decor

DIY Fall Throw Pillow • Oh, Delicious Fall

9 · Aug 30, 2017 · 3 Comments

Summer is coming to a close and it’s time to start thinking about Fall decor! This DIY Fall Throw Pillow is Perfect for your front porch or any room in the house!

{ This post brought to you by • Cricut }

It’s time to start decorating for Fall and I’m over the moon excited to finally have a front porch that I can decorate! I’ve been working on all kinds of projects for the porch design and today I’m going to show you one of the elements. My DIY Fall throw pillow with the cute saying, “Oh, Delicious Fall.” Earlier today if you have been following my Story on Instagram… You watched live, how easy it is to make this simple accent pillow with the new Cricut Maker & Easy Press along with the Cricut Heat Transfer Material. It’s sooooo cool!!

The Cricut MAKER

You guys… I know you’ve seen all the buzz around the creative world about the new Cricut Maker and Cricut Easy Press. I’m here to tell you, everything you’ve heard is legit. These two new machines are game changers in the creative world. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the stuff the new Cricut Maker can do, it cuts…

fabric { without any type of backing }
felt
leather
balsa and bass wood
crepe paper
chip board
mat board
and the list goes on and on…

The engineers at Cricut have come up with an adaptive cutting tool system that is truly inspired. They have also dramatically increased the cutting power which allows for all of the new materials. They’ve increased the cutting power 10x… That’s seriously impressive! Here are some of the displays with amazing vignettes all created with the Cricut Maker for the launch event earlier this month.

Well, enough about that… Let’s get to work on the Fall throw pillow. Now keep in mind, I am using the new Cricut Maker but, you can use any of the Cricut cutting machines like the Cricut Air 2 for this project. We are using the Cricut Heat Transfer Material that any of those machines can handle just fine. Also, I am using the Cricut Easy Press, which is FABULOUS!! But, you won’t be left out in the cold if you don’t have an Easy Press yet… You can use your iron to create this accent pillow as well.

Instructions for the DIY Fall Throw Pillow

Materials needed:

pillow cover
pillow form
Cricut Iron-On Lite – black
Cricut Light Grip cutting mat
Cricut cutting machine
Cricut Easy Press or an Iron
light cotton towel
Cricut Design Space

Directions:

First, you need to download the “Oh, delicious Fall” design that I’ve created for this pillow.

Then you’ll need to upload it into Design Space…

You’ll do that by clicking on the upload button on the left side of the screen.

Now, the design is already sized for your standard 15 inch throw pillow but you can size it larger or smaller if you like. You will also need to add the maple leaf from the image library. I searched for a maple leaf in the search bar and then selected the leaf below. You could always select whatever image you like.

Size and place the leaf into the design and then you need to select your designs and then Weld them together and then Attach them to your “cutting mat.”

Now, it’s time to “Make It” by clicking on the Make It button at the top right of the screen. When working with iron-on material, you need to make sure that you mirror the design so that it cuts properly.

Now, you need to place your Cricut Iron-On light onto your cutting mat. Make sure to follow the package directions for how to place it on your mat. Basically, the shiny side needs to be placed face down on the mat. If you were following my Instagram Story, you would have seen that I don’t bother to cut the material off of the roll until I have finished cutting my design. It cuts down on waste and makes it easier to remove your design from the cutting mat. All you need to do is roll it right back up. It’s super slick.

Now, you need to load your mat into the machine, connect your machine to your computer, iPad or other mobil device via Bluetooth and then select your material that you will be cutting.

Click on Iron-On and you’re all set to cut…

Once you have finished the cutting process, you’ll need to weed your iron-on vinyl to remove the excess material.

While you are weeding your iron-on vinyl, you’ll want to pre-heat your Cricut Easy Press or your iron so that you’re ready to go once you’ve finished weeding.

I have found a setting of 350˚ for about 50 seconds usually does the trick when I’m working with the Cricut Iron-On Lite. The nice thing about the easy press is that is has nice consistent temperature over the entire base. Check this out…

This is showing the heat variance with a traditional iron. That’s why some people have been frustrated in the past with creating iron-on projects. You don’t have to worry about that anymore with the Easy Press. It has a large 9×9 inch plate which is AWSOME!! That’s how you’ll achieve professional results without investing in a bulking and expensive heat press machine. It’s light weight and easy to store which is a total bonus.

