Friday, March 24, 2017

Creating Home Decor with Cricut

Today I am sharing with you how you too can make some fabulous items to decorate your home, with the help of the Cricut Explore Air™ 2  If I can learn to use all of the machine's capabilities, trust me, so can you!


The next DIY is an entirely original piece that I designed in the Cricut Design Space™, and Cricut Craft Room. I used some inexpensive supplies in addition to the Cricut Explore Air 2. Cricut     Glitter Vinyl,  and Cricut Transfer Tape. This glass plaque is a kitchen cutting board from a Dollar Store!  The sparkling gem border is also from the Dollar Store!


 I first went into Cricut Design Space™ to design my project playing around with fonts, some images, and spacing.  Because, I am cheap, I chose to See all the Free Projects in Cricut Design Space. I used the design I created in Design Space, and the library I still have in the Cricut Design Room .


 Are you confused yet?  You see, The New Design space is easier to use, and allows for more complex manipulations of your design.  In my case, once I had played around until I came up with the desired, and realized that the chosen font was not free (See all the Free Projects in Cricut Design Space ) I thought I might try again to find one I could get for free.  I tried replicating my Design in the Cricut Craft Room using a font that I liked, and already included in my library. ( I have been with Cricut for a long time, and I have an extensive library of images and text)


I chose to use some Glitter Vinyl.  It was my first time cutting into that material, and I was a bit nervous!  But rest assured it is just the same as any other material, except that it is so shiny!  The Glitter Vinyl from Cricut is of high quality, no glitter comes off, and the blade of the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine cuts through it like butter.


Once the words made, I lay a piece of transfer tape over the Glitter Vinyl and burnished it with the handy Cricut Scraper tool.  Using the Cricut Transfer Tape makes aligning the letters so much easier onto the project.


Before applying the words to the glass cutting board, I chose to remove the four little clear rubber-like feet that were on the underside.  With some rubbing alcohol, I was able to remove the small bit of sticky goo that remained.


 I also chose to clean the entire glass with some rubbing alcohol.  I like to do so to ensure that there will be proper adhesion of the vinyl to the glass.


With the Cricut Transfer Tape, and the help of the Cricut Weeders Tool I got the cut words and all the beautiful letters safely off the cutting mat.


 I then lay the letters over the glass board, and applied some pressure with the Cricut scraper tool  over the Transfer Tape.  I removed the transfer paper carefully.


To make sure I aligned everything correctly, I had placed the glass cutting board onto a rotary cutting mat with a grid; this allowed me to make sure everything lined up just right.


As a final step, I chose to add some sparkling gem border I had been hoarding for some time.


To apply the already sticky backed border precisely onto the plaque I re-used the Transfer Tape to lift the flower border off the packaging and apply it to the glass board.


 This piece is intended for my Master Bathroom which is undergoing a remodel.  The bling on the plaque will match with some of the other accessories in the new room.

Thank you for viewing my latest project.  Come back soon to see how I learned to take digital images from the internet (Free and Legal) and turn them into vintage ephemera embellishments to use in my
Mixed Media and Art Journaling, all with the help of Cricut!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Make Mom a Pretty Organizer this Mother's Day

**Includes sponsored links

Today let's alter an organizer for mom that will make her smile every day.  As part of this month's Craft Lightning round, I am sharing my idea for making a Mother's Day gift that can be made in 15 minutes or less.



 By taking an inexpensive acrylic makeup organizer purchased at a Dollar Sore, some glittery decorative tape, and some faux gemstones I created this:


Making one of these is super easy and quick.  I recommend wiping down the sides of the organizer with some alcohol or to clean with soap and water.



 I do this just to make sure that the tape will adhere well to a clean surface.


Once the tape is burnished with just your finger, a spoon, or an old credit card, it is time to apply some sparkling gems.  The embellishments I used already had a sticky backing to them.  It may be best to add a little bit of glue.



Easy peasy!  Now, mom has a cute way to organize some beauty items on the vanity


 or some office supplies on her desk.



I hope that you enjoyed this quick how to and that you can make mom feel special this coming Mother's Day.

Thank you for stopping by, check out the other craft ideas, and come back soon!  Oh, and Stay Crafty!

**Sponsored links
$1 Craft Supplies at Dollar Tree!


 

Friday, March 17, 2017

How To Make a Thank You Card in No Time With Cricut™



 How do I make all the cards I make so quickly?  I use my NEW Cricut Explore Air 2, that's my secret.

Ever wanted to make something special for someone, like a card?  However, time is of the essence!  Cricut to the rescue.  With a Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Make it Now Project (found at www.cricut.com/design)  you too can make easy, beautiful, and fast projects to impress your friends.

