Festive Friday August 19, 2011

Welcome to Festive Friday!

Many of the Design Team Ladies have made Christmas stuff to share :) My FAVORITE holiday!

My top 5 favorite things in life, Family, Christmas, Cricut, Disney, Making others feel important and special.

So based on my list Fest Fridays fit into several of these categories :)

I hope you all enjoy what the Design Team has made today.

I am starting to feel better so beginning tomorrow, I will be back to my posts 4-5 days a week and the design team will continue to have at least three more projects to share with you all daily.

And a little bit of housekeeping for today....

I just wanted to clarify a message that I had put on my facebook last week. I said that I am working on one Image a day from the cartridges.... what this means is that I am using Cricut's CraftRoom to take an image from the cartridge and put all of the pieces in the correct proportional size. I am going to make them into a Gypsy File, then you can open the file in Cricut's CraftRoom OR Design Studio. I am doing this so it will take you a matter of a few minutes to make any image with your Cricut. Please be aware you must OWN and USE the cartridge in order to cut the content. But just like in a Gypsy, you can design using any cartridge, but to cut that content you must actually OWN the cartridge and put it in your machine to actually cut it. The only way that the files I am making can be used is if you use Design Studio, the Gypsy or Cricut's CraftRoom.

I do hope that makes sense. I am not making any other type of files, just for Cricut Content and you do NEED to own the cartridge to be able to use the file. But with the CCR or GYPSY file, it will be made at one standard size, but if you want to make it larger or smaller, I will give you specific and EASY directions on how to increase or decrease the size. I have actually stopped making these files for the time being. I have them in my Gypsy for the time being (LOVE MY GYPSY)

I am making these to help beginner Cricut users and make it nice and easy and QUICK with little effort to you all. Now I have not put these out there or shared them yet.... I am waiting for the OK from Provo-Craft, if I am even allowed to share these. I would love to but I also realize that it is their program in which they own the rights to and all legal copyrights on it. Anyone can make a file in Cricut's CraftRoom and share it, but I might be making to many to share :) So I am only wondering if I can share these because I am using exactly the content of their copy righted images. Now I assume if I make an original creation using welding and other things, I would make my own image which would be my idea and my concept, and I am sure that I could share that... BUT if I am sharing their content and copyrighted images, I am not sure if this violates their angel policy..... By this I mean that with any Angel policy you may use what you have purchased to make a limited number of that item..... OBVIOUSLY you may use it an unlimited number of times for your own PERSONAL use. I have many people ask me how they can sell what they have made with the Cricut. I do not work for them, but I refer them to the angel policy. So from my point of view (OPINION ONLY) I can make 400 Tinkerbelles from the cartridge for my daughter's scrapbook, again my own personal use.... but if I were to make them in completed layouts or as individual die-cut images, or cuts made and then sold as a kit to put them together yourself.... if you combine all of those ways that I could make images of the Tinkerbelle, I would be limited as to how many of those I could make and sell. I believe the number is 150 (DON'T QUOTE ME ON IT, please look it up) So once I make 150 images from that CARTRIDGE (not single images, ALL images added up to equal 150.... then I can no longer make them for others, it then must be personal use ONLY.) Same thing with the stamp companies.... I am thinking of one of my favorites (Pink By Design) You may buy a set of stamps from her, use it as many times as you want for yourself.... BUT if you make cards that have a phrase stamped on them, with her stamps, you may only sell or distribute the finished product up to a certain number. Now I know some people think, I paid for it so I can use it anyway that I want and do what ever i want with it..... NOT THE CASE. When you purchase this, you agree to the terms and conditions of use. You cannot claim ignorance. It is clearly marked when you purchase this you must abide by the Angel policy. A better example of this is.... If you buy a DVD, you may watch it as many times as you would like, BUT if you were going to show it to a large group of friends, you are actually limited to the number of people you may show it to. Seriously.... But you also own it and want to make a home video of the video, you then may NOT distribute your home video that YOU made. Again you may use it for your own personal use, but may not distribute your home video recording of the movie. That seems to me like a more clear example. So I may buy a cartridge and make as many things as I want with it, but if I am duplicating the image that they have made the exact way that they have made it.... I am not sure if I may 'distribute' it. Again I can make it, but I could probably share an 'original' item that I have made, but I need to look more into whether I may share it they way that they make it.... I hope that all makes sense and is not taken out of context or misread.

