One of the things I love about the Cricut Explore Air is that it’s definitely NOT your grandma’s electronic cutting tool. Yes, you can still cut letters out of cardstock if that’s what you want to use it for, but it can do so. much. more. For those of you who have owned a Cricut from the very beginning, you can still use all your old cartridges too! If I could speak to all of you who have walked down the Cricut aisle at your local Jo-Ann Craft and Fabric store, wondering if it is worth it to upgrade to the Explore, this is what I would say to you. Yes, it is an investment to buy any electronic cutting machine. But when you are ready to make that decision, you want to make sure you are getting the absolute most for your money.
With the Cricut Explore Air, not only are you getting all the standard functionality you will get with the other tools on the market… you also get the most precise cutting and drawing, the ability to cut over 60 different materials, and a totally new outlook on DIY projects. Yes, the Cricut can do everything you probably think it can do, but here are 5 projects you’d never guess were made with the Cricut Explore:
How in love are you with this lumberjack bedding? Jen from The Project Girl custom-made all of this with iron-on vinyl and her Cricut Explore! I never even thought about making a duvet with my own custom pattern… this changes everything when it comes to designing a bedroom! You have to check out all of the amazing projects in this lumberjack bedroom, including artwork, pillows, lighting and more, all made with the Cricut Explore.
This custom light is perfect for any future astronomer’s room! The Big Dipper design is found in the Cricut Design Space library, and it is a simple DIY project anyone can do!
Most Cricut users don’t think about transitioning from crafts over into fashion… but this is such a fun way to use your machine! This little black dress from Anna Rose has been completely transformed by the gold and silver glitter vinyl stripes.
One of the best features of the Cricut Explore is the list of 60+ materials it can cut, including one of my favorites, leather. Rebecca from The Crafted Sparrow made this sweet leather case for her Kindle… I want one! She also used the drawing function to create the design and lettering on the front. How cool is that??
5. Succulents & Flowers
Wow. I never would have known these were made from paper without a closer look! Aren’t these floral and plant designs by Lia Griffith simply gorgeous? No need to water your houseplants any longer!
Are you inspired to create one of these amazing projects? We have a little something to help you out… a $100 gift card to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Giveaway open until 4/8/15 at midnight, MST, U.S. Residents only.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cricut. All opinions are 100% ours!
I would love to try to make a light or one of those custom pillows!
I love the light idea, I just saw something very similar to that just a few days ago. I would definitely want to try that one! 🙂
That leather case is awesome. I had no idea a Cricut could do such cool stuff!
Love that constellation light!
I would love to do the pillow project!
It would be hard to pick a favorite but the light is very cool!
Love the bedding and Leather case!!!! <3
I have been wanting some succulents forever!!! I would so make them with the Cricut Explore Air!!
Would love to make embellishments for basic t’s for my kiddos! And cut paper flowers until my heart was content!
love the paper succulents and ranunculus!
I would love to try the constellation project for my daughter! thanks!
I love the paper succulents x
We received some old polyester dresses and my 16 fell in love we have added some features to 1 which took forever so I think it would be neat to do something like the little black dress.
The paper flowers are just so cute
I’d love to try making those paper succulents and flowers! What a fun long lasting centerpiece. Cool ideas!
I love the idea of making custom night lights. I’d definitely try that project. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would like to make the succulents and flowers because I could be assured of not killing them!
I would like to make appliques for a quilt
I have always wanted one of these! The paper ranunculus are so pretty, so I’d be making these to decorate my home and gifts.
I would love to make beautiful things with a cricut!
I would love to make some wall decor cutouts.
These are just the tip of the iceberg to what can be made with this wonderful machine!!! It is so worth getting. Thank you for this opportunity to feed my Cricut-itis.
I’d love to do the iron on vinyl and try my hand at fabric design 🙂
I would love to customize my bedroom with pillows and wall art. I imagine that the possibilities are endless… how to choose!! Be especially blessed…
I cannot believe those succulents! I would love to figure out how to make those…I’d put them everywhere!
I want to do a “welcome” vinyl for my front door
I would love to try and update a boring dress with the vinyl. The possibilities are endless!
I would definately use this for fashion embellishments/upcycles! Heck I would probably upcycle everything
The Cricut is amazing!
I would definitely try adding vinyl strips to a dress. That looks awesome!
I want one! I would love to try the five ideas you mentioned and more! Someday!!!???
I would love to make the paper succulents, they are so charming!
