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Cut Set Scrapbooking

Cut Set Scrapbooking

Can anyone help me with the Cricut Expression scrapbooking machine? ?

I just bought a Cricut Expression and I am having a lot of trouble!! I bought cardstock to cut and it won't cut through it! I have the blade on the highest setting and I have the unit on multi-cut 4 times, and it STILL won't cut properly. Then, when I take the paper off of the cutting mat, it sticks to the mat so badly that the paper is ruined. Does anyone have this problem or know how to fix it? I am thinking of returning it immediately unless there are some tricks to using it that would help.

I too agree that it sounds like the blade housing is inserted wrong. It should be in the middle notched section so the bottom is almost flush with the machine. Also make sure that you actually have your blade inserted properly in the blade housing unit. I would remove it and and re-insert it just to be sure.

I had the baby bug and now have the expression on both models the mats have sometimes been an issue as to being too sticky. I usually take some heavy cardstock that is just an "extra" and apply it and pull it off a few time to break in the sticky mat. I would also recommend buying a cricut spatula($5) to help lift off the cut pieces.

I LOVE my expression and wouldn't trade it for any other scrapbooking tool! I hope it gets fixed. If all else fails call provocraft Customer Service they are typically very helpful and they do stand behind their products. Or go to the Cricut site there is a message board there and everyone is always very helpful.

Christmas Scrapbooking: Some Tips and Tricks

Interested in starting a family scrapbook for Christmas, but have no idea how or where to start? Well, you’ve come to the right article, and “x” really does mark the spot for information about Christmas scrapbooking ideas designed to save you time toil, trouble and money. Read on and get inspired.

Pick a theme and stick to it.

It may take time to establish the exact theme desired, but this is one of those steps that the entire Christmas scrapbooking operation hinges upon. It will determine your content, direction and outcome. So pick carefully and thoughtfully, for the Christmas scrapbooking idea that you save may well be your own. Changing themes for your Christmas scrapbooking has the same result as what Abraham Lincoln said about “changing horses in mid-stream.”

Collect material that reflects your Christmas scrapbooking theme.

Remember that anything goes, and the world is your source of material for your Christmas scrapbooking. Consider all kinds of paper ephemera; namely, cards, newspaper clippings, letters, lists of all kinds, tickets to shows, cartoons and any other physical artifacts from the life of the subject or subjects of your Christmas scrapbooking. Consider stuffing it all into a big basket until you can sort through it all and refine your selection.

Remember the special can be found in the mundane.

Life is made up of many simple moments and you want to capture those that reflect the passion of the theme of your Christmas scrapbooking. Everyday photos are just as important as those commemorating important events. Take pictures often so there’s a lot to choose from. Even a Christmas scrapbook can hold a memory of summer if it is pertinent to the theme presented in your Christmas scrapbooking idea.

Design each page as a whole story in itself.

You may want to use creative design techniques such as paper piercing, punch art and inking as well as simple color schemes to differentiate the pages of your Christmas scrapbooking and insure that they stand alone. Create a title for each page and lay out everything, along with a caption for each item, to see how it all looks in your Christmas scrapbook before gluing it all down. Balance your photos and captions first and then decide which technique will accent that page uniquely. Remember too that not every inch of space on a page in your Christmas scrapbooking need be filled. A little space between photos and captions is a good thing, as Martha Stewart used to say (and probably still does).

Display your photographs proudly while Christmas scrapbooking.

Photos are the heart of most scrapbooks and different showcasing techniques can render unique holiday flair to your Christmas scrapbooking. Some thoughts along these lines might include: old fashioned photo corners, matting shots against Christmas scrapbooking colors to set the images off from the white paper and silhouetting photos (cutting them out of their backgrounds). This last technique works best with full-bodied images.

Capture the specific and unique qualities of your Christmas scrapbooking family.

One way to do this is to find quotations, stories, jokes and cartoons that pertain specifically to your Christmas scrapbooking family. The extra care you take in selecting these items cannot fail to show in the final presentation of your Christmas scrapbooking product. You can also use markers to draw your own cartoons, family portraits and doodles, should you feel so inclined. Let your children dictate photo captions. Sometimes, they have great Christmas scrapbooking ideas. Use your imagination with your Christmas scrapbooking and create decorative borders with fingerprints, handprints and even foot-prints, if you can figure out a way to handle them artistically without ruining your carpets. Have fun and let the child in you come out and play for a little while! That’s what Christmas scrapbooking is all about!

Go for Imperfection.

If you are going to have children participate in your Christmas scrapbooking, you will have to let go of the idea that results will be perfect (whatever that is). Leave the masterpieces for the likes of Michelangelo. (Your Christmas scrapbooking won’t include ceilings anyway.) Settle for finishing the project with all the children putting in their two cents.

Buy products of higher quality that will last.

It is the effort behind your Christmas scrapbooking that will surely touch the heart of its recipient. Spend a bit more to transform your Christmas scrapbooking idea into an heirloom that will stand the test of time. Make sure the papers you buy for your Christmas scrapbooking are free of the plant component, lignin, which will cause fabric and photos to turn brown. It should say “lignin free” on the package. As far as paper goes, buy 12-by-12-inch, acid-free, 100-pound stock pages in many colors, pre-cut with holes and laminated on the edges. While you are at the store, stock up on acid-free markers and double-sided tape, rubber stamps and pads, glue sticks, adhesive photo corners and pinking shears or other such “crazy” scissors that make decorative edges.

Be guided only by your imagination. Things may turn out differently than originally planned, but that only proves that art really does imitate life. Most important, have fun while working on your Christmas scrapbooking project. You are sure to look back on it with love and pride as you pass this new family heirloom on to future generations. That’s a true Christmas legacy and a gift that will withstand the test of time!

About the Author

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

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