Crafts

Wash and Dry Sign • Iron-On Vinyl on Black Canvas

11 · Apr 28, 2017 · 3 Comments

Every laundry room or bathroom for that matter, needs a Wash and Dry sign, right? Let me show you how to make a simple Fixer-Upper inspired sign with Cricut Iron-On Vinyl and a black canvas.

• This post is brought to you by Cricut •

A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful experience of traveling to Austin, Texas for the Indulge Conference (which was fabulous by the way!) On the last day of the conference, we hopped onto a bus and made our way to ~~Mecca,~~ I mean Magnolia Market a.k.a The Silos in Waco, Texas. To say that my heart was full that day would be an understatement. I came home with all kinds of goodies AND inspiration as well. They have a laundry room Wash and Dry sign at the Magnolia Market that I’ve been eyeing for awhile and I wanted to create something similar for my laundry room.

Magnolia Market • Wash and Dry Sign

The WhipperBerry Wash and Dry Sign Design

I set to work to create a Wash and Dry sign that fit my style and this is what I came up with…

It has a little of JoJo’s vibe with more of a modern flair I would say. I kind of love it! For those of you who would like to download this sign design, click HERE for the PNG file. Shortly, I will have a full tutorial on how to use a PNG file in the NEW Cricut Design Space. It’s sooooo cool, so stay tuned!

How to create the Wash and Dry Sign

Once I had the design created, I needed to find the easiest way to create a nice looking sign. I decided that a black canvas with Cricut’s Iron-On Vinyl would be the best and easiest way to accomplish my mission. I grabbed a black canvas at Michaels and set to work… Here’s what you’ll need.

Wash and Dry Sign Supplies

Black Canvas 18×24
Cricut Machine { I use the Cricut Explore Air 2 }
Cricut Design Space { I don’t want to knock your socks off BUT… The new Cricut Design Space has launched in BETA. That is a link to the new, awesome software!! No more Flash, which means… No more lag time! }
Computer / Tablet / Phone { You guys… They all work WIRELESSLY with the Cricut Explore Air 2 }
White Cricut Iron-On Lite
Cricut 12×24 Light Grip Cutting Mat
Light cotton tea towel { flower sack material is great } OR Parchment paper

Ok, before we get started on the project, here’s a quick time lapse that shows how I made the sign…

Wash & Dry Sign by WhipperBerry from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

Seriously, to quote Ina Garten… “How easy was that?” Let’s go into it in a little more detail starting with my tips and tricks for a successful project.

First tip, take your time. Many people try and rush through their projects and get frustrated when they don’t turn out right. SLOW DOWN! Especially if this is your first time working with the heat transfer vinyl. You want to love your project, take the time to do it right.

Cutting out the Iron-On Lite Material

First thing you need to do is, cut your file on the Iron-On Lite material via your Cricut machine. When working with Iron-On lite, you’ll want to place the material with the shiny protective film down and the matte side facing up. Yep, I’ve messed that up a few times so, don’t beat yourself up if you do as well!

Another key item, make sure that you select the iron-on button when setting up your design in Design Space. This will mirror your image so that it will work with the iron-on vinyl.

Next step, weeding your Iron-On Lite vinyl. This is my favorite part and if you don’t believe me, watch my Instagram story from yesterday. You’ll see why I love it and, you’ll get to see more of the project!

Wash and Dry Instagram Story @whipperberry from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

Adhering your Iron-On Lite Vinyl to Your Canvas

Now, working with traditional stretched canvas rather than your fabric does provide for a few little obstacles. Namely, the canvas is stretched on a wood frame which makes it hard to “iron-on” something to it. To get a good transfer of the vinyl you need to apply pressure on a hard surface and the raised nature of the canvas makes that a challenge. To solve this problem, I put some books under the canvas to provide that firm surface that I needed.

I also placed a heat mat on top of the books to protect them from the heat of the iron. I found this portable heat mat at Target in the laundry section.

You’ll lay down your design onto the surface of your canvas with the protective film on top. That protective film is your friend at this point. It’s a bit sticky so it holds your design in place for you.

Cover your design with a light cotton cloth or some parchment paper. Set your iron to it’s hottest setting and then start to iron-on your design.

Now… This is not like ironing a shirt. You don’t want to use steam and it’s going to take a little time. You are basically wanting the vinyl to melt into the canvas and that takes a little time. DO NOT iron directly on the protective film OR place your iron on a section and just leave it there. Keep the iron moving and firmly press down on the canvas. This will help adhere the heat transfer vinyl to the canvas.

