Choosing the Best Electronic Craft Cutting Machine – Compare Silhouette, Cricut and More

October 14, 2019 By Heidi 98 Comments
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Buying a craft cutting machine can be a big decision. There are several different types of cutters on the market and they all have very unique features. Most crafters opt to purchase a Silhouette or a Cricut machine, but there are more options out there. Your choice will heavily depend on what type of crafts you want to do and what type features you will want in a machine. I will highlight the unique features of each machine to help to make your decision easier.

Silhouette Machines

Silhouette machines are great for the person that likes to design and manipulate their own projects. There is a small learning curve to the Design Studio software, but you can easily change projects to fit your needs by erasing something here and there, adding text or drawing new lines. The Silhouette design store offers turnkey images and projects at a low price, but as you get better, you can easily tweak these projects to fit your needs. You can also cut any font that is installed on your computer. You can work within the free version of the Design Studio software or you can purchase the Designer Edition software upgrade. The Designer Edition upgrade allows you to cut SVG(vector files) files, unlocks the rhinestone features, has better eraser, knife and shear tools and more. The best part is that you do not have to have an internet connection to use your software. If the internet goes down, you will still be able to use your machine.

Tracing is another unique feature of the Silhouette machines. You can trace and cut images that you upload to your computer. For example, if you have a logo that you want to make “cuttable”, you can use the trace feature to make it into a cuttable file. My husband owns a small business and I was able to trace his logo and create vinyl decals, shirts and more for his business. Another example is if you have an image like a cute panda jpg file that you want to cut out, you can upload it to your software, trace it, and use the “print and cut” feature to print the image. Then you cann have your machine cut around the outer edge of the panda. This is one of my favorite features of the Silhouette machine as you can create truly unique projects.

Silhouette has a whole line of machines in different price ranges and with different features:

1. Silhouette Cameo Machines

The Silhouette Cameo is my favorite machine in Silhouette America’s lineup and the Cameos just keep getting better and better. The new and more powerful Cameo 4, which has a 12″ wide cutting area was just released and there are larger machines coming soon that cut 15″ and 20″ wide coming Spring of 2020. All Silhouette machines run off of Silhouette Studio software, which comes with it. The great thing about the software is that you aren’t required to work with an internet connection. You can work offline! You can also purchase the Designer Edition software upgrade if you wish to unlock more designer editing features.

Silhouette Cameo 4– The Silhouette Cameo 4 is the newest machine and it has some impressive new features. This Cameo is stronger and faster than ever. It has 5000 grams of cutting force, which is 1000 grams more than the comparable Cricut Maker (4000 grams), which helps cut through thicker materials. The Cameo 3 has the capability of just 210 grams of cutting force, so the Cameo 4 is quite an upgrade. As far as speed, the Cameo 4 cuts 3 times faster than the Cameo 3. It also comes with new tools that the Cameo 3 did not have such as the Kraft and Rotary tools to help with cutting things such as balsa wood, leather, chipboard and more. The exclusive Punch tool is a special tool that helps create weeding points for working with vinyl. These new tools have built-in sensors so your machine can detect which tool is inserted into the holder. How cool is that? The Cameo 4 still can cut up to 10 feet long of vinyl and 12 inches wide, but it now comes with a built-in vinyl roll feeder (new!) with a cross-cutter to cut off your vinyl roll when you are finished cutting. Like previous Cameo machines, the Cameo 4 has wireless capability, can print and cut and has the ability to “trace”, which is unique to Silhouette machines. The Cameo 4 has a larger clearance (3mm vs. 2mm) for thicker materials like balsa wood, leather, but will still cut things like cardstock, vellum, acetate and paper. It uses the Silhouette Studio software that is included with your machine or upgrade to Designer Edition software to unlock additional features.

Silhouette Cameo 3-This is the next oldest model and out of production, but there still some being sold. The Cameo 3 cuts a variety of mediums such as vinyl, cardstock, vellum, acetate, paper, thin cardboard and more. The cutting area is 12×12, but it will cut longer items by feeding it into the machine without the mat. You can also purchase a roll feeder that will attach to the Cameo 3 for cutting rolls of vinyl without a mat. You can use both older ratchet blades in the Silhouette Cameo 3 or there are autoblades available that you can set the depth and it automatically changes to your setting. Like all Cameo machines, you can print and cut, use the tracing feature and cut any font that is installed on your computer. The Cameo 3 uses the Silhouette Studio software that is included with your machine or you can upgrade to the Designer Edition software to unlock additional features.

