I've always been skeptical of products that claim to help you lead a more creative life. But one recently won me over. I've spent three weeks with the Cricut Joy 2, a smart cutting and drawing machine that made it easy for me to get back into making stickers, cards, bookmarks, and more.
The small $99 gadget isn't perfect, but its capabilities and app-provided templates were just what I was looking for. Caregiving, self-criticism, and mental health struggles have made it tough to tinker and doodle like I used to, and yet the Joy 2 clicked with me. It doles out quick wins when you're in the mood to create.
I've been testing the Cricut Joy 2 …