So when you purchase things.... ANYTHING make sure that you read the copyright and trademark information, because you CANNOT claim ignorance and say "I didn't know"

Based on this information, you will see a few changes around here, all good ones though :)

Lastly, Are you debating buying a gypsy or just waiting to use Cricut's CraftRoom?

Here are the reasons why I WOULD recommend a gypsy....

Yes Cricut's CraftRoom is GREAT! So is my Gypsy (did I mention this again, is my opinion)

I have been using Cricut's CraftRoom to make AMAZING things, I can use 30 cartridges at the same time I can use any cartridge, then I can put in ANY color or pattern from an Imagine cartridge. I could use 10 different Imagine cartridges all at the same time. I can weld images, I can make words using any font from any cartridge, I can then put a different pattern or color into each letter or image. I can stretch vertically or horizontally, slant it, It is an amazing way to make exactly what I want. I found a great card that I wanted to use and it had the perfect scalloped edge, BUT it was square and I needed a rectangle card. Using Cricut's CraftRoom I was able to stretch the card and make it into the rectangular shape that I needed. This is just one of the few ways that I have used the CraftRoom to make what I wanted.... One great thing that I love about it is, that when new cartridges are added, I don't have to go through a long update, Because Cricut's CraftRoom is an ONLINE program, it takes only a few minutes when you open it, it will tell you that there is an update available, and it only takes minutes to let it do the update. Now because it is connected to the internet..... you HAVE to be online to use it. For some people this creates a problem for those who may not have internet in their craft room at home. Well they (Cricut) came up with a solution to this problem.... WiFi! The New E2 is WiFi compatable and the NEW Cricut Mini (Coming this fall) The Cricut Mini was made with CraftRoom in mind :) So you can use internet in your office to cut in your craft room. Now if there is an internet issue in your house, you might not be able to access CraftRoom.

Now based on this here is why I would NEVER live without my Gypsy......

Well I travel ALOT and more often than not, there is a high daily internet fee, so I wont pay $12 a day to use internet. If I created everything using Cricut's CrafRoom I can then put it on my gypsy and I do not need to use the internet to cut it. Also I can still edit items on my gypsy. I can also store ALL of my cartridges on my gypsy, I do not need to take them all with me, I can access, use and edit them offline, with my gypsy. I can also be a my daughter's gymnastics class and work on a design for when i get home using my gypsy, all with no internet needed. I have to be honest, to just use a cartridge the way it was intended, I have a hard time doing that.... meaning, I am so used to being able to edit using my gypsy or CraftRoom, to make a simple item I have to really think about the 'hard way' to do it. I have to say the Gypsy and CraftRoom have taken my crafting to an all new level. I can make customized items with it.... I will show you some of those things next week. After I show them on here that day. I will do a Ustream video that night to walk you through how you can do it too! So next week I will show you how to use the gypsy and my most favorite things about it.

Permission

Here is an ecerpt from ProvoCraft's Angel policy, if you would like to read the entire policy, click here

http://www.provocraft.com/company/legal/angel.policy.php 

"Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and to all applicable Third Party Rights Restrictions, Provo Craft hereby grants limited permission to private individuals to incorporate Copyright Material and Third Party Rights into Finished Products that may be offered and sold to others, but only in the quantities and in the manner expressly permitted in this Angel Policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Walt Disney Company (Disney Consumer Products, Inc.), Sesame Workshop, Hello Kitty (Sanrio, Inc.), Warner Bros. (DC Comics, c/o Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Inc.), Martha Stewart and Nickelodeon (Viacom International, Inc.) characters and images MAY NOT be reproduced and sold. Any person who uses Copyright Material or Third Party Rights pursuant to this permission agrees to comply with and be bound by the terms and conditions below and all applicable Third Party Rights Restrictions. No individual cuts of Copyright Material made by or with CRICUT® or CUTTLEBUG® brand products may be sold."

What does this mean.... Basically the angel policy allows you to make a limited number of Cricut images, on something like Create a Critter Cartrige, which is not a licensed image by any other company than Cricut. But you have to abide by Cricut's policy first and foremost, but then to cut DISNEY, Warner Brothers, Martha Stewart etc... images, you must ALSO abide by the licensed companies policies AS WELL as Cricut's.

I hope this helped some of you, again please read the entire policy to make sure what you are doing fits into their copyright and trademark policies. Also remember if the policy changes, it is up to you to know the policy.... This is for anything, not jsut Cricut stuff.

