A few more CHA photos

It was another busy day here at CHA.  There are so many exhibitors that it can be exhausting to try to cover the entire show.  I wanted to catch up with the videos from the Gala yesterday but  I had technical difficulties...  There are so many bloggers here I am sure if you search YouTube for CHA videos you will find a lot to watch.

In the Provo Craft booth there are a number of products being demonstrated.  First and foremost of course is the new Imagine machine,  There have been demonstrations from the stage throughout the day.

There is a new Cuttlebug machine. Here is a picture of it closed.  One really nice feature is that the handle folds down so it will be easier to pack if you go to crops.

The sides fold down just like the original Cuttlebug.  The Cricut Companion Cuttlebug folders were on display along with a few others.  I will try to get photos to share tomorrow.

There are also new inks for the Yudu including beautiful glitter, foil and flocking.  I don't have a Yudu and some of the projects I saw are tempting me to add another machine to my fleet of machines!

In one area there are demonstrations of the Cricut Cake.  These cakes are really beautiful when you see them "up close and personal".

There was a special room set up for members of the Cricut Circle to visit.  Inside you could look through large binders of cartridge cuts.  Some were for recently released cartridges and there were even some with images from cartridges that will be coming soon.

There were lots of samples of projects done with the new Imagine.

The Imagine gives you the option of printing, cutting or both.  You can also choose to cut the image in a single layer or print multiple layers and build a dimensional design.

It is possible to add inking to the edges of the printed and cut pieces.  The inks are not waterproof but they were described as waterfast by the demonstrator.  The machine also gives you the option to add an outline to any cut.

Here is another project that caught my eye.  I really like the way the pattern works on the giraffe.  Once again there is a lot of layering.

Here are a couple of projects where the design was printed on fabric and cut out.  You can print on anything that can be put through an inkjet printer.   This opens up a lot of possibilities.  There will also be printable Cricut vinyl which will be fantastic for home decor projects.

Here is a design that was printed and then cut in a scalloped circle.  There are many colors built in on the machine and you can match any color of your existing cardstock and paper by using RGB values (Red-Green Blue).

Here is one more example of a cut that is done in layers, cut and assembled...

and the same cut done as a single layer.

This is Brandon who showed my how to use the machine on a make and take project.  Unfortunately it was late in the day and the machine needed some recalibration so I will wait to show you new sample cuts tomorrow.

Here are a few notes about the machine.

You can use all of your original Cricut cartridges and there are also new content and color and pattern cartridges for the Imagine.

The machine has a touch screen for the controls.  You place both cartridges in the machine in the areas to the right and left of the screen.

You can cut just like you do with a regular expression, you can print on cardstock with the printer function or you can print and cut.

The maximum page size is 12 x 12.

There are two ink cartridges a black and a tri-color.  You should be able to print 120 to 150 full sheets for an average cost of 23 cents a sheet.  (I heard different page counts from different people so I am not sure if this is accurate).

The mat is new and you must use the Imagine mat in the Imagine.  It has dark black lines used for registration.  You can use these mats in the regular machines as well.  The mats have a new adhesive and are expected to last longer.  The new adhesive is great - it will not come off the mat onto the back of the paper.

There is  currently no ability to add photos to print on the page but this may be coming in the future.

The machine is compatible with the Gypsy and the Jukebox but not with Design Studio.

Near the end of the day there was a giant giveaway for those who had done the make and take or a watched a demo.  There was a huge pile of products given away (machines, cartridges, Cuttlebug folders, books).  It was an excited group that waited to see if they had a winning ticket.

This evening a group of Cricut Message Board members met up for dinner and conversation and we were joined by some special guests from ProvoCraft.  It was very nice to have a chance to give some feedback on products and services and I hope that there will be more opportunities like this.

That's all for now - I have to get some sleep before it all starts again!

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