I needed a Thank You Card to give to someone who had indeed come to my rescue in one of those moments where I questioned how did I get myself into this predicament if I am so organized?  Anyways, long story cut short. I had to be at two places at the same time!  My friend stepped in and filled in for me in one spot so I  could be on the other.

Being pressed for time with all the other events, and projects going on I wanted to say Thank You with a handmade card, as well as pay for my friend's gas for having bailed me out.  I had just received the Cricut Explore Air 2, and decided it was serendipity and chose to look up a Make It Now project and selected to make the following Thank You, Card.


My beautiful new Cricut Explore Air 2, just new out of its packaging, and ready to go.


It was so easy to make the card, thanks to Cricut Design Space, and the Make It Now option.  All I had to do was open my laptop, log in to my Cricut account on Cricut Design Space.

 Once I was in (it takes mere seconds), I chose to Create New Project and searched for a Thank You card.  There are many styles to choose from, and I picked the one you see here.


As the instructions suggest, it does take less than an hour to make this, except how much time it will take you to select the papers and colours you wish to use.  I have decision-making issues, lol.  Anyways, once I had picked out the colours I wanted, I just followed the instructions.  The rest was so easy peasy, really!  All I had to do was stick a piece of cardtosk onto a mat and insert into the Cricut, press the button, repeat, and then put the card together.

Inside

A tip I have for you is to use either a Xyron type of sticker maker that applies adhesive to the back of the words and letters.  Another option is to use a glue pen with a precision tip.  The letters are on the smaller side, and I find that using a glue stick, or double sided tape just creates a sticky mess.

Come back next week to see another project I have in mind.

Thank yo so much for stopping by, and remember to check out Cricut for more information.





This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Glass Etching done Easily

Turn some ordinary jars into the cutest craft storage for your own supplies, just like I did. All you need is, a jar!  Ok, I also used some Etching Creme by Etchall®.  A completely new to me product and craft.  If I could learn how to use the product and create within half an hour, so can you!

Here is what I made for this month's Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop:




To begin I followed the instructions that come with the Etchall® Creme, and I viewed the video on how to work with the product.  It is so easy!  I was so excited to say "I can etch glass now!"  I know, this girl gets excited over the smallest things. LOL.



So what is this Etchall®?  It is a product that you just use on a glass surface (as well as other surfaces) to actually etch a design, which gives you this sort of frosty look.  All you need is a hard non-porous surface (glass, mirror, tile, slate) that you want to alter.  A stencil made from a very sticky vinyl, and the Etchall® creme. Note there is a liquid version of Etchall® too meant for dipping.





To make my cute button jar I used a paper punch I own and a piece of the vinyl, and a piece of the transfer film from Etchall® to make my very own special stencil.





It is important to make sure that the glass surface is clean before beginning.  I used some rubbing alcohol and a clean lint free rag to prepare the glass. Then, I applied the vinyl stencil sticky side down on the jar, making sure that there were no bubbles.  To help with that there is a great little squeegee type of tool available from Etchall®.


After the stencil was applied, it was time to add a generous amount of the Etchall® creme.  The coolest thing about working with the product is that it is reusable!  So, your investment goes a long way.  After 15 minutes you just scrape the product back into the bottle.  Once the jar was rinsed under warm water, the stencil could be removed and discarded.  The results were surprisingly good for my second time playing with the Etchall®!


For many how to's and more creative ideas please check out all of the Designer's involved in the hop, and remember to check out Etchall® at the following places.

Thank you so much for viewing, please leave any comments, questions, suggestions below and I promise I will read them all!

Take care and stay crafty!
Here are some affiliate inks I made for you just in case you wanted to purchase these products right away!  If you do buy from the links I do make a small commission, so thanks!

SaveSave


Clearance Blowout – Clearance Prices On Hundreds Of Items

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Cricut Mystery box 3

Do you like mysteries?  How about saving money? Maybe you just want to craft?  Ok, well I have something to share with you that will fulfill all three.





The latestCricut March Mystery Box #3 - Supplies   is going on sale tomorrow for $34.99!!!  I don't know what is in it, but I do know that it's some pretty good supplies!