First, I pre-heat my pillow cover, this helps to start the iron-on process with the vinyl. Plus, it irons out any wrinkles in your pillow cover.

Oh, I also use a portable ironing blanket that you can find at Walmart or Target in the laundry section. It’s perfect for protecting your surface while you’re using the Easy Press.

Now, center your design on your pillow cover.

Cover your design with a light cotton tea towel.

And then, place the Easy Press onto your design with the timer set for 50 seconds and press the Cricut button to start the timer. Lightly press on the Easy Press and wait for the timer to go off.

Now, my design was a little larger than the 9×9 plate so I did it a few times to make sure I had transferred the entire design onto my pillow cover. Then I removed the protective plastic cover, replaced the towel and then did one more go with the Easy Press to make sure everything was set.

That was it! I put the pillow form into the pillow cover and voilá… I had a fun accent piece for my new front porch bench.

How simple is that? If you don’t have a Cricut machine or the Cricut Easy Press… I would for sure start dropping hints to Santa pronto! This is a new era for creating and these are the must have tools!!

Disclaimer • I am a Cricut Ambassador this year and I’m thrilled to be a part of that crew. I truly love these products and for sure would not share anything that I didn’t naturally use in my own life and LOVE. I have received product and payment for my time in putting together this informative post for you guys. I hope you ENJOY!

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

Painted Nautical Signal Flags for Boys Room Decor

7 · Jul 13, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Looking for a fun way to dress-up your boys room? Vintage Nautical is one of my favorite ways to decorate for my little guy. Come learn how I created these painted nautical signal flags for our little guy’s room…

• This post brought to you by Michaels •

I’ve always been inspired by vintage nautical pieces. All of the fun gadgets and gizmos, the style of the ships, the anchors and I especially love vintage nautical signal flags.

One of my picker friends here in Nebraska does a fabulous job collecting vintage nautical items. Here are a few of Cody’s from The West Place, vintage nautical flags among other items.

Aren’t they cool?! I purchased a flag from him about a year ago with the intention of using it for my little boy’s room in our new house. The one that I have is (if you look at the chart above) the letter “Z”. It’s colors are amazing! The perfect red, blue, mustard yellow and black. I’m using that as my inspiration for Gage’s room.

If you’re following along, Gage and I introduced you to Davy Jones, Gage’s new octopus wall art for his room…

I thought it would be fun to create a few more nautical signal flags to go along with Davy Jones. I was thrilled to find out that the Michaels Maker challenge for July is craft paint! Of course this is a perfect opportunity to create these fun flags using a wood canvas that I found at Michaels and the NEW DecoArt Americana Premium Acrylic Paints.

If you don’t already know, Michaels has all kinds of new craft paints in-store now. You need to check it out! They have acrylics, milk paint, chalk paint… All kinds of specialty paints. Not to mention stencils, canvases, brushes and more. Painting with stencils makes things really easy so definitely pick those up. I actually just painted my front door with paint that I purchased at Michaels, the new DecoArt Curb Appeal paint. Who knew you could find that kind of paint at Michaels!

I’m also totally in love with these Art Wood Panels that you can find at Michaels. I wanted my flags to look vintage and a normal canvas wouldn’t be able to create the kind of look I was going for. Nor could I find wood that would look somewhat like a flag. Other wood options would add a lot more bulk and I didn’t want that. This wood canvas is perfect.

Gage and I talked it over and decided that we would create flags for the letters W-X-Y to go with our actual Z flag.

Supplies for the Painted Nautical Signal Flags

DecoArt Premium Acrylic Paint

DecoArt Premium Medium • Matte

Artist Loft Art Wood Panel Value Pack

Painter tape

Sponge Brushes

Painted Nautical Signal Signs Instructions

Each flag is going to have a different process due to the designs of the signal flags. You will have to figure out how to best create the design for the letters you create. I’ll show you how I created the letter “Y” flag.

First, I painted the base layer in Yellow Oxide and let it dry. I only did one coat of paint because I was planning on distressing the sign so why make my job harder with an extra layer of paint.

Next, rather than busting out my mad math skills (of which I have none) I layed 2 inch painters tape diagonally across the entire board with the tape bumping right up to the base of the other tape.

