CHA Chicago Summer 2010-Cricut Imagine and Photos

Here's the scoop on the new Cricut Imagine machine:

It will first be available on September 14 on HSN. This version will come with 3 cartridges. It will be available in stores in October; this version will come with 1 cartridge called Imagine More.

Yes, this machine both prints and cuts. Cricut partnered with HP to develop this machine. It uses 1 black (around $39) and 1 tricolor cartridge (around $34). These cartridges are exclusive to the Imagine and will be sold where the machine is sold. If you print full 12x12 sheets like pattern paper, you should be able to print 50 pages per ink cartridge. If you print separate images, you should be able to get 150 sheets of images per ink cartridge. Cricut estimates that 1 full page print costs 23 cents.

The Image comes with a touch screen like the Gypsy, so more functionality is available. The Imagine cartridges come with both images and colors and patterns. The images come precolored or you can change the colors and patterns of the images. You can also select colors by Pantone RGB numers. You can print a layered image as one image or print the layers separately so you can piece them together with foam tape for a 3D look.

You can also use your old Cricut Cartridges and the Imagine cartridges to add color and patterns to the images. The Imagine machine will hold 2 cartridges at once.

There will also be a Gypsy update available on September 13. The Imagine will be compatible with the Gypsy, but not Design Studio, although one rep said that PC software will be available in 6 months, but would not confirm it it would be a Design Studio upgrade or new software.

There will be 2 types of Imagine cartridges, images/colors/patterns ($89.99) and just colors/patterns ($49.99). There will be 12 image cartrdiges and 12 color/pattern cartridges when the machine is released. Some of these cartridges are:  Friends, Country Carnival, Kids Kitchen and Best Friends.

There are new mats just for this machine, they have black register marks that the machine reads for printing and cutting. Once you select Go, the machine prints first, then cuts. You only have to load the mat once. Also, the adhesive for the mat has been improved. You can use these new mats in your other Cricut machines, but you can't use your old mats in the Imagine machine.

You can print on anything you can put in the Expression, except for chipboard. For printing, the mat and paper are curled under rollers, so thick items will not be able to be used.

Here's the Imagine. See the new display and your old cartridges go on the left side and the Imagine cartridges go on the right (there is no label on the Imagine cartridge here). Notice the black registration marks on the mat that the machine uses to read placement of the image on the mat.

Here's a closeup of the display.

Here are some samples printed and cut from the machine.

Here are some samples Cricut had in the booth. To see more, view my Walgreens albums, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Not much was said about other new Cricut cartridges. Members of the Cricut Circle get to see new cartridges first, so only a few images were show at CHA. Pictures of the new cartridges shown can be seen in the Wednesday album.

CHA Chicago Summer 2010-Monday

Hello from Chicago! I am attending CHA Summer and visiting my family in my old hometown. Today I pre-registered, got a peek of the convention floor and attended the SEI preview party.

I have confirmed that the rumors are true. Here is a peek inside the door to the convention:

The Cricut Imagine is here! The Cricut booth is the first one in the door. I'll post more info tomorrow.

At the SEI Preview Party, they unveiled their new paper lines:  Moonrise, Monsterville, Spooks, Kris Kringle and With All My Heart. They will also have some new stickers and Bead Dazzle, sparkly iron-on art. With All My Heart will start shipping in November and the other lines will ship in Mid-August.

Here are photos of my 2 favorite lines, Moonrise and Monsterville. See photos from today and all the lines in my Walgreens album.

Moonrise

Monsterville

August Classes, Sales and Hello Thursday

Here's the August schedule of classes at AC Moore in Harbison. I have cancelled this week's Creating with Cricut class to participate in AC Moore's Cricut Demo Day. There will be great sales and they may let me bring out the Cricut Cake machine. For August I have a new project class to make a scrapbook out of a real pair of flip flops! I'll precut everything for you, so you don't need to bring your Cricut machine and you can invite your crafting friends who may not have a machine. The class sample and supply list are in the blog post below.

If you are interested in the classes or swarms, please call AC Moore at 407-5242 or register in the store.

