Hello to my 1002 followers...

Way back in December 2007 when I created this blog, Design Studio had just been released. I started writing tutorials for DS in an attempt to help my fellow Cricut Lovers get to know and love this design program.

I celebrated each and every new follower to my blog. My first 100, then 200, then 500.....

Come forward to today and I have finally cracked 1000!!!

Sad thing is, I no longer update this blog as I've created a new blog called The Non-Crafty Crafter....

So..... would you be so kind as to come over to my new home and follow me there? I promise I'll still help you with your DS problems if you have any!!!! Just click the big green button. :)

Cricut Cartridge list September 2013

I have updated my Cricut Cartridge list. You will find the list (two lists actually because it's so big now - almost 600 carts!!!!) over at my new blog. http://thenon-craftycrafter.blogspot.com.au/

Please come visit over there!

The end of Design Studio updates...

Provocraft have announced that they will no longer be releasing updates to Design Studio. This includes both program updates and Content (cartridge) updates. Here's their announcement:

"In order to focus our attention and resources on creating and improving the Cricut® experience, we will not be providing further updates to the Cricut DesignStudio® software. In addition, any cartridges released after April 11, 2013 will not be updated to appear in the Cricut DesignStudio® software. We will still offer support, but there will be no additional content updates for the Cricut DesignStudio® software."

The final content update (v130401) was released early April 2013. That update contained the following cartridges:


Animal Antics
Boho Graphics Iron On
Brooklyn Iron On 
Creative Cards
Creative Memories Tiny Treasures
Folk Art Festival
Outdoor Man
Southwest
Simple Cards
Something to Remember
Teresa Collins December 25th.

Any cartridges released after the above won't be added to DS.

You can download the above update from: http://www.cricut.com/home/support/cricut-designstudio-reg-support/

(Select Cartridge Update 2.)

Any previous cartridges will be found in the Program Update (cartridges released up to Nov 2009) and Cartridge Update 1 (cartridges released after Nov 2009.)

Ready or not... here it is!

Please ignore the mess!

The decorators haven't quite finished!  And the removalists haven't finished unpacking!!!

http://thenon-craftycrafter.blogspot.com.au/

A little bit of news.....

Many of you know that I am a long time fan of the Cricut machines along with its various software programs. OK, I tolerate the Gypsy, but the others I love! Yes, even my Imagine which almost made it to the deep end of the pool a month or so ago. But it decided to behave again and is out of the dog house! :)

Anyway.... I'm all for trying new things so like many other Cricut users I have looked around at other machines and software and I recently took the plunge and bought myself a Silhouette Cameo.

Be still my heart! If it would cook me dinner I'd marry it! (Not that hubby ever cooks me dinner.... but he buys a mean takeaway!!)

Does this mean I won't be using my Cricuts anymore? Of course it doesn't!!! I love each of them. I use my Cricuts just about every day. In fact they're working overtime at the moment creating gifts for the Circle Mania Crop in Atlanta in April. (Come on April 17!!!)

Does this mean I won't be writing any more tutorials for Design Studio? Well... on that front there's really nothing left to write about is there? The program hasn't been updated since 2010 (mainly because it's been replaced by Cricut Craft Room), there hasn't been a cartridge content update since October 2012 and I'm thinking we'll be lucky to see another one. I hope I'm wrong though. While ever Cricut Craft Room has to be used online there will always be a place for Design Studio in my craft room! Now if PC ever decided to release a stand alone version of CCR that doesn't require us to be online to use it.... then I'll gladly retire my Design Studio!

So what does this all mean for this blog then? I've put a lot of thought into that question and here's what I've decided to do.

I have created a new blog which I am still working on which I hope to release this week. Rather than try and maintain three blogs (this one, the Cricut Craft Room blog and the new one), I'll post any new tutorials/information on the new blog.

All the content on this blog will remain available though. I won't be closing it down. There's far too much info here and I'm not sure I'll have time to transfer it all over to the new blog.

The new blog will have any new Cricut tutorials on it, links to the old blogs where relevant and I'll also be sharing what I learn about the Silhouette. Plus, I'll now have a place to share other paper crafting stuff apart from die-cutting!

I'll still be maintaining and updating my Cricut Fonts list as well as my Full list of Cricut cartridges list. You'll find links to them in the sidebar on the new blog. 


I'll post soon with the link to the new blog. I sure hope you'll make your way over there and become a follower and/or subscriber! I don't want to lose any of the 962 followers here!!! :)  Almost made it to the magic 1000!

Latest version numbers of Cricut machines and software

You'll find all the latest version numbers over on my new blog.....

http://thenon-craftycrafter.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/cricut-latest-versions-numbers-machines.html

For updates feel free to follow/subscribe over there! :)

Carts with Fonts list updated for October 2013

You'll find my Cricut Fonts list over at my new blog => http://thenon-craftycrafter.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/cricut-carts-containing-fonts-with.html

For updates please come follow me or subscribe over there! :)

Teddy Bears in Oz Blog Hop

Welcome to the Teddy Bears in Oz Blog Hop. You should have arrived here from Paulette at Around the Block with Scrapalette

We are featuring teddy bears created from the Cricut Lite cartridge Teddy Bear Parade dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz. Fun, right?

I'm a little nervous because this is my first Blog Hop everrrrrrrr!!!

If you are just joining us, start your journey down the yellow brick road at RockinRenee's blog: I came, I saw, I created.

The character I am sharing with you today is Glinda the Good Witch of the North.

Here's my inspiration:

And here's my bear:

I cut the bear out at 4" and dug through my daughters Barbie doll clothes and found a ball gown I cut up for the top layer. (No trauma involved. When I asked her if it was OK if I sacrificed one of Barbie's ball gowns she just rolled her eyes...

Maybe because she's 16!!!!) :)

For the gown I used the Queen of Hearts costume on Teddy Bears Parade. It's the 5th key on the top row of the cartridge.

For the "puffy" sleeves I actually used the top layer of the dress which I rotated 180 degrees and welded it to the base layer of the dress. (I first used Hide Contour to hide the heart and the ruffle.)

I wanted Glinda to be all sparkly so as well as the sparkles that were already on Barbie's ball gown I also used glittered cardstock for the other layers of the dress. Here's a close up:

Instead of using the wand (or I guess it's a scepter) from the Queen of Hearts I created my own using a rectangle and star from Cricut Craft Room Basics.

Hope you like her!!!

Thank you for joining us today. The complete file to recreate The Wizard of Oz character bears can be found at the starting blog. Your next visit down the yellow brick road is at paper, craft & scissors

And here is the complete blog list in case you follow the wrong path:

1. I came, I saw, I created

2. Melody Lane Designs

3. Stamp, Cut, Create!

4. A Day in the Life of a Horse Bunny

5. Random Thoughts of a Scrapbooker

6. Sara W. Andrews

7. Around the Block with Scrapalette

8. The Cricut Lover's guide to Design Studio  (that's me!)

9. paper, craft & scissors