Eyeore Card with DS and Any Cricut - Pooh & Friends Cartridge & George

Here is an Eyeore card that I made back around the end of March for my sister's birthday.  I love the Mouse.  She loves Eyeore.  We were out of town (at Disney I believe!) on her birthday so we "missed" it.  I made this as a birthday card for her and on the inside I put - "we missed your birthday - hope it was happy" or something like that. 

Well, I've had the .cut file since then but forgot to take a picture of the card to share with all of you.  I finally got around to cutting a new one so I could take a picture!  I've left the inside blank at the moment so I could "adapt" it to any need like another missed birthday, an illness, an apology, etc. 

I have files for both the smaller bugs and the Expression.  You will need the Pooh and Friends cartridge and George.  The rectangle used to join Eyeore's head for the base and the bottom of the card are from George but could easily be replaced by ones from another cartridge if you don't have our friend George.  I used the Pooh Font for the words "oh bother" so you could easily redo that with another font you had. I used the shadow of Eyeore to make the card base, then cut the full head and then the "pieces" and layered them.  See your Pooh & Friends handbook if needed in figuring out the layering.

Download the Eyeore Card .cut file for the Smaller bugs here.

Download the Eyeore Card .cut file for the Expression here.

DS File by GJ now available for Witche's Shoe Card Previously Posted

Hello.  Just a quick note to let you know that I was contacted by GJ on the Cricut MB asking if it was okay for her to remake the Witch's shoe card that I had made as .svg and .scut files and previously posted.  I said sure, I would love for her to do that for our DS using friends.  So she did and has kindly agreed to let me post it here on my blog for those who wish to download it.  Both GJ and I have cut the file and it works great.  Here is a picture of GJ's card.

You can follow this link to see my original post and to find GJ's DS .cut file that she has kindly shared.  Thanks GJ!

http://meflickcricutandmore.blogspot.com/2009/08/happy-halloween-witchy-footwear-card.html

NOTE:  On GJ's card she has used the "hide contour feature".  Her first page with the card tells you what should be "hidden".  Make sure these are "hidden" before you go to cut the file.  You will probably have to "hide" them again in the file.  I did.  Nothing GJ did wrong - just one of those "bugs" in the software - a hidden contour doesn't always stay hidden!

Happy Halloween - Witchy Footwear Card for SCAL 2 OR NOW File for DS too!

Hello. We have 2 month until Halloween. "Witch" means its time to be making those Halloween cards!! I had purchased the Sept/Oct 2009 copy of PaperCrafting Magazine. It has several cute card ideas in it. One is a "Witchy Footwear Card" designed by Kim Hughes.

I liked the card but of course wanted to be able to cut out multiple of the cards with my Cricut. So, with the help of my scanner, computer, Inkscape and SCAL 2, I downloaded the pattern for the Witches Boot, created an .svg file with Inkscape and imported it into SCAL 2. Since the "card" requires a "front and back" to it and the pattern only had 1 side of 1 boot, I had to copy it and then flip it and then attempt to weld it. Well for some reason, I couldn't get SCAL or SCAL 2 to weld the two boots together!! Grrrrrr!!! I do know how to weld - it wasn't working!! Still haven't figured out why!!


Well - not to be thrawted by a computer and software, I simple cut 2 of the shapes out, taped them together in the correct position and rescanned it into my computer as 1 object! Then again, coverted it into an .svg file and IMPORTED it into SCAL 2! Success!!! There is more then one way to skin a cat you know!! LOL I used a $1 stamp from Studio G that says "Best Witches" inside the card.


I used SCAL 2 because I wanted 2 pages. The first page has the card base and the second page a "liner" for inside the card since I was cutting the base in black cardstock! I did try to open this .scut file in the first version of SCAL just to see what would happen - nothing happens - you just get a blank page. So, you will need to have SCAL 2 to open and cut this file. It also appears that there is nothing to distinguish the file names of files created in SCAL 1 and/or SCAL 2. Both types of files end in .scut alone. If I am wrong on this can someone let me know? Thanks! This may cause problems for some since SCAL 1 wouldn't open my SCAL 2 file. As a result, I will always try to remember to tell you which version of SCAL I have used. I may come back and add a SCAL 1 version but you really don't need me to, simply take the .svg file and IMPORT (not open) it into SCAL 1. Remember to IMPORT the Shoe CARD if you want the card base!


