This easy DIY project turns old forks, spoons and knives into garden stakes!
I used the Cricut Explore Air 2 to print some cute little labels onto vinyl and upcycle regular household goods into a totally giftable item.
You've heard me rave about my Cricut Maker as the absolute must-have die cut machine for a farmhouse. But what about families whose needs are a little simpler? Or people looking to get started? Or people traveling in an RV? Yup, we have a solution for all you totally-nimble folks or those who aren't quite ready to put Cricut Maker-level roots down. Want a way to tread into the waters of Cricut machines and get your craft on?
Meet: the Cricut Explore Air 2.
What to know about the Cricut Explore Air 2
Since we're selling our San Diego farmhouse and building a new home on our Idaho property, we've been traveling a ton and finding ourselves trying to incorporate regular hobbies into a routine and space that's sporadic right now. One of my Maker machines in stashed in storage in Idaho and one has been in the RV as it's been worked on over the last two weeks to winterize it.
So I was left this weekend with sudden time on my hands, hanging at my family's house in Nevada, with an urge to craft. This seemed like to perfect time to explore my new Explore Air 2.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Weight
The Cricut Explore Air 2 is perfect for on-the-go crafters like me. Weighing in at 16 pounds compared to the Cricut Maker's 24, it's easy to pull in and out of storage or pack up in a rolling travel case. I also love its built-in storage space.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Cost
Cost of craft machines and materials often fluctuates based on sales and seasons, but as of this writing the Cricut Explore Air 2 is nearly half the price of the Cricut Maker, at $199 and $349 respectively.
The Explore Air 2 has the same loading and starting system as the Maker, but utilizes a dial system to tell the machine which type of material is being loaded. As you can see, the Cricut Explore Air 2 can easily tackle lightweight materials ranging from paper to poster board. There are two clamps on this machine: the A clamp holds pens and scoring tools, while the B clamp handles a Fine point, Deep Cut, or Fabric blade.
This machine can NOT handle heavier-duty materials like wood and magnetic sheets that the Maker can handle with its Knife Blade. It also can't manage delicate patterns and tracing paper, which requires the Maker's Rotary Blade.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Speed
Yes! The Cricut Explore Air 2 writes up to two times faster than previous models and has the Fast mode that us Maker users have come to know and love. This is a game-changer for crafters who are looking for a no-fuss experience.
Making the Garden Stakes
Honestly, I haven't even gotten around to using wood, magnet, or delicate sheets with my Maker yet so when I opened up the lighter-weight Cricut Explore Air 2 machine, the difference in capabilities was unnoticed by me.
Other than needing to turn a dial to tell the machine which sheets I was using, the operation, layout and functionality was nearly identical. I could make my Halloween shirts, family vacation shirts, crayon box, No Hurry sign and just about any project requiring the Cricut EasyPress.
For these garden stakes, I laid out two colors of vinyl close together to minimize waste similar to how I did with my Christmas tea towels.
Access the template for this garden project here on Cricut's website.
I used transfer tape to lift up the design and press it straight onto the handle of the cutlery and – voila!
I actually didn't have old silverware with smooth handles like I wanted for this project, so I bought some at the local thrift shop. With less than $10 spent on supplies, I had two gift sets made AND a set of these adorable garden stakes for my own home!
To sum up, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is a perfect choice if you're looking for a machine that's totally accessible in terms of:
- Weight
- Price
- Simplicity
- Crafts with paper / vinyl AND pens / scoring
- Speed
Or if you just want to make some awesome DIY garden stakes to gift to all your buddies!
Would you make garden stakes to give out over the holidays?