After a few minutes, check to see how things are sticking. Look at the protective film and you’ll kind of be able to see that the vinyl is pulling away from it and sticking to the canvas. You may find a few spots that need a little more time. Replace the cloth and continue to iron. Once you feel good about the adhesion, pull the protective film away and admire your sign.

At this point, I actually replace the cloth and do another light pass with the iron to make sure the vinyl is good and set. You could even flip your canvas over and iron on the back side with the protective film still in place to again make sure the vinyl is set.

Now, all you have to do is step back and admire your work! It’s so EASY and it looks AAAAMAZING!

Disclaimer // I am a Cricut Ambassador and receive product and payment to help with my projects. As always, I will NEVER promote a product that I don’t truly believe in!

How to Write on Labels with Cricut to Create Your Own Handwritten Labels

129 · Mar 28, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Love the look of handwritten labels but you’re not in love with your own handwriting? No problem! These Cricut handwritten labels come to the rescue!

My Handwritten Labels Circut Explore Air 2 Project

Did you know that you can WRITE with your Cricut and cut out cute labels? You can even write on Avery labels with your Cricut! I put the Cricut markers to the test and created an easy-to-follow video to show you how to create some simple industrial-style labels that everyone loves right now. Here’s what inspired this project…

I have become obsessed with herbal tea this winter. My husband and I would share a mug of tea every night before bed to warm ourselves before hitting the hay. We started with one flavor of tea, Camomile, and over the chilly months, we started collecting all kinds of new flavors. Soon our collection of herbal tea started to take over our kitchen and I decided that it was time to find a better storage solution for our newfound tea love. I found a great industrial-style cabinet that fits perfectly in our kitchen and loaded it up with all of our tea.

The next step was to create some labels for our new tea storage solution. Because the cabinet was an industrial-style cabinet I wanted to create some industrial-looking labels that were handwritten. The problem… I’m not a huge fan of my handwriting. I was just not blessed with that gift, nor do I have the time to practice, practice, practice. I remembered that my Cricut Explore Air 2 has a great “handwritten” option using the Cricut Explore Pens.

How to Write on Avery Labels with Your Cricut – Handwritten Label Inspiration

This is such a simple beginner project that anyone at any creative level can create for their home with their Cricut machine. For this industrial-style label, I kept things simple. I really only needed a “handwritten” tea name with a rectangle cut around it… Pretty basic. However, you can create all kinds of great “handwritten” labels with fancy shapes as well. I created a Label Design Pinterest board with some inspiration for all kinds of fun “handwritten” labels that you can make with the Cricut Explore Air 2.

The video below shows you in-depth how to create the lables.

How to Make Your Own Handwritten Labels With Cricut Explore Air 2

With all of that inspiration, you have to be chomping at the bit to get started. I created a simple, easy-to-follow video to show you exactly how to make these basic handwritten labels for a storage solution in your home. Grab a cup of tea, sit back and learn how to make your own labels.

Here’s What You Need to Make These Cricut Handwritten Labels

There are a few things you’ll need to make these awesome labels. The good news is you can get all of them online. Since you’re reading this I bet you already have a Cricut machine but if not, what are you waiting for!? The rest of the tools you may or may not have and I’d recommend picking them up to get this project going 🙂

Cricut Machine (I used the Explore Air 2 for this)
Cricut Pens
Cricut Cutting Mat
Avery Lables
Optional but helpful: The Cricut spatula tool
And just a little bit of practice!

That’s all you really need for this project. Most of these items are very cheap unless you don’t already have a Cricut machine. Even then, if you want to get into DIY home crafts and projects, the machines really are a bargain!

Tips & Tricks for Handwritten Cricut Labels

Here are a few tips & tricks that I learned along the way.

STOP and think about your end game. What style are you looking to create with your handwritten labels? Make sure you are selecting fonts that pair well with that design concept. If you are going for an industrial look, you aren’t going to use a font that is more shabby chic. If you have a farmhouse style in your home, you aren’t going to select a modern-style font and so on.
When working within Cricut Design Space, don’t forget to ATTACH your layers before you send your design to your machine. We go over this in the video so make sure you check that out before you get started.
The Cricut Design Space makes it super easy to tell the difference between a handwritten layer and a cut layer in your label design. Keep an eye on the icons to tell the difference between the layers. (HINT… I cover this in the video.)
USE your Cricut tools! I always want to move too fast and forget that Cricut has created some great tools to help make your projects the best they can be. When removing card stock paper from the cutting mat, use the SPATULA TOOL to keep your paper nice and flat. If you remove the paper by just pulling it away from the cutting mat, it will curl slightly.
Don’t forget to watch the video! It’s less than 10 minutes and it covers everything you’ll need to know to create your own “handwritten” labels.