I thought about adding the "hole punches" for the ribbon "shoe lace" but didn't because I was also using a liner inside the card. That would be a nightmare to try and line up before you cut and put the card base and liner together. So, I didn't add those to the file. However, you could add them to the front base IF you were not going to use the liner inside the card.



You can download the single Witches Shoe .svg file here. You can download the Witches Shoe CARD .svg file here. Or you can download the Witches Shoe CARD .scut file for SCAL 2 here.

UPDATE: 9/11/09 - GJ from the Cricut MB contacted me and asked if I would mind if she attempted to create this card in DS for those Cricut users with DS but not SCAL.  I told her I'd be happy for her to do that.  I also told her she was a better woman then me to do so because I had taken the "easy way out" by doing this with SCAL to start with.  I love DS but I don't have the patience to do complicated things with it, especially without a "group all" feature and some other basic graphic features that it is missing.  Anyway . . .

GJ has created a DS .cut file of a similiar witch's shoe card for all our DS friends!  Thank you GJ for doing so and sharing it.  Since GJ does not yet have a blog she said she was willing for me to post it here on mine to share with all of you.  Here is a picture of her card she made: 

You can Download GJ's Witch's Shoe Card .cut file here.

Thanks GJ.  To see more of GJ's work you can go to the Cricut MB and check out her gallery there. 

Sports Decals for Car with Wallpops and Sports Mania

Here are two "Sports Decals" I did for my car. My DD plays volleyball and my DS plays football for their middle school. The football team orders decals and magnets for the parents' cars but we don't for volleyball. So, I wanted something for each of my children. I created these using the Sports Mania Cartridge for the volleyball, the volleyball player and the football. I used Basecamp for the font for the name of the school and their names and his number. I used white wallpops. These were cut at around 3 inches I believe. I originally did 5 inches and they were way too big!!!

I am not including a .cut file as they should be fairly simple to recreate. However, do not hesitate to ask for one or for help should you have problems with it. Simply layout the design on your DS screen and "cut". Then "weed out" the excess pieces of your vinyl that you don't need. For example, remove the pieces "inside" the volleyball, the "lines," the player, and the actual letters (be sure to leave the "insides" of any letters like the "B" and the "a"). Then remove the extra pieces around the outside of the cut.

Once you have your "design" as it should appear on your window, transfer it to the transfer tape per the tape's instructions. This should put the "outside" of your design down on the transfer tape with the sticky part of the vinyl up. No go place it on your car window and "rub" the design down. Note - this method is done on the OUTSIDE of the car window. Mine has been on the car for almost a month now with LOTS of rain and is still sticking no problems. No fading since I used the white wall pops to start with.

Be creative and do this for most any sport or activity your child participates in! Have fun.

What is a .cut file, a .scut file and a .svg file and what does it matter?

