• About
  • Contact
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Collaborate
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Media and Press
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Organized-ish

Organized-ish

Progress > Perfection

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal
Cricut Joy vs maker

Why Cricut Joy Is The Perfect Companion For Cricut Maker

February 25, 2020 · In: Cricut

Learn how having both Cricut Joy and Maker keeps you ready for any project without wasting time and materials.

If you already have a Cricut Maker, you probably saw all the talk about the new Cricut Joy and wrote it off as something you don’t need. But before you swipe away from the next IG post in your feed of a Cricut Joy project, read these 5 reasons why you might actually want to have BOTH machines.

Cricut Joy has a unique app for step-by-step labels, vinyl, Iron-On and paper crafts. To get started, here’s My Exact Guide To The New Cricut Joy App.

Cricut Joy size by maker

1. Cricut Joy Is Fast To Set Up

Since it’s small, light, takes up a tiny amount of space, and doesn’t require a mat for most projects, you can literally turn it on and have your project done in 5 minutes or less.

When was the last time your Maker made a project in 5 minutes? It takes that long just to get the vinyl on the mat, watch it cut, and then remove the mat!

Cricut Joy is PERFECT for last-minute easy projects, cranking out small labels, and quick-grab projects in Design Space that you don’t plan on customizing at all.

Cricut Joy birthday card

2. Cricut Joy Insert Cards Are Exclusive To The Machine

Yes, your Maker can make the Cricut Joy card designs in Design Space, but it will require a lot more work on your end. You’ve got to align the paper just right, add score lines, switch to a score blade, and do some customization to the initial design so it comes out right. Then you’ll have to cut another piece of paper to fit exactly into the corner slots.

All that work will clock you at least 20 minutes. Cricut Joy can crank out a card, from start to finish, in just 3-5 minutes depending on the design you choose! And the card kits already come with the insert piece AND the envelopes! Plus, the Cricut Joy Card Mat is pretty much the most genius thing ever invented from the company.

See how I made an adorable birthday card and customized envelope in 5 minutes in this blog post I wrote last week.

Cricut Joy vinyl size

3. Waste Less Material When Doing Small Projects

I was always so annoyed when I needed to make one small design with my Maker. When I made these emergency pet window decals, I only used a little bit of vinyl, leaving a lot of vinyl leftover from the roll with an awkward rectangle cut from it.

What I really love about Cricut Joy is the material size. The rolls are 5.5″ wide, so there I so much less waste, and so much less leftover vinyl scraps.

Since I’ve had my Cricut Joy, I’ve been using it for ALL of my small projects and saving the Maker for the bigger and more detailed projects.

Cricut Joy travel bag by Organized-ish Lela Burris

4. Cricut Joy Is So Easy To Transport

This is really the big one for me. If I want to make kitchen labels, I don’t have to go up and down the stairs to and from my craft room four times just to complete the project. While the Cricut Maker is a fantastic and powerful machine, it’s also big, bulky, and heavy.

Cricut Joy is like the tiny Chihuahua in the purse of the lady in line behind you at Target. It’s small, light, and quiet, and you can literally take it anywhere.

To put this into perspective, the Cricut Maker weighs over 15 pounds and is almost 2 feet wide. Cricut Joy weighs under 4 pounds and is 5×8″ in length and width!

I can (and have) used it almost every single room in my house, and with the Cricut Joy Travel Bag, I can take it to clients’ houses and craft meetups without the struggle of lugging my Maker with me.

5. You Can Use Cricut Joy & Maker In Tandem

Here’s another biggie for me. If I’m helping my son with a school project and we’ve got a huge trip-fold board to fill up with paper AND vinyl, we can save so much time by having the Maker take care of the paper cuts and the Joy work on the vinyl… AT THE SAME TIME!

Cricut Joy is fantastic for vinyl since the Smart Vinyl doesn’t need a mat. And Cricut Maker is perfect for paper because I can load up full 12×12 sheets of scrapbook paper.

I can work to both of the machines’ strengths by having them tag team the project to get it done way faster. To do this, I just hook up my Maker to my computer with one part of the project and my Joy to the Cricut app on my phone for the other part of the project.

We can finish the school project in record time, and he can get back to his Xbox controller and dancing his way through Fortnite. And all the while, he’ll have confidence that the “most creative display” blue ribbon will be stuck on his presentation soon.

How To Get Your Own Cricut Joy

Cricut Joy is officially available! You can shop on cricut.com here, or you can buy it in-store where other Cricut products are sold, like Michaels, JoAnne’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and more. And of course, you can also use your Amazon Prime membership to order it there and get it shipped super fast and free.

