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| Cricut Design Studio Bonus Pak-Software |
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List Price: N/A
Our Price: $49.50
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: PROVO CRAFT
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Average Customer Rating:  
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EAN: 0093573205002
Feature: Includes mouse pad.
Label: PROVO CRAFT
Manufacturer: PROVO CRAFT
Publisher: PROVO CRAFT
Studio: PROVO CRAFT
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Features
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Includes mouse pad.
Includes USB cord.
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Editorial Reviews:
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PROVO CRAFT-Cricut Design Studio includes an electronic collection of every image found within the Cricut cartridge library. Simple and quick keyword searches allow you to search through the thousands of images. Features an on-screen cutting mat so you can design your unique cutting layout by moving reorganizing rotating resizing skewing and welding letters shapes and phrases. Easily save your one-of-a-kind layouts for later use or to share with others! Easily cut your unique layout designs using your Cricut machine by selecting cutting options directly within the Cricut Design Studio software. Software can be used with your original Cricut or Cricut Expression machine and Cricut cartridges. Requirements: Windows XP or Vista Minimum of 512MB RAM Minimum of 100MB HD CD/DVD-ROM USB 1.1.
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| Spotlight customer reviews: |
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Makes the cricut much more versatile...
Comment: Previously when using the cricut (I still have the baby...I really only use it on layouts and cards, and just don't need the bigger size), I found it very frustrating trying to cut images that would be randomly flipped in different directions. As a result, it could be very difficult to figure out how big an image would cut the first time you cut it. Also rather annoying having to run the mat through multiple times for a layered project. Now, using the grid on the mat as you set up your project, you can actually lay multiple papers on the mat and run it through just one time.
You can also link letter together to make a much more professional looking title.
With the multi-cut feature, I have run thin cardstock through, too (stick with easy patterns for this...it doesn't make intricate cuts well)! (A very under-publicized benefit of the DS software!!)
You can also share your .cut files with others online, which means that if you create something really beautiful, you can share it with others. I have seen some designs that look just like the KI Memories lace cardstock!
This should be the second thing you buy--right behind the cricut! It is really what you need to get the very most out of your cricut.
Now, as for the contents...it has a LIBRARY of all the cartridges, and you can even make designs using them! You cannot, however, cut the design unless you actually own the cart. I have to say that this is kinda common sense...DS is only $10 more expensive than EACH cartridge...this would mean that NO-ONE would purchase cartridges anymore!! What I have done is to create the cut files, and wait until I go in to my LSS that has all the cartridges and then cut. (I have quite a few of them, but not all--yet....haha!) It does give you a fantastic opporunity, however, to browse all the content of other carts and see what you want to get next!!
Why four stars?
1. It now approaches the versatility of the Pazzles, Wishblade, etc., but not quite, as you are limited to just the carts, and those are pricey! (Not nearly as pricey as steel dies, though, when you work out how many options you have!). On the other hand, it is WAY WAY easier to use than those other software based cutters, and the software is still very straighforward and easy to use.
2. It is still somewhat buggy, but I think they're working on that a little bit at a time, and 'fix' downloads are available frequently.
Now--for those of you who are interested, but not positive! Please go to the cricut homepage, and download the demo. You can use it to create any design, but can only cut with the George cartridge at the moment. This allows you play with the software, and see the versatility before you spend too much money and start feeling too ripped off!!
=0 )
Good luck! I know this helped my cricut change from being an occasionally used system to something that I use on most of my cards and a good number of my layouts!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: I love it
Comment: I don't use my Expressions machine without the Design Studio. I absolutely love it. I like it because you can see they layout before you cut and you can also weld (attach) letter together. You can twist and turn or resize everything.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Feel Ripped Off
Comment: I spent about 45 minutes in the store reading what information was available before buying the Cricut Expressions and the Cricut Design Studio. The Cricut Design Studio clearly says, "Using an on-screen cutting mat, this program allows you to explore, design, and cut the complete Cricut Cartridge Library." Page 6 of the manual tells how to register your software with Cricut. Page 25 (of 26 English pages) says, "Remember, you can view all content, and even design layouts with all content, but you can only cut characters from the cartridges you own. Hopefully, this feature will be useful..." I chose to buy the Cricut Expression based on what I could do with it with the Cricut Design Studio Software. Together, they were a major investment and Provo Craft misrespresented the Design Studio's real cost. Now to do what I thought I had bought for about $500, I'll have to spend over $3,000 more for the cartidges.
Does the softward do what it says it does? Yes. It was easy to install and worked well with my Windows XP machine. The designs are as small on the screen as they are on the machine keypad overlay. I had to have the cartridge books with me to see the designs, which doesn't work for cartridges that are not in your possession. This software would be a blast for an avid Cricut user. It's escpecially nice for scrapbookers who want to cut an entire 12 x 12 page layout with words and photo frames to lay over the photos.
If you already have the machine and cartridges, the $60-$90 price is a reasonable addition to what you can do with your Cricut collection.
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