I see a lot of confusion on the Cricut MB about .cut, .scut and .svg files and what they are used for. I will see if I can give a brief explanation that will help you understand. First, Provocraft (PC) created a software for use with your cricuts that is called Design Studio (DS). DS allows you to create new images/objects by using images/objects from those that are on PC's cricut cartridges that you purchase. You do this usually by joining them (welding them together to cut as one new object). You can not "draw" your own objects with DS. You can only use objects from the cartridges. It is also important to note here that you can DESIGN or CREATE objects with ANY cartridge that PC has out and that is loaded in your DS software (note: PC is slow to update the software so it is possible that a cartridge may be out for a little while before it is available for use in the DS software). HOWEVER, you can only CUT the designs you create IF you OWN (or can borrow from a friend) the cartridges used. When you create a file using the DS software and save it, it creates a file name with an extension of .cut. A .cut file can only be used with DS software. It cannot be used with SCAL (Sure Cuts a Lot). Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) software is not a PC product. It was created by Craft Edge to be used with your Cricut machines. You do not have to have DS software to use SCAL. However, you do need to have the most recent "firmware" version on your cricut to use SCAL, and in order to get your firmware updated, you must use the DS software to do that. However, you can download the trial version of DS from PC's Cricut website in order to update your firmware. SCAL was created so that you could use any true type fonts, dingbats and .svg files you might have on your computer to create objects to cut with your Cricut machines. SCAL DOES NOT allow you to use objects from the Cricut cartridges and it CANNOT use the .cut files created by the DS software. When you create a file in the SCAL software and save it, it creates a file name with an extension of .scut. A .scut file can only be used with the SCAL software. It cannot be used with the DS software. However, SCAL can also IMPORT a .svg file (scalable vector graphic). A .svg file is a file extension for some graphics programs. I am not sure what all graphics programs give you the ability to save as an .svg file. I use Inkscape which is a free program available on the Internet. I believe that Illustrator also allows you to save to a .svg file. With an .svg file, the objects are treated as a 2 dimensional "shape" and thus are more easily resized without any distortion of the image. Text is also treated as an "object" or "shape" when it is in a .svg file. Design Studio (DS) CANNOT import or use in any way a .svg file. However, SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot) can IMPORT any .svg file that you can find or create! This means that you can "draw" your own images and cut them with your cricut. If I have a picture or object that I would like to create and cut out with my Cricut, then I simply get it into my computer in some way (draw it, download it from the internet, scan it into my computer) and then IMPORT the image into Inkscape and then with a few simple steps in Inkscape, I can have a .svg file to IMPORT into SCAL and cut with my Cricuts. For example, if you have a stamped image that you would like to create and cut out with your cricut; you can stamp the image, scan it into your computer as a .jpeg, .gif, .tiff or other graphics file, IMPORT that file into Inkscape, do a few steps in Inkscape to create the "parts" and "pieces" you need, and then save it as an .svg file. You then open SCAL and IMPORT that .svg file into it and then "cut" with your Cricut. So now your stamp collection can be used in more ways! The picture posted is an example of a stamped image that I used to make a "die cut" using this method and cut with my Cricut. Sorry, can't share the .scut file for this image. Just posted to show you what the end result looked like! So to recap: .cut files - created and used only with Design Studio (DS) .scut files - created and used only with Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) .svg files - created with a graphics program like Inkscape - can be used with SCAL by importing it; cannot be used with DS. You can scan an image in, draw it on your computer, or download it from the internet. Any file that you can get into your computer you can make into an .svg image with a little work. Hope this helps someone to better understand these file types and what they can be used with.

Pencil Pals - George, Animal Kingdom & Expression (Great Teacher Gift!)

My friend Rheba (aka DazyCutr on the Cricut MB) brought me over a February 2006 Edition of the Scrap & Stamp Arts magazine put out by scottpublications.com. She had purchased it at a yard sale earlier in the week. In the magazine there was an article by Jeanette Foxe entitled "Zoo Pencil Pals". Jeanette had used a set of stamps from Close to My Heart called "Zoo Friends" to create some adorable "Pencil Pals". Rheba wanted to know if I could recreate something like them in Design Studio. They didn't look that difficult so I said I would give it a try! Here are some "samples" of the files I created. I created the giraffe, an elephant, and a lion. I used George for the rectangle, feet and small holes and Animal Kingdom for the heads. I welded the head to the rectangle (which makes the "facial features" go away) and then added another separate head to cut out to get the facial features. Although I have layed these out using the Expression and the 12x12 mat, I believe they could be done on the smaller bugs and 6x12 mats if you rotated them around and only put one on the mat. The .cut file has all 3 of the animals, the girafee and elephant are on one page, the lion is on another page. It would be very simple to create more of the animals from Animal Kingdom. just delete the lions head and replace with the animal of your choice or copy and paste the necessary pieces. (Note: the giraffe and elephant were my first test cuts, I then "tweaked" the file for the lion as far as the number of holes and size, etc. to work better - then I "fixed" the giraffe and elephant file. However, the picture shows my original samples which is why there is an extra hole or two on those, again - this is fixed in the .cut file).

If you want the file, you can download the Pencil Pals .cut file here. Thanks Rheba for this great idea!

Jelly Bean Prayer Cross Craft - Expression or Small Bug

This is an Easter craft from Oriental Trading Company. It can be found here. (If you download this file, you will want to go to that site to get the "poem" that goes on the Cross. I would suggest that you enlarge the picture and you will be able to read the poem to get the wording).

