What is a Cricut Expression?

The Cricut Expression is a machine that quickly cuts out shapes, fonts and phrases in sizes ranging from 0.25” up to 23.5”. The large range of sizes that the Cricut Expression can cut make it perfect for creating scrapbooks, greeting cards, signs, posters or school projects. Besides paper, the Cricut Expression can also cut cardstock, thin magnets, poster board, some types of fabric, soft plastics, vinyl and even window cling material, making it useful for household projects as well. The Cricut Expression does not require a computer for use. Simply plug it in and turn it on. The Cricut Expression cuts different designs using the large selection of Cricut cartridges. Each cartridge contains images, letters or phrases that revolve around a certain theme. You choose the cartridge that best matches your theme, then insert it into the Cricut Expression. Each cartridge comes with a keyboard overlay that you place on the Cricut Expression keypad. The keyboard overlay contains all the image choices available on the cartridge. You select the image you want to cut, and the image displays on the LCD screen of the Cricut Expression. After the image comes up on the LCD screen, you can then select the size of the image. To load paper into the Cricut Expression you simply put the paper on one of the sticky mats that are included with the machine, either the 12” x 12” mat or the 12” x 24” mat, and press the “Load Paper” button on the machine. There are also a variety of extra features and modes on the Cricut Expression that make creating your designs even easier. You can switch from portrait to landscape mode to make the best use of the available space on your paper. The Auto Fill feature lets you fill a page of paper with as many cuts as will fit on the page in the size you choose. This feature also works well if you need duplicate cuts. After you choose your design and size, the Cricut Expression will automatically calculate how many cuts will fit on the paper you have loaded. The Auto Maximum feature lets you cut out the biggest image size possible for the paper you have, no guessing and wasting paper! If you need to cut a specific number of images, the Count feature keeps track of how many have been cut and also how much paper you will need. The Mirror Image feature is perfect to cut images that need to have a front and back. You'll also find the Mix and Match mode helpful because it lets you combine creative features in one cut. The Centering feature works well if you are trying to crop out a photo or image into a certain shape, allowing you to center the blade over the image for the best cut possible. These are just a few of the great features offered on the Cricut Expression. The modes and functions offered really allow you to customize your cuts and create amazing designs.