Now hopefully you know how to make labels with your Cricut Explore Air 2. As always, If you have questions post them in the comments below and I will answer!

Colorful Nautical Gallery Wall Tips and Tricks

2 · Mar 20, 2017 · 1 Comment

The Gallery Wall… Everyone loves them. Yet, some find them really challenging. It can be hard to come up with the perfect combination of items that complement each other. Finding the right arrangement on the wall can be mind boggling BUT… It doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to be a certified gallery wall specialist, you just need to find a good partner like Michaels and then follow a few tips and tricks to create the PERFECT gallery wall for your home.

Gallery Wall 101

Gather items that compliment the room – You need to stay true to the space and find items and frames that enhance the space and stay true to the style of the room. If you have a rustic white farmhouse space, it would make no sense to put together a mid-century inspired wall gallery. The examples below are from Michaels new Gallery Wall collections. They are each designed to complement YOUR STYLE and make it easy to pull that style together without a degree in the fine arts… They’ve done all of the hard work for you.
Don’t be afraid to gather more than you need – It’s so much easier to gather items such as frames, photos, hooks, clocks, shelves, planters, wall art, mirrors, meaningful items… The list could go on and on. It’s better to have too much to start with than not enough. It’s easier to start working on your layout and then edit out items that don’t work. (Michaels PRO TIP, If you join their rewards program YOU NO LONGER NEED A RECIPT TO RETURN ITEMS! Yep, they keep all of your purchases stored under your account and you no longer have to keep those pesky recipes.)
Define your space – Gallery walls come in all shapes and sizes. Don’t be afraid to break the rules! Trust your eye and see what works best for your space. For my gallery wall, I wanted something nice and tight that didn’t go too much past the edges of the dresser in my daughter’s room. Yet, I didn’t really want it to be in a uniform shape. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Gallery walls can also spread out over multiple walls, around corners and take up larger spaces. So, don’t be afraid to spread out as well.
Layout your design on the floor – Jennifer Rizzo created a fun gallery wall using this idea. Before you get out the hammer & nails… Layout your design on the floor to get an idea of what it will look like. It’s so much easier to move stuff around that way and play with different designs. It’s much easier on your walls as well. Click on the photo to see how beautiful her gallery wall turned out!
Layer items to give more dimension – Flat is OUT! Gallery walls don’t need to to be one dimension. For my gallery wall I layered some items to give the space a little POP. I used strong adhesive glue like E-6000 to layer my different items.
Add color and texture with decorative paper – Not all frames need to be filled with photos. Using decorative papers is an inexpensive way to add color and texture.
Trace your items on paper – STOP! Before you hang one single thing… Trace all of your items onto butcher paper or old paper grocery sacks. Cut them out and hang it on the wall just like your perfect layout that you created on the floor. Ashley Hacksaw from Lil’Blue Boo shows how to use inexpensive paper and some painters tape to layout your gallery wall BEFORE you start putting holes in the wall. Once you get your layout perfect then the hanging can commence. You can even hammer or drill right on top of the paper to make sure your nails or screws are in the perfect place. Click on the photo below to see how Ashley’s cool gallery wall turned out!
Don’t be in a rush – Take your time. If you have a hard time feeling comfortable with creating your gallery walls and feel like you need a few second opinions, do it! Lay your gallery wall out on the floor and hand your paper gallery wall up and invite a couple of trusted friends over. Let it sit at this point for a few days until you are good and ready to move on to the next step. There is no need to rush… Unless your Mother-in-Law is coming soon, then you should probably get a move on.
Don’t be afraid to try other methods to hang your items – We live in an amazing time when we don’t always have to put nails in our walls to create an amazing gallery wall! Have you tried using Command Strips to hang your gallery wall items? I LOVE THEM!!! I especially LOVE the Command Strip picture hanging strips that are like Velcro. They are my current obsession. Will it surprise you to know that I didn’t use a single nail or screw for my gallery wall? Not a single hole was made in the wall. (My Dad would be so proud!) Now with that said, some heavier items will need a more secure way of hanging, so follow the directions on the Command Strips and make sure to use the right tool for the job.

