Thread: New "Chic and Scary" halloween cricut cartridge

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I don't know if anyone else has a cricut, but I thought I would share my excitement that the new cartridge today is Halloween themed (and pretty cheap for a Cricut Cartridge).

http://teresacollins.typepad.com/ter...y-entry-1.html

I am really liking the cupcake wrappers (though I wish they were a bit more intricate) and the masks.

Omg that is awesome!! My friend has a cricut and I've never found any Halloween ones I've wanted...now im excited!!! Thanks!!!

Can somebody tell me what a cricut is? I've seen that word all the time on my craft supply websites and I'm confused. Is it a shape cutting machine? Just cutting things out of paper? Do you need to connect it to a computer?

I've only used it once...but it's for cutting diecuts (paper shapes). You don't need a computer. Just the machine, the cartridge ( which comes in different themes) and paper. It's very cool for scrapbooking or cards, etc.

wow i soooooo am going to have to get this for my cricut!!!!!
thanks for sharing this !!!!!!!!

I am so glad that I managed to snag a copy of Sure Cuts A Lot before Provocraft sued the living daylights out of every company that sold 3rd party software that allowed you to create your own designs.

boobear: no, you don't connect it to your computer normally, you spend $80 or more per cartridge in order to get a set of "shapes", then you use the machine to pick the size of what you want to cut. You can do basic layout with the machine's screen... for not being a full color screen but only a dot matrix diagram, you can actually do pretty well. It cuts with a swivel blade... you can get a deep cut blade for thicker stock, it has depth and pressure and speed settings... it's basically a portable sign cutter repurposed for craft work. They took their time but eventually released software that verifies your owned carts (which cannot be shared once you lock them to the software) and then lets you design on the computer with only those shapes. The third party software let you use any font on the computer or design your own vector images in SVG format, just like setting up a 12" x 24" printer (for the larger one). There are other companies that sell similar products that are not locked to proprietary cartridges, such as the CraftROBO and Silhouette but they're more expensive than the Cricut up front (but only a few Cricut cartridges will prove that it's worth the investment). Also they don't have length limits if you get a roll of vinyl and want to make a long banner with it, though vinyl sign cutting and application is a whole craft unto itself.

Still can't believe no one has hacked this thing and released free versions of the software since Provocraft proved they'll just take down any company that tries to sell it. Ah well, maybe in a year they won't even care, now that they're coming out with a Cricut 2.0. It's worse than printer companies... since you have to go to Provocraft for all supplies like carrier mats and blades and they trick people into buying their vinyl for $10 per 2 pieces 12" x 24" when a roll of 12" x 10 yards is under $15 online. Imagine not only having to buy brand name ink, but not even being able to even use plain copy paper for your printer, but only the printer manufacturer's brand. Blah. But for a lot of these things you can find a workaround, but not the software anymore

Hilariously, the Roland style cutting blades are actually affordable and sign companies are learning to grab these things with coupons at Joann... at least until Joann put a stop to being able to use 40% off coupons on Cricut supplies by always putting them 25% off when the coupon is out. Michaels flat out has it in the wording of the coupon you can't use it on any Provocraft product, which I think is forced on them by the company.

I can see how this still appeals to people who aren't good with computers and vector image design and just want to be able to cut shapes easily but it's just so expensive it feels like a giant money vacuum. Especially when you wind up having to buy a cartridge just for one image.

I've quite enjoyed my cricut. And I have the 5th anniversary one, so I do have the color screen. I also have a gypsy so I don't have to lug around the cartridges and can weld images together to make new shapes.

I've been working on the coffin treat boxes that are Happy Hauntings. I haven't quite figured out how to get them sized right (haven't had a lot of time to work on them) for what I'm doing. I figure cutting them out with the cricut and a big pack of black cardstock (which I think is on sale at Michael's right now as B1G1 for a penny) is gonna be cheaper than buying them precut and quicker than using scissors.

There are a lot of bats and cats between the Happy Hauntings and Chic and Scary cartridges, so I'm hoping to cut some out of black vinyl or even the cardstock and hang them up around the house for party times.

And there are ways to work around the costs. Like Amazon, who usually has the cartridges for 20-25 on their site. And etsy is a great place to get vinyl (1.50/sheet). And rather than buying the magnet sheets from provocraft, just go buy a big pack of them at staples.

Thanks for the education and info! I always wondered what exactly that thing was.

where can you buy the cartridge?

I heard they sold out yesterday on cricut.com. I believe that Teresa Colins had a post on her fb page with alternatives (I can't find them at the moment).