Cricut Mat - Not That Fuzzy

What's that all over your Explore mat?

As I said in yesterday's post the sticky standard mat from Cricut for your Explore is too, too, too sticky unless you condition it.

So as part of the getting started you go to a "free" card in Projects with black card stock provided by Cricut.

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't start with the provided stock as you'll end up with black all over your mat even if you conditioned the mat. Which I didn't cause I'm a Newbie.I almost think this is why I had a 3 hour journey to get Print & Cut to complete Calibration.(we'll talk about this next week.)

On your first project use a cream or white card stock instead. But let's backup.

How do I condition a standard mat BEFORE I do my first project?

1. You have to play paddy cake with the mat - palms down all over the mat. yes I am dead serious. It takes the oil from your hands to create a barrier for the glue to the paper on the mat.

2, Take some cream or white card stock and lay it down (do not press it down) pull it up immediately, Repeat for 9 to 12 times.

OR buy light grip mats.

Cricut Explore Cutting Device - Day 1

So Santa brought you one of those fancy electronic cutting machines. Mine is the Cricut Explore released in April of 2014. Just remember the Cricut Explore is cloud based - without a high speed internet connection it is a boat anchor. So if you don't have a reliable internet supplier like Coast Cable or Telus Optik TV this machine will not work for you.

I thought I'd give you a few pointers so you don't make the same newbie mistakes I made. My laptop operating system is Windows 7 Professional. I have two internet browsers Microsoft IE 11 and Google Chrome. Chrome is setup up as my primary browser as it is much faster. BTW it is highly recommended you use Chrome on your Microsoft laptop or PC.

You'll need to load Adobe Flash for the installation of the Cricut Explore. I loaded the plugin right after I ordered the machine.

Mistake ONE If you want to buy the wireless option for Cricut Explore it uses Bluetooth. I ordered the Cricut adapter BUT after ordering er my laptop doesn't have a Bluetooth card. I was sure it did but that's between me and Dell. There is a work around we'll discuss later.

Mistake TWO This is a Cricut oversight IMHO. The installation is easy when I logged into Design Space login box I unticked "RECOVER Password" as I don't like having passwords stored in my browser cache. But if you do this the very first time you visit Cricut your password isn't stored in the cloud. It took me a day to figure out that I had to go to the main page & click "Sign In" as the desktop shortcut bypasses where you can reset your password.

Mistake THREE You must condition your mat BEFORE you do your first project. Cricut does not tell you this but the standard mat is so sticky you'll end up with card stock glued to the mat.. Grr it took an hour to scrape it off. I'll talk about mats tomorrow.

My Tree Farm

My tree farm is a paper explosion of my very first commercial enterprise. I'm not giving stuff away to friends and family as they encouraged me to actually charge for my work.

So here is my first venture. Wine bottle toppers baby!

These may look familiar as I did a tutorial for the origami paper mini trees in the foreground last year.

What I learned from trial and error is the wrapping paper has to be the best you can find. I found this wrapping paper at Pier One.

Don't even bother with cheap plastic paper from the Dollar store. You just can't get the crisp folds you need to produce the final tree.

To be honest this pic really doesn't do them justice.

One day I really need to take a photography course. Cheers!

Snap, Crackers & Pop

I know it's hard to imagine Christmas is coming. After all, tomorrow is All Hallows Eve and we need to honour November 11th.

But planning for Christmas is not a bad thing.

So I am thinking let's make our own crackers for New Year's Eve or Christmas. This is my favourite UK site for paper projects.

So I have adapted the cracker project for you. More to come!

Paper Folding 101 Collage

From tulips to bunnies and bows. From dresses to paper hearts and Angel fish I have enjoyed this journey. It has given me a great appreciation on how hard Deb has to work to inspire creative paper crafters.

Scrap Thoughts & Dolphins

So I finally attended a scrap. Met some lovely crafty ladies and left with tons of tips and ideas on how do my "Big Chill" travel project which I'll be sharing with you all in mid April.

But first things first Rose asked if I've ever had made an origami dolphin. Er no but of course I love that kind of challenge.

Origami Dolphin

Now if only I knew how to take a great pic of it.

A few things. This is a finicky intermediate model and it might be a bit hard for an origami newbie. We can always meet at Deb's store some Saturday and work on it together.

Here's the link Rose over at Origami Instructions.
Bet it would look really cool f we used some origami paper that would match your New Zealand travel album.

Last thought on scrap. If you've ever bought double sided tape from the dollar store go to your craft kit right now and throw it out. You'll thank me because there is nothing worse than crummy tape that ruins your first book binding project.

April Paper Folding Class Sneak Peek - Hello Spring

Welcome tulip, cherry blossom and washi tape envelopes! Given the long winter (okay not so much on the West Coast) let's celebrate this crafty paper celebration that says Spring!

