I love my Mac.. but I use windows too.. I have had a lot of people ask me, if it’s possible to get Funtime and the Gazelle working on a Mac. The answer is yes.., if you have  Parallels, Fusion or Boot Camp and a version of  Windows….. XP, Vista or WIN7 will do..  I created this video, to walk you through, setting things up.

To install funtime and use the Gazelle on your Mac, you need to have either Boot Camp,Fusion or Parallels installed and a version of Windows set up as virtual machine. ( XP, VISTA or WIN7)

**NOTE!! If you are installing on a laptop make sure you are plugged in, ( not on battery power) while you are installing the software. Once it’s installed, you can unplug.

If you downloaded the update.. the folder you download, is zipped ( compressed) You need to double click on the file ( or click on the file to highlight it.. then go up to the menu and click on File–>Extract) to unzip ( uncompress it) before you install.

The Gazelle usb plug, always needs to be plugged back in to the same port, that you are installing it to. If you have several usb ports, and you are going to be plugging unplugging often, take a red sharpie pen and make a mark, over the usb port you are using to install. Make sure.. you always plug it into that same port.

1. Open your Virtual Machine.

2, Put your dongle in.. when the box pops up that asks if you want Mac or your Virtual Machine to take control.. choose the Virtual Machine ( and put a check mark in the box, that says remember.. so you don’t have to install the drivers each time you use the Gazelle)

If you are using Fusion and don’t get that box…there are settings before you start your virtual machine that will give windows ownership of the usb devices when it’s open.

If you are using Boot Camp.. it automatically will take control, so you will not get that box.

If windows ( your virtual machine) does not have ownership of the USB devices.. you will have problems and the Gazelle will not work properly.. so make sure, you choose VIRTUAL MACHINE when that box pops up.

3. Just keep clicking next, in the software, until Funtime installs.. at the end you will get a register box, if you are a Brand New Gazelle owner, fill out the information, and click on submit. If you have already filled out that info, click on register later.. and click ok.

After Funtime is installed.. go to the start button, on windows, and click on Programs, then on Funtime.. to open the program.

Click on a size to create on.. I clicked on 8.5″ by 11″ as I just wanted to do a test cut and make sure it was working correctly.

You need to set up the plotter codes ( only needs to be done once)
Click on Settings up on the menu, and then click on Plotter Codes..

Click on Add/Remove
Choose the Gazelle from the left side, click on the arrowing point to the right to move the Gazelle to the right side.. and click ok
Click on Port, the printer box comes up.. in the drop down on the top.. choose CUTOK DC330.. as your printer and click ok..

Windows should be showing in the port box.. 9600 for the Baud rate.. and click on Accept/Save..

OK.. Now to Text the Machine.. use the pencil tool or one of the shape buttons and draw out something small..

Put paper on your mat and load the mat into the Gazelle.

Turn off the red light.

Go over to Cut Craft ( on the right hand side, near the bottom) and click on it.

The Cutting Control Panel will pop up.. click on cut craft..

The Gazelle should start cutting..

Ignore all the fuzz on mat.. lol I had been cutting all day and hadn’t cleaned it.. the Gazelle cut a smooth clean cut.. as you can see from the actual paper.

I started to create these as plain cards.. then they took on a life all their own.. lol I really like them, so thought I would show you all. The baby girls skirt is three layers of vellum cut with scalloped bottoms and different lengths, if I had tulle on hand, I would have used that instead.. . I added ribbon on the sleeves, used the embroidery tool to make the holes and rhinestones on the tutu.. for a little bling ( mainly for the mommy.. Lol) The little boy has jean look trim on the end of the sleeves and the leg bindings and then stitched. Graphics are my own, papers are mine, template is my own too! I think they will work for many different occasions.
The cards inside are white.. at the moment.. but that will change.. soon. 
All pieces were created in funtime and cut with my gazelle.

The Gazelle does a totally awesome job cutting vinyl.. this piece was done in several parts and then put together on the wall.  You can buy Vinyl   from our main site. Let your creative spirit free… create your own wall art!

There is a new challenge going on in the Boss Kut Forum… I thought I would show you what I made with the files..

This one I call the Babe-ette Gazette.,.. It’s a brag book for Grandma.. small enough to fit in your purse, and you can add as many pages as you need to hold the photo’s you want to share. Glitter paper on the front and back covers, and rhinestones give the little book plenty of sparkle.. little bows, just make it look cute…welded text gives it dimension… graphics are my own, the challenge files can be downloaded from the forum if you are a Gazelle Owner and registered for the forum.

