Month: December 2023

The Cricut Venture

I have had my eyes on the ‘next big thing’ when it comes to die cutters for a while now. I have been using a Cricut Explore Air 2 for 3 years now and I have never once looked back for anything cut related –and honestly, I do whatever I can to use that machine to do other things as well (it literally can draw!!) But what could the ‘next big thing’ be if I already have something that does the job!

The answer is quite literally just an even bigger Cricut! Let’s hear from Cricut on their machine:

Meet Cricut Venture, our wide-format professional cutting machine. It precision-cuts 100+ materials up to 75 ft (22.8 m) and works at commercial speeds. Plus, it writes, scores, foils & so much more. Works with Design Space®, our free & easy-to-learn app (desktop only).

Cricut Website – Cricut Venture

The Cricut Venture stands out for its ability to precision-cut over 100 materials, and the scale it can handle is remarkable. It can cut materials up to 75 feet long, which opens up a world of possibilities for large-scale projects like banners and wall decorations, or my favorite selling point: giant paper flowers!

The Cricut Venture could be a fantastic addition to our department, and could bring a new level of versatility and creativity to our projects. Imagine having the capability to not only cut a wide range of materials but also create detailed designs and large-scale pieces with ease. This machine goes beyond cutting; it scores, writes, and adds foil details, enabling us to produce more professional and intricate work, from custom foil invitations to elaborate packaging designs.

At $999.00 for the Everything Bundle, it’s an investment, but it’s worth considering the time-saving and creative opportunities it offers. The Venture’s user-friendly nature, coupled with its compatibility with so much other tech, allows us to effortlessly blend technology with creativity. This tool could significantly expand the scope and quality of our projects, making it a valuable asset to our department.

In a world that often leans towards playing it safe, I’ve always sort of found my niche in being different. I feel like the path and life I have taken up to this point have given me a completely unique view of the world in so many ways.

Growing up with a single mom, independence was key. From her, I learned to tackle challenges head-on and never back down. This attitude has become a fundamental part of how I approach everything, be it life or career. Growing up religious in her household also taught me a lot about structure as well as morality and ethics.

On top of the valuable lessons gained from my own mother, my grandmother instilled in me a kind of ‘positive stubbornness.’ It’s this trait that drives me to think outside the box, to question the usual ways of doing things, and to persistently seek out new solutions. I find that this mindset is crucial in my field, where innovation is a major key to the industry a large.

I’ve always seen things through a logical lens, thanks to my upbringing. This has shaped my approach to design, where I lean towards patterns and grids. But, I’m always up for a challenge; ready to mix up the conventional with the experimental. It’s about finding that sweet spot between logical design and creative exploration. Trying new things and embracing the challenges they bring has always been my bag. It’s led me to diverse experiences, enriching my work and how I see the world. I believe this blend of logical thinking and adventurous spirit sets me apart.

My biggest drive, though, has always been bringing others’ ideas to life. There’s something special about understanding someone’s vision and making it a reality. It’s not just a job for me; it’s a mission. This approach helps me connect deeply with people, be it clients or colleagues, and deliver impactful results.

In short, my journey so far – marked by independence, positive stubbornness, a logical yet adventurous approach to design, and a deep-seated passion for materializing visions – makes me a distinct disruptor in my field. These experiences and traits shape my learning and practice, allowing me to offer a perspective that’s truly my own.

Here is my “z”

My dream place/country to work would be: Japan

Specific location: Tokyo, or adjacent
Why do I want to live/work here? In many ways I feel a bit limited in my design practice only ever learning mostly Western styles of design which rely heavily on Swedish influence nowadays. I want to learn as much that will challenge my mindset as I can, and I think that trying an Eastern approach might do me well.
AVG Cost of Living: Single person, standard amenities – ~$1004.50 USD/mo (142,352.80 Yen) // Cheaper than Seattle (technically)
Quality of Life Rating: Very High
AVG Income for Graphic Designer: about $40,000/yr USD, which shouldn’t be bad compared to the cost of living
Jobs I found:

• Remote Graphic Designer with Hashnode
• Digital Marketing Associate with Visa

Here is a detailed breakdown of my activities and “life time lock” for the week from 10.20.23 through 10.27.23:

10.20.23:

• 7:30am – Wake up
• 7:45am – Stretch
• 8:00am – Shower
• 8:15am – Get dressed and ready for the day
• 8:30am – Leave for school
• 9:00am – Arrive at school/begin the school day – New Media
  • 9:00am-10:00am – Guest Speaker
  • 10:15am – Water break
  • 10:30am-11:30am – AR Module: Presentations
  • 11:30am-12:30pm – Lunch break
  • 12:30pm-2:00pm – AR Module: Lecture
• 2:15pm – Leave school for home
• 2:30pm – Arrive home
• 3:00pm – Start dinner
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Eat/unwind
• 5:15pm – Begin homework
  • Illustrator – Project 1, Sketches
  • Listened to/watched videos for
    • Intro
    • History
• 8:00pm – Brain-off time: video games
  • 8:00pm-11:00pm – Starfield
• 11:00pm – Nightly hygiene
  • Brush teeth
  • Wash face
  • clean ears
• 11:30pm – time to sleep