AGAIN THIS IS ALL MY OPINION.

Last personal note, completly not craft related. I was a Target getting a prescription last night and went down the snack isle and saw the huge sales. For example a certain brand name of lunch snacks, it was normally $3.59 and was on sale for $2.29. I think they do this for you to buy it now, for the beginning of school and have your kids love it and ask for it each week in their lunch, so it gets the kids to want it now, and as parents we buy it because it is on sale, then a month from now the kids want it again and we pay $1.30 more for it. I know in the scheme of things, that doesnt seem like a big difference, just $1.30 but think about the start of school pictures, school supplies....etc. It really adds up! just my Two Cents for the day :)

Tomorrow is our Card and Invitation Blog hop, make sure to comment on my blog and all of the other blogs in my hop to win the Teresa Collins Chic and Scary Cartridge, Simply Scarecrow Cartridge and the Cricut Plushie! YES this is a package giveaway. One winner who commented on ALL of the blogs.... will be picked at random, you MUST comment on them all. An easy way to do this, is when you sign into blogger, do NOT check the box to 'keep me signed in' Many people cannot comment and this seems to be why.

One of the ladies on my Design Team has asked me to take part in her Zoo blog hop. I will have a seperate giveaway for that hop. There are some GREAT blog in that hop too! I would encourage you if you have time, to visit both of these hops, the themes lately have been back to school and even though I have a little one I know many of you may not, so The Card and Invitation blog hop as well as the Zoo one, will give you some other themes than school. Dont worry we will have back to school stuff throught the next few weeks!

Tanya  from Nonna's Craft Corner has made this great card with the Art Philosophy Cartridge. I LOVE this cartridge, it makes me want Cricut to make more cartridges with Close to My Heart. I lvoe the stamp sets that are perfect with the images on this cartridge and how easy it tell you what size to cut to make it match!

Make sure that you visit Tanya's blog today http://nonnascraftcorner.blogspot.com/

Audrey used Winter Frolic and Storybook Cartridges to make this beautiful Scrapbook Layout.

I cannot wait for snow! Thanks for getting me in the mood for Winter !

Here is Audrey's blog to see it and many more things  http://scrappyemt.blogspot.com/

Samantha used one of everyone's favorite and hard to find cartridges -Jolly Holidays. Well it WAS hard to find, but you can find it on Cricut.com! Be sure to stop by Samantha's Blog to see everything else that she has made with her Cricut ! http://samanthascricutcreations.blogspot.com/ 

Tammy S. used Winter Frolic and some Peachy Keen stamps for the face and stampin' up, then My Pink Stamper for the sentiment. She also has another cute card on her blog today 

http://thepurplemuse.blogspot.com/

Melissa Damask Decor and Designers calendar, I think she really loves Halloween!!! She is actually coming over today to help me work on some stuff. Thanks Mel! I also have to go and try on a dress for her wedding next month.... to my Brother :) I LOVE the dress, I will post a picture on facebook later today!

http://pinkpolkadotscrapping.blogspot.com/

So many, many, many things going on around here!

ALSO Don't forget these are the last 3 weeks to make cards for the kids at St. Jude's Children's Hospital, hopefully the following will help answer some questions....

Cards for Project Sunshine and Smiles at St. Jude's. The ONLY rule is please don't remind the child how sick they are, get well soon is ok to write. Please write a message to a child.... I can't hand write 5,000 cards, so if you could help me....write a small note to the child who is receiving it. Envelopes are not needed, they kids will get to pick their own so it would be nice for them to see them (if you want to put it in an envelope that is ok too) The card can be any size, for any age, boy or girl. They can be for infants, toddlers, school age children, teenagers! They all deserve a BIG smile, at least we can bring it to them for one day! If you would like to make a card for a birthday (obviously I will not know who's birthday it is, but I can leave them with the nurses or Volunteers to extend our little project and smiles into the rest of the year. As far as how to make these cards.... There are really no rules.... anything you want!
It does NOT have to be made

with the Cricut.
My daughter and I have made some cards using just stickers.  If you have a child who would like to make a card.... that's great too.

Please mail these by the first week of September. Have a party or social gathering to make cards! What a great idea! I cannot wait to take these to the hospital. I am in Ohio, but I will be making the trip down to Memphis, TN to deliver them. If you have any questions please email me EricaCraftRoom@aol.com with the subject SUNSHINE AND SMILES. Thank you in advance for helping these children who are in such need of a happy card.

