Expressions 2 verses Expressions Cricut Machine

Many people have asked me about other machines and which to purchase.  I've never played with the Expressions 2 so I thought I would share what another Close To My Heart Consultant wrote on our bulletin board about her experience with the Expressions 2 machine:

I have owned and used an Expression 1 for 5 years. I got the Expression 2 on Black Friday.

Here are my thoughts:

1. The Expression 2 is not an upgrade from the Expression 1. It is a different machine. If you have the Expression 1, I would stick with it and get a Gypsy rather than spending the money on an Expression 2.
 
2. The Expression 2 is easier to use than E1 in these ways:

• You can see how large your cut will be because you can see it on a cutting mat image on the screen.
• You can easily find the shape you want to cut because when you select a feature, the keypad overlay image updates to show you those shapes.
• You no longer need the rubbery keypad overlays that come with the cartridges.

3. The Expression 2 is harder to use than E1 in these ways:

• Flipping through sizes and settings is tedious. If you want an image to cut in size 10 inches, you have to tap the screen to increment the size each 1/10 or 1/4 inch at a time. Tap and hold does not help. The scroll wheel on the E1 is much quicker.
• You have to flip through 3 different cutting screens before you ACTUALLY cut.
• They tried to make the machine more sleek, so they swapped out useful function names with icons. Unfortunately, the icons are not intuitive and it takes a while to memorize them.
• If you want to move where an image is going to cut on the mat, you cannot just use the stylus to drag the image across the screen, instead you have to find the location menu and tap for moving the image right and down. On the E1, you can easily move the blade location.

4. There is no real added functionality on the Expression 2 over the E1, for example, you still can't weld.

With all of that being said, my complaints are mostly software based and I have every intention of making upgrade suggestions to ProvoCraft. But with the cheaper price tag available on an E1 and even an E1 plus Gypsy, I stand by the Expression 1 machine in my current recommendations to friends and acquaintances.

Art Philosophy & Fondant Flowers

Remember this photo from the last post?

This is what it made when I rolled it up and TRIED to create a flower:

It's SOOOOO small that it barely photographs well.  

I rolled the petals down so it opened up.

Here's a few other views.

Next time I'll do a bigger flower - 

also, it was crazy trying to roll it up like you would do with paper.  

I started to melt into itself making it mush.

Thanks for looking!

Jeanie's Birthday!

 Setting up for the party - 22 children in our house!

 Jeanie playing with the top hats!

 It's a tea party - here are the tea cups - they get to keep them!

Jeanie dressed for the party in her Tiara!

Proof that we had a lot of kids - 22 to be exact!  

Jeanie is standing on her chair in the background!

Jeanie's Birthday Prep - Cupcakes!

I took Strawberry cake mix and put it in a double pan so that it's half the normal height. 
About a one inch in height.

After it cooled I took the middle mini cutter to the cake

I stood them up inside the chocolate batter - filling the cups 2/3.

Because I put the hearts all the same way, when I frosted them I put a little line in the frosting so I could know which way to cut them to show the heart!

I cut fondant tiaras with my Cricut Cake machine!

The big one is for Jeanie's cupcake - what's that in the bottom corner?!?!

It's a 3D flower!  I'll show you that soon!

Here is all the cupcakes with the tops on!  I put the tiaras on the line I drew in the frosting so I still know which way to cut the cupcake!

Here is Jeanie's!  Thanks for looking!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - February

 We are hopping again!  This month the stamp set is called Thoughtful Tidings.

If you came from Nikka Geers' Blog, you are on the right track - if you are starting here, just keep hopping and you will do a complete circle!

I had technical difficulties that can't be fixed. I found out that my ink pads that match the colors used in LUCY Paper Kit are not juicy.  I had a hard time stamping the solid letters except for my newer Pear ink pad!  So I only did 3 cards.  I need re-inkers!

 Love this paper!  I made these from the scraps from the New Product Blog Hop project!

 You can never have enough thank you cards.  I have a goal to hand out more this year.

 I used the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to cut the ovals, and shapes to stamp on.

To layer the two colors of paper, the back one I added 1/4 more to the size.

Here is a picture of all the stamps on this set - don't forget 2 things:

1) Everything with a red line around it can be cut with the Art Philosophy Cartridge

2) This stamp set can be yours for as low as $5 with a qualified purchase 

- email or go to my CTMH site for details.

 

Thanks for looking, 

now hop over to Georgia Hauglid's Blog for more great ideas for this stamp set.