Print and Cut is HERE!!!!!

The print and cut feature for the Cricut Explore was released in the wee hours of last night/this morning. :)  I was on my way to bed when I saw a post the post, "It's here!"  So I had to sit back down and play.  Sadly, my printer was not cooperating!!  I know, right?  I was so bummed!!  Being that it was the middle of the night, what could a crafty girl do?  Go to bed and pop up bright and early to call customer support.  After an almost 30 minute wait (grrr), Ariel was able to fix whatever was ailing my printer.   I was seeing that there was a printer setting error as the printer was 'seeing' & printing the calibration sheet as 6 small photo sized pages.  (That's not going to calibrate anything....)  Turns out that some mystery setting "Air print" was not allowing the full capabilities of the printer...she made some adjustments and VIOLA!  The moral of the story is that it works now!!  So not only was I able to calibrate my machine but I was able to take the print and cut feature for a test drive.

Next week, my dear hubby and I will celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary.  So, I printed and cut some images for a card.  I'm so excited about this feature that I am showing you the elements and not even a finished product!! :)

I had seen some great tutorials about the print and cut feature but one thing that I hadn't seen demonstrated was the ability to change the colors on the images.  I figured it had to be possible...why would that be restricted?  But I hadn't seen it yet so that was part of this first test cut.  I made the groom's bow tie and the bouquet royal blue. (yep - that was my color!)  I changed the color of the bride's hair, too.
Easy enough to do...just make the changes as you normally would when setting up your layered cuts BEFORE you click "flatten" on your screen.

BTW - the images were printed on Stampin' Up white cardstock!  It took the ink well and cuts cleanly.  Stampin' Up cardstock is among my favorites for use in the Cricut.  I'll look into some heavier weight paper for the printer but the stuff I have now is rather thin so I opted to use the cardstock.

For Cricut Explore owners - HAVE FUN!!  The calibration process is pretty painless and the prompts on the screen walk you right through it.  Just remember that after you change the setting to paper for the calibration sheet, change it back to cardstock (if necessary).  I had to do a re-do because I didn't change the setting!!  But that was user error - the Cricut did exactly what it was supposed to!

Now - GO PLAY!!!