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Bunny Finger Puppet
This was a super, super quick project I threw together very quickly for the grandchildren.
The 6 year old added some creative art to his:
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There's a section in the back of my Christmas Planner that has collages, like the one above, of our Christmas decorations from past years. Each year has its own page. I didn't make a page every year, but I did it somewhat regularly - and this is my favorite section of my planner. It also has copies of every Christmas card, from the years when we sent photo cards, and it includes letters from, pre-facebook, when we sent a Christmas letter. Even after we stopped sending a Christmas letter with our cards, I would send one just to my Grandmother. All of that to say, my planners are often as much scrapbooks as they are organizing tools. So at the years end, I like to add photo collages to the sections - reminders that I really did get something done, even though may days it didn't feel like it.
I seriously didn't think I had crafted much in 2023 - It's very easy for me to focus on what I did not get done, and not recognize what I DID accomplish. Once I started pulling up photos of all the things my grandson and I made this year... well, I did a lot more than I realized. :-)
Here's A Look At Some Of The Projects I Completed In 2023
For our daughters college graduation, we replicated the basket Christopher sent Lorelai for her college graduation.
I own and use both a Maker, and an Air 2.
If my Maker broke tomorrow, I would not miss it. There's a part of me that might actually be a tiny bit relieved to not have to keep using it. If my Air 2 broke tomorrow, I'd be at the store replacing it that same day.
Both machines use the exact same program - there is no difference in how Design Space works, other than once you click make it, the material and tool selections will differ.
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My First Maker Was Defective
Lets be clear - in case you don't actually know me - I do not love change. Every change is likely to annoy me, because I find it inconvenient, and in general, I am impatient. I'm sure that this is a small part of the reason I do not love the Maker. But it's certainly not the only reason. Also also to be clear, I don't hate the maker, I just don't like it nearly as much as my Air 2. Perhaps after some time, when I finally use it for things like cutting felt, I will come to love it.
In general, I find the Maker to be a lot more hassle to do what the Air 2 does simply, and in many cases, better.
I Personally Would Not Purchase My Machine Direct From Cricut
If you buy from cricut, you have to call customer service and convince them its defective, then they will send you a new one. You may need to make several calls, email videos, etc.
The new one may be a different color - colors are not guaranteed for replacements.
If you purchase through a local craft store, or through Amazon, you can just return the machine, noting in the return that the machine is defective, and then buy a new one in the exact color you want. If something goes wrong with the machine 6 months down the road, the warranty is exactly the same whether you purchased it at Michaels, or from the Cricut website. Save your receipt, just to be safe.
TIP - if you do have to call Cricut Customer Service and you are having a difficult time getting the representative to understand your issues with the machine, hang up and call back. You are almost guaranteed to get a different representative when you call the second time. Experiences with Cricuts customer service line vary greatly - some have great experiences, some terrible. Sometimes all you need is to call back and get a different representative.
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Comparing The Machines
There's a chart on the cricut website that compares all the features of the different machines. I think our instinct, for most of us, is to just buy the "latest and greatest". But with cricut, the latest may not be the greatest.
Just because the list of features is longer, does not mean it will work better for what you want to do. And that is the key. What works for me may not work for you. You will have to figure out what works best for you personally, I can only tell you what works, and what does not work, for me.
For me, I ruled out the 3 line of machines immediately. The only real difference with the Air 3 and the Maker 3 [There is no Maker 2 ] is that they use Cricuts new line of "smart materials", so you can cut without a mat, making longer and 1 inch wider cuts, if you buy cricut smart vinyl. I do not ever use cricut brand vinyl, so I knew those machines were not for me.
The Joy is a miniature machine at a full sized price. For me, that makes no sense. But I know that some love their Joy machines, and I know of two women in particular who purchased them for their mothers to make cards in their assisted living facility, where space is limited.
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The Tools That Are The Same
I'm horrible at answering messages. Really, really horrible. I could apologize, but it would not be genuine. There are only 24 hours in a day, and there are SO very many fun and interesting things, in addition to the necessary things, that sorting through the various platforms to find messages and answer them is just never going to be a priority for me.
But I do love answering cricut questions and teaching people how to use their machines. So about a year ago I got the bright idea to create my own facebook group, where I can more easily answer questions, and compile assorted links and information in what I hoped would be helpful threads. On the whole, it's worked out very well for me. And along the way, I learned some things.. not important things, just interesting things.
1. Designers will offer their designs for free to a select group, as long as those who receive them make items with their designs and share them on a variety of facebook groups. This is how they get around the "self promotion" rule in most facebook groups. Personally, I don't have a problem with this at all. While my list does not allow you to post items or designs for sale, I do encourage you to share items you make. So if the designer gave you the design for free to promote their work, I don't mind if you make the item, share it, and tell where you got the design. But I do prefer you be honest - just say, I received this design for free in exchange for promoting it in facebook groups. As for how to be one of those who receive the free designs - I'm not certain, but I suspect that if you join the designers facebook group, that will be your best opportunity.
2. "Dope Logos" is a common term. Why "dope" logos, I don't know - but at least once a week I have to delete a spammer who goes through all the posts and comments "Do you want a Dope Logo?". Seriously - at least once a week. It's multiple people, and it's not unusual for them to post the comment on 10-30 posts in one night, before I get them blocked and removed. I suspect that although some of these may be legitimate designers, the majority will take your payment and never deliver a design. If you want an svg created, and are willing to pay, I always suggest you ask one of the many designers who provide the free designs I share. Many of them have contact information on their sites for custom work. I recommend supporting the designers who offer us so much for free. :-)
3. Spammers sometimes work in teams. Two or more spammers will join the same group with the specific intent of asking questions that that other can answer with "their favorite" designer, or shop. Super common is for someone to ask "which vinyl should I buy?" and then the co-spammer will immediately answer with a rave review for the brand they are being paid to promote. I always try to ask why someone likes a brand, and ask if they can show you examples of items they made with it.
4. People will promote items they have never used, telling you it's the "best", even though they have never tried it. I've had to block quite a few people over the past year for promoting one particular vinyl company that offers $5 for every referral. Many of these people would admit, when questioned, that they had never used the vinyl, but were promoting it for the $5 incentives. They will tell you how amazing this company is, without ever having ordered a single thing from them! This has become so annoying to me that I personally will never purchase from that company. Which isn't really fair, it's not the companies fault people have misused their promotion. If I see a great deal, or see something people are raving over, I'll share it. But if I haven't used it, I am honest about that - "I've never tried this, but I have heard", for instance.
5. People download legitimate free svgs, then upload them to Etsy and sell them as their own design. This I knew before I created my group - it was one of my very first "shocking" (to me) cricut lessons. I don't mean this happens once in awhile, in rare instances, I mean it's really, really super common. I am very slow to ever recommend someone purchase a design on Etsy, unless it's very unique, or unless I am familiar with the designers work and integrity. In many cases, you can find the design for free elsewhere, legitimately.
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