Friday, February 18, 2011

Cricut Design Studio & Other Ramblings

I am so excited!  Okay, so when do I not get excited about every little thing?  I just got in the CRICUT DESIGN STUDIO this week.  I've barely had time to play with it due to the couple of days I was sick and didn't make it out of bed or off the couch for anything other than necessities.  Does anyone else have this?  I've read through the "manual" that came with it.  Sounds pretty straight forward.  But it didn't answer things like...


"How do you hide cuts?"  Example - I want to use my Peachy Keen Face stamps on a project. How do I tell it not to cut the eyes and mouth on CDS?


Does anyone have a great resource of "how to's" for this they can point me to?


I'm so happy to have this.  I can't wait to figure it all out.


In Other News...


I made the cutest bookmarks this week.  I can't wait to show them to you, but I can't yet.  They are for a challenge blog I'm on the Design Team for and you'll have to wait until a little later to see them.  They were so cute I made 7 of them. LOL  Anybody want one?  If you leave me a comment saying you'd love to have one and a way to contact you for your USA shipping address, you just might get surprised with one in the mail. :)  See, now all the others who haven't read down this far have no idea they could get a free bookmark from me.  Aren't you the lucky one?  :)


This is our daughter, Bonnie.  She thought it would be fun to wrap herself in Bubble Wrap the other day.  I guess she's ready to be shipped.  LOL  Wonder where she wants to go?  Let's ask her.  She said, "Ummmm, KATI!"  That's one of her older sisters.  Bonnie is so cute.  She will be 17 this April.  WOW how the time has flown! She's so precious.  She's our special needs darling.  Always smiling.  Always happy.  Here's another funny story for you about Bonnie....
Bonnie & I went to the library Tuesday.  We always do the self-checkout, but then she has to stop at the librarian desk and say hi to the librarian - because Bonnie's friendly like that.  So we are walking toward the door to leave the library, and Bonnie stops at the librarian desk and puts her foot up on the desk and says, "Shoes!"  Yes, she got new tennis shoes.  The librarian smiles and says, "I like your new shoes."  Bonnie feels so proud.  We leave there and go to Michael's.  Standing in line at Michael's waiting for the next available cashier, Bonnie starts talking to the 2 women in line behind us.  Because Bonnie is friendly like that.  She points at her feet and says, "Shoes!"  She points at me and says, "Mom Mom.  Shoes."  Of course the 2 ladies tell her how pretty her new shoes are.


I hope you guys have a fun weekend.  Be healthy.  Have fun.  Laugh and Smile as much as possible.  And here's a challenge for you if you choose to accept it.  Write a letter.  Yes, HAND write a letter to one person who means a lot to you.  Tell them that.  Put it in an envelope, stick a stamp on it, and mail it.  That letter will really brighten someone's day.  There's just something about a handwritten letter.  So personal.  Yes, I did that yesterday and mailed it.  One of my New Year Resolutions was to write letters to those in my life who have inspired me, encouraged me, loved me, made me feel special, etc.  I'm in no hurry to write these letters all at once.  Just every now and then as I'm thinking about someone, I'll write them and mail it.  Wouldn't you love to receive a letter like that?  I think we all would.  Make someone's day.  Send a smile and some love via US Postal Service.


Hugs to you!

22 comments:

  1. Too cute! Bubble wrap rocks :) I had the same type of New Year's resolution. Since I make so many cards, I want to mail out more. Have a great weekend!

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  2. CDS does not let you hide what they call contours. You have to get a Gypsy to do that...sorry.

    April

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  3. No it Does let you hide select contour, I do it all the tome on my DS here Janis..
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Eum5Hnm6Y

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  4. Janis, also you might want to update it, they have some new features too!