10.21.23

• 6:30am – wake up
• 7:00am – leave for work at the Reef
• 7:30am – open staff entrance to job
  • Build/set aside till bags for crew
  • Unlock window shades
• 8:00am – open the store
• 8:15am-12:00pm – store accounting/count all the money
• 12:00pm-1:00pm – cover lunches
• 1:00pm-4:00pm – continue work at the reef
• 4:30pm – unwind
• 5:00pm – start making dinner
• 6:00pm – dinner/unwind
• 7:30pm-11:00pm – homework
  • Illustrator project 1
  • assorted readings from history, intro
  • Interactive design project 1
• 11:00pm – Nightly hygiene
  • Brush teeth
  • Wash face
  • clean ears
• 11:30pm – bed

10.22.23

• 6:30am – wake up
• 7:00am – leave for work at the Reef
• 7:30am – open staff entrance to job
  • Build/set aside till bags for crew
  • Unlock window shades
• 8:00am – open the store
• 8:15am-12:00pm – store accounting/count all the money
• 12:00pm-1:00pm – cover lunches
• 1:00pm-4:00pm – continue work at the reef
• 4:30pm – unwind
• 5:00pm – start making dinner
• 6:00pm – dinner/unwind
• 7:30pm-10:00pm – homework
  • Illustrator project 1
  • Assorted readings
• 10:00pm-11:30pm – lolligag
• 11:30pm – Nightly hygiene
  • Brush teeth
  • Wash face
  • clean ears
• 11:45pm – bed

10.23.23

• 7:30am – Wake up
• 7:45am – Stretch
• 8:00am – Shower
• 8:15am – Get dressed and ready for the day
• 8:30am – Leave for school
• 9:00am – Arrive at school/begin the school day – History
  • 9:00am-11:20am – lecture
  • 11:20am-12:00pm – lunch break
  • 12:00pm-2:00pm – lecture
• 2:15pm – Leave school for home
• 2:30pm – Arrive home
• 3:00pm – smoke/relax/order food
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Eat/unwind
• 5:15pm – Begin homework
  • Illustrator – Project 1 final attempts
• 7:45pm – zoom call with Jason to try and get advice
• 8:00pm-12:00am – illustrator project 1
• 12:00am – succumb to defeat/sleep

10.24.23

• 7:30am – Wake up
• 7:45am – Stretch
• 8:00am – Shower
• 8:15am – Get dressed and ready for the day
• 8:30am – Leave for school
• 9:00am – Arrive at school/begin the school day – History
  • 9:00am-11:20am – lecture
  • 11:20am-12:00pm – lunch break
  • 12:00pm-2:00pm – lecture
• 2:15pm – Leave school for home
• 2:30pm – Arrive home
• 3:00pm – smoke/relax/order food
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Eat/unwind
• 5:15pm – Begin homework
  • Illustrator – Project 1 final attempts
• 7:45pm – zoom call with Jason to try and get advice
• 8:00pm-12:00am – illustrator project 1
• 12:00am – succumb to defeat/sleep

10.25.23

• 6:00am – Wake up
• 6:15am – Shower
• 6:30am – Prepare for school, cram last of project 1 for illustrator
• 7:45am – get ready/leave
• 8:00am – cram cram cram!
  • 8:58am – finalized project 1 for Jason
• 9:00am – First crit – it hurt so good
• 10:00am – break
• 10:15am-11:30am – lecture: Illustrator
• 11:30am-12:00pm – Lunch break
• 12:00-2:00pm – Lecture pt. 2
• 2:15pm – Leave school for home
• 2:30pm – Arrive home
• 3:00pm – release brain pressure
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Eat/unwind
• 5:00pm-8:00pm – Video games
• 8:00pm-11:00pm – sketches for Project 1 in intro
• 11:30pm – sleep

10.26.23

• 7:30am – Wake up
• 7:45am – Stretch
• 8:00am – Shower
• 8:15am – Get dressed and ready for the day
• 8:30am – Leave for school
• 9:00am – Arrive at school/begin the school day – Intro
  • 9:00am-11:15am – lecture
  • 11:15am-12:15pm – lunch break
  • 12:15pm-2:00pm – lecture/sprint
• 2:15pm – Leave school for home
• 2:30pm – Arrive home
• 3:00pm – smoke/relax/order food
• 4:00pm-5:00pm – Eat/unwind
• 5:15pm – Begin homework
  • sketches on sketches
• 10:00pm – sleep