Setting Up The Cricut Explore Air 2

Setting up the Cricut Explore Air 2 is really easy and you can still use all those Cricut cartridges you bought years ago.

There was a time in my life that I was really into paper scrapbooking.  I would take classes at the local scrapbook store and buy all kinds of scrapbooking supplies.  I would spend time at the die cutting machine, cutting every shape and design they had so that I could use them when I was scrapbooking at home.  My very first hand lettering class I took over 20 years ago at the scrapbooking store.

A few years later there was this awesome cutting machine called the Cricut that was out on the market.  I could buy it at the super store and plug in a handy cartridge and cut out any shape on that cartridge.  I bought that machine and would buy new cartridges with coupons from the craft store when I could.  The machine only cut 8″x 12″ designs.  But it beat spending hours at the scrapbook store cutting a bunch of shapes that I might or might not use.  I used that machine until it just stopped working.

I was super excited to learn about the Cricut Explore Air 2 and see all the awesome possibilities that I could create with one.  Cutting machines have come a long way in the last 20 years.  🙂  Although I was really excited to start using the Cricut Explore Air 2, I had all these fonts I had bought years before and didn’t want to just throw them out.

Cricut Explore Air 2

I opened the box and set my machine on my desk and plugged in the power.  I got on my computer and went to the Cricut setup page, and followed the instructions to create an account and set up the machine with my computer and the Cricut Design software.  Set up was really easy and they even include everything you need to create this cute card as your first project.  I loved seeing the Cricut Explore Air 2 in action.  It was fast, quiet, cut really smoothly and I love the addition of the pen.

Once you have finished setting up the Cricut Explore Air 2, and made your sample project included with the machine, it’s time to link any of your existing cartridges.  This feature I was super excited about since those cartridges weren’t cheap when I bought them.  When you get to the set up complete page, on the bottom left is a place to click to link your cartridges.

It will take you to the link cartridges screen that looks like this, and then it’s time to link them up to your account.

I placed the cartridge into the cartridge slot and hit link cartridge.  Once it said it was linked, I took that cartridge out and went on to the next one.  When I was done linking all my cartridges, I clicked the x in the right hand corner to close that screen.

I opened up my Cricut Design space, logged into my account and clicked on insert images on the left hand side menu.  I then clicked on cartridges to see all the cartridges I had access to.

You can search for your cartridges by name in the search bar.  On the right side of the search bar you will see a funnel.  You can click on the funnel and then click on my cartridges to be see the cartridges you have access to.

It will say my cartridges in the left hand corner.  This will show you any free cartridges available along with those you’ve purchased (which include those you’ve linked up).  And if you have a Cricut Access subscription, it will show you those cartridges included with that access.

Click on the cartridge you want to use and all the images on that cartridge will be shown.  Just click on the image you want to use for your design and then click the green button on the bottom and it will open in the design space area to adjust the size and then cut out the design.

Once you have the machine set up and your cartridges linked, you are ready to get creating.  The Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut so many different materials.  I’m excited to share more ways to use the Cricut Explore Air 2 and some fun projects that you can make at home.

Have you ever used a cutting machine?  What are some projects you’d like to see me share here using this machine?

Make sure to check back as we craft and create with the Cricut Explore Air 2.

Happy Crafting!

Liz

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.