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  5. I have the CDS , but not sure how to hide. I really don't use it anymore since I have the gypsy. Just found your blog and love some of your cards. Love to see one of your bookmarks. mimicaro@charter.net

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  6. Hi Janice, as they've been telling you it does not have the hide contour feature but you might want to try adding a circle or something over the part you don't want to cut and weld it in and see if that won't hide do the trick. Try that then hit view and if it is gray it shouldn't cut it!! Hope this helps. If you get a chance stop by my blog I have a great giveaway going on right now!!
    Cindy
    http://scrappingroom.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-your-story-giveaway.html

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  7. Oh Janis! I just love your Bonnie stories! She is just so precious!
    We have several special needs young people and children that come into the store and I so love seeing them. They are always so happy and friendly!! We have one that always has a baby of some kind with her. Yesterday it was she little stuffed bear. She talks nonstop while she is in there. I love it!! You are soooooooo truly blessed!!! :)
    Oh, I have design studio and could not ever get the hang of it. Now my Gypsy Girl, she's a different story!! Haha!! :)

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  8. Diane over at
    http://www.capadiadesign.com/
    has some wonderful ways to uses your new DS...
    congrats. I have a DS and love it, I don't make a card without it, and yes you can hide features with it!
    you will also save on a lot of paper because the sizes are right the first time..
    any questions??? If I can help I am willing to give it a try.
    have fun with your new toy,
    Carol<><

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  9. Ok, since I might be number5 6 or 7 does this mean I might get a bookmark? Oh wait..I forgot that you moderate your comments. Darn! Bonnie is so adorable in her wrapping. It made me smile to know she is so proud of her new shoes. Such happiness over simple things. We all need to be that way. CDS...I know nothing! I wish I did!
    Handwritten letter written. Smiling now. Thanking my lucky stars for friends like you.

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  10. All you have to do is click the part that you want hidden, it should turn pink then right click and a box will open go down to "hide contour" and it will go away.

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  11. Janis,

    Check out Diane's blog http://www.capadiadesign.com/
    She's got some nice tutorials on Design Studion.

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  12. Janis you can Hide cuts, But I can't for some reason hide more than 3. Good luck with that. I do love the CDS, because of the large screen on my computer versus the tiny gypsy screen!

    I would love one of your bookmarks. I'm into reading more this year and use a paperclip right now. LOL I know, i KNow, but that was the first thing I went to when I was looking for one.

    simplycricutting at gmail dot com

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  13. I don't have Design Studio so can't help you with any of the questions there but I would LOVE a Janis original bookmark...oh wait....don't have a US shipping address :(

    Hugs to you girl! Luv ya!!!

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  14. The hide contour option will be available after you update. Friends of mine who got CDS did not have that option until they updated.

    Also there are font updates and software updates. You need to do both.

    Here is the video link I used when I first learned how to hide.

    http://myfaqcricutds.blogspot.com/2008/12/hide-contour-feature.html

    Hope you enjoy.

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  15. This site will help you out with DS questions. You CAN do "hide contour" with the DS, but you'll probably have to do an update first. Go to Cricut.com and update. Then when you have an image open in DS, just click on the feature you want to hide and it will become highlighted in a different color. Then right click on feature and choose "hide contour."

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  16. I really enjoyed reading about Bonnie. Her smile made my day. And I would love to have one of your bookmarks. Also, I love all your card ideas.

    lafaellis85@twlakes.net

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  17. Bonnie is just toooooo cute! :o)
    Your days must be so blessed with all her smiles in it!

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  18. I also just bought CDS. I would like to be able to FLIP the imagine on the right w/o flipping the image on the left when welding them 2gether to make a card!

    Rachel Miller
    rachelspapercrafts{at}ymail{dot}com
    rachelpapercrafts.blogspot.com

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  19. I would love a book mark if you still have one left. Avid reader here!!!!
    fourkidstwocats at msn dot com

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  20. You're making me so excited to see your bookmark! I hope maybe I get a surprise in the mail!

    Have fun with DS...my friend has both DS and a Gypsy...I'm so jealous! But hey, I get to scrap with her and use her carts every week! Makes up for it, I guess. *smiles*

    Have fun playing around!

    --Tracy
    rushta (at) gmail (dot) com

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  21. Have fun with your new Design Studio! I don't have that, so I can't help you with questions. I would love to receive a bookmark (or anything else) in the mail. Can't wait until you can reveal what they look like. Thanks for sharing stories about Bonnie. I had a brother with Downs and he was so outgoing and friendly. He knew more people (and by name) than I did!
    tcsobotka at charter dot net

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  22. Hi, There is a blogger from Australia I believe that has all sorts of info and tips about CDS. Here is her web address http://myfaqcricutds.blogspot.com/

    She is awesome and answers your questions quickly.

    As for hiding, you can but it just does not save. So highlight the part you want to hide,then right cick and a series of options pop up and select hide option. Hope this helps...

    P.S. You daughter is gorgeous!!!

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