Cricut Joy vs maker

When To Use Cricut Joy Vs. Maker:

Since it can be hard to decide which machine to use based on the project you’re planning on, I made a little comparison chart that you can screenshot or Pin to your Cricut board. This will help you choose the machine you should use without having to weigh the pros and cons, and measure out vinyl to ensure it will even work with that project. Feel free to save it. 🙂

cricut maker vs Cricut Joy

Is Your Craft Room More ‘ish Than Organized?

The next semester of The Organized-ish Craft Room is open! This is my self-paced workshop-style training for how to plan, set up, organize, and maintain your craft space, no matter how big or small it is. If your craft room (or closet, or dining room nook) needs some serious organization, this course is for you. Enrollment fills up quickly, so grab your spot while you still can.

why you need a Cricut Joy if you already have a cricut maker

By: Lela Burris · In: Cricut · Tagged: cricut joy, cricut maker, iron-on, vinyl

more posts you'll love

The Top 10 Cricut Beginner Questions: Answered
how to use cricut window clingsDIY Snowflake Window Clings With Cricut
Cricut Joy smart labels for kids toy organizationHow To Make Labels With Cricut Joy App And Smart Writable Vinyl

Get Blog Posts In Your Inbox

Every Saturday morning I send out a weekly recap of all the new blog posts. Want in?

Reader Interactions

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

My Top 10 Best Organization Tips For Small Closets

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lela Burris

Meet Lela Burris
hey-o!

My name is Lela, (say it like LEE-luh) and I'm so glad you stopped by my blog! Whether you're into organizing, home improvement, crafts, or you just think my pets are cute, you'll find all kinds of inspo here.

Tell Me More!

Connect

Get VIP Emails

Search

Shop My Planners

printable planners for home organization

Organize Your Craft Room

lela burris organiziedish

Hang With Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Follow Along

@lelaburris

Do you have a command center in your house? If you Do you have a command center in your house? If you’ve been planning on adding one, here are three tips for customizing it so it works for you:
1. Add a calendar so the whole family is on the same page about what’s going on that month.
2. Decide what needs to be stored in your command center and add storage based on those needs. Don’t worry about what other people use or keep in their own command center because we all live different lives and need different things.
3. Don’t try to make your family change their habits. If they’re used to dropping keys on the counter, a hook may not work for them. Instead, give them a bowl or tray to drop keys in. And if they’re used to sticking reminders on the fridge, add a bulletin or magnet board so they can put them there. Work *with* your family’s habits, not against them.
See the full project and get more command center setup tips in my newest YouTube video. All the product sources I used here are saved in the description of that video too. 🙌🏼
#commandcenter #organizationideas #homeorganization
Can I tell you a secret? I’ve never been a fan o Can I tell you a secret? I’ve never been a fan of doing yard work. The gas was stinky, the tools were loud, and the garage was a mess. But all that changed when I switched to @HARTtoolsUSA battery powered outdoor equipment.
Now I love the ritual of cranking up music in my earbuds, taking all the tools off the wall, and the instant satisfaction of the yard going from a chaotic mess to a well-manicured lot.
No joke, our neighbor who was using a gas powered mower actually apologized for the “noise” after hearing our 40V Supercharge Brushless Mower. 😅
Between the HART 40V Outdoor Power Equipment and the Garage Rail System, summer yard work has never been easier. Find them all online at walmart.com. I also saved all the info to a Story Highlight for you too!
#HARTpartner #DoItWithHART
Have you tried museum gel before? One of the most Have you tried museum gel before?
One of the most asked questions has the most simple answer. Museum gel comes in either sticker form like these dots I’m using or in a jar. It keeps things in place without permanently adhering them to a surface. Trays can be removed for washing then put right back in with the same piece of gel.
🛒 I saved my favorite types of museum gel to my Amazon Storefront, but you really can’t go wrong with any brand.
#kitchenorganization #drawerorganization #organizinghacks #organizationideas #amazonhome
If your jeans still look messy when hanging in the If your jeans still look messy when hanging in the closet, they may just need to be turned around. Make sure the booty seam is facing backward so all you see is a nice straight line.
Slim line hangers and arranging from light to dark shades also make your denim stash look just like a store in your closet.
#closetorganization #laundrytips #foldingclothes

Footer

Browse By Category

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal

Get Organized-ish

  • Courses
  • Printable Planners
  • Shop My House
  • Amazon Faves

Blog Info

  • Contact
  • Media and Press
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Organized-ish LLC © 2023 · Theme by 17th Avenue