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Review

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – Is it Still Good? (2023)

6 · Dec 25, 2022 · Leave a Comment

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is the most popular machine in the Cricut brand of cutting machines, according to their website. It’s a popular choice for crafters, with the capability to create unique greeting cards, party decorations, custom t-shirts, home decor, and so much more. 

This machine can cut over 100 different materials, such as cardstock, adhesive vinyl, iron-on, glitter paper, window cling material, faux leather, and others. It can even cut some fabrics; perfect for anyone who enjoys sewing and quilting.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is impressive right out of the box. It comes in a variety of attractive colors, in case you want the machine to complement your craft room decor.

It’s a fairly large machine, measuring 24″ wide by 9.5″ tall, with a depth of 9.5″. It weighs approximately 12 pounds.  Because this is a large, somewhat heavy machine, you’ll want to set it up on a strong stable surface. 

Short Verdict of this machine…

Get it instead of the Cricut 3. The Cricut Air 2, especially the bundle, is the way to go.

What Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 Come With?

When you purchase an Explore Air 2, you’ll get the following:

  • The Explore Air 2 machine
  • Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing to hold the blade
  • A fine-point black Cricut pen
  • 12” X 12” LightGrip Cricut Machine Mat (this is suitable for most cutting projects)
  • USB cable and power adapter
  • Cricut Welcome Book and start-up instructions
  • Materials for a small practice project
  • One Year Limited Warranty information
  • Free trial membership to Cricut Access

 

The included Welcome Book outlines the basic features of the machine and what it can do. It also has a useful quick reference guide with easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations.

Of course, to start crafting with your machine you’ll need to purchase more materials, and maybe a few basic accessories. Instead of trying to decide what supplies you need to buy separately, Cricut sells this machine in a couple of different bundled packages that include a variety of materials and tools. These bundle packages are a great value, and you’ll have what you need to start creating right away.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Features

The Explore Air 2 is a versatile machine, with wide capabilities. Here are the Explore Air 2’s basic features:

Versatility

The most prominent feature of the Explore Air 2 might simply be how versatile it is! This machine can cut over 100 types of materials. It can also draw, write, score, and add foil accents to paper crafts.

The Explore Air 2 comes with the Premium Fine-Point Blade, made of German carbide steel, which is good for most card stock, vinyl, and iron-on materials. This long-lasting blade provides potentially dozens of precision cuts. You can purchase replacements when the original blade gets dull, and they’re easy to replace in the blade housing.

Additionally, you can purchase specialty blades, such as the Deep Point Blade for cutting faux leather, cardboard, and craft foam, or the Bonded-Fabric Blade to cut fabric pieces. Another accessory that adds to this machine’s versatility is the foiling tool. With this tool and foil sheets, you can add eye-catching metallic accents to your crafts.

Easy To Use Smart Set Dial

In order to set the blade to the proper pressure for different materials, all you have to do is turn a dial. It’s that easy! The Smart Set Dial on the Explore Air 2 has settings for the most commonly used materials, as well as a “custom” setting.  When you load your materials into the machine, just adjust the dial for whatever material you are cutting.

The custom setting on the dial is used in conjunction with Cricut Design Space software to create your own material descriptions and settings.

The custom setting is especially useful if you’re using non-Cricut brand materials that might work best with different cutting settings than the standardized Cricut material settings.

2X Fast Mode For Cutting

The Explore Air 2 has a “fast mode” option that works beautifully with thinner materials such as cardstock, paper, and vinyl. It cuts twice as fast as the previous Cricut machine models.

This can be a huge time saver, as large projects can take quite a bit of time to cut. It’s also handy if you’re making multiples of one project. 

Setting the machine to use the fast mode feature is as easy as clicking on a button when you’re setting up your project for cutting in Design Space software.

Fast Mode doesn’t work as well for very intricate cuts. In that case, you’ll get better results by cutting at the normal speed, even if it does take a little bit longer.

Another thing to keep in mind when using Fast Mode is that the machine does sound louder when this feature is used. It’s not an unreasonable noise level, but it’s good to keep in mind if you need a quieter work environment.

Double Tool Clamps

Another useful time-saving feature is the double tool clamps. With two clamps, you can load a Cricut pen in one clamp, and your cutting blade in the other clamp, and the machine will perform the cutting and draw/write functions without interruption. There is no need for you to pause and switch out the tools in the middle of your project.

The double tool clamps can also be used to hold the scoring stylus (sold separately). This is great if you’re making cards or decorations that need to be folded and assembled. The machine will cut your project, and score along any fold lines in one process.