 

Sales

• Through Saturday, AC Moore is having 40% off Cricut products and accessories. This includes machines, cartridges, blades, mats. This makes the Gypsy $179.99!! Cricut Cake and accessories are 30% off.
• On Sunday, AC Moore will be having Cricut demos all afternoon by me! Also, they will have another great sale 7/18-7/24: Cricut Cake $299.99, Cricut cartridges $39.99, Cartridge bundle with Mini Monograms, Cuttin Up, Wild Cards and Joys of the Season for $49.99, Jukebox bundle with 2 Solutions cartridges $49.99, select retired cartridges $25, Expression bundle with 5 inks and 4 cartridges $299.99, Original Cricut $99.99, and Cricut and Cricut Cake accessories including mats, Design Studio software, blades, inks, vinyl, frosting sheets, tool kits, etc. 25% off.

Cricut News

• Martha Stewart likes Cricut! Martha and Cricut have teamed up and will debut the Martha Stewart branded Cricut Cake on HSN on July 19. There will be 3 Martha Stewart cake cartridges that will start out exclusive to HSN: "All Occasions," "Elegant," and "Seasonal Cake Art." .
• New cartridges: These cartridges will be available in August: Simply Charmed, Country Life, Rock Princess, Happy Hauntings, Winter Frolic. The French Manor cartridge will be available only for Cricut Circle members. The next set of seasonal, limited edition cartridges are: H2O, Pumpkin Carving and October 31. Everyone asked for Halloween cartridges, so Cricut made 3 of them!
• "Cricut Lite" cartridges are in stock at the Lexington Wal-Mart. They have (24 total): B is For Boy, Block Party, Botanicals, Carousel, Celebrate With Flourish, Cherry Limeade, Chore Chart, Dude!, Feeling Groovy, Handy Man, Hoot ‘n’ Holler, Savory, Slumber Party, Splish Splash, Sugar & Spice, Wildlife. The cartridges are $39 and have 200 total images (regular image plus shift and 1 creative feature plus shift).
• More cartridges have been retired: Baseball and Basketball. All retired cartridges are on my blog in the Cricut Cartridge Graveyard post.

AC Moore Schedule

Creating with Cricut - $30

You will learn all of the basics of the Cricut machine (Original and Expression) as well as how to get the most out of your cartridges in this hands-on class. We will make a scrapbook layout for our final project.

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Sun. August 8, 2-5pm

 

Flip Flop Scrapbook - $15

No Cricut necessary for class. Make a summer scrapbook out of a real pair of flip flops and Cricut cutouts. Class fee includes detailed handout, flip flops, and paper to make scrapbook.

Sun. August 22, 2-3:30pm

 

Design Studio and Gypsy Updates

There is a new font update available for Design Studio with the August release cartridges. Get the Design Studio Update here. The Gypsy update is supposed to be ready next week. Get the update by running your Gypsy Sync software on your computer. Get the details of the update here.

Flip Flop Scrapbook Class Description

No Cricut necessary for class. Make a summer scrapbook out of a real pair of flip flops and Cricut cutouts. Class fee includes detailed handout, flip flops, and paper to make scrapbook.

Class fee - $15
Class size limited to 12
Look in the right menu for class schedule.
Call AC Moore on Harbison Blvd. (Columbia, SC) at 407-5242 to register.

Download Class Supply List

Design Studio and Gypsy Updates

There is a new font update is available for Design Studio with the Cricut Lite cartridges. Get the Design Studio Update here. The Gypsy update adds the same cartridges. Get the update by running your Gypsy Sync software on your computer. Get the details of the update here.

July Class Schedule

Here's the July schedule of classes at AC Moore in Harbison. The Fabric class is scheduled again this weekend. The sample and class supply list are in the post below this one.

If you are interested in the classes or swarms, please call AC Moore at 407-5242 or register in the store. Make sure you get your class supply list or click on the class in the Class Schedule on the right to access the class description and supply list.

AC Moore Schedule
Creating with Cricut - $30
You will learn all of the basics of the Cricut machine (Original and Expression) as well as how to get the most out of your cartridges in this hands-on class. We will make a scrapbook layout for our final project.
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Sun. July 18, 2-5pm

Cutting Fabric with Cricut - $30
This hands-on class will teach you how to cut fabric with your Cricut. Class price includes fabric and project materials.
Sun. July 11, 2-5pm

Fabric Cutting with Cricut Class Description

This hands-on class will teach you how to cut fabric with your Cricut. Class price includes fabric and project materials.

Prerequisite: Creating with Cricut class

Class fee - $30
Class size limited to 12
Look in the right menu for class schedule.
Call AC Moore on Harbison Blvd. (Columbia, SC) at 407-5242 to register.

Download Class Supply List