I drew some succulent patterns in Illustrator and exported them as SVG. The Cricut Design Space, the app the cutter uses, is fairly straight forward and easy to navigate. First cuts! The sticky cutting mat smells like a toxic headache, though.
Here’s the first batch. The software arranges the cuts for best use of the material.
By far the most difficult and tedious task is removing my many, many small shapes from the cutting mat.
A proposed stack. As it turns out, the two 11-leaved pieces don’t work well at all for miniature succulents.
Here’s a first model and prototype. I’ll need to make some several before I work out the best construction techniques.
After revising the patterns, I cut a 12 x 12-inch sheet of colored stock. That’s a lot of prying off to do. Best tool I’ve used thus far is a thin, flexible wedge-shaped palette knife. The next thing I want to determine is if the pen can have a broader tip, and can outline the cut line, and hold registration with the cutter. Learning!
nancyland.com 
Your new Cricut Design cutter looks like it is going to be Very Helpful and time saving in the production of your succulent flower kits.
I love the finished experimental plant and anticipate that once you have fine-tuned it all to be exactly what you’ve envisioned, your kits will TAKE OFF! :D
Thanks, Elizabeth. I really appreciate your enthusiasm. The best thing about the cutter is that I’m now able to design and use my own patterns in the kits, so that what you make is truly one-of-a-kind!
I also bought a Cricut to make miniatures, and I really like it! I do feel that I’m not using it at its whole capacity. The possibilities are endless!
Hello, Nora! I’m curious to hear what you’ve learned using this machine for our particular sensibilities. And I agree, endless possibilities. If only there was an alternative to prying up tiny pieces from the sticky mat :)
Nancy, for the super sticky mat, I had to “dull” it a little, I just patted my hands all over to make it less sticky. Also, there is a mat for thinner paper (I can’t remember if it’s blue or pink).
I’ve used the “print then cut” feature to cut pitchers, and I also learned from Fabulouslyflawedminis that we can cut wood – check her blog. I did cut some pieces and that’s something I want to explore more.
I’ve cut patterns from 1inchminins to make furniture. I’ve been wanting to cut and emboss aluminum (from a can of soda), try different materials. Oh my. Like I said, so many possibilities!!!
Well, that looks pretty cool. (This is all new to me.) Can you cut heavier cardboard with these machines?
It is totally spiff. I’ve wanted an affordable desktop cutter for ages, but this is the first one in its price point that allows you to upload your own patterns. The spec’s on this machine list up to posterboard, but there is an additional deep-cut blade available. Jodi Hippler (https://my-miniaturemadness.blogspot.com/) cut chipboard successfully, and I have read accounts of reasonable success with 1/16-inch basswood.
nancy, this is so exciting! and succulents are perfect because you can use stock for the leaves and don’t have to fiddle with thin paper. the wood cutting will be interesting as well. let us know to what thickness is works. I am a little jealous… ;-)
It really is exciting, Marion! The machine is well-priced for its capabilities :)
Man, I’m trying to resist buying yet another machine for miniatures but your test makes me think about the endless possibilities I could use it for. Dammit…*looks through empty purse*
:0D
Pepper, I’m really happy with this machine so far. Easy to use, quiet, seemingly versatile. I’d *love* to see what you could do with it :)
Your new toy looks like fun :)
I may be an eensy bit obsessed to see what it can do for me just now… :)
Awesome!
It is! No major complaints so far, just the stink of the cutting mat :) My husband says it smells like camphor?
I’ve been eyeing the Cricut…hmm. You’re doing wonderful things with it!
Brae, I think you’d be happy with its functionality. And there’s more than a few free-shipping and price cut deals going on just now ;>)
Thank you!