Tool Storage

A small, but useful feature is a compartment on top of the machine to hold your tools. Cricut sells a variety of tools to assist with your Cricut craft projects. The tool storage compartment easily holds tweezers, a Cricut weeding tool, extra pens, small scissors, and more.

Compatibility With Cricut Cartridges

Older Cricut machines had data cartridges to store your projects and image files, instead of utilizing the cloud-based Design Space software. If you had one of these older machines, the Explore Air 2 has a cartridge port, so you can link your old cartridges to Design Space. 

How Does the Cricut Explore Air Work?

To get started with your Explore Air 2, you’ll need Cricut Design Space, their managing software. Design Space is online software that works anywhere you can get an internet connection. 

Software updates are done automatically on a regular basis, both to fix any software bugs and introduce fun new design features.  

Cricut Design Space is very user-friendly, and not at all difficult to learn. If you have a basic familiarity with any designing or graphic software, you’ll be using Design Space like a pro in no time.

Otherwise, new users can go to learn.cricut.com for excellent tutorials on how to use all the features of Design Space. Don’t let the thought of learning new software intimidate you; it is quite intuitive.

In addition to the thousands of files already available on Design Space, you can also upload your own SVG (scalable vector graphics) files to make your own one-of-a-kind projects.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

The Design Space homepage is where you’ll find files and project ideas for your machine. The “canvas” page is the workspace where you can customize and make your project, or where you can play around with your own designs. Once you have your design just the way you like it on your canvas, you simply click the “make it” button, then follow the on-screen instructions for your machine.

Buttons on top of the Explore Air 2 control loading the materials, when to begin cutting, and then unloading the materials when done. The buttons light up when you need to press each one; it couldn’t be much easier!

Design Space connects to your machine via a Bluetooth connection, so there is no need to plug the machine into your computer or mobile device. It is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled desktop computer or laptop, and there is even a version for use with tablets and cell phones.

Design Space is free for any Cricut user.

There are hundreds of free projects and images available, and literally thousands that can be purchased for very low costs. If you don’t want to purchase files individually, there is a subscription service known as Cricut Access.

Subscriptions to Cricut Access start as low as $9.99 a month, and you get access to literally thousands of images, projects, and fonts.  When you purchase a new Cricut machine, new subscribers can get a free 30-day trial membership to Cricut Access. This is a great way to decide if the paid subscription option is something you’ll make good use of.

How Much Does a Cricut Explore Air 2 Cost?

A Cricut Explore Air 2 has a regular price of  $249.99 on the Cricut website. That may seem like a sizeable investment for a hobby, but when you consider all the capabilities this machine has to offer, it is not an unreasonable price. Cricut machines are also available at most major craft supply stores. The Cricut website frequently has these machines on sale, so it’s a good idea to check for good deals.

Cricut also sells the Explore Air 2 in bundles that include a variety of tools and supplies. The “Essentials Bundle” is regularly priced at $383.42, and includes the machine plus various material samples, mats, and tools.

The “Everything Bundle” has a regular price of $497.82, and includes an even larger amount of material samples, mats, and various tools/accessories.

These bundles are only available on the Cricut website, and they do frequently go on sale. While purchasing a bundle is still a sizeable cost, it’s a better deal than separately buying a machine, tools, and materials to get started. 

Cricut Support and Community

Buying a Cricut machine is a sizeable expense, and before you buy one you might be wondering such things as “who can help me if my machine isn’t working properly?”, or “how can I get help with Design Space?”

Fortunately, Cricut has toll-free phone numbers for every region where they sell Cricut products. Although the time on hold can be a little bit long at times, their friendly representatives are very knowledgeable and helpful.

They’ll help troubleshoot any technical issues with the machines or walk you through anything you’re trying to accomplish on Design Space. If the hold times on the phone lines are excessively long, there is an option for a representative to call you back.

In addition to the excellent telephone help, the Cricut website has resources for all their products. There is also a Cricut YouTube channel that is filled with videos showcasing everything from how to use their products, to instructions for specific projects. If you are a visual learner, these videos make it easy to see exactly how to use your machine, as well as how to navigate the Design Space software.

For more useful yet social interactions, there are official Cricut Facebook groups where members can exchange ideas, ask questions and share crafting tips, and show off their creations.

Is The Cricut Explore Air 2 Right for You?

While there are other cutting machines on the market that perform similar functions as the Explore Air 2, and at a comparable price, most of them don’t have the versatility and cutting power of this machine.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

If you enjoy making cards and decorations for your home, or maybe want to make custom t-shirts for your friends and family, you’ll be thrilled with the Explore Air 2.