Then, I removed every other strip of tape to then create perfect diagonal stripes. I then painted the red stripes on the board. For this stripe, I did paint two light layers of paint. I wanted a truly bold color even though I was still going to be distressing the board.

After the paint was dry, I pulled the tape to reveal the PERFECT stripes!

I love how you can still see the wood grain on these art boards. Not to mention, look at those beautiful bold colors. I love this paint! Next, I used my detail sander to distress the board a bit to give this faux flags the vintage look.

I LOVE how they turned out. I can’t wait to see how they look in Gage’s room when it’s finished.

Looking for more painting inspiration? Michaels has you covered. You can follow along on The Glue String (the Michaels blog) OR, checkout these other projects from the other Michaels Makers…

An InLinkz Link-up

Quick Red White and Blue Home Decor

10 · May 10, 2017 · Leave a Comment

With the Summer months rolling in, it’s time to give a little nod to our favorite ole’ Red White and Blue! Michaels has a whole new line of FUN Americana decor that you’re going to love! Here’s what I found to dress-up my living room for the Summer holidays.

Quick Red White and Blue Home Decor • This post brought to you by Michaels

It’s been a couple of months or so, but… We finally bought a house and have moved in and are finally feeling a little settled. BOY, that’s a process that I don’t want to do again for quite some time. Three moves in roughly 5 years is enough for this family. It’s finally time to start making a house our home.

When I started packing-up our rental, the first thing I packed-up were the decor pieces that I wanted to use right away in the new house. I made sure to set those boxes aside and label them appropriately so that they wouldn’t get lost in the sea of boxes. That’s when, as soon as all of the basic needs were met in the new house, I could easily dress-up our space and make it feel like home. Now that we’ve been here for a couple of months, it’s time to start thinking a little more about seasonal decor. With Summer right around the corner the first thing that comes to mind is my favorite red white and blue home decor!

How to Quickly Incorporate Red White and Blue Home Decor

My father served in the Army during Vietnam, my Grandfather served on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, my Father-in-Law served in the Navy during the Korean War. To say that we are a proudly patriotic family would be putting it mildly. We love the stars and stripes and every summer, I love to dress up our home with some red white and blue decor. Thank goodness this month’s Michaels Makers summer challenge had a little bit of a patriotic spin to it.

Have you been to Michaels lately? Have you scene this great new Americana line that they just introduced. It’s so fun!

It’s perfect to quickly and easily dress your home up for the patriotic holidays this summer with minimal time and effort. What I love is that it seems to have something for everyone. If you are more into a vintage farmhouse style they have you covered. Are you more into classic cars and hanging out at the lake, you’re covered there too, It’s great.

I layered a few items on my mantel that really spoke to me. I love the large distressed wood flag and I thought it would layer well with this aaaamazing clock that they have at Michaels right now too. It seriously looks just like a clock that I almost paid quadruple for at Magnolia Market a few weeks ago!

The wooden red white and blue stars were also a must have. They add a nice little touch patriotic touch. I actually may go back to Michaels and grab some more.

Do you have a more classic style like I do? This beautiful 1776 pillow fit right into my room and added to the classic vibe.

I layered it with a red and white pillow that I already owned and it looks perfect.

The last, not so little bits, are the cute wooden fireworks that stoically preside over the hearth of our fireplace. Aren’t they cute with the rope coming out the top to make them look like fireworks.

What I love most about all of these pieces is that they incorporate so easily into the decor that I already had in the space. It doesn’t look awkward or out of place. It’s seamlessly blended right into the room.

Looking for more patriotic DIY inspiration? Visit Michaels.com for more creative ideas that will help you transform your home this summer. You should also visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ red, white and blue project ideas.

An InLinkz Link-up

How to Apply Vinyl Tutorial + New Kitchen Sign Design

5 · May 9, 2017 · 2 Comments

Have you always wanted to create beautiful vinyl signs but, can’t quite get the hang of applying vinyl? Look no further, I’m sharing my pro tips for how to apply vinyl to create beautiful vinyl signs.

how to transfer vinyl tutorial • brought to you by Cricut

Recently, we moved to our new forever home and I have been madly creating all kinds of fun things to make the space my own. I LOVE creating word art whether it be for vinyl signs, painted signs, or for printables, for some reason that kind of decor always speaks to me. (No pun intended!) I love typography and everything that comes with creating with words and letters. I love watching trends come and go and adding my version to the fray.

