Cricut Machines Have Your Crafting in Mind - No Matter What You're Crafting...

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Want the ability to easily make a personalized wedding gift or perhaps some unique home décor? Then you might find Cricut electronic cutting machines to be the best DIY crafting tool since the sewing machine. 

There are two machines that Cricut currently offers on their site:

• Cricut Explore One™
• Cricut Explore Air™

Cricut Explore One™ 

Cricut Explore One™ is a simple design-and-cut system. It’s versatile, easy to use, cuts very precisely, and is also incredibly affordable. With its irresistibly low price and limitless cutting potential, the Explore One is perfect for a new or beginning crafter. Here are a few notable features of the Explore One: 

Materials – All Cricut machines can cut an unbelievable variety of materials, for example:

• Paper
• Vinyl
• Iron-on
• Craft materials
• Upcycled materials
• Fabric
• Plastic
• Thick materials

Precision - Features Cut Smart™ technology, which allows you to cut a wide range of shapes and sizes with exceptional precision, from ¼" tall up to 11½" wide x 23½" tall. 

Smart Set® Dial - Each machine features a Smart Set® dial, which sets your settings (e.g. speed, pressure, etc.) for you so you don’t have to keep track of them. You just select the material that you're using on the Smart Set® dial and the machine's Cut Smart® technology will deliver a clean, professional cut. 

Images and Fonts - You can upload your own images and fonts for free on all three Cricut cutting machines.

Cartridges - Both machines work with any Cricut cartridge and have the capability to hold all of your cartridges “virtually” in the cloud within your Cricut Design Space online software. So once you’ve loaded a cartridge, you’ll have it everywhere you go. 

Cricut’s Design Space™ and iPad® app - All Cricut Explore machines work hand-in-hand with Cricut’s Design Space™ (for PC, Mac®, iPad®, and iPhone®) that you get access to for free. 

Cricut Explore Air™

The Explore Air is the whole kit ‘n caboodle. It offers all the impressive features mentioned for the Explore One, but two key things set it apart:

1. It has a dual carriage for cutting and writing or cutting and scoring in one step. If you do a lot of paper crafting, this is the machine for you!
2. It has built-in Bluetooth® capability. You just use Cricut’s free iPad app and design anything you want from your iPad, just like you would on your home computer, but with the convenience of being able to take your projects with you anywhere. Then, you can just wirelessly send your project from your iPad to your Explore Air to bring it to life.

Now that you know a lot more about how Cricut Explore® machines work, I’ll focus next week’s post on how you can design here, there and everywhere with Cricut Design Space. You’ll be blown away by how easy it is.

Until then … Happy crafting! 

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My projects for the upcoming week...

... PLENTY of gifts inside this grouping - ESPECIALLY with the U.S. OPEN upon us here in the Northwest!  Can't wait to get started!  I've got all of my files uploaded... and now all I have to do is CUT-CUT-CUT...

Oh Baby - How Do I Love My Toys!!!

Oh how I love the combination of svgCuts, Design Space and my Explore! What a fun gift this was to both make and give to my niece who adores the out-of-doors... and just happens to be expecting a boy in August... whoo-hoo! love everything about it!

 

Thanks for Lookin' Out for Me! Have a Blessed Day!

Importing SVGCuts SVG Files - Cricut Design Space 2.0

New Year's Voyager Project - Perfect for Organizing and De-Stashing!

Now THIS is DEFINITELY a KEEPER!!!

Not that I want to De-stash, because I LOVE PAPER, but this Voyager Project from Kathy Orta's Paper Phenomenon was SOOOOO much fun, and it was PERFECT for the new year ahead... I think... hahaha.

You see... every year, just like you, I set out to be a more organized crafter.  Dreaming of maybe - just maybe finding the time to actually create things that people MIGHT want to buy from me someday.  Welp - this ain't going to be the project I mass produce for great income-gathering purposes, but it will be one I will be happy to make for my closest friends and family.  WHY?   Because it's definitely a labor of love!

WHAT A TREAT this project has been to both create and DECORATE.  For me - that's saying a lot  I have several blank projects laying in wait for my heart to decide which paper to part with for them.  It seems like this process is the most tedious - as I simply love my paper TOO much.  Is that possible?  I didn't think it could be ... but now I know that it is ... definitely.  I finally decided on the Timeless Type Stack by DCWV... and I am more in love with it on this project than I ever could be with it sitting inside the paper pack.

Maybe now, I'll get on a roll and USE the paper in my stash instead of just organizing and SMELLING it all the time.  You know what I'm talking about if you have any quantity of quality paper like mine from Close To My Heart.  Oh yep - I love the smell of new paper... almost as much as my hubby loves his new car smell hahaha... almost.

So Kathy has some wonderful advice in this project... just as she does in all of her projects, including PREP ALL OF YOUR CHIPBOARD AND HINGES before starting to build your project.  What a smart lady!!! This made construction a breeze - literally!!! (thanks also to my heavy-duty paper cutter).  Check out Kathy Orta's Paper Phenomenon for this and other paper crafting projects and techniques!  They are all loads of fun!

I don't want to give this away.  My hubby wanted to take this to my in-laws to show them, but I didn't want to part with it yet.  Since I haven't put the doors on the front that the project calls for, I can call it "Unfinished", right?  Then I can hold onto it until I decide if I need to finish it or not.  Much like a new mommy with her baby, I want it for myself for a while longer - hee-hee!  I love it that much.

Which makes it another...

Keepable Paper Creation!!!

a TIP about Markers and the Ink to Use With Them...

My Cricut Explore and SVGcuts - the PERFECT COMBO!

I don't know about the new purple version, but my GREEN Cricut Explore is completely AMAZING.  With the new Print then Cut feature, the possibilities seem endless!  But, if we're talking quality 3d paper crafting, we HAVE to look no further than SVGCuts.com.

Filled with seasonal and home decor items as well as party and gift ideas, this site will knock your socks off!!! Just take a peek at a few of the cool projects I have been able to complete with their svg files and super-helpful tutorials (each kit comes with a video intro and tutorial for each project you will receive).

... Jack O' Lantern from the ...

Fright Night SVG Kit

... Witches Hat from the ...

Haunted Forest SVG Kit

... and this realistic crate from the ...

Caramel Apple Pie SVG Kit

Yes!  I made them ALL with my Cricut Explore, and YOU can, TOO!

Don't know what paper to use?  Simple answer... Just use the beautiful paper patterns I chose.  Pick your favorite paper packs from my Close To My Heart Website, where you can shop till you drop, effortlessly and securely.  We take the guesswork away, so all you have to do is cut, glue or tape, embellish, and Voila! Finito! a Gorgeous Creation by YOU!

But you can use what you have on hand, as well, because if you're like me, you probably have a paper COLLECTION that you are afraid to bust into.  Well - HERE'S YOUR OFFICIAL ENABLING ALERT.  You are HEREBY AUTHORIZED to have hours of FUN creating AMAZING 3D OBJECTS that will serve as great gifts for others or home decor items for YOURSELF.

Want one of these fun creations for yourself, but don't have a Cricut (or time, for that matter?) Contact me (see the many ways to connect with me on the right side of this post) for details on how you, too, can benefit from my love for my Cricut Explore :) .

So TREAT YOURSELF... To a TRICK or TWO of mine, 

and may your holiday season be DIVINE.

(ps... if I can do it, anyone can!)

ENJOY CREATING FOR KEEPS SAKE!

~ Brenda ~