This is also a good choice for teachers to use to create classroom decorations and fun supplies for their students. Small business owners who sell their art and handmade creations can use the Explore Air 2 to make personalized packaging for their products. The Explore Air 2 is an excellent choice for any creative person. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Online Sewing School Reviews

3 · Aug 28, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Looking for online sewing classes? It can be really confusing which sewing school to sign up for. Lucky for you, I’ve been a member of around 10 different online sewing schools and taken a lot of classes, so I’m going to review them here for you and link to the full reviews.

Short on time? Check out these Key Takeaways

  • Craftsy offers the best online sewing classes for  most people
  • Vintage Sewing School is amazing if you like Evelyn Wood
  • Avoid Sew it Academy completely
  • Creativebug is ok but isn’t as good as Craftsy

Get Craftsy Now

What Makes Good Online Sewing Classes?

I think the things you need for good online sewing classes are a fair price, new classes every week or month, good instructors, and sewing classes related to your current ability.

If you’re a beginner in sewing most of the online classes would be helpful. But, which one would actually be the best? Most of the time this is really up to you.

Best Sewing Classes for Beginners

I have to go with Craftsy as the number one and the Vintage Sewing school as the number two. The reason for this is that Craftsy just has SO many classes for beginners that are easy to follow. The second would be Evelyn Wood’s Vintage Sewing School. She is great for beginners and goes into a lot of depth on the basics. In fact, she probably has over 50 hours dedicated to just the extreme basics of sewing.

Which Online Sewing Classes are the Best?

This is a bit subjective but I can give you my answers below based on your needs. Do you like a specific instructor? Do you want the cheapest course because money is tight? It really depends on what you want out of your sewing classes. Are you a beginner in sewing or are you looking for advanced classes? Anyways, you understand what I mean by it being subjective. Below are my opinions on some of the more popular sewing schools.

Craftsy

I think Craftsy is the best overall online sewing school and offers the best classes for most people. They have so many different classes and options of instructors. The only way I’d suggest signing up for anything else is if you just truly like some other online personalities and want to take their classes instead. You can read the full Craftsy Review here.

Get Craftsy Now

 

Vintage Sewing School

Evelyn Wood is a great person and her classes are awesome too. She is bubbly and fun and makes learning a breeze. Her online school is priced well but she’s not for everyone. If you like her personality as I do, then you’ll find her classes amazing. You can read the full Vintage Sewing School Review here.

Sew It Academy

I really can’t recommend Sew it Academy to anyone. I think it’s just a thrown-together business that focuses all of its energy on marketing. The owner, Mimi G, seems more caught up in being a famous business person that makes a lot of money instead of having the best sewing classes. You can read the full Sew it Academy Review here.

CreativeBug

Creativebug sewing classes are great overall. The only problem is that I think Craftsy is better and Craftsy has more classes and options. If you just want more content than Craftsy has to offer then I’d definitely sign up with Creativebug too. You can read the full CreativeBug review here.

How Much Are Online Sewing Classes?

The prices for online sewing classes are all similar. Most are between $10 per month and $20 per month. If you really like sewing and it’s a great hobby for you then the price is very cheap. Where else can you get 20 hours of entertainment for so cheap? Craftsy and Creatviebug are probably the cheapest online courses if you buy the monthly membership. Their one-off classes are a little more expensive though.

Final Verdict

All online sewing classes aren’t created equally. Taking a local class may be hit or miss but there’s no reason to limit your options to local if you want to do it online. As you can tell I think Craftsy is probably the best online sewing school for most people out there but you can also go with Evelyn’s school if you like her personality.

Get Craftsy Now

 

BB Frosch Reviews – Is it Worth it or Worthless?

36 · Aug 21, 2022 · Leave a Comment

I used to travel the country as a BB Frosch representative. But, not anymore. Now I can finally give an honest review of BB Frosch and their entire lineup.

I think most of the products are high-quality, but will they work for exactly what you need it for? Scroll to the product you’re looking for a review of and see what the verdict is.

Key Takeaways

  • BB Frosch Paint transformer is great
  • If you’re thinking about buying it then get it!

Get BB Frosch Here

What is BB Frösch?

BB Frösch is a company that sells paint-transforming products and accessories. They offer painting kits, brushes, wax, and powders that you can add to regular paint. What they really specialize in is the paint transformers. The paint transformers are powders you add to regular paint to get chalk paint or mineral paints. In this BB Frosch review, I’ll be covering the paint transformers the most.

BB Frosch Paint Transformer  Powder Review

There are quite a few benefits to using BB Frosch chalk paint powder. This product makes it so you can turn any kind of paint into chalk paint. This means you can use any color you want. There are no health hazards with it either like the homemade powder that some people promote online. Do NOT make your own chalk paint powder at home because it can be very dangerous for your health.