I would love to give the leather ipad case a try!!
I would love to make that little black dress!
Thanks for a chance to win!
I would love to try making a light for my son’s Yankees themed bedroom. Thanks for a great giveaway!
allisonpogany@gmail.com
Would love to try the succulents!
I love would to try the custom bedding!!
I would love to make some custom pillows for my back patio furniture! Also being able to make designs on my kids clothes.
Love to try more items on clothing.
I would like to try to change an old dress using my Explore.
Love the paper flowers! My soon to be sister in law wants paper flowers for her wedding this summer. I would love to make them for her!
Love this post! Thanks again friends for including my Tablet Case! xoxoxox
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! LOVE THE PAPER FLOWERS
Wow! I cannot believe how much the cricut explore does! I have to have one. I especially love the idea of embellishing clothing! Love that dress!!
The Explore never ceases to amaze me. I want to try more clothing decor with it.
Love the pillow and tablet case! Fabulous!
Well, I’m one of those grandmothers who still enjoys cutting paper, so I would use a Cricut Explore Air to make a card to brighten someone’s day. Thanks for the chance to win a Joann gift card!
Would like to try some of the paper flowers.
Would like to try making some paper flowers.
Love all of these projects…….I have been a faithful Cricut user from the beginnning and I love everything about Cricut!!!!
Love, love, love the dress. It’d be fun to try some heat transfer vinyl like the pillow!
Wow, I love that kindle case. I would love to try that one.
I would love to make stencils for glass etching.
Gotta try making the flowers…it would be perfect for my friend’s bridal shower!
So so want the kindle case!
I would love to design my upcoming wedding save the dates and invitations!
i would love to try some of these projects, so awesome!
Paper succulents or ranunculus are so pretty. Would love to have either in my living room.
I JUST LOVE THE PROJECTS
I love my explore and am planning on trying to use it to cut and emboss metal. I’ll let you know how it goes when I post my finished mixed media project
I want to try a flower
I love the pillow!
Helping a friend with her daughter’s wedding. I sure could use one of these for the monogrammed runners! Thanks so much for the opportunity – my fingers are crossed!
Love these projects. I’m going to make the succulents and put them on a twisted piece of wood I found. I’m also making all the decorations- banners, place cards, paper flowers- for a spring tea using my Explore.
I’d love to cut leather, make some bracelets
ive been wanting one of these so that I could cut appliqués for quilts!!
I love to do decorations for my sons’ rooms.
i have never had one of these, but have been told I need one. Have also been following Lia Griffen and her stuff is awesome, mostly can’t do them without a circuit. So want one!!
pillows,I LOVE PILLOWS
I would love to make a wreath out of the flowers I have seen on the Design Space!
I’m DYING to make the succulents on the new crucut explore air!! ADORBS!! Love your blog too!! Very informative and tons of great ideas!!
I want to try leather!
I got my Explore with the intent to cut paper, but I find that I use it more to cut vinyl! I am obsessed with decorating water bottles, but my favorite thing to to is cut outlines with vinyl, stick them to glass, and then use glass etching cream to create really unique items.
would love to win
i love the tablet cover. So many things to try !
I would like to make some bridal shower decorations. I love the saying on the tablet case.
Loved this post the constellation light is awesome.
The more I play with my Explore the more I fall in love with what it can do. It is an amazing machine and cuts perfectly! I just love all of your projects! I am hoping to create some more pillows using HTV, I just love the look!
i want to make a pillow. How cute are those.
I have a list of potential projects that is miles long! 🙂 First things first would be some custom pillows for my boys’ room.
I would like to make the paper Ranunuculus.
I am so amazed by the bedding and cannot believe it was made using a cricut-how FABULOUS?! I would love to create some custom bedding for my girls’ rooms, but I’m also loving those other projects, which all look pretty great. So glad you shared and appreciate the chance to win a prize too.
I’d make paper flowers for my daughter’s wedding.
I would love to try personalizing pillows! Maybe seasonal and/or monograms! Thanks for a chance to win!
I would love to try the iron on vinyl for kids clothes.
I love the tree trunk and the buffalo. Would love to make them for myself.
paper cactus flowers
I would love to use it to make some paper flowers! My fave! Thanks and God bless!
I would love to make some fun pillows or bedding.
I’d love to make pretty much everything on this list!
I love the pillow! sew cute
I would love to do any vinyl projects.
I’d love to try the constellation light sometime!
