There has been so much talk about the Circut Imagine lately that I can't help but feel like I must have one now too. I'm a gadget girl and I love to have new toys to play with. Despite knowing that it will take up a lot of room in my already cramped craft space, and that it is just a Cricut Expression and a Color Printer wrapped in a single case, it's hard to ignore all the hype that is going on in the Cricut message boards.
Until I tell myself that the base unit costs $600.
It's funny how that thought never fails to stop me from lusting over the new guy in town. (Yes, I do think that the Imagine is a man. Takes up too much room and can't do dishes!) I have a Cricut Expression, a Samsung color laser printer, and Lettering Delights is still having their $1 sales on their graphics, and paper. Armed with my Make-The-Cut program, I set out to make a card that I "imagine" that THE Imagine is supposed to do for me.
Browsing through the Lettering Delights store, I decided that I would make a Halloween card with the Owl-oween, Bootiful Overlays, and Fangtastic Frames graphics sets with the Scaredy Cat paper. I opened up my Adobe Photoshop and arranged the elements until I liked what I saw. Something like this:
I printed it out on the Recollections brand of white cardstock that I bought from Michaels. By toggling the "eye" on the Layers window in Photoshop, I also printed out on plain printer paper, just the owl and the frame. By using MTC, I managed to get the cut outs for the owl and the sentiment.
I adhered the cutouts to the printed paper (not cardstock) and printed the owl and the frame again. Now my cutouts are printed.
Perhaps it was the choice of graphic (the owl has a sketchy outline) but I was not totally pleased with the printed cutout and so I did the unthinkable. I trimmed out the bit parts of white with my Honey Bee scissors! ("Gasp!" but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do and the scissors did not cost me $600. )
To put together the card, I wrapped a black sheer ribbon around the Basic Grey cardstock followed by a silver ribbon. I trimmed down the printed cardstock and adhered that to a Basic Grey patterned paper with my ATG tape after layering it with some spiderwebs that I had punched out.
I love these Martha Stewart Border and Corner punches. Going over the webs with some Gun Metal colored Stickles made them stand out even more.
The card base is white so I gave the edges a distressed look by brushing my brown and black inkpads against it. I used foam tape to attach the owl and frame and then taped the whole card front to the base.
I put on some Stickles on the owl's hat and the card is done. Even though I'm not 100% pleased that I had to resort to the limited use of scissors, I don't think that the card is that bad. Besides, I only trimmed a little bit off the owl. Totally worth that $600 saved!
I think your card looks grand! You made it all sound so easy, but I know you put a lot of work into it. I suppose that the Imagine is supposed to cut some of that work down.
ReplyDeleteHaving just moved up to the Expression from the Create earlier this year, I am not at all tempted by the Imagine. I hope you can continue to resist, I'm sure they'll come down in price after Christmas or so...:)
what a great card!! I really want that spiderweb border punch. Your stickles give it an extra punch - love it! You don't need an Imagine - I think you just did what it does!!! Nice job!!! So glad I found your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Longvacation and Carrie M. :)
ReplyDeleteLongvacation, it was actually quite easy to put the card together. For me, the hardest part was choosing all the graphics and paper. There are so many choices available from the internet stores that it took me a while to decide on the theme and elements. Once I know what I wanted to use, it was pretty easy.
Hi Jin!
ReplyDeleteSuper cute card! I love my Expression and have no interest in upgrading anytime soon! I purchased those MS punches last weekend and now I just need to find the time to use them :) I love the way the punch out looks with stickels on it.
Ruthie :)
Jin, when I want to cut something out like the owl but need a bit of "fudge room" I put a black outline aorund it or a black square behind it. If it doesn't cut out perfect, it still looks good. It's a trick used by many sticker makers - take a look at a package of stickers that you have. I'll bet they have a black outline and they may not be perfectly cut but once you pull the sticker off the sheet, you don't notice it because of the black outline. nelda
ReplyDeleteLove the card, and the fact that you saved $600 dollars in the process is a plus. I think your way using PhotoShop and your supplies you achieved the same results. Not to mention the price of the cart and ink. There are so many digital scrapbook designers out there that create gorgeous papers and kits for a lot less than the price of those cart. With PhotoShop, your printer, MTC and your Expression you are achieving the same results! Why make them any more richer than they already are. Spend the money on a good 12x12 printer if you need to print that large if you create layouts that size. Otherwise, I would save the money.
ReplyDeleteWith LD and PhotoShop you can create your own coordinating papers to match their graphics. So see it's a win win situation, LOL.
MichelleMyBelle