Right now, with the popularity of the show Fixer-Upper, word art is hot. I have all kinds of farmhouse/industrial signs all over my house. I found a fun, blank chalkboard stand at Michaels in their decor section and thought it would be fun to create a new “The Kitchen is Now Open” Sign for my counters. After a little bit of playing around, this is the design that I settled on…

Download Kitchen Sign for Free

It has a little bit of farmhouse flair that so many of us are in love with right now. Now, this sign could be a little intimidating with all of the little letters but, don’t let it be intimidating. YOU CAN DO THIS! All you need is a little patience. So many people try and rush through a project and they get easily frustrated and then their project fails. That is so SAD! Step back, grab a Diet Coke (or, whatever it is that makes you happy), and ENJOY the process of creating.

For today, I’m focusing on just the vinyl transfer part of sign making. I’m working on a few more tutorials on how to create your sign in the NEW Cricut Design Space that was launched in BETA mode a week ago. It’s fabulous! I’ve been having a ball getting to know the new, faster & more user-friendly Design Space. I’m sure you’re going to love it too! It’s so easy to create your own designs within the Design Space or you can create in other programs like Photoshop or Illustrator and import your PNG files directly into Design Space and create that way as well. I’ll be working on more tutorials for both of those options soon.

I’m also working on a video tutorial on how to weed your vinyl. That’s the process of removing the negative part of your design in the vinyl. It’s really not hard, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will make it a little easier. Today, I’m just going to focus on how to apply vinyl. Here’s a quick video to show you how to apply vinyl to any type of smooth surface.

Video Tutorial for How to Apply Vinyl

How to Apply Vinyl by WhipperBerry from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

See, isn’t that simple! Honestly, the trickiest part is making sure that the design is centered onto your surface. As long as you stick with these simple tips, you can become a vinyl sign PRO!

Pro Tips for Applying Vinyl

Take your time – like I said before, don’t rush. If some of the vinyl lifts while you are transferring it to either the transfer tape or your sign… Don’t stress out. Lay that section back down and press on the vinyl with your finger and then try again. You’ll get it, just don’t rush.
Make sure your surface is clean – Now think about this, if you try and place a sticker on a surface covered in dust, dirt, sand, or general grime, what will happen? The sticker won’t stick. Same thing with adhesive vinyl. Whatever you are adhering it to needs to be clean. Nothing is more frustrating than laying down some vinyl and then finding a little piece of dirt stuck under the vinyl image making an unsightly bump. Take the time to make sure everything is clean.
Trim excess vinyl backing – Again, vinyl is just one big sticker. Stickers are placed on backing to keep the adhesive side sticky. The same applies to vinyl. Once you have cut your design on your Cricut machine, you’ll weed your vinyl and then you’ll want to cut away the excess vinyl backing. This will help when laying down your design and making sure it is placed the way you would like it.
Create a hinge – Several years ago, when the Cricut cutting machines made cutting your own vinyl possible, a good friend of mine, who owned a large-scale sign-making company, taught me her tricks for applying vinyl. Each of these tricks, I still use them every time. One of them is to use the transfer tape to create a “hinge” at the top of your design. Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean.
Pull transfer tape low, slow, and diagonally – My sign-making friend also taught me this years ago. When removing the transfer tape, pull low, slow and diagonally. What I mean by low is, that you are essentially folding the non-sticky side over on itself as you are pulling as close to your surface as possible. When do that along with pulling diagonally, you’ll be less likely to pull the vinyl back up as you remove the transfer tape.

A Quick Note on Materials

Here we have it… Not all vinyl and transfer tapes are created equal!! I have tried many brands of both vinyl and transfer tape. I’ve used what the professionals use and basic crafters vinyl. I LOVE the Cricut Transfer Tape!! It’s clear and so easy to use. I’ve also been very happy with the Cricut Vinyl. I have exclusively used the Premium Outdoor Vinyl for most of my projects and have been thrilled with the results. I made some travel mugs with the Premium Vinyl and have run them through the dishwasher many, many times and have yet to have any issues with the vinyl coming off. I LOVE that!

Stay tuned for more Cricut tutorials and projects coming to WhipperBerry! By the way… If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment here. I would be happy to help!

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!