Showing posts with label tags. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tags. Show all posts

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Comprehensive Overview of the Cricut cartridge Once Upon a Princess

Geesh - it's been a while since I posted a comprehensive overview of a cricut cartridge.  It has been really difficult to find a big chunk of time where I can completely focus on a cartridge and all of its features.  Well today we will be looking at Once Upon a Princess which is quite a surprisingly loaded cartridge.  It was one of the first cartridges I purchased because I have a daughter who actually is a princess (at least at our house.)

In this post we will look at:
  • a Sample view of the cartridge images and brief summary of content
  • a list of the features offered on the cartridge
  • a Phrase Reference Sheet in PDF for download
  • a link to the PDF of the handbook
  • a spreadsheet with a list of the images, words and phrases with their pages numbers including a link to download the PDF version.
As you can see, There are a lot of different ways you can use the artwork on the cartridge.  There are several projects like the crown, the wand and the castle;  a few party elements like the gift bags and cards; loads of artwork including unicorns, butterflies, flowers and rainbows and a fun selection of paper dolls with all different types of costumes.

Each overlay key or handbook page includes:
  • the primary image
  • a layer
  • a phrase
  • a gem
  • a font
  • a tag
  • a base shadow/ phrase shadow
and each of these features (feature keys) have a shift option which provides additional artwork.

I really like the selection of phrases on this cartridge.  Each phrase has a layer which adds dimension plus it has a shadow under the "base shadow/ phrase shadow" feature button.  Below is a visual of all of the phrases available on this cartridge.
You can download a PDF copy of this Once Upon a Princess Reference Sheet by clicking the link below.  If you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please paste a link to my site:


The font on this cartridge has 2 versions.  The primary is a delicate cursive and the font with shift is encased in a crown which would be great for titles.

The tags are fabulous on this cartridge.  Each Tag feature has 2 different styles - the primary and the +shift.  The Gem feature seems limited in its applicability. I suspect it is primarily designed to use on cards.

To see a pdf of the entire handbook with all of the images and features, click HERE.

Last but not least, here is a list of all of the images and phrases on this cartridge with their page numbers.  If you find any errors in the spreadsheet, please let me know so I can correct it. If you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please paste a link to my site. The spreadsheet below is saved as a JPEG but you can download a PDF version of Once Upon a Princess here: 

Friday, August 17, 2012

Comprehensive Overview of the preloaded Gypsy Cartridge, Gypsy Wanderings for the Cricut

Wow! What a blog title.  Well this is going to be one heck of a post.  Today I am writing about the exclusive Gypsy Wanderings cartridge which is preloaded on the Gypsy.  For those of you who do not own a Gypsy, I am afraid you cannot purchase this cartridge on its own so if you have been on the fence about buying the Gypsy this might be the incentive you need.  In this entry we will look at:
  • a Sample view of the cartridge images
  • a look at all of the pages in the handbook and a pdf download of the handbook with 9 handbook pages per 1, 8.5 x 11 page
  • a link to the handbook on the Cricut website
  • a look at the "scrolls" on this cartridge
  • a look at all of the borders, all of the tags and all of the phrases on the cartridge with PDF downloads of each for quick reference.
  • a cartridge "table of contents" spreadsheet with all of the images and phrases and their page numbers and a PDF version for download
SAMPLE SHEET
This is the sample sheet I found on the Cricut site.  I do not recall if it was included in the box when I bought my Gypsy but is similar to a Cricut Lite reference trifold except it is not as comprehensive. 
Above is a page out of the virtual handbook which you can view here. This cartridge is definitely worthy of a handbook as each image key offers a:
  • primary image and shift image
  • shadows for both primary images
  • a decor tag and shadow
  • 2 tags (non-decor)
  • 2 tag shadows (non-decor)
  • a phrase and shadow
  • a border and shadow.
That is 7 pieces of artwork with shadows, per key (on the Gypsy virtual keypad) and page, (in the handbook.)  That is a lot of images to work with.  Granted, we do see some redundancy of images like hearts, flowers, crowns and butterflies but Gypsy Wanderings is a really great "bread and butter" cartridge- especially once you know what you have to work with!

GYPSY WANDERINGS HANDBOOK
Let's take a look at the handbook.  There are 9 pages below; each has 9 handbook pages on it.  
You can download a PDF copy of this Gypsy Wanderings Handbook Reference Sheet by clicking the link below. You should print it in horizontal orientation.


This is a total of 25 pages, multiply by 7 and you have 175 unique pieces of artwork plus their shadows.  I found this reference PDF through the Cricut message board along with many other cartridge handbooks.  Click here to view this goldmine of Cricut handbook information. 

SCROLLS
Before we take a closer look at the tags, phrases and borders, I want to briefly talk about "scrolls". There are 8 scrolls on this cartridge (they can by found on pages 37, 40, 70, 74) and you will find many more scrolls on other cartridges.  