I would love to make all of these projects.
wow! I would like to design some vinyl wall designs for my kitchen.
Such fun ideas!
i am definitely going to try the bedding!! I would LOVE to create my own bedspread that will make me feel WAY more crafty!!
i would love to make a bedspread for my grandsons
This has sure given me some ideas!
Great projects. I especially like the Kindle case. Did you use the Cricut brand marker? Is it permanent on leather?
I dream of creating the flowers for my wedding reception to create a “hand-made” theme.
I would love to use this to make some decorative pillows for my home office chaise.
My next Cricut project is Street Signs for my co-workers. Anna Avenue, Bob’s Boulevard and such to decorate our cubicles.
I would love to learn to do the wooden signs and transfers onto clothing. Something like the beautiful black dress you have posted, I’m new to your blog. I just love it so far.
I love all of these projects but , I would love to try cutting wood and make a sign for my camper
I would create the succulents. They are so pretty and I am sure I could not grow any so I would make paper ones.
Mstgane
Ann
Some wall Decor
I want to make paper succulent since I alway to kill them.
Because of the Cricut Explore, I recently purchased a gently used sewing machine? What you say, this doesn’t add up. Paper…paper is what you need for the Cricut Explore. Ah not true, it cuts soooo many materials. Custom pillows is what is on the agenda for me….this from a girl who can’t sew on a button. I find the Cricut Explore is having me step out of the box and challenging me. I think I can… I think I can.
Those flowers!! <3 My heart be still- Now I want to upgrade!
I don’t have a Cricut, but I would love to get one! I would use it to make fun shapes and letters to use in the quilts I make!
I would like to make some custom pillows!
I would love to make the paper flowers to add to my shop! They would make lovely bouquets and reception decorations!
I would love to make the paper flowers to add to my shop! They would make lovely bouquets and reception decorations!
oh, I lova the flowers. How fun everything is.
I would love to make some pillows that can be used for decoration with the different seasons. Easter, Christmas and many others. I also really want to learn how to apply vinyl to a wall and a picture frame. Love those flowers too.
I would like to create home decor items using the Explore. Great way to have matching decor without breaking the bank.
Would love make some art for baby’s nursery!
I’ve always wanted to tey heat-transfer vinyl to make pillows for the kids’ playroom.
Those succulents look like something I wouldn’t kill! haha! Love the giveaway! Thanks so much for this! I am crossing my fingers and toes!
I would like to make stencils to paint my curtains
i would make cute little hanging banners for my friends bridal shower
I would love to make that dress!!
I LOVE that little black dress. I never knew you could do that on a Cricut!
i would love to make the kindle cover!
I’d love to try the pillow projects!
I’d make a bunch of the paper flowers!
I’d love to make a Subway Art project for my wall 🙂
Very inspiring projects! Thanks for sharing
I would like to make a table centerpiece for family birthdays.
I would LOVE to try the tree stump pillow, darling!!!!!!
I would love to make the constellation light for one of my boy’s rooms. He has an space theme.
I want to make awesome thank you notes.
I am just in love with succulents this year and I wanting to make those cute little plants!
Thanks for a chance to win!
I sew a lot, so the sewing projects are great, but I absolutely LOVE those paper succulents! Amazing!
I would love to make a scrapbook of the first year of my son’s life. He is 4 months old now.
My husband would LOVE the constellation light. He is a star-gazer! Night lights aren’t just for kids 🙂
I’d like to cut felt and make felt flower wall art!
I would love to make signs awesome cut outs to cheer on my kids at their sporting and band competitions!
I really want to cut a project out with balsa wood, just haven’t found the right one yet.
I would love to make the constellation light for my nephew’s room.
I love love love the leather Kindle case! I would enjoy trying to make one myself.
I would love to make the Love pillow and the Chalkboard Calendar projects.
I would definitely have make a ton of the paper ranunculus flowers for my sister’s bridal shower!
I’d start easy…doing some pop-out creations for my students’ project boards. They could always use a bit of help.
I love the pillows. They would be fun to make.
I would make some wall art.
I would like to try decorating a dress!
Dirty Dr. Pepper! Awesome
Would love to do the iPad case
I really like the Paper Ranunculus and would love to try to make them!
I love the light.
I would use it to make greeting cards and holiday decorations.
Would love to make that dress – dreamy!
The paper flowers! Just amazing!
something with felt!
I would like to win one of these ! I would used alot for sewing andcrafting . Lynn Roberts