Get BB Frosch Here

Is BB Frosch Chalk Paint Transformer Worth the Cost?

It’s cheaper than pre-mixed chalk paint. The cost of the powder to mix up to one gallon is under $40. A gallon of normal chalk paint is around $160 and you can mix your own chalk paint by using BB Frosch for under $60. That’s $100 of savings!

The price of it fluctuates sometimes because of how crazy the economy is right now so I don’t want to say exactly how much it is. Their paint transformer will leave you with more chalk paint for a lower price. All of the pre-made chalk paints are so expensive! There’s not really a benefit of using the premade chalk paint either. Why not get more for less?

One of the main questions people are always asking about BB Frosch is…

Does BB Frosch Chalk Paint Powder Really Work?

Short answer, yes. There aren’t really any problems with using this paint transformer to create your own. The purpose of using chalk paint in the first place is to avoid prep work. This means no priming, no sanding, and no stripping. Then, you want a nice chalk-paint-looking finish too, right? Well, this is exactly what you get with BB Frosch. As I mentioned before, I used to travel around the country as a representative for the company. I would NOT have done this if their products didn’t work.

Get BB Frosch Here

Want to see some BB Frosch projects that I’ve done over the years? Yes? I thought you might! I’ve painted so many things with chalk paint powder and I’m going to share some photos with you below.

I have so many more photos that I could share with you but I’m having a hard time finding them. These should be enough to give you an idea that BB Frosch does actually work!

Get BB Frosch Here

What about the BB Frosch Wax?

Well, this is how you know I’m being honest and not getting paid to say this. The BB Frosch Premium Wax is not really for me. It kind of gave me a headache because the smell is strong. The product itself is good but I don’t use it anymore.

I would recommend using Jolie Wax instead. It was cheaper and it didn’t give me a headache.

Get BB Frosch Here

The premium wax is eco-friendly and does a good job. You probably won’t ever have to re-wax anything that you use it on again. I really just can’t get over the headaches from the smell.

 

BB Frosch – The Final Verdict

Their products are great overall. I would definitely get the BB Frosch Chalk Paint Powder but I’d skip out on the wax if you’re sensitive to smell. The paint transformer is such a game-changer when it comes to painting furniture or any DIY project at home. Not having to prep everything to paint it is great. The paint powder helps cover everything evenly and you don’t have to put a protective coat over it if you don’t want to.

Rebecca Page Pattern Reviews – Maybe They Just Don’t Cut It

2 · Aug 12, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Rebecca Page, the person, seems to be a good person overall. But, the business and the customer service leave a lot to be desired. Read the rest of this article to find out why and to see where you should sign up instead of at RebeccaPage.

What is Rebecca Page?

Rebecca Page is a designer/craft blogger who has had a lifelong passion for sewing. In fact, she tells the story on her website of being an 8-year-old little girl who dreamed of sewing her own wedding dress someday. Now, her online business features sewing and other crafting patterns, tutorials and classes, and a monthly subscription service for her sewing patterns.

On the Rebecca Page website, you’ll find links to sewing patterns, crochet patterns, craft ideas, tutorials and classes, blog articles, and shopping links for fabric and notions. Also on her website is an option to subscribe to her patterns, so you’ll have access to one free pattern each month. 

If you’re short on time I’ll say this…

I would skip Rebecca-Page’s subscription. I’ve written reviews of other pattern sites and schools that I like much better. You can find one of those reviews here.


What’s Included In A Rebecca Page Subscription?

When you subscribe to Rebecca Page’s Sewing Patterns, you get one “pattern credit” each month. One “pattern credit” allows you to purchase and download any pattern from the website. New patterns are released each month, but if the new releases aren’t appealing you can choose from any sewing pattern available. If you don’t want to purchase any patterns in a given month, you just save your credits. They’ll remain in your account for 365 days from when you receive them. 


Home Much Does A Rebecca Page Subscription Cost?

There are three price options for a subscription to Rebecca Page Sewing Patterns.

The monthly option is $10 a month, and it is automatically rebilled on a monthly basis. With this option, you are paying $10 for one “pattern credit” a month; essentially this means you’re paying $10 per pattern. If you decide not to continue the subscription, you can cancel at any time.

The six-month option is $48, and is automatically rebilled every 6 months. This price works out to paying just $8 per month, or $8 for each pattern. This option also allows you to cancel at any time before the end of your billing cycle.

