Book Review- The Unofficial Book of Cricut Crafts: The Ultimate Guide to Your Electric Cutting Machine

The ultimate Cricut how-to book that covers everything you need to know to purchase a Cricut and use it like a pro!

Are you new to Cricut crafting? Returning after a hiatus and desperate for a refresher? Perhaps you’re an old pro looking for brand-new ideas, tips, and tricks for your crafts? Look no further than The Unofficial Book of Cricut Crafts.

Throughout the more than 300 pages of this book, author Crystal Allen will not only present you with craft ideas that embrace every awesome element of this popular cutting machine, but, perhaps most importantly, she’ll start you at the very beginning of your Cricut journey with loads of information about the different Cricut machines (Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Maker, and Cricut Joy) so you can determine which is best for you before you buy.

After you unbox your Cricut and have a general understanding of the parts of your machine, Crystal will teach you how to use Cricut Design Space and get images from Cricut Access, and then you’ll be presented with projects that use the most popular materials your Cricut can cut. These include fabric (cotton, felt, and fleece); basswood and chipboard; leather; vinyl; paper; and heat transfer vinyl. Crystal even tackles infusible ink!

Projects meant to inspire you will include step-by-step instructions and photos. They include:

Personalized leather keychains
Etched wine glasses
Engraved quote bracelets
Felt coffee cozies
Paper luminaries
Chalkboard signs
Inspirational quote pillowcases
Sleep masks
Photo puzzles
Leather headphone keepers
Infusible Ink coasters
A rag quilt
and more!

The Unofficial Book of Cricut Crafts is perfect for the first-time Cricut user, the small business owner who has been using Cricut for years, and everyone in between

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Whenever you go to the beach with kids, you’re sure to come home with some seashells and more than a little sand. Let’s use some of those treasures to make fun crafts.

This handprint craft is made with a sand-infused salt dough and some little shells from the beach. It’s a cute way to remember how little your kids were on that beach trip. Find the instructions at From Under a Palm Tree.

Here’s another take on sand dough that was used to make little ornaments and sculptures. Get the details from Pink Stripey Socks.

Moms and Crafters used air dry clay and seashells to make these cute necklaces. She used the storebought clay but you can also make your own air dry clay if you’d rather.

Crafts on Sea used a shell to make a whale, but I’m sure you could take this idea and make lots of different creatures. I love the idea of sea creatures made with shells like fish or a jellyfish or an octopus using the same method. They also have a seashell decoration made with salt dough that’s really cute and would be fun for kids to paint. Poke a hole before it dries for hanging if you want.

Or take a bunch of little shells and decorate a frame like these from Rhythms of Play. They used a handprint instead of a picture but you could also put in a picture from the beach trip.

This is probably one for the mamas to make because it uses epoxy, but I also wanted to share these cute and easy shell hair pins from Thrifty Mama Ramblings, which kids are sure to want for their mermaid pretend play.

Or how about some sensory play straight from the beach? Use store bought sand if you don’t have a beach nearby to make this beach sand slime from The Mama Notes. Thrown in some shells and kids will love playing with this one.

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Have you read?