Exploring the Explore: 1st impression

My new machine arrive on Feb 27th which gave me time to unpack and play over the weekend.

Can I say something silly here. I don't want to let on that I've done a lot of online shopping or invested WAY too much money on these machines but this one was packaged brilliantly! Simple and smart. Thats what I like. Not a lot of plastic and pieces everywhere. One simple tray on the top and bottom and out my machine came like this....

Set up was simple too. Just follow the 1,2,3 on the lid and off I go! 

The program that runs this machine is a breeze too. They have simplified the work space, given us templates ranging from tee shirts to aprons to umbrellas and everything in between. They even have a template for skateboards! The start screen has "make it now" projects that are as simple as a click and load your mats with your selected papers and cut. You can customize these projects too. 

Did I mention this machine cuts like butter? Even the tiniest cuts are no problem for this machine. The dial on the right side makes it easy to choose what material you are cutting. No more guessing pressure/depth/speed, it's already set up for you. It can also cut and score OR cut and write in the same pass... not sure if you could do all 3 in one... yet! I'll have to play around with that. 

My first project was this little make it now vinyl to decorate the front of the machine. Simple yes, but gave me a chance to use test out the vinyl setting on the dial. 

This is a two inch cut on heavy-ish cardstock...

And finished a project using the Julie Nutting doll I made from my previous post. The tag, lacy frame in the background and the florish were all cut on my Explore.