New and Clueless! :)

[pchchildlife]

Hello there!

My name is Karen and I work at Phoenix Children's Hospital in the Child Life Department. Sherri recently donated an 18 inch Black Cat Cougar to our hospital and we are SO EXCITED and SO grateful for her generosity!!! We make so many projects for the patients and families here and we have been dying for a cutting machine for years, so getting this one is pretty much amazing!

I, however, am completely clueless about these and while I am pretty crafty and somewhat computer literate I have to say when I opened that box I was super overwhelmed! I have no idea what I'm doing! I know I need to check out the learning center and will do so as soon as I'm approved, but wow I have a lot of questions!

My first question is where to set the machine up. We have room for it in a conference area that does not have computers, and then we have a separate office area with lots of computers. Does this need to be plugged into a computer to use it? Or is there a way to design on the computer and then walk it over and print it? Just trying to figure out the best spot for our machine!

Thanks so much everyone, I'm sure I will have LOTS of questions in the coming weeks!!!

Karen

[kmmhug]

You can design on any computer you want, but you do still need to be plugged into a computer (I use my laptop) when cutting. If you do not have a laptop, it is best to set it up right near the computer you will be using to cut with.

[Elizabeth]

Hi Karen. Welcome to the forum! The learning center is definitely the place to get started, after you decide where to place you new cutter.

[Suzan]

Also when you set it up. Remember you need space behind it during cutting for the mat to go back and forth.

[kim]

My suggestion is to take it home. Go home with it and get to learn and play with the Cougar. Trying to do it in a work setting is not always the best place. Once you have gotten familiar with the Cougar, then you can take it back to the hospital and teach others how to use it. And then you will know where you will want to put it.

[Elizabeth]

That's a great suggestion, Kim!

[kim]

I just know that when I got my Cougar, I was better off not having distractions. Work is always full of distractions. It will be alot less stress if she has the "down" time and can really play. And it will be easy for her to teach others how to use it rather than everyone trying to figure it out all at once. It is just what I would do.

And remember, we are all here at all times of the day and night to help out in any way we can.