2. Silhouette Portrait 2

The Silhouette Portrait Machine 2 has many of the same features as the Cameo like Bluetooth capability and the autoblade, but it has an 8-inch wide capability. You can get this machine at a lower pricepoint and it will take up less space in your craft area. However, if you think you will want to do larger 3D projects like boxes or gift bags or cut tall vinyl lettering, go for the Cameo. It’s worth it!

3. Silhouette Curio

The Silhouette Curio is a cool little machine and I believe it is meant to be a machine that compliments either the Cameo or Portrait. It’s cutting area is 8.5 inches wide, but you can feed thicker materials into the machine with a wider clearance area. It also draws and embosses, debosses, etches and stiples. If this is your first Silhouette machine, I would recommend the Cameo, but if you want to try some specialty crafts, the Curio is for you.

Cricut Machines

Cricut’s latest and greatest machines are the Cricut Explore Machine lineup and the Cricut Maker Machine and they blow away the older Cricut Expression machines. They are best known for producing turnkey projects easily and for it’s quiet cutting. Cricut has created a simplified software and you can purchase files directly from them for a minimal cost or you can upload your own SVG files. You can also cut any font that is installed on your computer. It cuts up to 11.5 x 23.5 and it is fairly simple to replicate the projects from the files that you purchase. While the design software is fairly easy to learn, it does now allow lots of manipulation of your own projects. If you are the designer type you will be disappointed with the limited design features of the software. Also note that you have to have an internet connection to use the Explore. If you have spotty internet, using your machine will be an issue. There have also been some computer compatibility issues with some of the Cricut Machines. Check if your computer’s operating system will work with your machine as there have been a few issues with machines not working with some operating systems.

You can cut all sorts of medium such as vinyl, cardstock, paper, chipboard, leather, thin wood and much, much more. The Cricut Explore and the Cricut Maker both have very strong motors and will cut a variety of thicknesses. The ability to cut thicker mediums is one of the main unique features of these machines and it sets them apart from the Cameo and other machines. I am most impressed with it’s ability to cut wood and leather.

Another feature of the newest Cricut machines that sets them apart from other machines is that they can draw and cut at the same time. They have slots for both a blade and pen. This will be a huge time saver if you are making cards and such that require both of these features. The Silhouette also draws and cuts, but you have to stop and change from the blade to pen and vice versa.

1. Cricut Explore Air 2 Wireless

Gone are the days where Cricuts only cut with cartridges. Users can enjoy cutting and drawing up to 2 times faster with the newest wireless Cricut machine. It is easy to select fast mode to speed up your cutting! The cutting speed is the biggest difference between the Explore Air Wireless 1 & 2. The Cricut Explore Air 2 Wireless machine has bluetooth capability that is built-in and the user can manipulate and cut images wirelessly from a PC, Ipad or MAC, just like the regular Cricut Explore Air Wireless. Be sure to check if your PC or Mac’s operating system is compatable. Certain operating systems do not work with the Cricut Explore machines.

2. Cricut Maker Machine

The Cricut Maker Machine has most of the same awesome features of the Cricut Explore Machines, but it cuts with a whole lot more force. With it’s new knife blade, it cuts with 4000 grams of pressure and can cut through leather, chip board, balsa wood and most other materials up to 2.44mm thick. And while the Cricut Air Explore 2, which cuts with 400 grams of force, can also cut thicker materials, such as balsa wood, aluminum, and chipboard, the Cricut Maker can cut them faster, better, and with more precision. Another major difference is how it cuts fabric. The Cricut Maker has a rotary blade attachment that is included. Quilters will love this feature as it allows cutting fabric without needing you to add bonding to the back of your fabric before cutting. To make this feature work, you will need to purchase the Cricut Fabric Mat. The new Cricut Maker can also do print and cut on colored paper vs. just plain white paper. The Explore Air 2 is only able to detect objects on white paper to cut around them. If you own old Cricut Cartridges from older Cricut machines, you will need an adapter to use the cartridges with this machine while the Cricut Explore 2 has a built-in slot to use cartridges. The cartridge adapter will be out in December of 2017 and will plug right into the USB port. There are a few other smaller differences like the addition of a USB port to charge your phone or ipad and some different storage compartments for tools. Overall, the Cricut Maker is a great machine and a step up from the Cricut Explore 2.