The twelve-month option is $78, and is automatically rebilled every 12 months. This price is equal to paying $6.50 each month, or $6.50 for each sewing pattern. Like the other subscription options, you can cancel at any time. The price of $6.50 for a sewing pattern is a great value, but definitely browse through the pattern selections to see if Rebecca Page’s style is right for you before committing to this plan.

If you decide to cancel your subscription, it can be done at any time before your next billing cycle. If you have a 6-month or 12-month subscription, they do not issue refunds for unused subscription time or any unused pattern credits you haven’t spent. Any unused pattern credits will remain in your account until you use them, or until they expire.

Rebecca Page Patterns

Rebecca Page has sewing patterns primarily for women’s clothing. Her styles are very feminine, featuring flowing styles accented with ruffles and other “girly” design touches. Most of the clothing designs are more suited to casual and “weekend wear”, so if you are looking for patterns for office attire or to build a “professional capsule wardrobe” you might not find as many styles that appeal to you. Many of the designs seem to be styled for younger women, so a more mature woman might not find as many appealing patterns.

The women’s clothing patterns from Rebecca Page are definitely inclusive to a variety of body types, with many styles having a fit range from XXS to 5XL. She has also designed patterns for little girls that match some of her women’s clothing styles, making for adorable  “Mommy and Me” outfit options. There are even doll clothes patterns to match some outfits!

There is also a section of sewing patterns that are suitable for maternity and nursing clothing. This is a niche that many sewing pattern subscription services don’t always pay attention to.

In addition to the women’s clothing patterns, which are definitely the majority, there are numerous patterns for children (mostly girls) and men’s clothing available also.

You’ll find sewing patterns from Rebeca Page for more than clothing. There are also patterns for accessories like tote bags and pouches. There are also patterns to create home decor items and soft children’s toys.   

Rebecca Page Classes and Tutorials

Rebecca Page has an extensive amount of video classes and tutorials available on her website. These are not included with a subscription, but most of them are reasonably priced. You can complete them on your own time, at your own pace, and rewatch them as much as you’d like.

There are also video sew-along tutorials for many of her clothing patterns. The sew-alongs are free; you’ll just need to purchase her pattern to go with it. If you are a beginner at sewing, it might be useful to watch a sew-along video before buying a particular pattern, just to see if you think it’s within your range of expertise. When you sign up for a sew-along tutorial, you’ll also be invited to join the private Sew-Along Facebook group. 

 

Is A Subscription To Rebecca Page Patterns Right For You?

Now that we’ve described most of what you will find on Rebecca Page’s website, are you still trying to decide if you should get a pattern subscription? Here are some things to consider.

Rebecca Page sewing patterns are good quality and come in a wide range of sizes. As mentioned earlier in this article, her women’s clothing designs are very feminine and youthful. They’re very size-inclusive, and reviews online are quite favorable. However, before committing to a subscription, browse through the patterns and see if her designs are something you or your family members would enjoy wearing.

Some of her sewing patterns for accessories, such as tote bags and zippered pouches, are cute, but very similar patterns can be found online for free from various crafting websites.

Other than the private Facebook group, there is no online social community for Rebecca Page subscribers. Facebook groups can be fun, but it would be nice to have a social community right on her webpage, similar to what other sewing pattern websites have done.

If you’d like to try a Rebecca Page sewing pattern, you don’t need to sign up for a subscription. You can directly buy any of the patterns on her website. The retail prices range from $10.50 to $16.50. You don’t have to be a subscriber to buy any of her online classes or download the sew-along tutorials, either.

One possible downside to purchasing Rebecca Page sewing patterns (or any online sewing patterns for that matter) is that you’ll need access to a printer for your pattern. Once you buy a pattern, you’ll receive a digital file to download, which you’ll then need to print and piece together to use.

 

Another downside to any sewing pattern subscription is that you end up buying multiple patterns from one single designer. It limits the variety of your wardrobe pieces.

While Rebecca Page designs are very pretty, overall they might not be “right” if you’re wanting to sew a wardrobe of professional/business attire.

Before joining any pattern subscription service, you should decide if you’ll wear numerous clothing items from that designer, especially when the designer has a distinctive style. For more variety in your wardrobe items, and for the ease of not having to print patterns yourself, Joann Fabrics has a large selection of patterns from long-established companies, such as Butterick and McCall’s. Joann Fabrics also has a large selection of online and in-person classes at very affordable prices. 

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Heather from Whipperberry
Hello... my name is Heather and I'm the creator of WhipperBerry a creative lifestyle blog packed full of great recipes and creative ideas for your home and family. I find I am happiest when I'm living a creative life and I love to share what I've been up to along the way... Come explore, my hope is that you'll leave inspired!

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