Maybe it is just me but the title "scroll" is sort of a strange description for these images.  I have no idea what else you would call them, but I mention it because if you use the Cheatsheet (table of contents with page numbers) at the end of this entry and try to search for one of this swirly, curly, flowery, feathery decorative images, I want you to have the right word to use in your search.
BORDERS
Now lets look at the borders.  It used to take me forever to flip through the handbook to find that perfect border so I created a border reference sheet which makes the process so much easier.  You can download a PDF copy of this Gypsy Wanderings BORDER Reference Sheet by clicking the link below. You should print it in horizontal orientation.  If you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please post a link to my site.


 
 

A-DOR-ABLE!  I love the "Be Fabulous" on page 32. Now to use an image as a border on a 12 x 12 layout, you wouldn't want to enlarge the image to 12 inches wide .  This would make the height way to big for a page border. In order to get a long border for larger pages like 12 x 12 paper, you can either cut multiples of the border image and line them up along the edge or you can use Design Studio, Gypsy or Cricut Craft Room to weld multiple copies of the border image together.  To learn more about welding with Design Studio, click here, welding with Gypsy, click here and welding with Cricut Craft Room, click here (these are all excellent youtube video tutorials.

TAGS
Now lets take a look at the tags on this cartridge.  You get a total of 3 unique tags for each key/ handbook page.  There is the "decor tag" key and then 2 primary image related tags from the "tag" key.  Each of these have shadows.  You cut the decorative tag shadow by adding shift and the 2 tag shadows, by selecting the "tag shadow" key.  Below is a view of all of the tags on this cartridge with the handbook page number below it.
You can download a PDF " tag quick reference sheet" below.  You should print it in horizontal orientation. Printing it out will allow you to skim over all of your tag options without having to flip through the digital handbook or a printed copy.  I always find it helpful to see my choices lined up next to one another so I can compare my options quickly. If you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please post a link to my site.


The "decorative tags" on the left are not primary image related, so you can use them on any project regardless of the theme.  The "tags" on the right have the primary image incorporated into the design and there are two different version to work with. It is worth mentioning that the decorative tags are not limited to just tags.  You also get tabs, buttons, mats, frames, pages and shapes. 

PHRASES
But wait... there's more!!  Now we will take a look at the phrases that come on this cartridge. Below is a view of all of the phrases on this cartridge. You can download a PDF " phrase quick reference sheet" below.  Print this out (You should print it in horizontal orientation.) so you can skim over all of your phrase options without having to flip through the digital handbook or a printed copy.  As always, if you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please post a link to my site.

 
 These are core phrases and I really like the fonts they selected.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Last, but not least, here is a list of all of the images and phrases on this cartridge with their page numbers.  If you find any errors in the spreadsheet, please let me know so I can make corrections. If you would like to share this information on your blog, instead of copy and pasting this info, please paste a link to my site. The spreadsheet below is saved as a JPEG but you can download a PDF version of Gypsy Wanderings here:


Wow - that was a lot of information - I hope it is helpful!  Thanks for popping over. It has been really great getting your WONDERFUL comments and I am so happy to see that I am collecting followers. If you haven't already become a follower, please do. It seems silly, but  little things like comments and followers make my day. :o)  I hope you have a great weekend!! Jilliene
 

Friday, July 6, 2012

Birthday Bash Font, Cards and Tags

I looked all over the web...EVERYWHERE! ...and I could not find one single full alphabet sampling of the Birthday Bash font nor a jpeg of the cards and tags included on the cartridge so... to truly live up to the promise of a "comprehensive overview of the Birthday Bash cartridge... Below you will find:
  • a jpeg of  the Alphabet in the Birthday Bash Font
  • a jpeg of all of the cards and some of the shift options that provide additional layers, mats or card details
  • a jpeg with all of the tags
  • and... a jpeg of the flags that are also available




On the cards, flags and tags samples, each one has a number for a file name.  That is the page number where you can find the image.
I have to tell you all, I had not done something like this for a cartridge before, but now I am stoked!!!  I had a heck of a time trying to document the images on the Just Because Cards cartridge.  My spreadsheet entries said things like "wonky rectangle horizontal card" and "flourish with star rectangle card." Now I can skip that whole enterprise and just provide a jpg with the card shapes and page #'s!

I really do have a life and I am not some cricut wacko I swear.  The truth is that I bought my first cricut to use with a specific client's album.  Then I opened the box and started working with it and I kept making mistakes.  I just did not know how to use it right away and I sure as heck didn't know what I had on the 4 new cartridges I had bought.  Sure, I had scoured the handbook pages for hours trying to memorize the content but you can't know something until you know it.  I spent SOOOOO much time trying to get my arms around everything cricut so that I could hurry up and get cracking on my clients scrapbook.  Needless to say, it was a daunting task since I had such high expectations and on a ridiculous schedule.  It took time, but I eventually figured out my Cricut, then Design Studio,then Gypsy and now I have an Imagine too.   I guess I have made it my mission to be the resource I had been searching for.  I hope it helps a few of you enjoy your Cricut so much more!!