Brother Cutting Machines

Brother has come out with a few cool machines that rival the Cricut and Silhouette. Because of it’s scanning technology, it is unique in it’s class. It can scan just about anything and easily create cut lines around your scan. This machine is great for people who hand sketch designs and want to die cut them or want to die-cut stamped images and it’s superior as far as detecting and cutting both inside the lines and outside the lines of a design. The Brother machines use steel blades with Japan Design Quality, this blade will ensure you to always getting the best cut and they offer a variety of mats for different materials such as delicate papers, fabric, thin metals and more. These machines are perfect for quilters and stampers!

1. Brother ScanNCut DX 125–

The ScanNCut DX is the newest machine from Brother and it comes with some cool new upgraded features from previous Brother cutters. It comes with an autoblade and autocut features where the machine will detect the thickness of the material you are cutting and adjust itself on it’s own-no fiddling with settings if you choose. This cool machine will cut paper, fabric, vinyl, balsawood, leatherette and so much more and it cuts up to 11.7″ wide. You can choose the 12×12 mat or the 12×24 mat, scanning mat or purchase the vinyl roll feeder separately to cut up to 6 feet long of vinyl without a mat. One of the biggest improvements is the upgraded scanner, which makes picks up outlines easier than older machines, but note for clearer scanning it is best to use the scanning mat (separate purchase). The DX Scans at 600 dpi (previous model does 300 dpi) and cuts up to 3 mm thick. Stampers can scan in stamps and die cut them and quilters can scan patterns and cut fabric. It is also great for hand-drawn sketches. You will need the mats specifically for the DX as they are slightly different than the mats of older models. The ScanNCut DX is already wireless, which is a great feature that makes downloading designs and software updates easy. You can manipulate files with the free Canvasworkspace or send files wirelessly to the machine. I also love the 5″ pop up touchscreen for manipulating files on the DX model, which is better than previous models. Overall, this machine has some cool features. If you want more freedom to design, then maybe check out Silhouette or Cricut.

2. Brother ScanNCut 2

The ScanNCut 2 machine comes with a Built-in Scanner and it is very unique in that you can scan an image and cut it out without computer connectivity. You can literally do some projects without even plugging this machine into a computer. This makes cutting shapes very easy and you can even do some editing, right on the provided screen. The brother will cut paper, cardstock, vinyl and chipboard, however and you can use either a 12×12 mat or a 12 x 24 mat to cut your medium. It does not have the autoblade like newer models. You can use the free software to with either pre-loaded designs, designs that you scan or you can covert SVG files to work with this machine. While this machine has been the clear underdog of the cutting machines, if you love the scanning feature, this could be the machine for you. With the scanning feature, you can cut inside of your design lines, outside or both with the “region” feature. For clearer scanning, it is recommended to to invest in the scanning mat. This machine does not come wireless, but you can purchase a wireless upgrade card to make your machine wireless.

While the scanning and cutting feature is what makes this machine unique, there has been some trouble with older versions of this machine. The older machines only recognizes dark, crisp lines when scanning, so this will be necessary to access this feature. This feature is made better with the newer machines.

If you love this post about comparing electronic cutting machines, check out our posts about Vinyl for Electronic Cutting machines or Where to find Supplies for your Cricut Explore Machine.

If you love holographic vinyl, then check out our post on where to find holographic vinyl.

Homemade Father’s Day Gift -Free Printables Necktie for bottles or cupcakes

June 10, 2019 By Heidi 26 Comments
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Are you looking for a simple way to make Father’s Day special for the Dads in your life? Then check out these adorable free Father’s Day printables that make a great homemade Father’s Day Gift. We include both necktie-shaped bottle tags and cupcake toppers. I included four different tags. Some are more elegant and some are more playful and you can choose which ones fit the Dads in your life. These are so easy to make that even the kids could help cut these out or help assemble them making them a great father’s day gift from kids. Plus, you probably already have most of the supplies to complete this project at home! [Read more…]

DIY Flower Letters

May 10, 2019 By Melissa 4 Comments
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These easy DIY flower letters are a fun craft you can do with your older kids as DIY gift for mom, to celebrate spring, for a birthday or many other occasions. I think a single initial or even a full name would be very cute as a decoration in a girl’s room. An adult will need to cut the flowers and make the hole, but the kids can easily paint the cardboard letter and fit the flowers into the holes. If you have kids who are 10 and up, they should be able to do the entire craft with adult supervision. Because the cardboard letters are less than $2, you can easily spell MOM like we did, or words like HAPPY or LOVE as well as a person’s name, their initials or monogram. Just get creative and have fun! [Read more…]

Teacher Appreciation Flowers – Easy Teacher Gift Idea

May 4, 2019 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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These teacher appreciation flowers with printable tag make an easy teacher appreciation gift.

