Tips for Cricut Explore Print then Cut // Making Stickers

After much debate and the fact that Menards, of all places, had a pretty neat deal going on, I finally purchased a Cricut Explore.  That's right, I now own an electronic die cutting machine.  I've been wanting one for a while to experiment with making stickers....buying a machine like this for just one purpose was crazy, I know.  But, I have come to see that it has so much more potential - that I need to explore.

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(side note: word of the year here! Explore.  Oh my goodness!)

But today I wanted to offer up to you some tips I've learned for designing for the Print then Cut specifically for making planner stickers....because you know I'm obsessed.  In fact you can find a whole bunch of FREE stickers designed right for the Cricut Explore by clicking here!  I couldn't find any info with tips for the Cricut Explore, it seems this is a Silhouette dominated world! So I hope this post is helpful.

Design a .PNG 'sticker sheet' in another program first

This is something I didn't do at first but Design Space kept crashing on me.  Design Space is an online design platform that uses flash.  So if you're familiar with using PicMonkey to design things you may have run into Flash or ShockWave crashes due to the way you're trying to push the program.  When I tried to use one little icon and populate the mat by selecting how many projects I was doing, ShockWave would crash.  Each. And. Every. Time.  So, instead of trying to create a 'sticker sheet' in the Cricut program I'd turn to a third party program to create my sheet.  (come to find out it was due to Chrome's Shock Wave and an independent Shock Wave plug-in, thats fixed now...but I do run into crazy problems more often than not.....) 

What I mean by sticker sheet is creating a .png image with a transparent background about 4x6 or 5x7 size filled with my icons.  This way the online design program doesn't have to work too hard to populate your stickers in the printable area.  Uploading this single, larger, image is easier for the mat part of the program to process.  The 5x7 size is the perfect size to fit on your mat as the Cricut can only cut an 8.5x11 piece of paper.

Why a .png?  Because the background is transparent you don't have to go through the step of removing the areas you want to cut.  A transparent background usually shows up as white and grey checkerboard in your design program.  It should automatically see the background is transparent and then make the cut lines around your icons.  I also put a slightly bigger white border behind my icons in the same shape because I don't quite think I have the calibration of my machine down.  You can use a design program or photo editing program like Photoshop Elements (what I used for the image above), InkScape, or PicMonkey to create your sticker sheets.  If you want to learn to design your own sticker sheets, check out my complete tutorial series here on YouTube. 

Or Design in Design Space

After working with design space for a while I find it super easy to use.  The only downside is that you do have to be online to use the Circut Design Space but I found I could use the images/clipart/cartridges (??) like I use the overlays in PicMonkey.  I change all the images to print, instead of cut then design with them like they are clipart.  I found that using the attach option attaches any layers you may be using together so you can move them around your canvas.  In order to design a sticker sheet, I use the flatten button to create one grouped image after I've created a bunch of attached images.  This lets you populate the canvas with the sticker sheet you've designed in Design Space instead of having Design Space organize the images you made on the mat for print then cut.

Honestly, if you can get Design Space to work and you have a reliable connection the online editor does fine - much like working in PicMonkey.  However, your limited in making images to share.  You can publicly share the link to a saved project but if you ever stop using your Cricut or delete your account you may run into problems.  I like to have my freebies stay around long after I've forgotten about them (wink).  It's easier to host a PNG file and link to that.

Print then cut in the dark (or as close to it)

I bought a little rolling TV stand to hold some of my creative little things - like my printer, my laminator, and my Cinch.  The whole stand rolls in and out from under my desk and while the idea was to create extra space for myself by rolling the cart out from under my desk and then putting it away under the desk when I was done.  I am slowly having less and less space!  But my idea sort of failed because the Cricut really needs to be in the darkest space possible to get the light to read the registration marks.  I was having so many problems with the cut feature because the machine couldn't or wouldn't read the registration marks!  But putting it in the dark has helped and I rarely have problems now.  I recommend a shelf under your desk or somewhere that doesn't get direct light.  I find that even under my desk I have to turn off the ceiling light and just use the lights directly above my desk.  There is very little light leak now.

Cut using the  Washi Tape - 0.06m setting (if you don't have Cricut Sticker paper)

One of the biggest frustrations for me was cutting through my label and sticker paper that I got at Office Max.  I. Was. So. Pissed!  The Cricut Sticker paper setting is way too deep...it cut right into the mat!  But then I realized the custom settings are so varied that you can totally find the thickness that you need...with some experimentation.  I've used Avery Sticker paper and on the Office Max brand full sheet adhesive labels and that Washi Tape setting works wonderfully.  My current favorite sticker paper is this one from Amazon!!   The Cricut Sticker Paper setting is way too deep for label paper.  I bought some sticker paper and it is thick like scrapbook paper, for me that's too thick for stickers!

Find Your Printer's Ultimate Best, Most Best, Highest DPI, Most Bestest Print Setting, Ever

For the longest time I thought I was printing at the highest quality by selecting photo paper but I  still had prints that looked like they were printed at the fast print setting!  Eventually by poking around I found another setting that uses Maximum DPI.  I suggest googling your printer and finding the maximum DPI or best print setting for your specific printer.  This has made me soooo much happier!  The printer I use is like 8 years old!  It got a Happy Planner disc stuck in it too and STILL works!  Here is a newer version.

Bleed for Print then Cut

I have a love-hate relationship with this feature.  It doesn't work well with the PNGs you design - I think it's because it can accurately create the bleed because the image isn't a part of the Cricut database.  So when you print it...it does weird stuff.  It works better with images already a part of Cricut.  Also, sometimes on a white background Circut will add a bleed of the center color of the sticker.....it's weird.  I have not tips for this function besides that you will probably want to do your own tests to see what prints better and how.

I hope these little tips are helpful.  I wanted to share what I learned from my first few uses of my Cricut Explore!  Like I said earlier, I couldn't find much on how to use your Cricut Explore for planner peeps!  I am planing on doing a few screen cast videos for planning as well - how to use PicMonkey to create icons for stickers, creating notes pages, etc.  Hopefully I can get my shiz together to get this done!

If you'd like to join in on more tips, be sure to join the Cricut Ready Stickers group on Facebook here.  Check out the Cricut sticker templates in the shop and the other stickers designed to print & cut with your Cricut here.

What tips and tricks have you figured out with your die cutting machine?

xoxo, Moe