The Perfect Gift for Crafters: Cricut Explore Air 2 Review!

Disclamer: This post is sponsored by Cricut, and I received a Cricut Explore Air 2 for review, but all opinions are my own. This post includes affiliate links.

I got to try out the new Cricut Explore Air 2 - and I'm obsessed! It's one of my new favorite things - and I think it makes a perfect gift... even if you're gifting it to yourself!

I love this machine so much! I've always loved papercrafting, and with the Cricut, I've discovered I love working with vinyl as well! The Cricut makes it so much easier, faster, and lets me get to the good part in record time! But wait... do you know what the Cricut is? Lemme tell ya...

Cricut Explore Air 2 is a DIY speed machine! This smart cutting machine cuts and writes up to 2x faster than previous models and helps you make projects with over 100 different materials - everything from cardstock, vinyl, and iron-on to thicker materials like leather. You can make iron-ons for tshirts, pillows, totes, whatever you like!

You can choose from over 3,000 ready-to-make projects or make quick cuts from their extensive image library, and you can even design on the go on your laptop, iPad or iPhone. Upload your own images for FREE!

And it doesn't just cut - you can score for fold lines, and it even writes with special pens and markers - it does it all for you! Once your project is ready to make, you can send it from your device to the Cricut with the embedded Bluetooth, or an included cord.

I've had the Cricut Explore Air 2 for a couple weeks now, and I've been having so much fun! I made a last minute birthday card for my daughter to take to her friend's sweet sixteen party, I've made some fun little note cards to include with giveaways I mail out, and I've even spruced up the white board in my office that I use to keep track of important dates and travel plans!

So obviously, I think the Cricut Explore Air 2 makes a great holiday gift for anyone else who loves crafting! This machine works with so many things - paper, vinyl, vellum, leather - I've even seen people use it to emboss copper! Which means you can get it as a gift... and then turn around and make all kinds of gifts with it!

It's also fantastic for those of us with kids - and you don't have to be a "Pinterest mom" to use it. With kids, it's always something - last minute birthday party invites, book reviews due in the morning, yet another "gotta have it" room remodel or decor item (okay, so far this one might be exclusive to teenage girls - I'll let you know when the boys get older)... The point is, I'm super busy running Moogly and keeping up with my crochet, but using my Cricut makes it look like I've got my stuff together - and how great a gift is that?!

I already had the original Cricut Explore Air, and I'm loving the new Explore Air 2. The 2 is just as easy to use - all the software and design space is the same, which is super important to me. Who has time to learn more software? But what makes it better is the SPEED! The original Explore Air was pretty fast, but the Explore Air 2 has this 2x fast mode you can use on the simpler shapes - drastically reducing the time for each project!

So I wanted to show you just how fast it can be! As a crafter, I've given a lot of handmade gifts over the years. (This year, that will include things made with my Cricut too!) And even when the gift itself isn't handmade, I always like to add a handmade touch. So for this year, I've started putting together some gorgeous gift tag! Here's a video!

These Gold Foil Gift Tags are a project included with Cricut Access (can I also say how much I love Cricut Access?! Awesome!) - find them and make them yourself at https://us.cricut.com/design/#/landing/project-detail/9805 I used the Stainless Silver Adhesive Foil for a slightly different look - and yarn for the ribbon of course!

Ready to learn more? CLICK HERE to go to the Cricut website and see what fun you can have with the Cricut - and decide who you'll gift one to this holiday season! Pin the image below to your Pinterest Gift List so you don't forget (and to drop hints!)

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