For those in Central and Atlantic Canada - Old Man Winter has spilled into Spring. Grumpy guy.

Take heart you can always make a paper Spring!

Paper Folding Class - Bow, Bunny & Tag

Kirigami Bows

If you'd like to try these cute bows here are some useful links:

My go to site for base folds and some cute paper models - Origami Instructions bow link. Remember you are making the square base fold on the white side NOT the pattern side.The only difference in the instructions ignore step 14 and continue on to step 15.

A helpful bow Youtube video here.

The only fold you may have trouble with is the sink fold. Just make sure the mountain folds of the little square are crisp and as you squeeze on the sides tap the paper to help it sink and collapse into the centre.

The puffy bunny diagram can be found here on the Origami Fun website.There's also a printable diagram on the same page.

The tag is the same as the business card holder here at the House that Lars Built. In class we used a 15 cm piece of origami paper to make it smaller.

Have fun folding. By the way those butterflies in the top photo will be part of our next class in April.

Hello Crocuses - Small & Bright

The first sign of Spring - oh you are so lovely my little purple friends. Pretty and delicate.

Love to my Toronto friends - I know those polar vortexes were not fun.

With small delicate flowers here on the Sunshine Coast - wait for it. Spring really is coming Canada.

Hang in there Toronto! Hear the weather will turn this weekend.

Chalk Board - Faux Thoughts

Hive on the Drive - Chalk Board

I love chalk board art but really is it practical? Family Matters Scrapbooking is doing a major launch for the new paper from Graphics 45 in March.

So I thought I'd do a digital faux chalk board sign for the window display.

The flourishes can be done using Deb's collection of stamps using ink and embossing powder which we can add later.

To me this is far more practical for signs for an event. Find a pretty frame and you can create the faux sign which will not disappear on a rainy day. After all chalk art will blend away if rubbed or rained on..

I do love the effect.

Sneak Peek for March - Bow, Bunny & Tag

I like to show people that origami and kirigami can be practical and too cute for words.

I'll be teaching a beginner's class at our local scrapbook shop on the Sunshine Coast on March 8th.

The tag and bow are staples for my gift wrapping and can be used to embellish card and scrapbook pages.

And who doesn't love bunnies? This sweet 3D origami model I came across last year - was a big hit with my girlfriends.

Have a great weekend!

About that Shirt & Tie Heart Bonnie

My Favourite Origami Hearts

I had a blast on Saturday teaching some lovely ladies how to make my favourite origami hearts as beginners.

Since this was a demonstration I didn't provide a diagram. For newbies diagrams are often more confusing than a step by step with pictures.

Well after a few searches on Google I found the best instructions on one of my go to websites when I first started to learn origami.

Origami Instructions Shirt Tie Heart  Go for it ladies just scroll down past the advertisement and follow along. This site is really useful as sometimes instructions presume you know a base fold. I highly recommend you bookmark this site.
You can also find the blossom heart on the same site here . Hope to see the ladies at a future paper folding class.

Oh by the way it is handy to have a bone folder which you can buy at Family Matters Scrapbooking our local paper craft store on the Sunshine Coast. Maybe we can talk Deb into carrying some origami paper too.

Copycat or Copyright - The Feather

Lia Griffith www.liagriffith.com

Take a look. How could I as a paper crafter improve on those feather designs?

These are perfect for our little window display at the local scrapbook shop for March. However, you just can't steal someone's design and ignore copyright.

So as the ever diligent and ethical window designer for the only paper craft store on the Sunshine Coast I asked a simple question to the designer Lia Griffith. Am I breaking copyright by either using her design for a window display or incorporating the one feather as an embellishment for the Graphic 45 "Botanical Tea" birdhouse box class I've designed?

The answer no as long as I and the scrapbook shop owner credit her work and link back to her beautiful designs on her website. Well that's not hard Lia Griffith - I visit your site weekly.

Now this brings me to copycat not copy right. You just cannot take someone's work and pass it off as your own.

Today, I received her permission to use one feather from her design. Lia Griffith you rock!

And that's why Lia's "handcraft your life" means so much to me.

Heart Feathers

Sorry I've been neglecting my blog. Been so busy working on outside projects I forgot to stick to the knitting so to speak.

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still here!

Thinking about Valentine's Day and beyond.  I found a cute origami shirt and tie heart & finally found the blossom heart instructions.

Origami Hearts

I'll explain about the feather in another post later this week.

Happy New Year - My Favourite Pic for 2013

Hello sorry to be so belated but Happy New Year. But January 31, 2013 it was the year of the Finn and I can prove it.

rs

#luvcameronboardgames

Love you all, you my men of funny hats.

Chinese New Year is the year of the Horse. Huh maybe a hat suggestion for New Year's Eve 2014? Just saying my merry gentlemen.