This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosures here.
The Cricut Joy Card Mat is a great tool for making cards quickly and easily. There are some fun designs in Design Space, but you can also create your own insert cards in just a few steps.
Supplies I used:
- Cricut Insert Cards New Romantic Sampler
- Cricut Joy™ Fine Point Pen, 0.4 mm (Black)
- Cricut Joy Card Mat
- Weeding Tool
Insert Card Corners
To make an insert card, the first thing to do is get the slits to hold the insert. Go to Images>Image Sets and search for “insert.” You’ll get the Insert Card Corners image set, which has 17 different card corner sets. (There are some other ways to get these slits, but this is the easiest I have found so far.)
I chose this image – Insert Card Bracket Corners for my card.
This image is already sized (4″ x 5.25″) for the inserts in the Insert Card sets that Cricut sells. If you want to make your card larger, you’ll need to adjust these corners accordingly.
Choose an Image
Many of the images on the Dimensional Paper Art image set work well for insert cards, and I chose this cute little hedgehog from that set.
Normally, image orientation doesn’t matter that much, but since we are dealing with a folded card, it does. You can adjust the rotation in the mat preview (Prepare) screen, but I find it easier to do here in the design screen. Select the image and enter “270” in the Rotate box. I also made the image smaller to fit the card and the text I’m going to put underneath it.
I selected the “Loop-Di-Loo” writing font for my sentiment. I moved the letters together and attached to keep them in place.
Prepare to Cut
To keep everything in place and on the same mat (the card mat), you’ll need to attach the image, writing, and corners. Drag a bounding box around them all and click “attach.”
If you aren’t using the pre-cut Cricut cards and want to cut the insert with your Joy, just insert a square, unlock the padlock, and make it 4″ x 5.25″.
Cutting the Project
After clicking “Make It,” Design Space will ask what mats you plan to use. This is a big difference from the Explore and Maker machines. If you are cutting the insert, you’ll use the regular mat and the Card Mat, and so you’ll choose “Multiple Ways.”
For the first mat, which is the card base, I select “On Card Mat” and the material size, which is 4.25″ x 5.5″. You can adjust the positioning on the mat in this step as well.
On mat 2, “On Mat” needs to be selected.
I selected the “Insert Card – Cardstock” setting since I’m using one of Cricut’s insert cards. I’ve found this setting works well on most 80lb cardstock.
Design Space will prompt you to load the pen and insert the mat.
Lift the top layer of the card mat gently and slide the card insert in. Make sure the top layer edge of the mat is snug against the fold.
Smooth the card stock down on the mat to make sure it sticks well.
After clicking “Continue” in Design Space, you’ll be prompted to load the mat.
Click “Go.”
After the writing is finished, Design Space will pause and prompt you to take out the pen and install the fine point blade.
Click “Unload” to eject the mat from the machine.
Assembly
Carefully remove the card from the mat, using the spatula to loosen it if necessary.
I used my weeding tool to bend the quills of the hedgehog forward.
Put the corners of the insert through the slots, and the card is finished!
Here’s the link to this project if you’re interested in making it. The card will cut for free with a Cricut Access subscription.
I demonstrate how to create this card in this video:
Happy crafting!
The above post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosures here.
thanks for the tutorial…I recreated your card myself and now feel confident that I can do more on my own.
That’s wonderful! It’s really easy once you get the hang of it.
Sizing Brackets insert and folded card is always tricky when trying to do my own cards and inserts. This was helpful