These cute little birds are easy to create and would work for many different occasions . I made my bird into a pop-up card you see below.   If you want to make your own birdsin Funtime and cut them on the Gazelle.. you can watch the video below. If you create a bird, I would love to see it what you do with it

Qucik Note: In the video below, at the end, I say I am coming back. But I cut that part out because the video was too long. All you are missing is this project cutting on the Gazelle, and then putting the card together. It was really pretty simple, just a standard popup. If anyone wants step by step directions on how to create it, email me. Click on the video below to start it.

I had a request for a multi-layered flower, so I came up with this one.. I left all the parts on top of each other in the WPC file, so you can see how it goes together. You can drag the parts off and cut them that way.. or cut by color, I think this would be really pretty, cut out of different papers, patterns and textures.   Free for the next 24 hours. Click on the flower to download.

Well, it’s still snowing here.. school has been cancelled again.. and everyone here has a bad case of Cabin Fever. Thank Goodness for my crafts and things, or I would be truly climbing the walls.. The past few weeks, has not been great..but this morning, my friend called to tell me her baby had arrived.. in the middle of the all this snow and gloomy weather, there is a bright spot! So .. I created this page to welcome the new little one into this world.

I created the title  from one of my graphics and then turned it into a print and cut. The rhinestone patterns were also created in Funtime, and cut on the Gazelle… A great timesaver!  I didn’t have to place them one by one.   The mats, frame and baby bottle parts were all created by me in funtime and  cut on the Gazelle. The piece of paper behind the baby bottle was embossed on the Gazelle and will hold all the new baby info – weight, height, time etc.. I am pleased with the way it turned out.. so I thought I would show you all.

I started playing with the embossing mat and blade today. I was really impressed that the Gazelle was able to emboss card stock. I created these motifs.. which look like snowflakes to me.. I still have snow on the brain.. yes.. it’s still snowing here.. and I am pretty certain, it is not going to stop any time soon..

I used the black line to emboss and the red line to cut it out after it embossed.. I chalked the edges and various spots on the motif.. and I used the reverse side for the emboss.. ( the back side closest to the mat) as my “front” side. You can download the WPC file below to create your own embossed motifs.

Click on the preview for a larger view.. and click here to download.. ( only free for the next 24 hours)

There are so many things you can do with the Gazelle, I thought it would be fun if  we create some different type of things. I created about 400 Motif’s to use on various projects. They will be for sale on my vector site, BellaVectorella.com within a few days ( doing a little remodeling over there)   The vectors, also work on the Gazelle…

The draw and cuts are easy to do. Simply take the blade holder out of the Gazelle and replace with a pen..

You can use ANY pen.. you don’t have to buy special pens to use. A Ball point pen, to a Crayola marker to a Copic they will all work!

Set your Gazelle on the slowest speed for these, and make sure your pen tip is barely touching the paper.. ( so you don’t get drag marks) … then load your mat, and click on the ‘cut’  button. In the Control Panel, check only  the blue square.. to “draw”.  The red outer line we will use to “cut” the motif, after the  Gazelle  finishes drawing it.

Double Click on the video below, to start it. I used a Crayola marker to show you, you can use any pen or marker to draw with. It’s very short video under one minute…, just want to show you all , how it works.

After the Gazelle draws your design, go back to the cut panel. and choose the red line.. now click cut. The Gazelle will go back and cut out the motif. I left a little bit of room around the motif, because I like to have a border around my motifs, but if you want it to cut out exactly on the outline, you will need to move the red line just inside of the outline of the motif.

Here is the finished motif, the Gazelle was drawing in the video above and the other motif, is the one I used on today’s card, drawn and cut on the Gazelle.

And here is the Card I made.. I colored in the Motif with markers, added Rhinestones to the center of the flowers and created welded text .. inside the card says, I hope your day is as SPARKLY as you are!  Papers used are my own. Hard to see the sparkle in the rhinestones in the photo below, but it is VERY sparkly looking

If you would like  to make something with this motif, click on the card below, the file will be free for the next 24 hours.

If you create something with this motif and send me a photo of the finished project, I will send you a gift certificate good for one digital download of your choice from  bellakatella.com

I can remember a time I really really used to enjoy the winter.. but, it’s been snowing here since the middle of Oct! And I am just about snowed out!  Anyway.. I created this file last night ( must have snow on the brain, eh? ) and I cut it in three different sizes. I think it would be a nice additon to all  those snow layouts, cards and crafts.

You can download it here.. remember, it’s only free for 24 hours! So if you want it.. grab it today!

Stay warm and safe all..

Sincerely,

Snowy-in Hooterville.