Creative Memories and Cricut...A Perfect Match

Hello everyone, Ginger here today to share some tips and tricks about using your Creative Memories supplies with your Cricut®! I love my Cricut and use it all the time--and many of my all-time favorite Cricut Cartridges are my Creative Memories Cartridges. They are chalk full of fabulous images and wonderful fonts! I find the Creative Memories Cartridges to be among the most versatile and most used in my collection. One of the best things about these cartridges is how perfectly they pair up with the rest of Creative Memories line of products--not only those cartridges that are designed to go with a particular Power® Palette, but with so many other products as well!

To make these cards, I used the Stork's Delivery Cricut Cartridge, along with The Fabulous Power Palette and a sheet of Platinum Shimmer Cardstock. I've found that not all brands of paper or cardstock cut well in Cricut machines--often textured or more "woody" papers do not cut cleanly, or require multiple cuts. Creative Memories paper and cardstock cut beautifully in my Cricut! In fact, the only adjustments you may need to make is to turn the pressure down slightly when switching from cardstock to thinner papers. I also love that when you use patterned paper in your Cricut you have a lot more details and dimension than when you use cardstock alone. 

My all time favorite paper to cut in my Cricut are Creative Memories Shimmer Cardstocks. They cut like butter! They can handle very small shapes and/or very intricate designs like no other paper! They also add a little bit of shimmer to projects as a perfect finishing touch. If you take a close look at the present on the left on the card below, you can see how well the shimmer cardstock did with cutting the tiny little loops of the ribbon. It cut perfectly with no tearing or "hanging chads." Something not at all easy for such a tiny cut.

After cutting everything out for my Cricut projects, I turn to another great Creative Memories tool -- my Multipurpose Tool and Clips. The long, thin end is perfect for pulling up my cuts from my Cricut mat, particularly when the mat is new and at it's stickiest. The other end is perfect for poking out any small attached pieces that are hanging on when they shouldn't be. The clips are great for holding the very small pieces steady while adhering cut layers together. 

Speaking of adhesives, I don't think there was ever a better adhesive for layering Cricut cuts than the Precision Point Adhesive Pen. It is perfect for adding glue to the tiny little pieces that are often too small or oddly shaped for a tape runner. I don't think I would ever use my Cricut without one or two of these handy pens close by! I also use Foam Squares to add dimension to my projects, like behind layers of paper or  Cricut cuts. 

I hope that these tips give you some ideas to put to good use when creating Cricut projects!

Supplies:

Fabulous Designer-Print Paper

Fabulous Tone-On-Tone Paper

Fabulous Paper Ribbon

Platinum Shimmer Cardstock

White Cardstock

Postage Stamp Blade

Cheerful Title Stickers

Stork's Delivery Cricut Cartridge

Precision Point Adhesive

Foam Squares

Multipurpose Tool and Clips

All Purpose Scissors

Steps: "It's A Happy Kind of Day"

Cut a piece of White Cardstock to be 11" x 4 1/4" and fold in half. Cut a piece of green paper to be 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and adhere it to the front of the card. Cut a piece of White Cardstock to be 3 1/2" x 4 1/4" with the Postage Stamp Blade and add it to the front of the card with Foam Squares.

Cut a piece of pink paper to be 3 1/4" x 4" and added to the White Cardstock. Cut a piece of green paper to be 2 1/4" x 3" and add it to the top of the pink paper. Cut a piece of grey Paper Ribbon to be 4" long and trim inward on each end. Add the Paper Ribbon across the front of the card. Add the sentiment sticker to the bottom of the pink paper.

 Cut the presents out from the Stork's Delivery Cartridge at 2". Add th presents to the front of the card with Foam Squares. Cut the bursts out at 1" with the "Real Dial Size" Button on and add to the card with Foam Squares.

 

Steps: "Celebrate Good Times" 

Cut a piece of White Cardstock to be 11" x 4 1/4" and fold in half. Cut a piece of pink paper to be 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and adhere it to the front of the card.

Cut a green piece of paper to be 5"" x 3 1/2" with the postage stamp blade on three sides and add it to the card front with foam squares. Cut a piece of White Cardstock to be 3" x 4 3/4" and add it to the green paper.

Cut a piece of yellow Paper Ribbon to be 4" and trim inward at the tips. Add the Paper Ribbon across the center of the card. Cut the cupcake out at 2 1/2" and add it to the card with Foam Squares. Cut out the small and large hearts from the "Girl bib" cut at 3 1/2" and add them to the card front. Add the large hearts to the card with Foam Squares.

Add the sentiment sticker to the bottom of the card. 

Comments

[Barb S]

Clarifying my previous comment: lowering the NUMBER on the blade depth helps with cutting thinner patterned paper--from a 6 to a 4 or 5. And lower the number on the pressure from 5 (max) to a 3 or 4 (depending on thickness).

[Barb S]

I am so excited to try these cards! I am always looking for new ways to use my CM cartridges. They are great--and there is so much content in them. Also, CM cardstock cuts the best of any paper in my Cricut. Slowing the speed of the cut and lowering the depth of the blade and pressure will help with cutting the patterned paper.

[Lesa]

I am just past a beginner with the cricut. I have great success with the card stock, but I tried cutting a merged word, "family", and the paper was cut jagged. This was patterned paper. I don't know if it was the intricacy or what. What solutions do you use when you get jagged edges?

[Lr. Smith]

I LOVE EVERY CM CRICUT CARTRIDGE THERE IS.. I have all except the newest one.. but every one is such fun.. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they all come with a font.. I'm not big on buying font cartridges, *(I'm a SHAPES gal)* but love I get the added bonus of the fonts too.. and they are all so different..

[Susan Bolgren]

When do you think CM will come out with a Cricut cartridge organizer or caddy? There are 8 cartridges now & I desparately need something to carry them all in. Thank you.

[Kristen @ Creative Memories Home Office]

Not sure what happened there Mary, but I'll go in to fix them. Thanks!

[Sue Tapply]

So cute! Keep the Cricut ideas coming!

[Mary Hoyt, CMC]

Love the article but so disappointed that of all the links listed ONLY the one for Foam Squares worked!!!