Please mail them to:

Erica's Craft Room

4364 Laburnum Drive

Akron, Ohio 44319

      

EricaCraftRoom@aol.com and put Sunshine and Smiles as the subject of the email.
     Here are a few more details about the project. You can make any type of card, using and crafting technique that you know, please write a simple message in the card to a child. Please do not remind the child of their illness, most are fighting childhood cancer. You may say get well soon, but DONT say, "I know how you feel and it is not fun...." please DONT say anything like that. But you can say "Get Well Soon" "I hope this puts a smiel on your face".... you get the idea.... you dont need to ask if soemthing is ok to write in it, as long as you do not remind the child of their illness, it is ok.
Frequently asked questions....

Can a child make a card for them?
YES YES YES!!!!
Does it have to be a certain size?
Any size!
Do I have to add envelope?
Nope, I am going to have these in a large (Clean) red wagon for the kids to pick thier own card
Can I put them in envelopes?
Yes
Do I have to use the Cricut to make these??
No, this is the ONLY project that you do not HAVE to use the cricut, but wouldn't it be great if you did :)
Can I make a birthday card?
Sure but I will leave those with the volenteers for the future to give to kids who are there for their birthday
Do I need to have a kids cartridge to do this?
No, you can use anything and make anything, even a card full of flowers. I am sure there will be one child who will love flowers, or bear, cars.... the sky is the limit!

      I do hope i have answered all of your questions if not, please email me and I will send it back to you and add it to the post here so others will see the question and answer.

In the meantime I am doing a contest for this....
Each week post your cards on my facebook Cricut Craft Room
Each week i will put all of the name in a bowl and pick a winner. Every card that you submit get you ONE entry into the bowl...
Each week out of those who posted cards, I will pick one and give away the Cricut Circle Exclusive cartridge Cricut Everyday, the only with all of the cute Cricut Images on it! I love this one!
I have 4 of these cartridges to give away, one each week.
At the end of the 4 weeks, who ever submitted the MOST carts will win the NEW Cricut cartridge Simply Scarecrow. If you have already mailed cards to me, they will be added to the total of cards you are submitting. I do not have to have these cards in my hand this week. BUT you have to post the picture on my facebook for it to count. If you have a card decorating party with your friends or social group.... You can count all of those cards from you , as long as your friends will let you :)

BLOG HOPS you may sign up forBlog Hop calendar for 2011 ANYONE can sign up for ANY bog hop. (Except for December 10-11, these are special surprises my design team has for you)
All other blog hops are open to ANYONE!

For ALL of the blog hops these should be BRAND NEW projects, not posted anywhere else or entered into a contest before. This must be new and created specifically for this event. Please do not let anyone see this before the event, it ruins the fun of the blog hop! I will also have a graphic for each blog hop for you to post :)

The first weekend of every month is the
100+ Cricut Cartridge blog hop.   
 So there is NO limit to how many people can participate in this one. As soon as I have people sign up for 100 cartridges the event is then closed to new people, but I can always put you on the top of the list for the following month 100 cartridge blog hop. These 100 cartridges must be 100 DIFFERENT cartridges. So no one can sign up for one that has already been signed up for (but if you want to use more than you signed up for, that is ok)

So if you would like to sign up for a blog hop, please email me EricasBlogHop@aol.com if you would like to participate in one. VERY important, in the SUBJECT of the email please put the DATE of the hop you want.

Please send ONE email PER blog hop.
I might not see it if you comment on here to sign up, PLEASE email request. I have a system to sort these, so having the right subject for ANY email is always so important.
Also please include your:
Name
Cartridge
Blog address
Theme of the Blog Hop you want to do.
Date of the hop

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send ONE email per blog hop date. I sort them into email folders and if I file you in one date, i will miss you on all of the others. Thank you for doing this!

September 3-4 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop

September 17-18 Boys and Men Blog Hop

October 1-2 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop

October 15-16 Fall Favorites Blog hop

November 5-6 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop

November 19-20 Recipe/baking blog hop

December 3-4 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop

December 10-11 Princess Bella’s Birthday Blog Hop DESIGN TEAM ONLY

December 31-Jan 1 100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop

January 14-15 Winter/Snow Blog Hop