Pretty In Pink Butterfly Mobile Papercrafting Project

Are you excited about the Pretty In Pink Butterfly Mobile Papercrafting Project? In case the project does not sound familiar to you, here is a photo.

Step-by-step instructions for how to make the mobile are available on the Butterfly Mobile Bundle and the Butterfly Mobile Bundle with Stamp Set product pages of my Consultant Website (look for the PDF under the add to cart button). An assembly instructional video is also posted on the CTMH YouTube channel.

Do you have an Expression 2, Imagine, Expression or older machine and have some questions about the cuts shown in the Guide? I hope this post will help you. If you still have questions after reading through it, please use the contact form to the right to reach me.

This is how the Cricut® Shapes are listed in the Guide:

I highlighted the cartridge name in the above snip so they would be easier to find. The information between brackets like this, <TeamWork>, should match the information you see on the Expression machine screen and some other older machines. It will be in the upper left corner when you are selecting the image to cut, more about this is below. The key name, e.g. <TeamWork>, does not display on the Imagine or Expression 2 screen because the image is previewed on a virtual mat.

Let's look at a couple of handbook pages for reference. If reading the Cricut© Shapes information in Recipes is relatively new to you, here is an example to help explain it:

This recipe (circled in red) is to cut a tag for the Tea-rrific with Dreamin' Big Paper Mother's Day Tag. It says "Artbooking 3" Shift+Photo Mat 1 <TeamWork> (p. 83)". You will find the image on page 83 of the Artbooking Handbook (PDF opens in new tab). The images circled in yellow need the Shift Key activated to cut (otherwise you will cut the image on the left).

Set the size to 3" using the dial (on the Expression 2 and Imagine machines size is selected on-screen). On the keypad press the Shift key, the Photo Mat 1 creative key (creative keys should remain lit) and then press the <TeamWork> key in the bottom row (indicated by a red dot in the above image; it is just below the N/n key). On the Imagine and Expression 2 machines, where the keyboard is on screen, you will use the stylus to select these options.

For some of the images to cut the correct size, you will need to make sure Real Dial Size is On; the key should be lit (see the image below for more information about Real Dial Size). This is especially true for cuts from the Artbooking cartridge.

Real dial size means that the machine will cut the image the height (from the lowest possible point to the highest) you have it set on the size dial. Many of the Cricut® cartridge handbooks that were released before the Explore machine have a page that gives an visual example of Real Dial Size that might be helpful. On the Expression 2 and Imagine look for "True/Relative Size" on the screen. Page 26 of the Imagine Manual Cricut® says "true/relative size—toggles between allowing you to resize images in relative mode, which sizes images with relation to the key height character in your text, and true mode, which sizes images independent of any other image".

Expression manuals can be found here; Expression 2 manuals can be found here; Imagine manuals can be found here.

Using the Cricut® Shapes list above, let's start with page 62 of the Artbooking Handbook. I highlighted the images we are going to use.

To cut the solid butterfly on the left, we need to press two keys: Icon creative key and <g> (the Icon key should stay lit). Set the size dial at 1½". Press the Real Dial Size button, it should remain lit; this is so the butterfly will be exactly 1½" from bottom to top. Your Expression screen should look like this:

Cut the quantity listed for each color listed in the Guide.

To cut the decorative butterfly on the right, we need to press three keys: Shift, Icon creative key and <G>. Again, you want the size dial set at 1½" and Real Dial Size lit. Your Expression screen should look like this:

Cut the quantity listed for each color listed in the Guide.

For this cut from Artbooking you can see from the photo below that it does matter if you forget to select Real Dial Size.

This next cut is from the Artbooking cartridge, but will be used for the center of the Poppy flowers (we will cut the flowers later using the Flower Market cartridge).

To cut the circle, we need to press three keys: Shift, Border creative key and <Teamwork> (the button below the n/N). You want the size dial set at ¼" and Real Dial Size lit. Your Expression screen should look like this:

Cut 18 from Gold Foil as listed in the Guide.

Referring back to the Cricut® Shapes list from the Guide, let's look at page 42 of the Artistry Handbook. Again I highlighted the images we are going to use.

To cut the solid butterfly on the left, we need to press one key: <Summer>. Set the size dial at 1¾". Real Dial Size is not important for this cut—the cut will be correct whether you use Real Dial Size or not. Cut the quantity listed for each color listed in the Guide.

To cut the decorative butterfly on the right, we need to press two keys: Shift and <Summer>. Set the size dial at 1¾". As for the previous cut, the sizing is correct whether or not you select Real Dial Size. Cut the quantity listed for each color listed in the Guide.

I did not take photos of my Expression screen because I am not sure how easy they are to read. If you would like me to take photos of the screen for this butterfly and the poppy, please let me know via the contact form.

Referring back to the Cricut® Shapes listed above, let's look at page 45 of the Flower Market Handbook. Again I highlighted the images we are going to use.

To cut what is needed to create one Poppy we need both the cut on the left and the right. So the cuts will be in proportion to each other, this time we do not want to use Real Dial Size—the Real Dial Size button should not be lit. Set the size dial at 4". Cut the 18 from Bashful with the <Poppy> key and 18 from Bashful with Shift and <Poppy>.

The photos of the virtual mats on the Imagine screen show the difference between relative and true size. On the photo with true size selected I superimposed a 4" square on each cut so it is easier to show that the cuts would not be cut in proportion to each other. I expect that you would see similar virtual mats on the Expression 2 machine.

Relative Size

True Size

I hope this post helps you if you are using a Cricut© machine with cartridges. I did my best to be certain that this information is accurate, but mistakes can happen. If you see something that is incorrect or confusing, please let me know.

If you have a machine that works with Cricut© Design Space, the CTMH Corporate Office shared their Design Space file in the Guide. When you open the file, your screen will look a bit like this (I added some notes). So they could try to fit everything on one screen, images are layered on top of each other.

Don't forget, if you have questions, please reach out using the comment form to the right. Thanks for visiting.