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Welcome back for part two of “Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks” in which I share all the ups and downs of trying to learn my way around the Cricut Explore Air 2! If you read my post from last week you know that I was a bit worried about working with a new cutting machine system after using my current one for more than 4 years. Having two little boys to shuttle around only leaves so much time for working and crafting so adding a new craft machine to the mix is always daunting. Keep reading to see my opinion of using the Cricut Explore Air 2 for my first project!
Since I was a bit worried about learning the ropes around a new machine, I decided to go with a super easy (but cute!) project. I’ve had this pretty eyeglass case for a while now and every time I see it, I think about what an absolutely perfect blank canvas it would be for vinyl. Who says eyeglass cases have to boring?! Adding a minimal design to the back of the case seemed like a great first-time project to use the Cricut Explore Air 2 with. Here are some of my initial assessments:
First things first, I had to download the Cricut Design Space plugin for my studio laptop. I guess they recently improved it and from what I gather from more experienced Cricut users, it’s universally loved! I had no problems with the download and was able to figure out most of the basics relatively quickly. The only thing that gives me some slight concerns is that since it’s a plugin, having internet access is a must. Since my studio is outside of my house, we occasionally experience some outages but that’s pretty rare so I don’t foresee any issues. My absolute favorite thing about this machine right now? It’s bluetooth enabled so I can leave my laptop on my desk and send designs to my Cricut Explore Air 2 without having to connect with a USB cord!
For this Customizable Eyeglass Case project, I chose a basic silhouette of glasses from the Cricut Image Library that I had access to because of my Cricut Access Standard subscription. If you’re planning on using a Cricut cutting machine often, I highly suggest getting a subscription as well. You get access to over 30,000 images, 1,000 projects, and more than 370 fonts. So helpful!
As for how well the machine worked, I sent the image file over to Cricut Explore Air 2 and it cut through the Iron-On Vinyl like a dream! Weeding was no problem and ironing it onto my eyeglass case was a breeze. Just fyi, if you’re working with a small or uneven surface (like the back of an eyeglass case), I highly recommend using a small iron like the one pictured below. I have the Dritz Petite Press Mini Iron and use it all the time!
So, there you have it. My first project using the Cricut Explore Air 2…whew! From downloading Cricut Explore Air 2 and setting up bluetooth connection to finding an image and sending it to my machine, I’d say my first try was a smashing success. Join me next Thursday when things get a little more heated. I’ll be working with creating and cutting my own design. Since that’s the majority of the cutting projects I do, I’m really curious to see how it turns out!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
