Getting started with Cricut

I remember the first day I owned a Cricut. It was the day after Thanksgiving, 2008.

I had gone Black Friday shopping with my parents solely because I had seen a Cricut Expression (the original one) advertised at Wal-Mart for CHEAP. I think it was something in the neighborhood of $199. At the time it was a steal. I rushed into the store somewhere around 6 am, fingers crossed that they still had just one left. Well they had a whole ton left. Apparently there aren't many paper crafters in my area willing to get up at 5 am to score a Cricut on the cheap. Their loss was my win.

In the beginning, I didn't use it that much. I didn't have the space to set it up to be conveniently accessible and every time I needed/wanted to use it I had to drag it to the living room floor and spread all my papers, glues and glitters all over the floor. It was a mess and my boyfriend was not appreciative of my habits. I wasn't even appreciative of my habits. It was annoying and made me not want to use it.

So now I have a crafting area with a table and everything. It's exciting. But really this isn't exactly what this post is about. It's about things that are helpful when you're just starting out with the Cricut.

Here's a list of the top 3 things I feel are necessary to start using your Cricut, regardless of what you're using it for (be it scrapbooking, cardmaking, school projects or anything else your heart desires).

1. Extra mats - This is especially helpful if you're doing a large or long term project. It will never fail that when you're in the midst of a crafting binge or you're almost done with your project, your mat will not be sticky enough to finish up the cutting you need done and you'll realize it's the last mat you have on hand.
2. Some sort of cartridge storage - Once you get into buying more than then one or two cartridges you'll probably start out with, you're going to find that you need somewhere to put all of the books, mats and cartridges themselves. It can be easy enough to make some sort of storage (just Google it) or you can purchase something.
3. A tool kit - The spatula is nearly essential for lifting intricate designs off the mat. Some of the smaller tools available are also handy for lifting small designs and helping place them on whatever project you're working on.

 And here are a few cartridges I feel are worthwhile when you're starting out.

1. Wild Card - This is full of great shaped cards and other accents that are especially helpful if you're a card maker. It's really helpful even if you're not a cardmaker too. It's got something for just about every holiday from Mother's and Father's Day to Halloween and Christmas.
2. Doodlecharms - Lots of cute things to cut out (from ice cream to  and it even helps you make shaped tags.
3. Stretch Your Imagination - This is a great cartridge if you do a lot of vertical layouts or want tall things. It has options for regular cuts and taller, stretched out cuts. There are several options for each season/holidays.
4. Everyday Paper Dolls - This is essential if you want to add people to your projects. There are a ton of clothing and accessory options so you can mix and match. You can even make old-fashioned paper dolls (as the title suggests), which could make great gifts.

What did you start out with when you first got your Circut? What would you recommend people get when they're starting out? What is your favorite cartridge (or 2 or 3)?