How to Use the Cricut Explore to Print then Cut A Shape and Font Together

Hey everyone!  I had a great time at the Crafty Souls' All Day Craft Event this weekend.  I could have done without the snow, but we were safe and warm inside anyway, lol. 

I made a cute little gift for everyone at the event, so I wanted to share it with you, and explain finally how to use Print then Cut on the Cricut Explore to print a font inside a cut-out shape. 

I added a few Close to My Heart Sparkles to complete my encouraging sentiment.

To begin with, I started a new project with my Explore.  I browsed the different shaped images until I found one that I liked for my project and inserted it.  You do not need to worry about sizing at this point, so just make it big enough to work with while you are arranging your font inside the shape.  Click on "Add Text" to get started with the next step of adding the text...

This is the box that pops up where you will type the letters you want to print inside the shape...

You can then see how it looks in a variety of fonts on your computer AND Cricut cuts.  :)

Arrange the words inside your shape until they are just right.  Time to play with color!  

After you change all the layers to "print" you need to attach it all together.  Using the cursor, left click on the canvas outside all your layers and drag it to the opposite corner...

Let go of the button and the entire image should be surrounded by this box...this will also pop up the layers box where you can then click on "Attach."

If for some reason that box doesn't surround the ENTIRE image (maybe surrounding just the words), you need to go further out on the canvas before you click and drag the blue box around it.  My first experience with doing this really gave me fits and kept just surrounding the inside words, so I recommend working with your image in the middle of the canvas and away from the edges.  That way you can have plenty of room for this step.  :)

NOW you can size the image as a WHOLE in the Edit box without worrying about the letters moving around on you.  You can move the entire thing around on the mat at one time.  :)

When you click on "GO" it will ask you how many projects you want to make.  I chose 6 for this one as that is how many would fit on my printer paper...   After it prints out, just place it on your Cricut mat like so...load it again and press the cut button.  I cannot believe how easy it was!  No more printing out business cards and cutting them out with my trimmer!  This makes things SO much easier!!!  :)

What will you do for YOUR first Print then Cut project on YOUR Explore?  :)

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