Cricut Design Space Blank Screen

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I've sat here and stared at a blank screen for a while trying to determine the best way to go through Design Space. I've decided to just take a screenshot, number the buttons, and then explain what each button does; this is not going to be an exhaustive list of everything that can be done in Design Space. I'm hoping this will be a resource for beginners who, when following a tutorial or video, need to find a button in Design Space.

If you feel like you need further instruction please check here to register for my live online Cricut 101 course.

When you first open Cricut Design Space (CDS) you will see the home page.

Due to unusually high demand & delivery constraints, we are experiencing 1-week shipping delays. All prices displayed in U.S. When using the Design Space iOS or Android app, the option for turning the grid lines off and on is available under Settings at the bottom of the screen. You may have to swipe left to view all of the options at the bottom of the screen.

Let's start in the top left corner and go across the top bar:

1. The 3 bars – this will allow you to switch between the canvas and the home screen. This is also where you will connect new machines, do firmware updates, and calibrate your machine. There are many other options within this menu but they are fairly self-explanatory so I won't go in-depth.
2. My Projects – which is one way you can access your saved projects.
3. Explore/Maker – this is where you select the machine you are using.
4. New Project – You can click here to create a new blank canvas.
5. On the main part of the screen, you have 'New Project' which you can click to create a new blank canvas then it shows your saved projects. As you scroll down you will see projects available in Cricut (if you have Cricut Access many are included).

Once you click to create a new project you are taken to a blank canvas. Along the top bar you have the same options as the previous screen but with 'Save' added.

Get instant access to over 30,000 images, fonts, and projects for endless possibilities! Plus, you receive 50% off. digital fonts, images, and cartridges in Design Space® and Cricut.com and 10% off all physical purchases on Cricut.com. As Cricut Design Space uses Flash you will need to install Adobe Flash before you use it. This is free software which you can download from the Adobe website. Some browsers such as Chrome will ask you every time you open Design Space if you want to allow Flash to run. You must click to allow this or you won't be able to use the software.

1. New – this creates a new blank canvas (make sure you save your current canvas before selecting this!)
2. Templates – inserts a template for you to size your design
3. Projects – this is where you can go to insert Cricut projects (some will cost money especially if you don't have Cricut Access)
4. Images – from here you can insert images from Cricut (some will cost money especially if you don't have Cricut Access)
5. Text – insert text into your project
6. Shapes – insert basic shapes (including scoring line)
7. Upload – upload image or SVG from your computer

Layers panel

1. Layers – shows all the layers of objects. This is where you will be able to tell what is grouped together.
2. Color Sync – This divides up your entire project by colors allowing you to figure out exactly what colors you need to complete it.
3. Group – groups the selected items together, this allows you to keep them together on the computer (this does not affect how it is cut by the machine)
4. Ungroup – ungroups the selected objects
5. Duplicate – duplicates the selected item
6. Delete – removes the selected object from the canvas
7. Canvas (template) – this is where you can remove the grid lines or the template you have selected
   1. The eye icon is the show/hide option. Items that are hidden will not be cut by the machine.
8. Slice – ONLY WORKS IF 2 LAYERS ARE SELECTED! If more than 2 layers are selected then the option will be greyed out. Slice will cut the top object out of the bottom object.
9. Weld – takes multiple objects and makes them one. This is primarily used with script text to allow the Cricut to cut it as one solid piece. This can not be reversed!
10. Attach – this will attach multiple objects, while this is similar to weld the biggest thing to remember is with attach Cricut will still cut out each individual item but keeps them in the same place. If you have items that overlap (like script text) and you just attach the objects you will end up with cut lines where they overlap. This can be reversed – if you have items that are attached selected the attach button changes to unattach.
11. Flatten – this flattens multiple layers into one – this is used for print then cut projects.
12. Contour – this allows you to select items in the designs you wish to not cut out. This comes in handy when you are trying to make a background.