**these are affiliate links which will compensate me if a purchase is made, thank you

Friday, March 10, 2017

Crafting With Cricut Explore Air2

How to create custom made projects for fun, family, and maybe fame :) with the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine


I have recently had the pleasure of becoming a Brand Influencer with one of my all time favorite companies, Cricut!   I am so delighted and excited to begin this journey with them, as I have been one of their longest fans.  I fell in love with the very first Cricut years and years ago when the first one was made available and sold in Canada.  I remember going to Zellers (now defunct) to purchase one of the very few Cricut machines that the store had advertised in their weekly paper flyer!  I wanted that baby so bad, my sons remember that day very well, and remember the joy we had learning to create with the machine.  My boys were little at the time and enjoyed helping mom to press the buttons to die cut some cute and fun die cuts to decorate our scrapbooks, make cards, and just plain have fun.  Fast forward to 2017, and my now young adult sons are thrilled for me as they know how much I have enjoyed playing with ALL the Cricut machines I have purchased over the years.  That's right; this is not my first Cricut.  However, I can honestly say that receiving the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine from the company as part of working for them has been a very exciting moment for me.  I still own and will keep my original Cricut, if only for sentimental reasons.

Here is the video of my embarrassing excitement and gushing over my new Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine :


So, what is a Cricut you may ask?  Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine is a smart cutting machine that will help you make your very own personal, and high end looking projects with ease.  The Cricut family of tools allows you to cut, and create projects for your home decorating,  parties, events, your clothing, and so many projects.


Think of it as having a printer that also cuts.  That's right, with a Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine not only can you die cut, but you can also draw, write, print on all sorts of flat materials from papers, vinyl, fabrics,  thin veneers, chipboard, etc.

Do you like having customized home decor?  Do you admire all those beautiful party decorations you've seen at events?  Would you like to be able to say "I made this?  But, do you also think to yourself "I am not creative, and I don't have the time to do these things!"  Well,  I am here to tell you that a Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machineCricut is the perfect and affordable tool for you.  It is so easy to use, that even the least creative person will become a DIY' r in no time.  All you need is the desire to want to make something special.

Perhaps some of you are wondering why I have upgraded over the years, and why I so am in love with the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine? Simple, in my opinion, it's the fastest and easiest of all the machines ever that Cricut has made. It seriously works twice as fast as the Cricut Explore Air, I know I have tried both. Is it faster than the original cricut?  Well, of course, it is!  And it is quieter.  The machine also takes original cartridges, which you can upload onto the Cricut® library in My Cricut Craft Room.

If you are reading this post or viewing my video, then you already can use a Cricut® and its software which is available online.  Upon purchase of any Cricut®, there are instructions included as to how to set up your machine and the software.  You can do so wirelessly, or by connecting directly to your desktop, laptop, and devices.


In future posts I will share with you projects I have made using the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine Cricut® Explore Air2.  The very first project I made, right away, was a simple Thank You card.

I hope that you come back and see how you too can do a similar project.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and stay crafty.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.


Follow Cricut here:
Instagram:
Pinterest:
Twitter:
Facebook:
YouTube:

SaveSavehttps://goo.gl/VZGN5M
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

St. Patricks Day Decor DIY

How to make an easy, fast, and inexpensive Teacher's or Colleague's gift for St. Patrick's Day.  Since everybody (well a lot of people) like to say they are Irish even if they are not on this day, here is a quick project you can make in a short amount of time.  Give this and celebrate!


The Lucky Leprechaun Hat was inspired by the generous gift of paint by Rust-Oleum.  When I first received the cans of colorful , and eyed the luscious green spray paint (Gloss Rich Jade) I immediately thought of Leprechauns and St. Patty's Day, and Luck!


To do the project, here is what I did.

I took a small terracotta pot (I chose it because of the wide brim that looks a bit like that of a hat), spray painted it with Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel in Gloss Rich Jade, and let the paint dry.

To imitate the sash on a Leprechaun's hat I cut a piece of gold colored cardstock to size, made some slits and slid a piece of black ribbon through the "buckle."  I used a dab of hot glue to secure the black trim to the "Hat."

I cut a piece of floral foam to insert into the pot and used some hot glue with my Ad Tech Glue Gun to secure the block.

With some more glue, I covered the foam and filled the gaps with the shredded paper (or Easter Grass).

I chose some foam clovers, adhered them to each pencil with some more hot glue, and poked the pencils into the floral foam.

I added a bit more glue and "Grass" to cover the holes.

To finish off the Lucky Hat, I glued a few gold foil wrapped chocolates in the "Grass."

Shop DollarTree.com to get all of your St. Patricks Day decorations for only $1!

Many of the supplies I used to make the "Lucky Leprechaun Hat" came from the Dollar Tree and hauls I did (here is the Haul video )  link here.

Shop DollarTree.com to get all of your St. Patricks Day decorations for only $1!

Supplies purchased at Dollar Tree, and used:
Terracotta pot
Floral Foam
Glue sticks
Easter Grass
Pencils
Foam Shamrocks
Chocolates



How To video link here.


Thank you for stopping by, and have a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day!