# Cricut Machine users?



## doto (Nov 20, 2009)

My wife has two but I have only used one of them. I have helped with school projects and some letters for a secret reaper sign and tombstone epitaphs. I am not an expert but may be able to help a little.


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Wife has one, I've used it once helping my boys do a science fair board. Went and bought letter stencils so I don't have to use it again...


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## MorganaMourning (Jun 10, 2014)

I'll try to help too. But I have an older version. The machine I have does not hook up to the computer. It works strictly with the cartridges.


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## The Halloween Lady (Jul 17, 2010)

I just got one but haven't really had time to futz with it yet. When I do I will try and help you. Mine didn't come with a book either. I have the new wireless version, so I can use my iPad. I am not sure about your machine but mine needs you to go to the cricut website for learning. You can register your machine there and save designs. There is also a new program where you don't have to buy tons of design chips (if you don't want.) Instead you can pay a fee and have access to a large library of designs. My advice is to go to their website. It's a wealth of info. You can also ask some there for help as well. They might even have live online help during business hours.


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## shadowwalker (Jul 8, 2009)

I have a Silhouette brand e cutter and know very little about the Cricut. I'm pretty sure that it has to be a newer model Cricut to be able to actually create your own designs. It's my understanding that the older models can only cut Cricut designs from their cartridges. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. 

With the Silhouette brand and the newer Cricuts, you can indeed actually design your own designs and there is no need to purchase pricey cartridges because you can buy single designs for cheap! If it were me, I'd get your older model up and running and use it as a beginner unit. See how well you like the whole concept and discover weather or not it is something you would make good use of. Then move up to a unit that will allow you to design your own and purchase inexpensive single designs instead of having to purchase whole cartridges. That whole concept of having to purchase a pricey cartridge will get very expensive! By the time you get a good supply of cartridges going, you could've bought a new unit. But of course that is just my humble opinion. 

You don't have to upgrade to be able to create wonderful things. E cutters are great for Secret Reapers and PIF! For this years Winter Reaper, I used my Silhouette to make a lot of things. My victim was mostly only into vintage. I sent her a Valentines reap for her to enjoy before V day and while I was working on the Halloween portion of her reap. I didn't take any photos of the Valentine portion but I used my silhouette to create a design for the top of a heart shaped paper mache box. I loved how it turned out. For the Halloween portion I used it to create round black cat and owl stacking paper mache boxes, vintage noise makers, a black cat mask and cupcake picks. 

The first photo shows how I used the stacking boxes and noise makers (along with other stuff) to create a vintage vignette. The last photo has a couple of non Silhouette related items in it, but its one of the only photos that I have of the vintage black cat mask. Otherwise, I spared you photos of all the non Silhouette related reap items. 









































I'm sure you will find many uses for your cutter. You will love it for Halloween! Sorry I couldn't help with getting your Cricut up and running.

(ETA: I have no idea why the first photo shows again at the bottom as an attached image but I can't seem to get rid of it)


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## Stinkerbell n Frog Prince (Sep 4, 2009)

I have a cricut Frog got it for me a few Christmases ago and I have yet to open the box... it feels kinda daunting. I love do all kinds of arts and crafts, I wanted it basically for doing the Halloween Card exchange card but ended up getting comfortable doing my graphic designs on the computer and then sending the final off to be printed at the local Walgreens on a coupon. So I'd love to learn the ins and outs of my machine if someone posts a How To. 

Maybe we need an online class project we can all work on together and learn to not be afraid (at least me) of the machine.


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

I have received one for a house warming gift thanks to shadowwalker 
have not had a chance to really us it but am excited to learn how to


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## LairMistress (Jul 31, 2009)

I checked mine, and it says it's a CRV01. It seems like quite an old one, but it does have the port for the cord to hook it up to the computer.


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