Along the top with an image selected

1. Undo – think of this as the back button, it will undo whatever you just did to the project (this is the only way to reverse the weld option)
2. Redo – think of this as the forward button, if you undo something then decide you liked it better the other way you can redo to return to that version
3. Linetype – allows you to change from cut to draw or score. Some designs do not work well withdraw or score so it is best to use designs made for what you are wanting to do. You can also change the color of the object using the color box.
4. Fill – allows you to select whether you want object filled in or just an outline
5. Select/Deselect all – allows you to easily select or deselect everything on the canvas
6. Edit – give you the option to cut, paste,
7. Align – aligns objects to left, right or center
8. Arrange – allows you to place items in front of or behind other objects
9. Flip – flips the object either on the vertical or horizontal axis
10. Size – allows you to manually enter the dimensions of the object. There is also a lock-in between the sizes this allows you to change the dimensions of the object. Click to unlock it and it allows you to create a rectangle (out of the square) and oval (out of the circle)
11. Rotate – allows you to manually type in the amount of rotation you want
12. Position – allows you to manually type the x-y coordinates to place the object exactly where you want on the canvas

Along the top with text selected:

1. Font – change the font of the text – if your newly downloaded texts are not showing up make sure they are installed then restart Design Space
2. Style – gives you the option to bold or italicize the text
3. Font Size – change the font size (using the arrows around the text box will also change the text size)
4. Letter Space – allows you to increase or decrease the amount of space between letters
5. Line Space – allows you to increase or decrease the amount of space between lines of text
6. Alignment – align text to the left, right or center
7. Curve – allows you to curve text – this only works on one line of text so if you have multiple lines you will need to ungroup to line then curve each line individually
8. Advanced
   1. Ungroup to letters – ungroups the word to letters – this allows you to move each letter individually
   2. Ungroup to words – ungroups the text to words – this allows you to move each word individually
   3. Ungroup to line – ungroups text to lines – allows you to move each line individually

Cricut Design Space Desktop Icon

I hope you found this post helpful! Please feel free to print it out as a reference. Do you have something you want specific instructions on how to do it? If so, let me know in the comments!

Design your own Halloween cards with a twist with this fun acetate window concept.

Designing cards in Cricut Design Space is one of my favourite things to do.

I love how you can go from a blank, empty screen to a beautiful card in hardly any time at all.

Here is how I design my window acetate cards…

Please note that some of the links included in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.

About this project

In this Design Space tutorial I'll show you how to design your own handmade cards in Design Space.

These cards feature an acetate 'window' to show your design on, which is really pretty as it shows through to the coloured paper insert inside.

You could cut the insert from a patterned paper for an extra special appearance!

This technique can be used for other cards too, such as birthdays, Christmas, weddings and more!

During this card making tutorial, you'll learn how to use Design Space features such as Shapes, Slice, Weld, Contour and more.

Video tutorial for designing cards in Design Space

Watch this video to see how to design your own acetate window cards in Cricut design space.

A full written tutorial is available further down on this page.

How to design an acetate window card in Design Space

I wanted to include a written tutorial for this project as I know that many of my readers prefer this to watching a video, however if you are new to Design Space then I'd recommend watching the video because you'll be able to see exactly how I use the Design Space software, in real-time.

Here is how to design your acetate window card in Design Space…

Step 1) Choose your graphics

Choose the graphics you want to use on your card.

I've got a selection of Halloween images, but you could make a card for any theme – birthday, Christmas, weddings etc.

Choose images that are one layer and one colour. Where is sketch. Make them all black as that will be easiest to work with.

Step 2) Create your base card

Create a rectangle that's DOUBLE the width of the card you want to make, but the correct height.

E.g. to make a 5×5 inch card, you want a rectangle that's 10 inches wide and 5 inches tall.

Make the rectangle white.

Click 'Shapes' and choose 'Score line'. Make this this same height as your rectangle (5 inches) and then select the score line and the rectangle and press 'Align' > 'Center' to perfectly place the score line in the middle of your rectangle.

3) Create the card insert

Select the score line and rectangle and right-click and press 'Duplicate'.

Resize your duplicated rectangle to be 0.25 inches less tall, and let the width change automatically in proportion.

With these new layers select, press 'Attach' at the bottom of the layers panel to join the score line to the insert rectangle.

Wireless keyboard wiki. Change the colour of the rectangle to the same colour that you will use for your insert so that you can easily tell that this is the insert rectangle.

4) Prepare your card base and window sections

Cricut Design Space Blank Screen

Create a square the same size as the card you are making (5×5 inches).

Align this to the top and right side of your white rectangle.

Make another square and size this one slightly smaller, e.g. 4.5 inches. Align it in the middle of the preview square.

Select both of the new squares and press 'Slice'. This will cut the smaller square out of the larger square. https://ecerintab1977.mystrikingly.com/blog/call-of-duty-black-ops-3-linux.

