Cricut offer an 'Cricut Essentials' Starter Kit which includes spatula tool, tool kit, trimmer, pack of 2 replacement blades, pack of 2 replacement 6 x 12 cutting mats, Cricut paper, Cricut card stock.

I personally found that this pack was very good value for money and very useful. If you have a Cricut yourself or if you are looking for a Cricut gift then you can't get much better than this. It is so handy to have all of the bits you will need in one package, blades and cutting mats along with the tools and spatula are as the name suggests 'essential'. I would recommend buying this package along with you new Cricut purchase so you have everything there ready for when you need to replace something. If you are a savvy shopper you might want to buy it now and save it as a Christmas gift for anyone who uses Cricut.

What are the tools used for?

The tools are essential for prolonging the life span of your cutting mats and Cricut machine and of course making life easier for you.

Here is a break down of the tools included and what they are used for;

Cricut Spatula Tool: This is a spatula tool for taking your cuts off the cutting mat. If you have tried to do this by hand then you will know that it is easy to end up curling corners and even ripping your paper. With the spatula tool you will be able to remove your cut easily without causing any damage, and keeping it perfectly flat, giving you perfect results every time.

Scoop Tool: Again this is a tool for helping you to get your cuts off the cutting mat. This tool works much like a spoon and helps to raise the edges of your cuts in order to lift them off the mat without damaging them.

Knife tool: This is a sharp edged tool used for sliding under the edges of your cuts and lifting away from the cutting mat.

Hook Tool: This tool has a small metal hook on the end and is used for removing small circles of paper and cleaning small holes.

Scraper: This tool is used for scraping and cleaning your cutting mat and should be used between each cutting session to ensure optimum results with no bumps or creases and save damaging your cutting mats.

Bone Folder: This handy tool scores paper, creases paper and marks paper.

Scissors: Precision scissors for use when cutting your paper or card stock.

Clear Ruler: For measuring paper or card stock.

All of the Cricut official tools come in the Cricut green colour and have soft rubber handles for comfort, grip and ease of use.

The 'Cricut Essentials' package also includes a handy carry case for all of the tools, to keep everything together and in order.

You can get the Cricut Essentials package for either the Cricut or Cricut Expression machine. The difference is that the cutting mats for the Cricut Expression are slightly larger at 12 x 12. So make sure you are choosing the right essentials package when you come to make your purchase.

You can also get an 'Expression bundle essentials kit' on eBay which contains all of the items in the 'Essentials' package plus the 'Cricut Super Slab'.

The 'Super slab' includes 72 sheets of printed paper and 12 sheets of double-sided card stock, 6 sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock Die Cuts and 6 sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock stickers including 6 colours of alphabet letters. Enough to get you started and completing many projects.

The best deals I have found for the Cricut Essentials Package are on eBay, you can see some live listings below. The Cricut Essentials package sells for $69.99 on the Cricut official site but you can get it for under $50.00 with the ‘Super Slab’ bundle thrown in.

See our live eBay listings below;

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Voted 5 stars by every reviewer on Amazon, the Cricut Storybook Cartridge is one of the most popular and useful Cricut cartridges on the market.

It contains a beautiful array of letters, numbers and icons in a gorgeous font. There are also extra phrases and words which come in really handy.

This cartridge is one of the most versatile and useful because the style is excellent for scrapbooking and card making alike. As it is in a storybook style it is especially useful for anything related to children and babies. So if you are making a scrapbook with pages about your kids or making Christening or Baby Shower greetings card this cartridge should be your number one choice.

The icons include scrolls, swirls, flowers, birds and butterflies which are so useful for decorating scrapbook pages or greetings cards. In fact this cartridge would be useful in all sorts of paper craft projects.

The letter style is in the style of a storybook and reminiscent of baby ABC blocks. The font is very beautiful and adds that 'special something' to any baby/kids related project. And there are some very useful pre-made phrases and words such as 'Girl', 'Boy', 'Thank-you', 'to', 'from', 'and', 'the'.

I used this cartridge to create a baby memories scrapbook about my 2 year old. I'd been meaning to do this project for a while but just never got the time. When I spotted this cartridge I felt inspired by the style, I absolutely love it, and managed to put the entire scrapbook together over one weekend. Once I got started I was enjoying myself so much wild horses couldn't drag me away from the kitchen table. Since completing that project I have also made more scrapbook pages for other projects and a couple of baby cards for friend's baby showers. In fact it is the cartridge that sits in my Cricut machine most of the time as I find it so versatile.

Here's what Amazon says about the Cricut Storybook cartridge:

Amazon Product Description

Product Features:
Easy to create flourishes that can be layered
Works with both Cricut machines
Alphabet cartridge

"Recapture the imagination and art of nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and fables with the Cricut Storybook Cartridge. Create flourishes and layer each on for that extra childhood magic to any project. The variety of shapes include decorative corners, borders, frames and icons to give your project a happily ever after theme. Cricut Storybook Cartridge Features: Cricut cartridge Keypad Overlay Handbook For use with the Cricut Machine"

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I love this cartridge and I'm sure you will too but don't just take my word for it - read what some of the reviewers are saying on Amazon here Cricut 29-0589 Cartridge Storybook >. Plus at the time of writing it's on special at Amazon with 38% off the retail price of $89.99 meaning that you can get your cartridge for just $56.23!

For an even cheaper bargain you really should also check out the listings at Ebay the Cricut Storybook Cartridge is selling for under $40 that's more than half the retail price - outstanding value for money!

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The Cricut Storybook Cartridge is a must have cartridge for any Cricut user.

If you are interesting in scrap booking, card making or any other papercraft then you might want to look into buying one of these fantastic machines.

The machine comes with some standard cartridges which will cut various shape and patterns and you can buy new cartridges for it. There is a huge variety of cartridges on offer, so whether your project is creating a baby scrapbook or hand made wedding invitations, you will certainly find a cartridge to suit.

You can also use the Cricut DesignStudio software which enables you to create your own custom designs.

Cricut Expression is a larger version of the original Cricut machine which enables you to cut much bigger papers and is fantastic for wall vinyls and home decor.

< You can find the best deals for Cricut and Cricut Expression here >

If you are wondering ‘what is Cricut?’ and ‘Should I buy a Cricut?’ This video explains what Cricut is, how it works and the Cricut's capabilities.

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For example a good way of getting a really professional finish is by using an online photo printing service to create a photo book which contains all your photos and journaling in a layout that you create online. Once you order your photo book and wait for it to be delivered you can then start to add your own page titles and embellishments.

This method is especially good if you have yet to print out your photos, and suits a wide range of scrap bookers as it incorporates all of the best techniques around and leaves you with a really professional looking long lasting scrapbook.

<< You can find the best deals for Scrapbooking supplies here >>