Cricut Expression users need to READ THIS

• Cricut has announced that the Cricut Craft Room will CLOSE as of July 15, 2018. 
• Legacy Machines are NOT compatible with Design Space.
• Legacy Machines CAN continue to be used as stand-alone devices.
• Cricut is offering $75 off new Explore machine or bundle for customers who haven't yet upgraded.

Read complete details from Cricut here.

I started with Expression and currently use Explore Air. If you have any questions about differences and transitioning, feel free to contact me. The decision to discontinue CCR (as well as to drop physical cartridges) was made by Cricut, not Close To My Heart. In fact, CTMH advocated for keeping physical cartridges. If you have specific comments about the decision, contact Cricut/Provo Craft.

One of the main reasons people have not upgraded yet is because Design Space is an online program and scrapbookers often craft where there is no Internet availability. Cricut has been working on this issue and currently offers Design Space Offline for iOS.

One of my favorite features of Design Space (DS) is that you can share files! For the Pretty in Pink promotion in February, we offered a Butterfly Mobile project and supply bundle. CTMH gave the DS file for everyone to use. 

Files look like this https://design.cricut.com/#/design/80804880. When you click on a DS file link, or cut and paste into your browser, the link will open the Design Space program and open the file. As long as you have the rights to use the images from the file, you can cut immediately. What a time saver! You can also share files with friends. I can send you files for Cricut Coordinating stamp sets that you purchase or help you re-size images for a project. 

The Explore machines use the same tools, mats and blades as the Expression. 

Tips for adhering vellum

You've probably heard that "everything old is new again." That's true for clothing styles and scrapbooking trends. We carried vellum years ago, then it disappeared for a while and now it's back. The age old question that arises next is how to adhere vellum without the adhesive showing through. Below you can see two examples: the one on the left is a dry, dotted adhesive. The other is Bonding Memories used wet. Both show through the vellum.

The easiest way to use vellum with adhesive is to hide it: behind embellishments, die cuts, solid papers, etc. One the leaf card I was able to hid it behind the foil stripes by using our Bonding Memories Glue Pen and "drawing" the glue behind the stripes.                                                        

Bonding Memories is a two-way glue. When wet (blue) it's a permanent bond; when dry (clear) it's a temporary bond. Clear is exactly what you want to adhere vellum! For this translucent vellum (below) I put the glue on the top and bottom edges, let it dry, then attached. Can you see the glue? This is a page for a mini album so the paper and vellum won't be handled.

ICYMI: Here's CTMH's blog post from a while ago about attaching vellum.