Curious about the new Cricut Joy? Learn everything you need to know about this adorable and smart cutting machine. It will quickly become your new favorite crafting tool!
What is Cricut Joy?
Cricut Joyis Cricut's new smart cutting machine. Its sleek, compact design {it's only 8.5" wide, 5" deep, and 5" tall!} allows it to fit perfectly in any space in your home - no special craft space required! Now you can! create greeting cards, custom home decor projects, or fun personalized t-shirts in minutes from anywhere in your home.
What can I do with the Cricut Joy?
Cricut JoyIt's designed for quick and simple DIY or craft projects without all the fuss. Think of a cut, a color, an application. Whether you are an experienced crafter or just a beginner, you can easily create...
- personalized labels for water bottles, notebooks, etc.
- beautiful cards for any occasion
- DIY labels for home organization projects.
- simple home decor pieces such as wall art, coasters
- DIY home projects like large signs or wall decals using the long cuts {cuts up to 20 feet!}
- t-shirts, pillowcases, bags and towels personalized with infusible ink or thermal transfer
- and much more!
What's so special about the Cricut Joy?
There are so many features that I instantly fell in love with the Cricut Joy:
- THE DESIGN: One of the most obvious features of the Cricut Joy is its sleek, compact design. Its small size and light weight {it weighs less than 4 pounds!} let you take it virtually anywhere.
- THE MATLESS OPTION - If you've ever spent any time playing around with a cutting mat, you know how exciting this feature is! Using smart materials, you can just load and cut!
- LONG CUTS - This option is perfect for creating larger word signs or wall borders. The Cricut Joy can cut individual images up to 4.5" wide and 4 feet long and can repeat an image up to20 CAKE!
- BEAUTIFUL CARDS: I was blown away by how easy it was to make beautiful cards for any occasion in less than 5 minutes! The new card mat allows you to cut intricate designs onto a single layer of card and then you can customize it with new card inserts.
- AWESOME DIY LABELS: If you're addicted to labeling everything in your house like I am, the Cricut Joy will be your new best friend! Cricut Joy has a new line of pens and markers that can write on smart vinyl and won't smudge!
What comes with the Cricut Joy?
Cricut Joycomes with the following items:
- the smart cutting machine
- a cutting blade and a casing
- a fine-tipped black pen
- a standard grip mat
- Basic materials for a sample project.
You will also have access to the Cricut Design Space, which is the online platform where you will choose or create your designs. 50 ready-to-go projects are already loaded for you and ready to go! An easy-to-follow getting started guide is included to guide you through the process of downloading the Design Space software to your computer and/or installing the app on your phone or tablet. They will connect to your machine via Bluetooth.
Who was the Cricut Joy made for?
If you're debating which craft machine would be best for you, here are some of the top benefits of choosing the Cricut Joy. Even if you already own a Cricut Maker or an Air 2, there are definitely some Joy-unique features that make it the perfect companion for your Cricut family. The Cricut Joy is perfect for you if:
You don't have much space.
If you have a small house or very little free space available, this machine is for you! It's easy to transport with very little setup, so you can literally use it anywhere - on a desk, on your kitchen table, even sitting on your couch! When you're done, you can quickly put it away or simply store it on a shelf or end table.
You like quick and easy projects.
From the simple machine design to the ease of use of the materials - the Cricut Joy is all about quick and easy projects! I love how you can create a last-minute birthday card, spruce up your phone case or water bottle with a custom design, or create cute organizational labels. Now you don't have to let lack of time limit your creativity!
You like to create on the go.
Do you attend craft retreats or do creative nights with your friends? Now you can pack your Cricut Joy in its carrying case and take it anywhere. All you need is your phone and the Design space app!
You love making cards.
The beautiful single-cut cards and easy-to-use card-cutting mat are one of my favorite features of the Cricut Joy. I had a lot of fun mixing and matching all the entries and experimenting with the amazing designs. You can literally make a card in minutes from start to finish!
You love organization.
If you love an organized home, Joy is for you! You can create vinyl word labels for your pantry, picture labels for the kids' playroom, or custom labels for the laundry room. With the new Smart Label writable vinyl, your Cricut Joy can write or draw on vinyl with a smudge-proof finish!
You want a cutting machine that's easy to learn.
The Cricut Joy was designed for those times when you just want to keep it simple. I love my Cricut Maker for making bigger cuts, layering, and cutting through thicker materials like wood and cardstock, but sometimes I just don't need all those bells and whistles. If you're not a serious crafter but still like to get your work done every now and then, the Cricut Joy offers an easy way to bring out your creativity without overwhelming you with too many options.
Cricut Joy Questions
I know you probably have a lot of questions about the Cricut Joy, so I'll try to answer them all here. If you have others that I missed, let me know! I will continue to update this section as new questions arise.
What can I cut with the Cricut Joy?
The Cricut Joy cuts over 50 different materials, including a wide variety of vinyl, iron-on, cardstock, paper, as well as the full line of smart materials. However, it should be noted that the Cricut Joy only has one cutting blade option available, so it DOES NOT cut fabric, chipboard, wood, or other heavier materials that can be cut with the Cricut Maker.
What are smart materials?
If you are using the Cricut Joy without a mat, you will need to use materials labeled Cricut Joy Smart Materials. This allows you to load and go without all the fuss of using a cutting mat. These smart materials include:
- Smart vinyl. Smart vinyl comes in permanent and removable options. Rolls are available in over 70 colors for standard lengths. You can also buy black and white vinyl in 20-foot rolls.
- Writing paper with smart tagsyWritable vinyl with smart tag. Create custom labels in seconds - just write, cut, peel and stick! No transfer tape required. Use Cricut Joy pens with the Cricut Joy machine for a variety of different font options or write by hand.
- Smart Iron.
What other accessories are available for the Cricut Joy?
- infusible ink
- Deluxe adhesive-backed paper
- insert card sets
- card mat
- transfer tape
- Pens and markers.
- starter tool kit
- Standard Grip and Light Grip Trimming Pads {available in 12-inch and 6.5-inch lengths}
- Carrying/storage bag
- spare bladesyaccommodationThey are also available if needed.
How big can the Cricut Joy cut?
Although the Joy is small, it can still offer some pretty substantial cuts. Maximum image size is 4.5 inches x 4 feet using smart materials {since you don't need a mat}. You also have the option to repeat an image layout up to 20 feet without downloading! If using materials that require a base, you can cut up to 4.2 x 6.5 with the smaller base or 4.2 x 11.5 with the larger sheet.
Can I use my old vinyl from my Cricut Air 2 or Cricut Maker?
YES! You can definitely still use your vinyl from other Cricut cutting machines or any other cardstock or paper. All you have to do is trim it to a suitable width and use the Cricut Joy's included cutting mat.
Can I use my pens and markers from my Cricut Air 2 or Cricut Maker?
NO. The pens and markers are smaller to fit the Cricut Joy into the smaller machine size, so they are not interchangeable with the Cricut Air 2 or Cricut Maker. I like the fact that the Cricut Joy pens just need to be dropped into the box - there's no locking or clicking into place!
Where can I buy Cricut Joy?
The Cricut Joy will be available for purchase on March 1st. It will be available on Cricut.com, as well as a variety of other craft stores including Michaels, JOANN and Hobby Lobby. Current retail price is $179.99 - the cheapest clipper on the market!
Then…. what do you think? Are you excited to try it out? If you have any questions, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them. And look out for some cute Cricut Joy projects in the near future!
