Closed and Closing

Things are always changing. 

When I got my Cricut Explore in October 2014, I started visiting the online community messageboard of Cricut.  I found some good advice and tips for using my Explore. And I also posted answers to posts that I felt I could add to the conversations as my way of contributing.  On June 19, 2015 the Forums were removed and effectively closed (There are still some subforums that people are now posting new topics, but they are subforums of Cartridge themed forums and that's all) .  

I posted this same information on the messageboard and am putting it here, so even I have the links for future reference.

Please consider joining one of the new messageboards created by former members of the Cricut messageboard community, and / or join one of the many Cricut Machine themed Facebook groups, so that you can continue to stay in touch with each other. 

New messageboards that have been started as of June 2015 - note these messageboards don't limit the discussions to Cricut machines or specifically the Explore. And they aren't very active as the old community forums may have been on Cricut.com.  Most crafters prefer using Facebook.

Unoffical Cricut Messageboard
http://s13.zetaboards.com/Unofficial_Cricut_MB/index/

Crafting Circle
http://www.craftingcircle.com/chatterbox/
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FACEBOOK GROUPS - I have included some quoted excerpts from these groups, but before joining, please read complete Group details.

Cricut Lovers Guide to Design Space
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CricutLoversGuide/ For Cricut Explore and Cricut Design Space lovers. We do welcome members who don't yet have an Explore. Paulette and I have been blogging about Cricut machines since 2007. So we're bound to be able to help you if you have a problem. And we always love seeing the projects that our members make regardless of which Cricut they used! Our main focus though is helping members with Design Space and the Explore.

This group is to learn, share and inspire each other as we use our Cricut Explore and Design Space. Feel free to post and answer questions and post your projects and share your Design Space files.

Let's Learn Cricut Explore
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LetsLearnCricutExplore/  A place for Cricut Explore fans to share news, learn about the machine and inspire others with projects using the new Cricut Explore

Let's Learn Cricut
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LetsLearnCricut/ Let's chat about Cricut here! Post and share your creations, questions and Cricut love. From Explore and Design Space to Original Cricut and cartridges, all are welcome! I love my Cricuts and want to share that with you.
Explore and Design Space help while still celebrating Cricut Craft Room!

Cricut Newbies and Pros
https://www.facebook.com/groups/515248328525857/
We are a welcoming group with emphasis on learning how to use our machines to create beautiful things! We encourage questions and love to share. We love to learn new things, too!


I Luv My Cricut
https://www.facebook.com/groups/luvmycricut/
A place to learn how to use your Cricut products, ask for help with your Cricut products, share Cricut projects and tell others how much you LUV your Cricut.
Note that any discussions about using 3rd party software to cut designs with older machines will be removed.

I Luv My Cricut > Admins YouTube channels
Karin's YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/user/homevidka
Lorrie's YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/user/LONU2008
Melody's YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/user/MelodyLane815

Cutter Software
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CutterSoftware/ The purpose of this friendly group is to provide free support for software that is used with electronic cutters, including but not limited to Make The Cut, Sure Cuts A Lot, Cricut Design Space, Pazzles InVue, Pazzles Pro, Funtime, Silhouette Studio, Funtime, Inkscape, Illustrator, Wishblade, Robomaster, etc.

Cricut the Official page, this is NOT a Group, but more a Cricut news and announcements, and promotions page, you can Like the page, but you don't need to Join it.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCricut?fref=ts Welcome to the official fan page of Cricut. Get ready to go from inspiration to creation in just a few clicks! www.Cricut.com
Sign up if not already to Cricut's Mailing list
http://us.cricut.com/home/mailing-list

If you are just considering purchasing an Explore, please note that you will need to use an ONLINE ONLY Software program "Cricut Design Space" and your computer and internet connection should meet or exceed the system requirements suggested by Cricut.
Exceeding the requirements is better, than meeting the minimum.  Design Space is a computer system resource hog, and to have the best user experience using the many features of the program requires a computer processor that is fast, a system that is always up to date and a very fast and reliable internet connection.  
current as of April 2016 system requirements
https://help.cricut.com/help/system-requirements-design-space


