How many of you make your own Disney embelishments?

[NewEnglandDisney]

So how many people make their own Disney-character embellishments?

I'm sorry to keep asking begininger questions, but I've been buying a lot of Disney stickers and such lately, and while I love them, for a lot of things I don't think the effect would be terribly different if I downloaded clip art and printed out my own stuff.

So any favorite clip art sites? Anyone want to share what you do - do you just print out on cardstock?

Also, can someone give me a low-down on those cutters I see (cricut system, etc.)? From what I can gather, they cut out shapes and stuff based on those very expensive little carts you put in them. But you can only get them to cut things you can buy on the carts, right? They won't cut things you do on your computer, right?

Thanks again everyone...I hope I'm not being a pain starting too many threads LOL. I've started more threads in here in the last month than I have on the DIS ever, so tell me if I'm being a little over anxious, LOL.

NED

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I use clipart but print it out on glossy photo paper. It looks so much more awesome than plain cardstock. I used the clipart sites that are listed under the favorite sites thread.
I've not tried a cricut and have no idea what to tell you about it. The only "system" I've used is were you buy those cookie cutter type things and then crank them through a press to cut them out. I've used that for some swaps I've done.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

PS- I like the new threads that ask questions as I get to read all the answers. So ask away!!

 

[hopemax]

If you are thinking about this, you are getting close to joining swap territory

BWAA-HA-HA-HA

So the answer to your question would be YES!

My favorite clipart sites are

http://clipart.disneysites.com/
http://www.disneyclips.com/mainpage.html

and this one has some theme park logos

http://www.magicalears.com/clipart/

I don't have one of the fancy machines. A Wishblade/Craft Robo will cut around images if you make the appropriate file to do so, but I don't know how it works.

You can see pics of some of the stuff people have made

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4084831 go down to the bottom of the lists you'll see swap stuff and here http://www.tndisneyfreaks.com/swap-hosted.html

 

[huge mickey fan]

The Cricut only uses it's own cartridges but the Wishblade and the Craft Robo can be hooked up to your computer and cut your items through the computer software. Both of these cut an 8.5 x 11 and average around $400. If you want to cut 12 x 12 paper you have to upgrade to the Craft Robo Pro or the new Klic N Kut these range anywhere from $850-$1000. I am in the process of saving some money and I have done some research. Maybe Santa will bring me one!! Well probably not this year.

Huge Mickey Fan

 

[PoohBearLovinMama]

I don't make my own Disney embellies, but that's a good idea. I think I'll try that later.

I have a wishblade and I really love it. It was $400 and I can cut up to 8.5" wide and I think up to 16" long. Haven't really needed to do that but I've heard about people doing it. I can cut out any TTFont out there without having to pay extra for fonts. The wishblade does come with an SD card with 2 fonts and various shapes but I've never used mine. LOL! I believe that the craftrobo (which is the exact same machine as the wishblade) is cheaper and doesn't come with any fonts. The CR software is also a bit different but you can download a program called wishaway and use any die cuts made using the wishblade software.

The downside of the wishblade is that it's not very portable. I have a laptop (well, I will when it's done being fixed) and I can start bringing it to crops if I want. And I don't think it's as easy to use (although I haven't had any problems using it at all) as a Cricut.

Diana Lyn has a cricut and I use her's all the time. I really like both machines. The cricut is super easy to use, has some really nice features like paper saver etc. and is very portable. I love it when Diana brings her Cricut to crops. The only downside is that it only cuts up to 6" wide (which to me is not really a downside b/c really, how big do you need your letters) and that you have to buy font cartridges. Although, I think places like JoAnn's and AC Moore accept coupons for the cartridges, but not the actual machine.

 

[rlovew]

I have a craftrobo pro and I love to do some things like downloading clipart and cuting it out- I love making shaped ahaker boxes with it. I haven't started working with cutting whole pages but I plan too now that I have stopped swapping and will have some time on my hands. I haven't made many Disney embelishments other than those for my swaps.

 

[esclibster]

You might want to check out the Creative Disigns site. There are some fantastic designers there that have been doing up frames (Photo enhancements is the thread) plus mousekeeping envelopes, and t-shirt designs that could all be used in scrapbooking. I have been saving them to my computer so when I go next year I will have loads to chose from for my scrapbooking.

Also I am making some neat T-Shirts to wear.

Hope this helps

esclibby

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

You might want to check out the Creative Disigns site.

You stink.

It's not like I don't already spend enough time on DIS...but you had to show me a new forum I didn't know was there?

/sigh



Thanks to everyone for all the other explainations as well...so much to learn! LOL. I think the expensive cutters are a bit beyond my scope right now, but they sure do look neat. I'll have to find a scrap and see one in action.

NED

 

[New England Eeyore]

Some of us are so busy making Disney-themed embellishments (ie via swaps) that we have no time to do any actual scrapping.

I bought a Sizzix (largely because of said swaps) - which is a die cutting machine that uses the cookie-cutter type dies. While I have gotten a fair amount of use out of it I really wish I had not got that and instead used that money toward a Wishblade. The Sizzix is a lot of work to punch out letters - shapes it's fine. I have used the Cricut at my LSS and I see the appeal - it's super easy - but it can get very expensive because the font cartridges are pretty expensive. (Sizzix ones are too.) The Wishblade or CraftRobo are one time expenses and to me just seem much more versatile.

 

[graygables]

I do design some embellishments, but I refuse to get caught up in another swap, so I only make them for jobs, kits, or me.

I have a Cricut and a Wishblade (and both were humming away in unison tonight!). The Cricut is a great little machine, cuts up to 6"x12" but only with cartridges. I currently have the George (came with it), Doodle Charms, Christmas Cheer, and Monogram alphabet. I'm wishing I hadn't spent the money on the Christmas or Monogram, though. The Cricut does not do a very good job cutting Bazzill in detail nor cheaper cardstock, quite honestly, I haven't found a cardstock that it does cut detail well. A lot of the Christmas cartridge is wasted space for what I needed it for b/c of all the minute swirlys and such.

The Wishblade attaches to a computer and can cut any font (once I figured it out, how embarassing!) You can draw your own designs or scan in shapes and "trace" around them for cutting. That can be time-consuming, though. The WB cuts up to 9" wide and however long you can Xyron something. That's one advantage to me is that I can Xyron a sheet of paper and not have to use the cutting mat...instant cardstock stickers!

The Cricut has fewer cutting "issues" than the WB. I botch a lot more on the WB for some reason. Every once in awhile, it gets possessed and CS has no idea why, so some shapes turn out funny. I never count on it for precision or my last sheet of something. The Cricut cutting mats don't seem to last me as long (but I do a LOT of cutting). You can rejuvenate them with some repositionable adhesive (either a Xyron or spray), but after awhile, the Cricut mats quit loading properly. Of course, the mats are cheaper, too, so a 40% off at Joann's and I get a set.

 

[rlovew]

The wishblade and craftrobo do have some recurring expenses- new blades and mats. If I find a file I want it doesn't take long to cut but if I have to make it, sometimes it takes awhile- Also the Disney files can't be shared in the groups because of copywrite issues- although if anyone who has one wants the tigger title I made- it is in gsd format email me and I will send it back to you as an attachment.