we have picked :) The winners will receive their very own iSpy Sketches blog badge!

Don't forget that you may combine our challenges with others and use supplies from any company that you wish :)

Have fun and we look forward to "spying:" your creations!

Gift Card Pocket Card for Valentine's Day

Happy Saturday! This card features a gift card pocket. The black cardstock base is cut at 5 1/2" x 12" and scored at 4 1/4", 6" and then rotated 180 degrees and scored again at 4 1/4" to create the gift card pocket. The paper I chose is grey wool from CTMH and B&T "Love Me" from My Mind's Eye. The hearts & pennants were cut using the Cricut. I did some sewing on the inside of the card called "over-sewing". I added some lace and embossed the gray paper using my Big Shot and an embossing folder from Quickkutz.

The 6" score line should be folded in toward the center and the 4 1/4" score lines will be folded to create a sandwich. Tape just the edge of the pocketed area and using a 1/2" punch half-way into the pocket you've just created, make a punch in the center and then I used a square punch (just the lip of it) to create openings on both side of the 1/2" mark. This probably doesn't make sense but hopefully the photo will help. Thanks for stopping by!

Valentine's Day Cards

It's soon another fun holiday so today's post features a couple Valentine card ideas. I'm teaching my monthly workshop at the senior highrise and wanted to come up with some fun Valentines cards for the ladies to make. This first one is a standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card:

Close-up:

Paper: CTMH Colonial White & Kraft cardstock, My Mind's Eye "Love Me" designer paper
Stamps:CTMH Card Chatter-Love (D1464 $17.95)
Accessories: sewing machine, small paper crimper, embossing powder on the "Love" heart, red gems, cream ribbon
Ink: CTMH Tulip, Hollyhock & Versamark for embossing


This is an easel card. The base is 5" x 10" and it's scored at 5" and again at 7 1/2" and an additional 5" x 5" piece of cardstock is attached to create the front of the card.

Side-view:

Card sitting as an easel:

The inside verse:

Paper:CTMH Blush, Chocolate, Kraft & White cardstock
Stamps:CTMH Card Chatter-Love (D1464); Universal Backgrounds (D1477 $17.95)
Accessories: paper crimper, polka dots texture plate,lace, sheer chocolate ribbon, glitter, 3M foam tape, scalloped border punch & Kraft color-ready borders (retired)
Ink:Blush & Chocolate from Close To My Heart

Just a Note Card

This card features the new "Just A Note" stamp set that will be available February 1st for purchase from the CTMH Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book. The card shows off some of the new patterned paper in the Stella paper pack! I love the bold colors and fun floral look. I chose the Sunset, Black and Lagoon inks. The string is embroidery thread from Walmart and the button was added with the small tag cut from the Cricut. Thanks for looking!

Another Stamp of the Month Card

Just a short post tonight. This card uses the CTMH Stamp of the Month and I stamped a small star on the "January" and the "30" because my eldest son is turning 20 that day. I'm not convinced this is "manly" enough for his birthday but it will have to do. Boys aren't necessarily interested in cards anyways, right??!!

The base of the card is with Grey Wool cardstock from CTMH with Outdoor Denim and some plaid paper from a local craft store. I cut the arrow, banner and numbers using the Cricut and the AP Cartridge also from CTMH. The sewing was done with my sewing machine and I need to learn how to sew straight...ugh! Thanks for stopping by!

Stella with Fashionista

Some new CTMH product has arrived and will be available for purchase February 1st, which is right around the corner. I love the bright bold colors of the new paper pack called "Stella" (X7147B $9.95. It boasts colors such as lagoon, sunset and tulip.
For my first card I used a black base with colonial white cardstock and B&T paper from the Stella paper pack. I also added the new Baker's Twine Paradise Assortment (Z1702 $4.95 for 20 yds. each in 4 colors). It matches perfectly! The lagoon flowers (Paradise Paper Flowers Z1710 $5.95) with tulip brads are also new to the CTMH line-up of products! The fashionable lady and sentiment are from the new set called "Fashionista" (D1504 $17.95) I stamped the lady with black ink and then stamped the same image again in tulip and cut the purse and skirt out to add to the black image. The sentiment shape was cut using the Cricut at 2" and 2 1/4".

This card has a colonial base with black cardstock. I paper pierced the black and used a white gel pen to look like stitching. The olive cardstock was cut at 3" and then run through the Big Shot with an embossing folder. The heart was cut using Stella paper with a tulip button and black & white baker's twine bow and the B&T paper was also from the new Stella paper pack. The sentiment is also from the new set "Fashionista" and I cut the scallop square with a Nestability. Thanks for looking!

Ticket Cards

I am always glad when CTMH brings back a really great Stamp Of the Month like this one called "American Celebration" (D1458 $17.95) It worked well to make these cards with the Cricut cutting the ticket die and the stars were cut at 3" with the Cricut as well. The base is white cardstock and the colors I chose were lagoon, black and tulip on the second card. I used some baker's twine-type ribbon with a button and added a small tag cut using the Cricut as well. The black background paper was run through the Big Shot with a Sizzix embossing folder.