See TroyTube >  Troy Young's youtube channel for some good videos. Here is link to his video for the best computer specs to purchase to work with Design Space.  (published Dec 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x04AP638tc

other Helpful videos
Cricut Explore Newbies > Mistakes & Advice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFHhwDkFZRs   

Troy's Definitive Guide to Adobe Flash Plugin Errors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKeHRwPJqQ
 
Troy's channel has several other helpful videos - be sure to Subscribe
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMNq-kllgO3Z-YQA2QVz-w
 
For Cricut Explore owners
Update Jan 2016: check out Melody Lane's Nov. 2015 youtube video - about all things Design Space. Be sure to subscribe to Melody's YouTube Channel

The Complete Guide to Cricut Design Space by Melody Lane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et3-_SiFnGE

 
5 things to do while you wait for your new Cricut Explore to arrive
by Kay Hall - Clever Someday blog - Dec. 2015 post
https://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/explorewait/  

Cricut Explore Design Space Cheat Sheets by Lorrie Nunemaker 
( http://www.lorriesstory.com/ )
http://cricuted.blogspot.com/2015/12/cricut-cheat-sheets.html
 

Cricut User Manuals

find more helpful links to information at http://help.cricut.com/

Cricut Explore user manual

http://help.cricut.com/manual/cricut-explore

computer user Design Space desktop user manual

http://help.cricut.com/manual/cricut-design-space-desktop

iPad app Design Space user manual

http://help.cricut.com/manual/cricut-design-space-iOS

Cricut Design Space Beta for Android devices - Submitting Bug Reports and Feedback

http://help.cricut.com/help/android-feedback-tool

Cricut Design Space Beta for Android - Known Issues

http://help.cricut.com/help/android-known-issues

What are the differences between the different Cricut Explore machines?

http://help.cricut.com/help/cricut-explore-difference

What is the difference between each version of Cricut Design Space?

http://help.cricut.com/help/design-space-feature-availability

All about the Cricut Access Library Subscription plan

https://help.cricut.com/help/cricut-access

What is included in the Cricut Access Library
http://content.cricut.com/b/pdfs/ca_image_library_list.pdf
 
Cricut Cartridge handbooks

http://us.cricut.com/home/handbooks

Other products http://us.cricut.com/home/support/other-products

Online learning > payfor classes by Cara Miller http://www.caramiller.com

Lots of YouTube channels to subscribe to>

StaceyWilliams, Debbie O'Neal, Troy Young TroyTube, Kens Kreations, Melody Lane, Crafts by Two, Sassi's Scrapbooking, and Two Hearts One Design, Lorrie Nunemaker

Christopher Alan Designs ,  Official Cricut Channel
Scrappy Dew Creations
Clever Someday
The NonCrafty Crafter
Obsessed with Scrappin
Scrappy Diva Crafting Tutorials

other YouTube channels of interest:  Lori Whitlock 
MayMay Made It Crafts   Cricut Explore / Craft Tips
SVGCuts 
Also see the Help and Support pages and information on Cricut.com

http://us.cricut.com/home/support

 Cricut Craft Room Info (Cricut Craft Room is used by those who own any Cricut machines made prior to the Cricut Explore which was introduced in February 2014) > http://us.cricut.com/home/craftroom

The other news 

Aimee Asher.com is CLOSING for good on July 31, 2015.  The owner of Aimee Asher, will be enjoying her retirement.  Some artists & designers will still be selling their art and/or printables on other sites.  Laurie Furnell & Tammy DeYoung each have Etsy stores.   

My Glory and other stuff

My daughter was visiting recently, and she saw some of the spring cards I had been making using my computer software (MS Digital Image) and cutting out the card fronts and embellishments with my Cricut Explore machine.  She said I needed to place them out on display so I could appreciate "My Glory".  That is a term she used often when the grandkids made things, she'd say to them "It's your Glory" :)  .  So I thought I'd post some of my glory here on my blog, which doesn't see much action or posts during the year. I am using these photos as an excuse to "post something"!  