The bottom line is, DONT BE AFRAID! Break the rules, do what works for you and your space. You aren’t creating Mount Rushmore, if after some time you feel the need for change, than change it. Luckily Michaels makes it so easy by creating a great starting point with fun products for their four new gallery wall collections the Farmington, Catalina (that’s the one I used), Alexandria & Savannah. Come on over to their blog the Glue String to get even more inspiration on how to create the perfect gallery wall for your home.

Disclaimer // I am thrilled to be a Michaels Maker and to have a chance to share with you some of my favorite Michaels projects. As a Michaels Maker they do provide the product for me to create with each month. However, I will only share what I truly love and use in my typical day-to-day life.

DIY T-Shirt Design + Salty but Super Sweet with Cricut Rose Gold IRON-ON Foil

14 · Mar 7, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Anyone out there have a middle school girl, a sassy friend or teenagers at all? I have ALL THREE!! The level of sass in my life is epic. I have three girls all in the teen years and there is a new term floating around our house these days… “ohhhh, SALTY!” OR, “You’re being soooo SALTY!” Isn’t it funny when the newer generation comes up with their new slang or vernacular? If you haven’t heard the term before, think of it in terms of a person who has the same kind of savory bite like salt. It basically means that, you are upset and throwing a bunch of sass. I decided that with three teenage girls and a truck load of sassy friends they all needed a special tee that describes them to a “T.” After a particularly rough afternoon with one of my girls the perfect saying popped into my head, “Salty but Super Sweet.” That’s exactly how I felt in the moment. She was being so hard to deal with, yet under it all, I know that she is, and will always be SUPER SWEET. That’s when I set to work to design a perfect DIY t-shirt for her and all of the other “SALTY” ladies in my life using my Cricut Explore Air 2 and my FAVORITE Rose Gold Iron-On Foil!

Materials for the DIY T-Shirt

I ran over to my local Michaels and grabbed some of their black v-neck t-shirts in their fabulous t-shirt section. Have you checked that out yet? You can get all kinds of sizes, colors, youth, adult and even v-neck tees. The v-neck that I bought was $5.99 AND… If you keep and eye-out, they usually have some crazy awesome sales on the t-shirts that make them an even better deal.

I decided that with a “SALTY” kind of tee, I needed to use a material for the graphics that REALLY stood-out. I combed through Cricut’s vast array of iron-on materials and selected the metallic Rose Gold Iron-On Foil. I’ve become a HUGE fan of all of their foils and this one REALLY does not disappoint. It adheres to the t-shirt fabric beautifully and looks fabulous against the black tee.

I’ve used other iron-on materials from other brands and sadly, the materials are peeling off by the end of the day. Incredibly frustrating after spending time & money to create something special just for it to peel off the first time you wear it.

• PRO TIP •

Creating the DIY T-Shirt Design

This is where things get super exciting!! Did you know that you have a couple of different options when it comes to creating designs to use with your Cricut when creating your own shirts or, anything really!

First off, you DON’T have to be a mad designer in order to utilize your Cricut machine. Cricut has made it so easy to browse through a whole library of projects in the Cricut Design Space. If you want to do the whole DIY t-shirt thing and you don’t know where to start, go into Design Space and search the whole Fashion section and you’ll find all kinds of fun ideas.

It’s also easy to create your own designs within Design Space. If you’ve already done some basic design work in other programs like Adobe Elements you’ll feel right at home within Design Space.

If you are more of an advanced designer, you can create designs within programs like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, save them as .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp, .svg, or .dxf files and upload them right into design space.

That is one of my favorite ways to create. I’ll be creating and sharing some fun files with you a few times a month so you’ll want to make sure you stop by often to see what the new designs are. I’ll also be creating tutorials to teach you how to create with your Cricut cutting machine along with all kinds of handy PRO TIPS.

Don’t forget, here is the PNG file that you may download to create your own DIY T-shirt with my Salty but Super Sweet design… Here is the download file for the Salty but Super Sweet tee. This is for personal use only please.

It’s time to get creating, go grab your Cricut and let’s get our creative juices flowing!

Disclaimer – I am a proud member of the Cricut team and look forward to sharing my experiences with you every month. As always, I will never share with you a product that I don’t absolutely LOVE and use often in my everyday life. This post does contain affiliate links and I am paid to cover my time and materials when creating these posts.