Giving a teacher flowers is a simple and lovely gift that can be given during teacher appreciation week or as a year-end teacher gift. This teacher gift requires just a few materials and is easy to assemble with our printable tag.

You can download the printable tag for the flowers for teachers below. Each tag says “Teacher, Thank you for helping me BLOOM this school year!” The download includes 4 tags for the flowers so you can give them to multiple teachers. This is great if you happen to be in charge of teacher appreciation week and need Teacher Appreciation Week gift ideas for many teachers. You couls also use them for each teacher if you have multiple children. It is easier to just buy multiples and make this cute gift for a bunch of teachers.

Bloom Teacher Appreciation Flowers Gift Tag

Teacher Appreciation Flowers Materials:

Bloom Teacher Appreciation Flowers Gift Tag Printable (best printed on white cardstock)
Hole Punch
Scissors
Ribbon
Vase
Flowers

Teacher Appreciation Flowers Directions:

Use scissors to cut along the dotted lines on each printable tag.
Use the hole punch to create a hole in the top left corner of the tag. Use the space along the bottom of the tag (or the back) to write a short note or sign your name.
Cut a piece of ribbon and place both ends through the back of the tag creating a loop. Place the loop over a jar or vase of fresh flowers, and pull the ends through the front of the tag tightly. Tie a ribbon to complete the attachment.

This is quite an inexpensive teacher appreciation gift idea but still looks beautiful. What teacher would not love having fresh flowers in their classroom or to bring home.

Best Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

DIY Teacher Cup Gift – with free “tea-rific” teacher printable gift tag

More Teacher Gift ideas here (Even though these are Christmas Gift Ideas, many work for teacher appreciation or year-end teacher gifts)

Printable Mini Valentine Treat Boxes

February 12, 2019 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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I am always on the looking for easy ways to make Valentine’s day just a little more special. These cute mini Valentine treat boxes are so easy to make and you can make easily make someone’s day just a little more special.

Just follow these simple directions to make the treat boxes.

How to Make Mini Valentine Treat Boxes

Download the Mini Valentine Treat Box Printable
Print the treat box on cardstock. (This is important. You will not be able to fold it and have it hold the candy if the treat box is not printed on cardstock.)
Cut on the solid lines
Fold on the dotted line
Adhere along the entire flap on each side.
Fill with treats
Make someone happy!

These are mini treat boxes so you will want to have just little candy to put in them. Valentine Hershey kisses and Valentine candy corn work perfectly. You can see the size of the box in the picture above.

These mini treat boxes would be perfect for school parties or any type of Valentine’s day get together. You could even print them and have them at a family dinner. There are really so many ways that these treat boxes can add just that little special touch. The beauty is that they look so cute and fun but are so simple to make. I hope you enjoy them!

Looking for more fun & easy Valentine’s Day ideas?

Valentine Quiz for Kids – Easy Valentine Kids Activity

DIY Star Wars Valentines with printable

DIY EOS Valentine’s Day Cards

Spa Sock Cupcakes

No Candy Valentine Card Ideas

Valentine’s Day Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies

Valentine Mocktail Recipe

DIY Spa Sock Cupcake Tutorial & Cupcake Wrapper Template

February 7, 2019 By Heidi 16 Comments
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These cute sock cupcakes are so easy to make with our included cupcake wrapper template. Perfect for gifts, birthday party favors or baby shower favors.

I just love making these spa sock cupcakes and who doesn’t like warm fuzzy socks? I wrapped this sock cupcake for my daughter’s teacher for Valentine’s Day, but you can make these for any holiday or occasion. These cute treats make great, inexpensive gifts for your kids’ teachers, for friends, bridal or baby showers, or even inexpensive party favors for your tween or teen’s birthday party. They are quick and easy to put together and I just love how they look wrapped in cellophane and tied with a pretty ribbon. If you are using these as favors, these would also look adorable if they were set up on a tiered cake plate or on a cupcake tree. [Read more…]

DIY EOS Valentine Card – EOS Lip Balm Cards

January 28, 2019 By Heidi 20 Comments
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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you will love our cute free EOS Valentine printable cards, made to hold those cool EOS lip balms. My tween loves to collect different EOS lip balms and these make fun Valentine’s Day treats for kids, tweens, teens or adults. These are so simple to make and we have created two different printable cards. One is Valentine’s Day themed and the other EOS Lip Balm card, you can use to give these fun lip balms as small gifts, all year long.

