My Cricut Craft Room's October 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop....

My Cricut Craft Room's 

October 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop....

Make sure that you have commented on 

ALL of the blogs along the way to

 be entered to win today's prizes. 

Thank you for joining us on today's hop! 

1. MCCR http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/

2. Jamie L http://babyjaydensmommy.blogspot.com/

3. Ashley http://especiallymade.blogspot.com

4. Marji www.fstampaholic.blogspot.com

5. Miranda http://www.nanasscrapspot.com

6. Sarah http://www.craftingwithsarah.blogspot.com/

7. Melissa http://papershenaniganz.blogspot.com

8. Sharon http://simplysweetbysharon.blogspot.com/

9. Erica's Projects http://ericasprojects.blogspot.com/

10. Jamie M http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/

11. Amy http://clayfulimagination.blogspot.com

12. Jodi http://jodiesscraplab.blogspot.com/

13. Tess www.sassycricutcrafting.com

14. Christina http://cema1cema.blogspot.com

15. Jessica W www.craftinandstampin.blogspot.com

16. Blog Candy http://ericasblogcandy.blogspot.com/

A few more things......

We are looking to add ONE person to our Design team for the year.
This is NOT the seasonal design team call. This is just a fun project!  (please scroll down to see ALL of the other Design Team calls. 

Please make it a FALL themed project 

I am so excited.... 

When I was in Utah in July I was a 

guest at Provo-Craft.

 I have always loved the company and everything that they stand for. It is a small company that you would think has several thousand employees, but actually has less than 200! It is amazing how many people you would think do all of the work that we see and help us to craft. 

I had spent 2 days there with the Vice-Presidents, CEO and tech staff, as well as some who do graphic design, the actual paper crafting and basically everyone who works there! They were such wonderful hosts to myself and my daughter. While I was there I was a 'crafter' an actual person who sits down with the handbook and wanted to create something. It totally simplified things how I would teach my daughter (4 years old) and my Grandma (we can say 70+ years old) 

I wanted to convey to them what crafters think about from the time they see and image that they want to the time that it takes to make it. 

Most people see a cute... PIG and just want to make the Pig and put it on a card. They might not want to learn all about Craft Room and everything else. They just want to ENJOY making a card with a pig on it! VERY SIMPLE. I think people like myself (and the tech people there, over analyze things) Sometimes we just need to take a step back and make it OVERLY simple. No one I know wants to spend an hour trying to figure out HOW TO make the pig..... They just want to make the pig! 

My first suggestion was for those who have never used Craft Room have a video pop up and just get them started (they have that now) 

Next the man who does programming with Craft Room showed me an app in his I-phone to make a card. He finds the shape he wants, clicks on the picture he wants, moves it into the window and for $1.99 it is printed and MAILED to the recipient..... I said why can't you do that.....  

Let's say in Create a Critter, i just want to make the pig. I want a ONE TOUCH button to make the silly little pig! Why can't craft room do that. I also suggested to make it in color so we knew what  each part of it looked like in color. SO........

I hope you have seen the single images or small groups of images that you can get instead of the entire cartridge. Other die cutting machines allow you to buy ONE image.... I said why can't Provo-Craft do that.... SO............ here it is!!!

I might not always have paper crafts to show..... 

but this is why.....

I would rather teach than to just display! 

In this first view you can see the little pig there called CAC-5 And he is there in all of the correct colors.... no thinking needed! The light purple ring shows you what to click on to make the images bigger so you can see them better :) 

Here is the smaller pig, click at the light Purple circle to make the images bigger (this works on all cartridges not just those in color right now. 

So just click on the pig and drop it on the virtual cutting mat. 

There is my cute little pig in COLOR!!!! 

 

 Now click on it the see the grey box around it. at the bottom of that is a green box that says 

EDIT IMAGE. Click on it. 

Then on the far right click SEPARATE 

You will then see it expands it all out into each of the colors that you will need to cut. 

Next select UNGROUP.  

Then I love the pieces around so I can put a 6x6 piece of paper in each square

I like to have the image cut as the base for me to build on as well. 

So I added another piggy to my mat. 

Then I select what machine I am using. I was currently using the IMAGINE, you do not have to cut with the Imagine..... but that is how you can see and work with the colors.  Then you can see my purple circle on the left where I selected Expression as my machine that I wanted to cut with.  

Now you can see it took away all of my pretty colors and instead of printing in color, it will now just cut. BUT at a later time if I want to go and use the Imagine.....  You can always go to the Machine and Mat section and select IMAGINE, and it will put your color back in! 

There is it, this was ONE of the things I proposed while I was there.... and they did it!!!!!

