Check out our first Cricut Design Space™ project: the DIY Paper Hot Rod! We designed these paper racers to show off the incredible capabilities of Cricut Explore™. You can use this pioneering craft machine to cut, score, and draw your designs with precision on a broad range of surfaces. Cricut Explore™ is a crafting ninja!  Just think: perfect folds, every time.

Your kids will have a ball tricking out their paper racers with over 30 symbols–they can even add a personalized touch with their very own name! This project also doubles as a craft activity and party favor: simply fill up the body of the car with fun goodies for your party animals to bring home!

You can create your own DIY Hot Rod and tons of other foolproof projects through Cricut Design Space™. Your very favorite crafters and designers have uploaded tons of tutorials you can follow and recreate by simply pressing a button. It’s even easier with their new Make It Now™ app!

Project Link
http://us.cricut.com/design/#/newlanding/project/6332

Difficulty
Easy

Time
Less than 30 minutes

What You Need

• Cricut Explore™ machine
• Paper Hot Rod Kit Design Templates (available in the Cricut Design Space™)
• 12” x 12” StandardGrip Cricut® mat
• Cricut Explore™ Scoring Stylus
• Cricut® Vinyl in Red (or color of your choice for decals)
• Cardstock (1 sheet) in color of your choice
• Adhesive for body of paper racer (we used a glue stick)
• (2) Wood toy wheels, 2-inch (available in most craft or hobby stores)
• (2) Wood toy wheels, 1-inch (available in most craft or hobby stores)
• Wood dowel, sized to fit center of wood toy wheels
• Wood glue

Instructions

1. Prep

• Load the Cricut Explore™ Scoring Stylus into accessory clamp A.
• In Cricut Design Space™, add the child’s name to the Cricut® Vinyl mat.

2. Cut

• In Cricut Design Space™, cut and score the paper racer body from card stock.
• Cut the decal sheet from Cricut® Vinyl.
• Cut a 2-inch long piece from the wood dowel to use as the rear axle.
• Cut a 1-inch long piece from the wood dowel to use as the front axle.

3. Assemble

• Fold the body of the paper racer along the score lines and adhere together.
• Adhere the windshield to the body of the paper racer.
• Insert wooden dowels through the front and rear holes of the paper racer body to serve as axles for the wheels.
• Adhere wood toy wheels to the axles using wood glue, and voilà!

Some of our favorite projects on Cricut Design Space™ come from Small Fry, Emily Henderson, TomKat, and Studio DIY. Would you rather see your own creations come to life? Get a feel for all your possibilities Cricut® has to offer here.

Happy crafting!

This post is sponsored by Cricut.