Hello,  I am very new to Inkscape and I do not know a lot of the terminology, but I'm learning.  I've created several SVG files for my Cricut with no problem, but the last 2 files I've made have really jacked up when I go to upload them.  I'm sure this is a user error and I'm doing something wrong, but I cannot figure it out.   The image on the left is what I created in Inkscape, the image on the right is what happens when I begin to upload it to Design Space.  I don't even upload it because the preview is so jacked up.   Please help!  

Please post your system and Inkscape version info.

Feel free to share the SVG file, so we can take a look.

Windows 10, Inkscape 1.0 and attached is the SVG

That looks decent enough, although the document units may be an issue. There are some Cricut users that occasionally drop in here that may chime in.

In the meantime, it looks like some good tips here: https://jennifermaker.teachable.com/courses/cut-above-course-how-to-create-svgs-cricut-silhouette-upload-sell/lectures/3544392  Particularly save a copy as "plain svg" for use in DS and keep the original  Inkscape svg to edit with. I might also try ungrouping everything, then save a copy as a plain svg for use in DS. 

I noticed in 1.0, Extensions > Arrange > Deep Ungroup... did not work as expected for this SVG file, but worked just fine in 0.92.5.

For 1.0, I suggest the following steps.

1. Open No_Bird_Text.svg in Inkscape
2. Select the first black letter (Ctrl + left click)
3. Menu, Edit > Select Same > Fill Colour
4. Menu, Edit > Copy (Ctrl+C)
5. Menu, File > New (Ctrl+N)
6. Menu, File > Document Properties..., Display units: in, Page size: US Letter, Scale x: 72 user units per in. Close Document Properties
7. Menu, Edit > Paste In Place (Ctrl+Alt+V)
8. Menu, Path > Union (Ctrl++)
9. Go back to No_Bird_Text.svg and select the three other colours like in step 2. (Ctrl+Shift adds to selection)
10. Go back to your new document and repeat step 7.
11. Click on the Lower selection to bottom button (End)
12. Save your new document and upload to Cricut Design Space

Aero

I noticed in 1.0, Extensions > Arrange > Deep Ungroup... did not work as expected for this SVG file, but worked just fine in 0.92.5.

Saw this also here. v1.0, Win 8.1. Whereas, repeated un-group worked fine.