The scallop was cut at 3" and the stars were a few different sizes. Thanks for stopping by!

School Rocks Card

Here's my entry to the Deconstructing Jen sketch #33. It’s the first week of the month so that means they are sponsored this week! Their fantastic sponsor is Scrapping Great Deals and they have very graciously offered a $25.00 gift certificate to the winner! How awesome is that?? So you can get your entries in by January 11, 2012 at 8 pm CST to be entered to win! I thought it would be fun to play!

My card features the super cute set from CTMH called "School Rocks" (B1396 $9.95).
The card base is made from Kraft cardstock, also CTMH (Z1375 $9.50 for 24 sheets).
The B&T paper is from the Typeset Level 2 Paper Packet (X7139B $9.95) along with vineyard berry, black, & colonial white cardstock. The stars & flourishes were cut using the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge and my Cricut, then I ran them through my paper crimper. The bow is black & white baker's twine (purchased at Hobby Lobby). The scalloped strip was run through the Big Shot with a zigzag patterned embossing folder. and buttons were added with glue dots. One of the great things about the new background & texture paper from CTMH is that it comes with a designer strip to be cut off and used as a border and that is where the alphabet strip came from. It worked perfectly with this card! Thanks for looking!

Here's the inside greeting:

Another view showing the 3-D foam tape used on the stars and flourishes:

Tuesday Morning Sketch #127

I created my sketch entry with CTMH's December SOTM called "Mad About You." I used the retired paper pack called "Sweetheart". Hollyhock, White and Grey Wool ink and cardstock were also used. The Cricut cut the tags and I added some gray brads and sheer ribbon to finish it off. Thanks for looking!

"Little Reminder"

This month Close to My Heart is featuring their stamp set called "Little Reminder" as the Stamp of the Month (SOTM).

It can be purchased for $17.95 or with a purchase of $50 in product you can purchase it for an additional $5. It's a very fun set to personalize cards or scrapbook pages. The example I have is a card for my niece, Andrea, who is turning 15 on January 8th.
Here is a photo of the two of us taken on Christmas Eve:

The card has a colonial white cardstock base with Elemental B&T paper, sorbet, chocolate, creme brulee and olive cardstock. The flowers were cut with the Cricut and then the edges were sanded to expose the white core of the paper. The pennant was added by using part of a skewer stick and adding the chocolate striped grosgrain ribbon. The leaves were scored to add a veining appearance and the chocolate card stock was scored and sanded as well. Happy stamping!

Inspired by Jeanette

This card was reproduced from an entry on Jeanette Lynton's blog and I just love how this card was created to look like a poinsetta! The colors and sanding are just beautiful!
I used Juniper, Desert Sand and Hollyhock cardstock & inks with a white cs base. The Typeset B&T paper was used for the strip of Juniper color and the bottom portion was created with colonial white c.s. and a stamp from the April "You Are..." SOTM that will be available in 2012! The new catalog has wonderful Stamp of the Month sets and I'm so excited for you to see them all!

The "Snowflakes" (D1480 $17.95) stamp set was used to create the poinsetta. I cut the largest snowflake at 3 1/2", the middle layer at 3 1/4" and the smallest snowflake was cut at 1 3/4" and then stamped with Hollyhock ink. I placed 6 Pearl Opaque Adhesive Gems (Z1336 $2.95 for 108 opaques) for the center and cut the leaves at 2 1/2" on the Cricut using juniper cardstock. I scored the leaves in the center and then sanded the center score line and the edges. The snowflake layers were also sanded on the edges to reveal the white core. I used cream-colored crochet thread (from Walmart) for the ribbon and wrapped it around 5 times. The sentiment is from "Say It In Style" (D1283 $17.95) I stamped the bottom with Desert Sand ink and sponged the whole piece to darken up the colonial white c.s. Thanks for stopping by!

Snowflake Card

The card base was cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge cut at 5 1/2". The snowflakes were also cut using the AP cartridge and then they were stamped with "Sky" ink and dotted with Glitz Glitter Gel with a sewn on button for the center. The B&T paper used was from the "Dreamin" Level 2 paper packet and the stamp set was CTMH® "Snowflakes" (D1480 $17.95). Despite the lack of snow in our state so far this year, it still should be snowing and today marks the Winter Solstice so let the snowing begin!

Christmas Gift Card

This is a standard A2 size gift-card that has glittered flowers for a wintery look, cut-out using the AP cartridge at 2 3/4". The leaves were cut at 1 1/2". I used a Nestability scallop-circle die for the blue cardstock and white cardstock for the sentiment. The base of the card is 5 1/2" x 12" and it was scored at 4 1/4", 6" & then turned 180 degrees and scored again at 4 1/4". Fold the card at the 6" line and then fold at the other score lines to sandwich the center fold. Tape the edges and punch the opening to hold the giftcard.

Here's the inside view:

Thanks for stopping by!