If you’re looking to dip your toe into the world of craft and creative technology look no further than the Annapolis Valley Regional Library’s Innovation Labs! Didn’t know your local library might offer a creative outlet? They do! I have been scouring the web for tips and tricks to share with you all in this blog series about the machines available to you at your local library.
Cricut Maker
Seems like the internet these days is bursting with ideas for cutting machine projects. Annapolis Valley Regional Library locations with Innovation Labs feature the Cricut Maker for all of your crafting needs.
This time saving crafting machine will cut over 100 different materials! From cardstock to leather, vinyl to wood the Cricut Maker will cut anything you need for your creative projects!
Signing up for the Cricut Design Space could not be easier, all you need is an email address, and its totally free! They do offer an exclusive subscription called “Cricut Access” but in my experience there are tons of free resources online. These will allow you to use the software and determine if you will use the Cricut offerings enough to spend some money on it. Otherwise, you can do amazing things using tools in Cricut Design Space.
Cricut design space works on a cloud system, so you can work on your designs at home before heading to the library to do your cuts. There are both desktop and mobile versions. Don’t worry if you don’t have smart phone or PC at home, our labs are equipped with computers with the software downloaded, ready for you to sign in and get creative!
If you are feeling a bit daunted by the widgets and menus within the Design Space don’t worry the internet is teeming with amazing blogs. Pages geared to beginners as well as tips and tricks for someone interested in a deep dive into what a Cricut Maker can do. Some of these links also offer some free SVG files if you sign up for their newsletter.
https://inspiration.cricut.com/beginners-guide-to-cricut-machines/
https://www.abbikirstencollections.com/cricut-tutorials-for-beginners-2/
https://svgandme.com/cricut-beginner-faq/
If wading through blogs isn’t for you, Youtube is an amazing resource for beginners and seasoned crafters. There are so many channels dedicated to all things Cricut! A lot of them feature excellent step by step instructions so you can craft along with them. By far my favourite channel would be Makers Gonna Learn (linked below). They have hundreds of videos and are still making more as new Cricut materials and machines roll out. The also do a lot of product comparison if your thing is getting the best bang for you buck.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TannerVlogs1023
Innovation Labs can be found at the Annapolis Royal, Wolfville and Kingston Libraries. The Mobile Innovation Lab will be travelling around to different libraries in the valley – so check out the events calendar to find out where the Mobile Lab will be next!
Sarah – Innovation Lab Program Clerk