It's-ONLY-Money (Misty) on the Cricut MB had posted looking for help in making a .cut file for this craft. I thought, hmm. . . looks simply enough - except for maybe those jelly beans so I thought I would give it a try. I think I even got close enough on the jelly beans!!! I have created files for both the small bugs (Original or Baby and Create) and the Expression. It uses the George cartridge. (Could easily be recreated with Plantin Schoolbook - but left that for someone else!)

The jelly beans have one extra page with the first jelly bean I created (which I thought was way too big but I left it in case someone wanted "Jumbo" sized jelly beans. However, there is only one bean on that page! I didn't make multiples). The smaller jelly bean page has 12 jelly beans on the page (You could make more if you wanted). This is one of the frustrating parts about the DS software and its lack of a group feature and/or ability to copy a group of objects at one time. If that feature was available, it would be very easy to make lots of jelly beans quickly and fill the page! BUT it's NOT!!!! (The "Auto Fill" feature of the Expression cannot be used with DS either!) So, the only way to make "duplicates" is to copy each "object" and move it each time. The jelly bean has 4 parts so each one had to be copied and moved 11 times to get the 12 jelly beans I have in the file . (The best way to do this is to "count" the number of spaces you move with your arrow keys so you move them all the same number of spaces and they will line up properly!). (Also note, when you copy and paste something in DS - it "pastes" on top of the original object!)

This project requires 8 different colors of jelly beans for each Cross. The way the file is set up, you would cut the small jelly bean page 8 times in a different color each time. This would give you enough jelly beans for 12 children. Cut it 2 times in each color and you have enough for 24! If you were only doing for 1 child, just put small colors of paper where each jelly bean is.

Download the Cross and Jelly Beans .cut file for the Baby Bugs .

Download the Cross and Jelly Beans .cut file for the Expression .

Small Square Treat Box or Cupcake Box

Here is my version of a cupcake box or small square treat box. There are many versions out there. Due to the size of the box, it does require the Expression to cut it out! It uses George, Plantin Schoolbook for the basic box, lid and inserts. If you only have George, you can replace the Plantin "parts" with similar George parts and vice versa if you only have Plantin, replace the George with similar Plantin "parts". Then I've included different "cut-outs" for the lid. The ones used in the picture is Storybook on the green box and Doodlecharms for the bunny on the pink box. The page of other items can be used to "swap" out the cut out on the lid, or just used as a "reference tool" to give you ideas as to what you could do. When you cut out the "object" on the lid, you just create a bigger size of it or a circle to cut out of actetate or thin plastic to "cover" the hole so it is "sealed" but you can still see into the box. I usually use overhead transparencies but any thin recycled plastic will do! If you want to use the box as a cupcake holder, cut out the "insert" to hold the cupcake in place. If you just want to use the box as a "treat" holder, you don't need to cut out the insert for the cupcake!
Download the Cupcake Box/Treat holder .cut file here.

Easter Basket - Treat Bag

Sorry for the "time lapse" in posts. Not sure where all my time is going. Seems like if you take a vacation - it takes you two or three weeks to "catch up"!!

Here is an "Easter" basket treat bag. My DD Kaitlyn and I made the cut file last year for Easter. It uses the Expression machine (sorry! :( ), Plantin Schoolbook for the bag and circle cut, and Doodlecharms for the basket. I then embossed the basket using a cuttlebug embossing folder in my original big red sizzix with the adaptor plate. (Yes, you can use the cuttlebug dies and embossing folders in the both the original sizzix machine (with the adaptor plate) as well as the Big Kick). You will need a piece of acetate or thin plastic of some kind to cut the circle for the "see through" part of the bag/basket. I use overhead transparancies. The "chick" was a die that was cut out in black, scanned into my computer and saved as a .jpeg image, then imported into Inkscape, converted to an .svg file, and then IMPORTED into SCAL. It was then cut with SCAL on my Cricut. To get the "shadow" just select the shadow feature when the image is imported into SCAL. It is quite easy! The bag may end up a little "long" (about a 1/4") on one side, not sure why since we did this last year and I don't remember this problem. If it does, just trim it off with scissors. I haven't had time to "figure" it out at this time!

Download the Easter Basket Treat Bag .cut file for use with Design Studio and the Expression.

Downlaod the Chick .scut file for use with SCAL and any of the Cricut Bugs.