Image credits: the Books with teacup on top by Rebecca Carter, and all the images with Bunnies (except for the 2 bunnies with the watering can), or Bear, and the Cat with the beehive, those also are by Rebecca Carter from collections once upon a time sold at pccrafter. Those collections are no longer available online for sale.  The 2 bunnies with the watering can, is by the late Sandi Gore Evans, from a collection that was once sold at daisiecompany.com (but is no longer available for sale online). The violets in a pot card is artwork by Cathi Freund, that was also once upon a time sold at daisiecompany.com, but is no longer available for sale. 

 I have such a huge collection of wonderful clip art that I have been buying over the past 15+ years, and now with the Cricut Explore, and its Print then Cut feature, I have really begun to re-visit the many folders full of wonderful images, that now I can easily "cut" with the Cricut Explore and bypass scissors.  For some of these card fronts, I used my photo/graphic editing programs to remove a specific image from a background, so that I could use it as a standalone image to apply to the card front with pop-dots and provide a 3d effect on the card front. And some images were standalone in the collections, and so I didn't have to prepare them.  Once I have my 5x7 or 5x5 card front created and or got my standalone image prepared - I just upload those images to the online program that Explore owners must use > Cricut Design Space, and then size them for printing out on my printer, and then place the printed images on the cutting mat of the Cricut Explore, and let it "cut it all out".  Then I apply the card front to a blank card, and next I put the glue-dots on and place on top of the card front. ( I made a webpage that shows a bit about how I put these cards together > see: http://sippingtea.com/tuts/cardscutwithcricutexplore.html  ) 

taaa-daaa!  Here is My Glory!

And some other stuff, I've been up to lately, these are photos are of a snowy egret out back of my home on a branch in the wee pond...He/She is preening & scratching and the wind caught its head feathers, that just made me smile as I took the photos.

And then this past weekend I went to The Tilted Tea Cup in Brooksville, FL, with my daughter and granddaughter, along with 2 of my daughters friends. It was such a relaxing and an enjoyable afternoon. The food was delicious and we visited a couple of Brooksville shops before returning home.  Great Day, Wonderful Company.

That's All Folks!

Better late than never

Happy New Year - even if the 1st month is over.  Seems like the older I get, the months just fly by faster and faster.

I had a wonderful Christmas - spent Christmas week in Orlando (and yes, went to Disney World).

 Our tree (we brought one of my 4ft trees from home) in the Marriott timeshare condo we stayed in.,

 We visited the Movie Studios park at Disney, all the houses were aglow with lights, this is the house with the 101 Dalmations, with just a few of them outside.

I made a few resolutions on New Years Eve, none of which I have kept. 

In the first week of Jan, I went to visit my Dad (93) on the other side of the state, I went to say goodbye, as he was in his final days of life here on earth.  He wasn't responsive to my visit, but hopefully the words I spoke to him, made it through to him- letting him know how very much I loved him.  He passed away on the 24th, and I am happy he is at Peace and Enjoying his eternal life. His only sister (95), passed away on the 8th, and our family is sure she helped her brother on his flight to Heaven.

I'm still liking cutting out stuff with my Cricut Explore, I had mentioned in my last post in November, that I made a web page showing my experience with the Print then Cut option of the Explore, cutting out stuff from my vast clip art stash. I added 2 more webpages, showing more examples of my fun times.  I'm hoping to expand my projects, and do other things with the Explore, such as cut and assemble 3d objects.  There are sooooooo many talented crafters showing wonderful projects using their Explore that they post on Facebook.  I've watched video's, bought some SVG files, downloaded several that are FREE. But still am a bit intimidated to try making things.  And I haven't done much with vinyl crafting..again, just feeling a bit overwhelmed.  But cutting out Clip Art - I got this!!

here's links to the 2 additional pages I made about my experience with the Print then Cut feature of the Cricut Explore
http://sippingtea.com/tuts/cricutexploreprintncut2.html
and
http://sippingtea.com/tuts/cricutexploreprintncut3.html



Just in case I go another couple months without posting...Happy Valentines Day, Happy St. Patricks Day and Happy Easter, & Happy Spring.