**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. Craft paper cutting machines are great for all sorts of creative ideas.
There are two machines that Cricut currently offers on their
site:
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:
- 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!
- 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!
. You'll become a master of ripple afghans with this collection 
In my house when we are not using a crocheted blanket
or a quilt it hangs on the back of a couch or a chair (or on the floor if the little ones come to visit). If I decide to put them away they go in the closet but then they cannot be shown off to guest or for me to enjoy the effort that was put into them. I also have a few that I don't use as often but would like to display in a bedroom or family room and possibly change them out. That's where these beautiful and inexpensive quilt racks com in handy. The Deluxe Quilt Rack with a Shelf 
is perfect for any room and you can hang your quilt or handmade crocheted or knitted afghan on it. This shelf shown comes in black, walnut and white for under $20
