Meet you new DIY Bestie, Cricut Joy!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Cricut Joy is the newest edition to the Cricut family of cutting machines which allows you to be your creative best in a minimal amount of space. Hello New Yorkers with limited space and currently finding yourselves with nothing but time at home.

At first sight my daughter fell in love with our Cricut Joy and she was ready to take on a myriad of projects. I had to slow down little miss crafter just a bit as she tackles her google classroom projects first. Unlike me who has created a Cricut Pinterest board of many items I would like to create. My child just creates, and with the Cricut Joy it is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3.

Compact and Ready to Travel

I am guilty of keeping things clean neat and organized. With that being said my Cricut Maker gets tucked away neatly on its shelf after each usage in my office. On lazy days the thought of dragging it off that shelf and into my dining room for one project can deter me from creating. (Oddly I never create in my office, it just houses all my goodies).

With the Cricut Joy being so compact, and portable it can be stored anywhere and always ready to go. We haven’t even found a real home for it just yet. It has been living in our kitchen or dining room on one counter or another. The Cricut Joy sets up instantly, and connects to your computer, phone, or tablet so you can design anywhere. Today we are actually working in Gias closet to bring some neatness to her chaos in there.

Mats are now an option!

Yes! Mats are optional when creating with Smart Materials. The new Cricut Joy Smart Material (Smart vinyl and Smart Iron on) are equipped with the technology to feed straight into the machine! I mean are you doing a happy dance yet?! I am! Despite how cute those little mats are the thought of one less step is exciting!

The new Cricut Joy Smart Materials come in an extended size of up to 20 feet (in a variety of colors). The Cricut Joy cuts one image up to 4.5 inches wide and 4 feet long or repeated cuts up to 20 feet long. This comes at a perfect timing for me as I prepare to create a label for the top of a 3′ wide donut wall. I can create the label on my phone via the Circuit Design App, as my daughter rolls out the Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl, loads it and I can hit go! Crafting for us is a sport and team work makes our dream work.

While prepping my next cup of coffee I can sit back and watch it all happen before my eyes. *Please note you DO NEED A MAT FOR infusible ink projects on the Cricut Joy.

Alexa, End Quarantine created on the Cricut Joy with Smart Iron on. I then used the Cricut Easy Press to press the smart iron on to a dish towel.

Cricut Joy can Write!

Like the Maker Cricut Joy writes with their own line of compatible pens and markers. To maximize space both the blade and pen share the same housing and can easily be swapped out depending on which you intend on using.

Why the Joy?!

If you are like me and already own the Cricut Maker and or Explore Air you are probably wondering why do I need the Cricut Joy? For one if you have a child that always wants to Cricut with you and do her own creating the Cricut Joy is perfect for them to learn. Also Cricut Joy is a portable machine that you can leave and use anywhere without it getting in the way and is perfect for the quick grab and go projects. Where as The bigger Cricut Maker and Explore Air really need a home and can be used for more labor intensive projects.

I actually have all three machines because secretly I am a hoarder of all things crafting and in my mind one day I will have a project so big I will need to be running all three machines at once. Excessive I know but during this difficult time crafting is what is giving me joy.

Card Maker

This mom here was never one for cards especially at today’s prices. Yet somehow my kids love a card (just like their father). Knowing I can make a card in just a few minutes makes me warm up to the idea of card giving. We have a couple of birthdays coming up and I may just surprise friends:)

The Cricut Joy Card Mat, and some card stock is all you need to create a beautiful personalized card minutes before an event. You can of course kick each project up a notch with the Cricut Joy pens and markers.

Get your own Cricut Joy

Cricut Joy is available via the Cricut website. Since no one in NY is leaving their house for a joyride anytime soon, you can shop cricut.com (for the best options available) or Michaels, Walmart, and other retailers. The Cricut Joy is also available on Amazon Prime but that hasn’t been coming so quick lately.

Do you have the Cricut Joy?

Share your comments below on your experience thus far. What have you made? What do you plan to make? Share your pictures below also! I would love to see what you are creating or need help with.