Imagine This Friday: Lesson 2!!!

hello!

For some of you this may be my second post of the day to hit your inboxes – if not you can check that post out HERE when you are done with this one!

i was SO sad to have to skip my Imagine This Friday segment last week but things were just too hectic in LA to get it done.  Last time we did a simple card using a cut from the Imagine as your focal point.  The first lesson also included some basics about navigating within your Imagine so if you missed that you can see it HERE or catch the video on You Tube HERE.

Today’s lesson will focus on getting more out of your Imagine Art Cartridges to get a coordinated look for all of your card *ingredients*.  You can use the patterns and colors included on the cartridge to make perfectly matching papers to go with your focal image!

Now let’s get started! For those who prefer video we have the full tutorial on You Tube and for those who prefer written with pics we have that too!

Begin by picking out your focal image.

I picked out this cute little cupcake and broke it into layers as we did in Lesson 1.

Now we want to do some coordinating background papers to go with our main image.  My favorite quick & easy method starts with the stock shapes that come pre-loaded on your Imagine machine.  In order to get to these images you need to select them  by using the Content Source Icon (pointed out here with the red arrow.)  You will see three icons here – the one on the left is for the content on a regular Cricut cartridge, the one on the left is for the content on your Imagine cartridges and the one in the center (showing brown here because I have selected it) will pull up the content pre-loaded on your Imagine machine.

Scroll through your images and find this basic square.  It is PERFECT for creating some small custom papers to use for a quick card without wasting paper AND ink printing off entire 12 x 12 sheets!  You can see in the que on top I selected three of these squares so I can have three different papers to use.

To edit each square remember to simply tap it and then select the little pencil.  This edit screen will come up.  Here you can once again change the size and choose a pattern or color to fill the square with.  I made mine into 5.5” squares.

You can see the pattern choices along the bottom, simply tap one and it will fill your square.  One of the really nice things about creating papers with your Imagine is that the pattern is scaled down to be in keeping with the size of the piece – I LOVE this feature!

As you scroll through the patterns you will find all of the solid colors that coordinate perfectly.  I filled one of my squares with a light blue form these.  I will use this to mat one of my patterned pieces.

Now take a look at your mats on your print screen.  MY paper is 8.5 x 11 so I have changed the size settings – they are located just above the Next button.

You can see where the red arrow is pointing my images do not fit on one page – it will take two pages.  I can use the arrows to scroll through and see how the images look on each page.

Perhaps you want to make a little better use of your single page.  You can edit right from the mat preview and reduce the size of your squares so they will fit – simply tap on the image and it will pop up like you see here.  Then tap on the pencil to edit.

Now you can cut and you have a focal image as well as coordinating patterns and a matching solid!  The card is up to you!  pretty cool yes?  and just think – we have only scratched the surface!  i have LOVED getting to know my Imagine better and i sure hope there are other folks following along and using these lessons to get to know theirs too!  As always, just contact me with any questions!

Who wants another giveaway??? how could you not right???  this is a good one – raise your hand if you like Martha Stewart Punch around the page punches…!  how about one that is very timely?  i have had it forever but thought one of you might want it for valentine cards or perhaps pages about love all during the year.

Just leave me a comment and i will pick a winner on Monday morning!!!

Thanks so much for joining me in Lesson 2 and I look forward to doing Lesson 3 with you!!!