Of all the things on my hypothetical pandemic bingo card, a Cricut would NOT have been on it. Who would have thought any of us would have a hypothetical pandemic bingo card, but 2020 doing what 2020 does best, this is where I am.
I honestly don’t know why I went down this path, but it was somewhat of a whim. I was feeling the pressure of the pandemic boredom/depression setting in, so I needed an outlet. I do not draw. I do not paint. I do not do most of the typically “creative” things that artists do, so I needed something that I could do that would bypass the need for 10 years in art school.
I cant remember which video it was specifically, but one night I came across a video for a Cricut and it intrigued me. It seemed like I could bypass the actual creation part of the creative process and just focus on the assembly & construction part.
After watching a ton of YouTube videos and searching all the deal sites for the best deal, I took the plunge and jumped into the semi-deep end with a Cricut Explore Air 2 in late August. I ended up buying it directly from Cricut with a discount for being a Cricut Access member (a monthly service that gives you access to a TON of Cricut projects for $10/month).
Of course, I spent the next few weeks figuring it out and buying SO MANY supplies: paper, adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, cutting mats, blank bags, totes, etc. All in all, it has worked out nicely and I have been able to make some fun crafts as well as some gifts for Christmas. I’ve even started to create my own designs for projects. Yeah…that “creation” part I felt so incapable of has started to happen.
As a creative endeavor, it has been a wonderful experience and I’d recommend anyone thinking about it, to jump in. It will be overwhelming and challenging, but there is a very large and active community out there on the internet – from YouTube to blogs to support forums – all available with free help. Take your time and learn what you need to as you go because the journey is part of the fun.
I’m toying with the idea of setting up a shop on Etsy, but that will come in time. Right now, it’s fun to explore a creative hobby and see what I’m capable of. I’ll share more projects in the future as well as the tips I’ve learned along the way.