12x12 cricut mats

The Cricut Expression Machine is For More Than Just Scrapbooking While it might be a bit more expensive than some die cut machines you've seen for scrapbooking, the Cricut Expression machine is a worthwhile investment for scrappers as well as teachers, parents, and those who homeschool their children. If your looking for a new scrapbooking tool, this machine might be just what your next project needs. The Cricut Expression machine is larger than most die cut machines so it needs to stay on a work table or in a craft room. It's not meant to be portable or to go from room to room. However this larger size means that it can accommodate not just 12x12 pages but sizes of mats up to 12x24. This means you get twice the size of die cuts from the same machine. The Cricut machines all use the same cartridges and same blades, so you can use any Cricut cartridge for the Expression machine. You also don't need a computer for this machine. You make your selections right there on the LCD screen which also shows you exactly what you'll be cutting and what size so there are no mistakes. This means that the Cricut Expression machine is perfect for scrapbooking as well as for making banners, classroom decorations, and many other teaching tools. Imagine the party planning you can do with this machine or how you can use its cartridges to create teaching aids for your home schooled children. Many appreciate the larger size dies that are created with the Cricut Expression machine and remember too that creating individual elements and layering them can make for an amazing page in any album. Remember too that with the Cricut Expression you can purchase many different cartridges made by Cricut. They have licensed cartridges including characters from Disney, Sesame Street, and others, and literally dozens of font designs as well. You can also purchase shape cartridges for your Cricut machine so you can cut out simple shapes and those you may use for a variety of reasons. Just decorate or stamp them before adding them to your scrapbooks for even more visual interest. Don't forget the amazing Cricut Design Studio software. This program allows you to connect your Cricut Expression or even the original Cricut with your computer. It's a must-have for every Cricut user. With an on-screen cutting mat, you'll be making your own creations in no time. It also has a keyword search feature for the entire cartridge library making it quick and easy to find just the right image for your next scrapbooking project. You definitely want to check out the Cricut Design Studio software as an addition to your machine. There's very little that you can't do with an Expression machine. So if you can fit it into your budget, it's well worth the investment and makes a great addition to your scrapbooking tools. You will be adding beautiful embellishments to your scrapbook pages in no time. Of course you'll also need the room for it but those who've purchased it say that it's well worth what they've spent for the machine. Whether it's for parties, school projects, or scrapbooks, it's a great machine! About the Author Are you looking for more scrapbooking ideas ? We have just what you need to create beautiful scrapbooking albums .

12x12 4 CRICUT expression 12 x 12 mats 2 blades UNOPENED PKG of 2 12X12 CRICUT CUTTING MATS no longer made by Provo Craft Brand New Cricut Expression w Platinum Schoolbook Cartridge 12x12 Cutting Mat

The Cricut Expression: Is It All It's Supposed To Be?

There are a number of die cutting machines on the market including the Cuttlebug and Sizzix. These machines use the traditional method of die cutting which involves placing paper over a template, covering it with a protective board, and running it manually through a press machine to punch out the shape.  This method has proven effective and can cut multiple impressions of an image at once.  However, there are some limitations when it comes to selection, storage, and size.

The Cricut machine has renovated the world of die cutting.  It is a completely electronic machine.  The traditional dies have been replaced with small cartridges jam packed with images and options.  The cartridge is similar to a USB thumb drive in that it has a small plug that inserts into the front of the machine, stores mass amounts of data on it, is small, easy to store, and is portable.  The Cricut functions by having the user insert the cartridge, cover the machine key pad with the custom cartridge key pad, and select the images desired.  By using the cartridge the user has more options.  They can print multiples of the same or different images, choose special effects like shadows or italics, and most importantly alter size!  The ability to alter size is one of the best features of the Cricut machine providing the user with the freedom to change an image to fit their design layout not the other way around.  The Cricut machine has size adjustment that can go as small as desired, although you want to limit this to ensure image quality, and it can max out at size 12X12 or 12X24.  The computer inside the machine tracks previous cuts and knows how much space is left on the remaining paper altering the user if there is space issues and when cutting multiple images knows which sections have already been used.  This opens up a world of creative possibilities that were never possible with traditional die cutting machines.

However, the machine is not perfect.  The Cricut expression like the traditional machines can be used to cut a variety of materials including card stock, paper, vellum, plastic, rubber, and vinyl but the user must remember to adjust the cutting settings or risk a miss-cut and damaging the cutting blade or the material.  The Cricut expression requires the use of specially designed sticky mats which the paper needs to be attached to for insertion and cutting.  This means that these boards will have to continually be purchased and if the company decides to stop making their machine or accessories the users will no longer be able to use the machine; this is not a problem for the traditional die cutters which do not require special equipment.  The stickiness of the cutting mat can also be an issue; when the mats are first used they are very sticky and can actually damage the paper causing it to tear or curl when removed but after several uses it becomes easier to manage.  If a customer finds a design they like by another company such as cuttlebug they are out of luck because they cannot use it in the Cricut but they could use it with their Sizzix Big Shot or Cuttlebug machine which provides more freedom in choosing a company and the images available.  Finally, the nature of the machine only allows it to do die cuts where the Sizzix and Cuttlebug are able to do embossing and put crease marks into paper which produces a wider range of options for their users.

Overall, the Cricut expression is a great tool for any paper crafter.  Like all tools it has benefits and drawback and it is up to the end user to do the research and decide if it is right for them.  The Cricut has recently come out with a computer software allowing users to design a layout on their computer and send it to the machine to cut opening it to the digital and computer world of crafting; a similar device is coming out for Sizzix but will not require a computer instead using a hand held device and electronic cutter very similar to the Cricut.  With all of the options it is just personal choice if you want more freedom in sizes and more options then a Cricut might be for you.  However, if you prefer versatility, the ability to do embossing, and want to use other brand dies then a traditional cutter would be the better choice.

About the Author

Rachel Frank is an art instructor, Stampin' Up Independent Consultant, teaches art therapy to wounded soldiers, and is a full time graduate student.  She hosts a blog with tutorials, articles, videos, and supplies.  You can visit her at www.stampingarmywife.com and http://stampingarmywife.stampinup.net, follow her on twitter at stamparmywife, or contact her by email at stampingarmywife@aol.com.