I am so proud of myself and that I can share all of this with you. I hope I spoke for many crafters and that this concept will make your Cricut crafting easier and less frustrating!!! 

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?????? 

Here is also the link to help you if you want to learn more about Cricut Craft Room. 

Also don't forget to comment here and 

share with a friend.....

 if a friend comes here and says that you sent them, YOU get a point and an entry to win the BRAND NEW.... Create a Critter 2. 

Don't forget to check out my webstore for Cartridge sales and SPECIALS on paper! 

www.shop.ericascraftoom.com 

Don't forget to come back here each 
Hello Thursday 
as I am already working on projects with next month's cartridges and I cannot wait to share them when Cricut announces them!!!
SO CUTE!!!! 











FROM THIS SUMMER>>>>>> July posting.....

How great of a Cartridge Handbook would this be????

Well I am headed to Provo Craft now for this below. My proposal for the handbooks. I have many of them done. Wouldn't you LOVE to see all handbooks done like this so you know EXACTLY how to make each image? Wouldn't you use your Cricut more?

Wouldn't you buy more cartridges if they were all this easy to see HOW to put it together???

Please comment on this post as this post is going to Provo- Craft and they can see your feedback!!!

This shows you which color of paper to use and which buttons to press.

On My Cricut Craft Room Blog you can see down the left hand side of current challenges, blog hops, design team calls and so much more.... (Coupons coming soon) We would LOVE to add your events or your favorite places to visit.... Please join the facebook group to have your events added or to post if you are looking for people to be in a your blog hop.... It is a great group and use it to its full potential.... FREE marketing and networking among bloggers.....


Here is the facebook group called Crafting Blog Events
http://www.facebook.com/groups/237551266366875/



NEXT......

As you may know, my Design Team is really family to me and we love to help out each other.... so  one of our Team Members is in a contest and I would love if you all could help her out and vote for her if you like her project..... Here it is and the link to her project.... 

Get Ready to VOTE - for your FAVORITE Master Crafter!!!!

***I AM SO EXCITED***

VOTING WILL BE OPEN 

ON SUNDAYAT 12:01 am CST

(The slight change in plans to begin voting was made in order to give everyone

time to link up their projects first)

Come One, Come All

and

show your love

to  ALL of the Talented Participants

during the 

Master Crafter Challenge

Back in August,

Sarah Hamer of Pink Cricut and Pink By Design

announced 

the 1st ever, Pink Cricut

Master Crafter Challenge

and

IT   ALL   STARTS   TODAY!

To read more about the idea behind the challenge

visit my previous post HERE

where I shared how it all started and

get a peek at all of the Wonderful Sponsors

for the event!

NOW, time to share myMaster Crafter Challenge Project!I decided to go ALL OUTand create an entireParty Decor Set!

I was thrilled with how many of theSecret Box items I was able to incorporateinto the different piecesof the set!On top of that, I used a lot of left overscraps and tons of Negative Space "scraps"from several of my Cricut Cuts. **I will share underneath the pics, the Secret Box Items that were used!

If you are interested in learning more aboutthe specific details on how I createdeach piece,  JUST ASK!!! :o)

This is the entire Party Decor Set

Left Side View  

Middle View

Right Side View

This is a handmade "Mixed Media" Jewelry Stand(made from cardboard and scraps),a Handmade Necklace(created from one metal charm, two hand punches, card stock,beads, and Glossy Accents),and a Wish Bag. 

I played around with some handmade Glimmer Mists, Smooch Spritz, and Glossy Accentsto create the color wash effect and lettering on the cute little bag.I also used my Pink By Design stamp -the sentiment  "sweet" in multiple places on these two pieces.My thought was that the necklace could bepresented in this bag as a Gift!For these two projects in the Party SetI was able to  useALL of the Secret Box items! 

These Pillow Boxes were created using theScissor Mouse 

DCWV Rockstar mat stack

and

Lime Green Rhinestones

 I wanted to have a fun place forall the Party Guests to Sign In!I used

DCWV Rockstar mat stack 

Rhinestons

I really adore how this Banner turned out!!!The 4 Letter Panels were createdusing the DCWV Rockstar Mat Stack.

Another angle of the Pillow Boxes...this is the first time I ever createdPillow Boxes, and I really LOVE making them!

♫ ♪ ♫  ♪ ♫ LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED ♫ ♪ ♫  ♪ ♫

Head overto the Pink Cricut Page -HERE-to check out all of  the PHENOMENAL Projects that are being linked up.

Then be sure to head back over to 

Pink Cricut - Master Crafter Challenge

on Sunday 10/7/12,  to cast your votes!