Cricut Joy - A Guide for Beginners

Are you thinking about purchasing a Cricut Joy, or maybe you've just purchased one and you're not sure where to start? In this beginner's guide, we take you through all the different ways in which you can use a Cricut Joy to take your crafting to the next level, make fun professional-looking projects, and save you time cutting out intricate designs.  Once you have mastered the basics this little die-cutting machine will definitely bring a smile to your face, it's very aptly named the 'Joy' and is marketed as 'your new DIY best friend'. Let's find out why!

What is the Cricut Joy

The Cricut Joy is a digital die-cutting machine that both cuts and writes using blade and pen attachments. It's the smallest machine of the Cricut range, yet it offers some of the same great features of the larger more expensive die-cutting machines in the range.

How does the Cricut Joy work?

The Cricut Joy connects to your smartphone, pc or laptop using Bluetooth. The projects are all created on the Cricut Design Space software and then sent to your Cricut Joy for cutting or drawing. You simply switch between a blade or pen to cut or draw your designs. You can cut multiple different materials, vinyl, fabric, adhesive sheets for making stickers or cardstock. It states that this powerful little machine can cut 50 different types of materials, offering you a huge array of projects to try.

What can the Cricut Joy do?

With the Cricut Joy you can make so many projects -

• Cards, create die-cut or drawn designs
• Invitations for parties or weddings
• Place cards for dinner parties or weddings
• Labels for jars or drawers, packed lunch boxes
• Adhesive vinyl decals for walls, mugs, water bottles, anything you can think of that needs decorating!
• Iron-on decals for clothing and accesories
• Party decorations and banners

What are the key benefits of the Cricut Joy?

• The key benefit is the size. This offers maximum flexibility in your craft room and you could even pop this in a carry bag and easily take it to a craft workshop or on holiday if you want to relax and craft while away. The Cricut Air 2 and the Cricut maker are both larger machines, similar in size to an inkjet printer.
• It's electronic, so there are no handles to crank, this is great if you find manual die-cutting machines hard work.
• The Cricut can cut long continuous materials so whilst limited with the width you can achieve wider designs by turning your designs lengthways.
• You can customise all the ready to go projects or just use them as they are for super quick designs
• The Cricut Joy has been designed to be compact but also extremely user friendly and there are lots of Cricut experts and groups you can join to get support with your new machine.

Can you get free Cricut Joy designs?

Yes! It's really easy to find thousands of free images you can use on the design software as well as uploading your own, you simply have to use the filters and you have so many to choose from. Just be sure to check if you are planning on selling your work that the images can be used for that.

What does Cricut Joy come with?

• Cricut Joy™
• Mat
• Pen
• Cord
• Starter material
• Let's Get Started Instruction

Where can I get the best offers on Cricut Joy accessories?

At CraftStash we offer some great bundles which mean you get more and save when purchased together.

We have multiple bundles available with the Cricut Joy, with carry bags, additional starter tool sets - Browse Cricut Joy Bundle Offers

You can also rely on us to have the best prices on Cricut accessories and materials

• Cricut Joy replacement blades
• Cricut Joy Mats - the sticky mat which keeps your materials in place for cutting
• Cricut Joy vinyl - there are so many colours available
• Cricut Joy tool sets - extra tools to make lifting pieces from your die-cut materials easier, spatula, weeder and scraper.
• Cricut Joy iron-on material - make slogans and designs for T-shirts, aprons, bags and more
• Cricut Joy insert cards - cut a design on the front and reveal the colour at the back - they come with matching envelopes.
• Cricut Joy pen sets - your Cricut can draw - find all the colours and pen widths you need
• Cricut Joy transfer tape - make your vinyl stick to any surface with this extra grippy tape

Find all Cricut Joy Machines and Accessories at CraftStash

How do you install the Cricut Joy software?

The Cricut Joy software is called Cricut Design Space Software. When you get your new die-cutting machine you will need to install this software on your smartphone or computer (or both). Click here to install the software on your computer - Install Cricut Joy Software

On installation, this software becomes a start up guide taking you through every step of creating your first design with your new Cricut Joy.

Official Cricut Joy User Guide

Go to Cricut Machine User Guides for the in-depth guides for setting up and working on your new Cricut Joy, this also includes multiple videos for getting you started and learning new things you can make with your Cricut Joy.

Cricut Joy User Guide

Is the Cricut design Space Software easy to use?

In this video you can see how easy it is to browse through all the designs on the Cricut Design Space software.

Be sure to check out all the great help videos available!

Starting and Saving a project with Cricut Joy

How to create a pop up card with your Cricut Joy

How to create a vinyl label with your Cricut Joy

How to create an iron-on T-shirt with Cricut Joy

Let us know in the comments if you have any questions about the powerful little Cricut Joy Die-cutting machine, or if you have one already tell us how ypu are getting on or share a pic and tag us on one of our social channels with a project you have made.

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Find all Cricut Joy Machines and Accessories at CraftStash