The new Cricut Explore Machine!
I had the honor of attending the launch party for the new Cricut Explore digital cutting machine. It was an amazing event, and I’m still in awe of all the creative details that went into this unforgettable party. Before I share all my favorites from the event, I’m so excited to tell you all about the new machine!
Not only does it cut lots of different materials with just a turn of the dial, it can also score and write with a pen at the same time.
The entire Cricut team has been working like crazy for the past 18 months on this new cutting machine: the Cricut Explore. With the new one touch setting and easy to use software, Cricut Explore will be leading the industry when it comes to digital cutting machines.
The new software is so user friendly you can easily choose your project background and get a full preview of how the end product will turn out before you buy any of their designs. It also has Bluetooth capability and an iPad app (so cool!) The bluetooth adapter will be sold separately.
The image library contains over 50,000+ images. There is a preview mode that allows you to see it before you buy an image. It also supports SVG files which is so neat. Now you can cut out the images that YOU design!
This new machine will retail for $299, and it comes with a free tote bag for easy portability and storage, access to Cricut Design Space (the new software), 50 FREE projects, and a sketch pen. You get access to their image library of over 50,000+ designs. Each image will be $0.99. OR you can purchase a monthly subscription for $9.99 and have unlimited access to 25,000 images and 200 fonts. The $9.99 monthly subscription is DEFINITELY the way to go if you’ll be downloading more than 10 images per month.
It will go on sale on HSN on February 12th and available in stores by the end of March.
One of the coolest things I learned about the new machine was for people who own the older Cricut machines along with a bunch of cartridges. The good news to Cricut users who have a bunch of cartridges is that you can stick your cartridges into the machine one time and it will digitally store and remember all the designs that you own with each cartridge. This way you can easily have access to all of your designs.
Probably the biggest selling factor for me when it comes to the new Cricut Explore, is the amazing team behind it. For 24 quick hours, all of us who attended this amazing launch party were wowed and amazed by their kindness and creativity. I’m excited to work with them and share projects using this new machine.
Here’s a bunch of my favorite details from the big event:
Ashish Arora the CEO and President of Cricut is such a positive down to earth guy. You can just tell everyone at Cricut loves working with him.
*with Ashish Arora, Jamielyn of I Heart Naptime and Linda of Craftaholics Anonymous
When we arrived for the opening dinner, they had this amazing photo wall with a favorite project shared on each of our sites. We took a polaroid picture and then pinned it to our photo.
Here’s my photo they chose from a Halloween printable I shared last October.
They also had a place card wall to let you know what table you’d be sitting at. I loved all the big statement walls. It was so neat!
These chargers that sat underneath our plates had been made using the new Cricut Explore. In fact, almost everything was made using this new machine.
I had to take a picture of the dessert…love Creme Brûlée.
We played a few games of BINGO for some fun prizes.
Along with the Cricut creative team, they hired Amorology event planners to help design all the party decor. Everything was so beautiful! I snapped this towards the end of the night, so most of the pies were already gone, but this pie station was too cute. I love the backdrop.
When we arrived to register, they had warm pretzels: sweet and savory. The labels were made with the Cricut Explore (of course!).
Okay…on Day 2 they had 3 amazing rooms with different crafts and the new machines set up to test out in each room. I loved the decor in each room all highlighting the different projects that can be made with the new machine. Here’s the California room: all about the beach…
In every image, there is a DIY project made with the new machine.
Next up…the Utah Room. I loved how each room had a different feel to it. The Utah room was like a rustic cabin.
Last up the New York room: The New York room was all about fashion. They had three handmade dresses using paper, fabric and leather…all made with the new Explore.
How beautiful is this dress made of paper butterflies?!
On display all the different mediums that the new machine will cut. The creativity is really endless.
I can’t say enough thank you’s to Cricut and their team. What an honor to be there for their big reveal. Thank you Mallie, and everyone who put so much into such a fun party. I was blown away and I can’t wait to start creating with the new Explore.
Phew…this is a big post…so much to share. If you’re still reading, I hope you’re as excited about this new machine as I am. If you have any questions about the new Cricut Explore, ask away in the comment section!
Take a look at these neat videos:
Cricut Explore from Design Partners on Vimeo.
