| The Cricut electronic die-cut machine paired with the | | | | machine and software. The most important resource |
| Cricut Design Studio software has opened up a whole | | | | in my opinion is the Cricut message boards. There are |
| new world of designing possibilities for scrapbookers | | | | some wonderful people on there more than willing to |
| and cardmakers alike. While many of us have an | | | | answer any question you have and help with ideas. |
| abundance of tools and materials, the one thing we | | | | 3. Don't reinvent the wheel.Unless you just enjoy |
| seem to be lacking more than any other is time. It is | | | | designing and playing with the software, there's no |
| important to use the time we are able to find to the | | | | reason to recreate a file someone else has already |
| fullest if we want to complete more projects. Here are | | | | made. There are numerous blogs and sites where |
| three ways to maximize your time spent creating. | | | | other Cricut users share the projects and the |
| 1. Maintain proper maintenance on your machine, blade, | | | | corresponding files they have designed. |
| mat and tools. | | | | There's no reason to spend precious time designing |
| If you spend the few extra moments it takes to keep | | | | cuttings from scratch when someone has kindly put it |
| your machine in good condition it will save you time | | | | on the web for you to use. Even if you only use the |
| and money in the end. The two biggest culprits seem | | | | base of the design as a starting point for adding your |
| to be the blade and the cutting mat. Replace your | | | | own additions, you will still save a good deal of time by |
| blade when necessary to keep from wasting paper | | | | not trying to figure out how to create the file from the |
| after paper with torn or less-than-perfect cuts and the | | | | very beginning. One thing to remember is to always |
| time it takes to re-cut your images. If you try to stretch | | | | give credit where credit is due, even if you do change |
| out the use of your mat too long the papers will begin | | | | the file in one way or another. |
| to move and slide as the machine cuts. It's more than | | | | Spend a little extra time up front by keeping your tools |
| worth it to implement the age old advice of doing | | | | in tip-top shape, getting to know where to find help, and |
| things right the first time. | | | | using other people's designs when you can. If you do, |
| 2. Become familiar with the people who can help | | | | when you sit down to work on a project you may just |
| you.Getting to know the resources available to help | | | | find that you have more time to actually complete it |
| you will save you time when you get stuck using the | | | | than you thought. |