Hello Everyone,

Well I did it, I went ahead and did it. I feel wrong and dirty after buying it. (Shiver) I bought the Cricut Explore 1. (an out cry of a thousand whiles sound out). I wasn’t able to find the testers I needed for all the SVG I have waiting in the wing. And I need to have more items put into my store.uniquedesignsbymonica.com ASAP. With no other options I looked on the inter webs and found one.

You just don’t understand the hardship it is working with Cricut. The fact I started off with a 6 x 12 little machine, with its many expansive and expensive cartridges. Oh the money I dished out. Then I got a second machine 6 x 12 to have my family help me with the many orders I was getting for embellishments. Soon after they introduced a 12 x 12 which I also got rather then cutting my paper unnecessary.  (oh the shame..)

Then they introduced Cricut Design Space which allowed me to cut my own images with the 12 x 12 mat. It was amazing again and all was well with the world. Until 2016 -2017 hit and they where announcing “some changes”. I didn’t care, I can work on my own designs, I don’t need  a new Cricut Machine. You can keep your fancy Expression 2, your Mini, your Explore Air and your Air 2. No thank you I don’t need your Maker, what I have is just fine.

Then I moved to Tennessee, thinking the world was nothing but roses and cupcakes. Then it happened my machine won’t connect to Design Space. Why? Did I break my Cricut? No it seems fine? What is going on? So I called Cricut Support and they give me the bad news. “Sorry Cricut Design Space no longer supports that model”.

After so much money, after so much time. They pull the plug on my simple 12 x 12 Expression. It was just a few years old, its not like I  need blue tooth or a fancy gizmos to make it work. It was perfect! Out with the old and in with the new by force. You want to use the Cricut Design Space you need to get with the program otherwise you have to find other means.  Which I did…. but alas with no response.

But thankfully not at a $400 price tag. I went on to Facebook Marketplace where these nice ladies from Beachbum Farms in Kentucky sold me a slight used one for $100 bucks. By the way if your looking for some embroidery or super cute cups check them out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BeachbumFarms/ .

Its a bittersweet getting this machine. I’m discussed with myself that Cricut forced me to get this machine in order to use there online services. But at least it was cheap enough to swallow my pride for me to continue to work on my SVG’s.

Take my advice if you are a newbie and are looking for a cutting machine that wont steer you wrong choose a Silhouette Cameo.  One with a 12 x 12 mat, you will never have to play for cartridges, you will never have to upgrade to a new machine every 6 to 7 years, and you will never have to go on to the internet to use it.  Because its software based an the only reason you would need to go on the internet is to get an upload or if you want to buy an SVG from their store. But honestly why would you want to, when you can get it for free on https://lovesvg.com/.