Using My Martha Stewart Cricut Explore Air™ 2 and Easy Press 2
Doing craft projects is a great way to make good use of all this time spent at home.
If you enjoy doing crafts as much as I do, you’ll love using my Cricut Explore Air™ 2 Martha Stewart Edition available as a bundle at Joann and Michaels. The Cricut Explore Air 2 allows you to cut more than 100 materials - everything from cardstock, vinyl, and iron-on to specialty materials like glitter paper, cork, and bonded fabric. We use the Cricut at the farm all the time - it's so much fun and so easy-to-use. Recently, we used it to make personalized iron-on labels. We also used my Cricut EasyPress 2 Martha Stewart Edition - an easy-to-learn, lightweight, and portable ironing tool.
Enjoy these photos.
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- This Special Edition Martha Stewart Cricut comes in a pearl color with all the essential tools you need to make so many wonderful projects. We keep one in my stable office. It has come in so handy for so many tasks.
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- The bundle comes with several tools including scissors, spatula, weeder, pen, and tweezers.
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- I wanted to create some personalized iron-on labels for some items at the farm. To start, my executive personal assistant, Shqipe Lulanaj, makes a circle using the shapes tool on the computer Cricut Design Space™ software and app.
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- Because the labels will be circular in shape, we needed to curve any writing. At the top toolbar, Shqipe then clicks “curve” to control how much curve the text needed in order to fit properly. Next, Shqipe layered the words on top of the circle and clicked “slice.”
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- The multi-purpose mat holds the material firmly in place during the cutting process. The label will read “Cantitoe Corners Bedford, NY.”
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- Shqipe already adjusted the machine setting to the type of paper – in this case, she used iron-on sheets. When doing iron-ons, the shiny, plastic side must be down. Shqipe lines up the card stock to the adhesive lined mat and then places it into the loader for the machine.
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- The button panel to the right is well labeled for each step of the cutting process.
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- One can watch it make all the precise lines and cuts. The iron-on needs to be reversed especially If there are words involved, so make sure it is loaded properly.
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- After the Cricut has finished cutting, the cuts can easily be removed using the weeder tool. If the cuts are wider, the spatula tool works very well for this also.
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- Shqipe works on a self-healing cutting mat to protect the desk surface. This process takes several minutes depending on how much needs to be cut-out.
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- The Cricut sits comfortably on Shqipe’s desk. Be sure there is ample room in front and in the back of the machine, so the paper can be fed easily.
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- The symbol of my farm is a great sycamore tree. We have an image already stored in our files, so Shqipe used the app’s uploading tool to access it. Using two colors makes the cutting easiest, so we chose gray and black.
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- For this image, Shqipe tries a different technique. Instead of cut-out letters to expose the fabric color after it is ironed on, she cuts-out the image to layer it on top of the gray instead.
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- Here is the cut-out. Shqipe places it onto the label to check for proper sizing.
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- This is my Grill Dome. I love this grill – the round shape provides even heat distribution while the thick ceramic walls hold in the heat. Plus, you can have it custom colored – of course, I chose the color closest to my signature Bedford Gray.
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- The Grill Dome comes with a protective cover. I thought it would be nice to add my personalized label on another side of this cover – it will complement the round Grill Dome label nicely.
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- Shqipe places the un-ironed label onto the cover to see how it looks.
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- Shqipe prepares the first part – the name of my farm and where it is located.
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- Then she uses my Cricut EasyPress 2 Martha Stewart Edition. This press is so easy to use and so portable – it just needs an electrical socket.
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- It comes with a handy cooling plate when not in use.
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- After a few minutes, Shqipe removes the plastic from the iron-on.
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- Once it cools, Shqipe places the layered sycamore tree onto the center of the decal.
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- And then, irons the label again.
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- Here she is removing the plastic from the iron-on.
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- The entire project took about 20-minutes. it is so easy to make. Both the Cricut and the EasyPress make projects like these so much more fun.
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- And the new additional labels look terrific. The Cricut can work with so many different materials – the possibilities are endless. If you don’t already have these tools – I encourage you to pick them up. You’ll love them.
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