Cricut Pen Project – Your Relationship Infographic

Are you wondering how to write and cut with your Cricut Maker? Can the text look good, even if you don’t buy Cricut fonts?

YES.

I’ll show you how in this detailed step-by-step tutorial, with a fun Cricut writing project.

When I created a simple explosion box for my husband on Valentine’s Day, I didn’t have time to print photos! So I created a “Relationship Infographic” to fill the final layer. Several people asked how I created it, so I’ve put together a very detailed tutorial teaching you how to make your own Relationship Infographic with Cricut’s writing feature.

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Step 1 – Ensure you have a font that will write well

First, you need to have fonts that work for writing on your Cricut. You can buy fonts in Design Space that work perfectly for writing, or you can use the cheap way (like me!) and find frees ones that look like writing fonts.

I’ve gone much deeper into this step in this How to Cut and Write with Your Cricut tutorial.

The two fonts I’m using for this project are Hello Ellie and AlwaysHere, both for personal use only at DaFont.

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Step 2 – Import the SVG you’ll write on

In this example, we’re writing on the final layer of the Easy Heart Explosion Box. You can download the SVG from my 📂 Free Files Folder 📂 after you enter the ✨ magic word. ✨ (If you don’t have the magic word, just fill in the form at the end of the post to get it.)

Create a new project and upload the SVG, then insert it into your project.

Next, scroll down to the bottom of the layers list.

Change the eight Cut lines to Score lines as shown, then Attach them to the base box shape as shown in the screenshot above.

Do the same for the lid shape, then just hide the attached lid layer by clicking the Eye icon.

I added an extra circle (cut out of the same material as the lid) and an extra square to the front decorations to make the sides a bit heavier (so hopefully they’d fall better.)

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Step 3 – Add text boxes for each style and test

For my infographic, I have three styles of text. There are eight circles for the numbers, so you will highlight eight “statistics” for your relationship.

• Main Title
• Event Title
• Number

It’s easiest to choose and test the styles for each one BEFORE you create all of the text boxes.

First, click the Text button on the left side of the screen. Type your text in the box that pops up.

Now, from the menu at the top left, choose one of the new, thin fonts that you’ve installed. I’m using the AlwaysHere font.

Make the text a size that looks good for now. If you are using a script font, you will probably want to make the Letter Space smaller. If you have multiple lines, you might want to adjust the Line Space too.

Tip: Don’t tighten up the spacing between the letters too much. Leave a little extra room; it will be easier to read.

If you are happy with the way it looks, change the Linetype from Cut to Draw.

Click on the black square to choose what marker type you are using, and to choose the color.

It’s important to choose a different color if you want the text to be different colors! The Cricut will prompt you to change markers at the correct time.

Move the text to the spot you’d like it to be. I centered this text on my image because it’s the title of my Relationship Infographic.

Now, do the same steps for the events you are using. Create a new text box, choose the font (I’m using the Hello Ellie font for the events), adjust the spacing, change the line type to Draw and choose the color, and arrange the text block on the page.

For the number style, create a new text box, choose the font (I’m using AlwaysHere again), adjust the spacing, change the line type to Draw and choose the color (I’m using silver), and arrange the text block on the page.

At this point, you should have three styles for the title, events, and numbers; all in fonts and sizes you think they’ll look good at. Now is the perfect time to do a test.

Go ahead and click the green Make it button.

Use a corner of the paper that you are planning on writing on for the test.

Things that affect how the writing looks:
🖊 paper’s surface texture and finish
🖊 size of the marker
🖊 how new the marker is (if the tip is well-used, the writing will look fuzzy)

When I did this (test #1 in the above photo), I discovered that the writing looked blurred. The paper that I used was part of the problem; it was too porous.

I tried making the font larger and increasing the letter spacing, along with using a different paper. It didn’t help much (as you can see from test #2.)

Finally, I switched to a dark blue marker instead of my well-used black marker – and that solved the problem! (I also used card stock with a similar coating as the orange paper. I was happy with test #3.)

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Step 4 – Duplicate the boxes for the remaining events

After the tests, the styles of writing that look best should be the only text boxes in your project. Delete any other ones.

Now, you”ll add the rest of the events.

For the next event’s text block, simply duplicate the current text box. By duplicating it, you don’t need to change any settings to get it to match the first text box’s style.

Now, double-click on the new, duplicate text box to edit the text and type out the next event.

Repeat until you have all eight events listed. Arrange them over the base image.

Next, we’ll copy the eight numbers.

Use the Duplicate function to create the rest of the numbers in the same style. (Or mix it up!! It’s your choice!)

But what if you don’t like how the characters look together? In this case, I don’t like how the number 6 is much larger than the number 1.

It’s easy to fix; we’ll just move and resize each character manually.

With the text box highlighted, go to the Advanced drop-down menu and choose Ungroup to Letters.

Now, each character is separate and you can move and resize them individually. (When the text looks like you want, Attach the individual characters together again.)

I’m much happier with that.

This is what my project looks like now.

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Warning:

When you are working with a lot of text, the file gets HUGE!

It WILL take a long time to select or move text.

Be patient and don’t click on anything again.

Just wait.

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Step 5 – Attach the text to the base shape

Note: In one version of Design Space, the Draw text would convert back to Cut any time there was a change made to it. So if the text was resized, or the font changed – it would convert back to Cut. Double-check that the Line Type is set to Draw!

Look at each layer. It should have Draw next to a letter.

If you see Cut (as I found on the circled lines), click on that line to select it and then change the Linetype to Draw and choose the correct color of marker.

Hold the Shift Key and click to select multiple lines at the same time.

Now… are we finished?

Not quite.

If you try to make the project at this point, the text will not write in the correct place because it is not attached to the shape (as seen below.)

Next, you need to Attach these two groups. (Yes, you can Attach multiple Attach groups together. Unlimited times, as far as I know.)

You are attaching all of the event titles to the base shape.

At this point, your computer might not be responding well due to the size of the project. Just click the Attach button once and WAIT.

Finally, Attach each number to the circle below it. (It’s easiest if you hide the main text and base layer when you do this.)

Make sure that everything you want to cut/score/draw is showing in the layers panel. If not, click the Eye icon.

Finally – the project should be ready to make!

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Step 6 – Make it!

You should have just three mats showing on the preview screen if you made it just like I did. Check the previews to see if they look correct.

The Cricut will score, draw and cut. Pay attention to which color of marker and which tool you should use and change to when prompted.

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Step 7 – Draw the final lines and assemble it

You should have the cut pieces as shown below.

First, burnish the score lines on the base box piece very well. Fold them back and forth, and scrape over the piece when folded as explained in the instructional PDF. Use the directions to assemble the lid too.

Next, glue the three circles on top of each other (don’t glue them in place on the base quite yet.)

Imagine what your lines will look like when they are connecting the event and the number. Are there any bare places or spots where too many lines cross?

I ended up rearranging a few numbers after I took this photo.

Glue them on. Then, use a marker to draw the lines and arrows from the event title to the number. Use straight lines or curly ones. Arrows, dots, hearts… whatever you like.

Your infographic is complete!

Now, glue the outside squares to the base box.

(It’s better to do this AFTER you draw the lines so you have a smooth surface while drawing.)

The Relationship Infographic that you’ve drawn with your Cricut is now complete and ready to be glued into your Easy Heart Explosion Box.

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Your special someone will love the Infographic you’ve created using the Cricut. I hope you enjoyed this Cricut Writing Project.

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Ready to download the free SVG or printable? Head over to the 📂 Free Files Folder and enter the ✨ magic word. ✨ (If you don’t have the magic word, just fill in the form below first.)

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