Select the smaller 4.5 inch square and your white rectangle layer, and press slice.

Hide or delete the Slice Results that you don't need, so that you are left with the following:

5) Create the acetate square

Create another square that's the same size as your card front (5×5 inches).

This is the square that you will cut out from acetate.

6) Assemble your graphics

Create your window scene by assembling your chosen graphics onto the square frame.

Don't worry if parts of the design go over the edge – we'll fix that in the next step.

When you're finished, select all your graphics and the square frame and press 'Group' to add them all into a group.

Right-click on the Group and Duplicate it to make a copy. Hide this copy by clicking the little eye icon next to it in the Layers panel. This is our backup in case we need to come back to make changes later so that we have a copy of all of the separate layers.

7) Cut off any overhanging graphics

Right-click on the square frame layer and duplicate it. Roughly position it on top of the original, then select both layers and press 'Align' > 'Center' to make sure they are perfectly aligned one on top of the other.

Choose the original group of your design elements and press 'Weld' to merge them all into one layer. Do NOT include your duplicated square frame in the Weld – this needs to be kept separate.

Draw rectangles on the screen that will sit about 50% of the way into the border of the square frame, and will cover up all the graphics that are overlapping.

Clear Cricut Cache

Select all rectangles and press 'Weld' to join them together.

Select the rectangle layer and the welded layer of your design and then press 'Slice'. Free mac air.

Delete all slice results apart from the one that shows your image with all the overlapping bits removed.

Weld together the duplicated frame and your main image to replace the parts of the border that the previous step removed.

Select all rectangles and press 'Weld' to join them together.

Select the rectangle layer and the welded layer of your design and then press 'Slice'. Free mac air.

Delete all slice results apart from the one that shows your image with all the overlapping bits removed.

Weld together the duplicated frame and your main image to replace the parts of the border that the previous step removed.

Cricut Design Space Blank Screen

8) Remove any tiny gaps in your design

Your design may have some really small pieces in it that would be difficult (or impossible!) for your Cricut to cut.

Select your design layer and then press 'Contour'.

This will open up a popup window. Click into the tiny gaps to 'fill them in' so that your Cricut won't try to cut them.

9) Create a mirror image of your graphic

Right-click on your design and press 'Duplicate'.

At the top, click 'Flip' and then 'Flip horizontal'.

This will create a mirror image of your design to go inside your card when you stick it together. This will hide the glue that you'll put on the acetate to give a neater appearance.

Your acetate window card is now ready to be cut out with your Cricut machine and stuck together.

How to assemble your acetate window card

Here's how to stick all the pieces of your card together to create the finished product.

1) Fold the base card

Fold the base card along the score line. Capture image pc. This can be a bit tricky due to the thin border, so be careful and take your time.

2) Stick the acetate to the card

Glue or double-sided tape the acetate square to the border of the card.

I stuck mine to the INSIDE of my card, but I think it would have been better to put it on the OUTSIDE as it would have been easier to stick, so I'd recommend doing it on the OUTSIDE.

3) Prepare the insert

Whilst the glue on the acetate is drying, you can prepare the insert.

Fold it down the score line and then if your paper is a dark colour you may want to cut a shape from your Cricut machine in white card and stick it to the inside of your insert so that you can write on that and your pen will show up better than it would if you wrote straight onto the coloured insert paper.

Turn the insert upside down and run a strip of double sided tape down the side with the fold line.

4) Add the front and inside sections

Place thin strips of double sided tape all along the black border on the front of the card.

Stick the front panel to the front of the card.

Repeat this step to stick the mirrored panel to the inside of your card.

5) Add the insert

Peel the backing off of the sticky tape on the back of your insert and stick it to the inside-right of your card.

And that's it… your custom designed acetate window card is finished!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to design your own acetate window cards in Design Space, and then cut them out with your Cricut machine and stick all of the pieces together to create your finished card.

Happy crafting,
Sarah x

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6 Comments

• Love this! Thanks for all your tutorial information. So helpful since I'm new to design space. Just Wow!

• https://downlfile311.weebly.com/top-10-online-gaming-sites.html. Is there a print friendly version of the written instructions?
  I find it easier to print and read rather than on screen.
  Thank you.

• This is a great project! Thanks so much for sharing. I do have a question. Why didn't you weld the picture to the front of the card rather than gluing it to the front? It seems as though that is an extra step & paper. Just curious. Again thanks! I plan doing a Christmas card 🙂

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