Cricut Joy 2 Simplifies Sticker-Making for Beginners and Is Now on Sale

If you’ve ever considered crafting your own stickers for Etsy or just for fun but aren’t sure where to start, the Cricut Joy 2 is worth checking out. I’ve been using one for a couple of weeks, and as a newcomer to the Cricut world, I found it to be a user-friendly option for beginners. Plus, it’s more affordable than many other Cricut models and is currently on sale. The machine retails for $99, but the bundles provide even better value: the Essentials Bundle is available for $119 (a $20 discount) and includes materials for 35 projects, while the Ultimate Bundle is priced at $169 (a $50 discount) and comes with additional tools, including an iron press, for over 75 projects right out of the box.

The Cricut Joy 2 is designed for smaller, everyday projects and introduces the Print Then Cut feature to its entry-level range. This allows you to print vibrant designs using your home printer and then have the machine cut them out precisely, making it easy to create sticker sheets. In my experience, this has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of using the machine, and once you get the hang of it, the process is quick and straightforward. Just a heads up: while you can use a laser printer, you’ll need to provide your own compatible sticker paper, as Cricut’s options are tailored for inkjet printers. Beyond stickers, it can also make custom cards, simple vinyl decals, labels, bookmarks, and iron-ons, which I’ve found handy for both creative projects and practical uses like planner templates and drawer labels.

Setting it up is relatively easy, although Design Space — Cricut’s app for creating designs — has a bit of a learning curve. I initially struggled with it, but after a few days of tutorials and working with pre-made templates, it started to make sense, and I was able to complete projects much more efficiently. A significant help was the free 30-day trial of the Cricut Access subscription, which allowed me to explore a much larger library of templates, images, and fonts than what’s available for free. Just remember that it auto-renews after the trial period, starting at $9.99 per month unless you decide to cancel.