You can buy EOS lip balms just about everywhere. They sell them at Target, Walmart and at most drug stores for around $3-4. I have also found them on Amazon at about that same price or less. I sometimes buy them with coupons at Ulta stores too. CVS and Walgreens carries the Beauty 360 brand, made by Revo, which is a similar size to the EOS lip balm brand. You can also buy the Revo brand at the Dollar Tree, under the name Chap Ice for just a dollar! It is about half the size, but at a better price. I have included smaller printable cards to fit the smaller Dollar Tree Chap Ice/Revo lip balms. If you are going to make 6, these packs are a great deal.

[Read more…]

DIY Printable Star Wars Valentines Cards with Glowstick Lightsabers

January 20, 2019 By Melissa 14 Comments
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We love Star Wars movies and were inspired to make some printable star wars valentine cards that will be a HUGE hit with both boys and girls. These are so simple to print at home and have your child give them to their classmates. The Valentine’s include Rey, BB8, Finn and Chewbacca. [Read more…]

Valentine Quiz for Kids – Easy Valentine Kids Activity

January 10, 2019 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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One thing I am focusing one this year is memory keeping. My girls are growing up so fast and I am sad that I don’t have items like this Valentine Quiz for Kids from when they were young. I am going to make them complete the quiz this year but wish I would have started when they were little.

If you are a room mom or teacher this would be a great activity for a classroom Valentine’s Day party. I am sure most parents would love to receive this.

[Read more…]

Cord Keeper DIY Silhouette Project, Plus a Silhouette Mystery Box Reveal

August 31, 2018 By Heidi Leave a Comment
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I was so excited when my Silhouette Mystery Box arrived on my doorstep. As I have mentioned before, my Silhouette Cameo cutting machine is my favorite crafting gadget and Silhouette America just started offering mystery boxes. Starting in September, you can purchase both small and a large mystery boxes from Silhouette America. This is a great way to try lots of fun products at a discount. The small boxes are $49.99 and they include over $100 worth of products and the larger boxes are $99.99 and they include over $200 worth of products. Use coupon code: BARGAIN to take advantage of these savings.

My small mystery box contained two neat starter kits-the Chalkboard Starter Kit and the Glass Etching Starter Kit. It also contained a Sticker Sampler Pack (which included those scratch off sheets like you can find on the lotto tickets!), Printable Adhesive Kraft Paper, Foil Transfer Sheets, Leatherette Sheets and Glitter Sketch Pens. This was quite the haul of fun products!

I have never tried the Silhouette Leatherette Sheets, so I decided to try out a project. My kids have all sorts of gadgets and cords, so I decided to make my daughter a cute personalized cord keeper, better known as a cord taco to keep her phone charging cord neat and tidy.

To make this project, I used the Silhouette Leatherette sheets, which came in a package of three (Gold, Pearl and Black), some snaps from the craft store, a snap setting pieces and a rubber mallot that I had on hand. I also personalized my cord keeper and used heat transfer vinyl for this, a teflon sheet and my trusty iron.

I made my own file in the Silhouette Studio Software, on my computer. It was a super simple 4 inch circle. I drew two small holes for the peg of the snaps a little less than a half-inch from the top and bottom. Let me give you a great tip so you don’t waste your leatherette sheets! After making my own file, I cut my design using some scrap cardstock to make sure my snap holes were placed in the correct spot and that the size was right. I did have to make an adjustment and I was able to do that without wasting my leatherette sheets.

I used the faux leather paper setting in my Silhouette Studio software to cut my cord keeper and I was amazed how cleanly it cut the leatherette sheets. When choosing a blade to cut the leatherette, one tip is to keep a different blade for each type of media that you cut and your blades will last longer. I used the blade reserved for fabric projects to cut the leatherette sheet. I label them with a white pen for fabric, vinyl, paper, etc. To finish off your simple project, follow the directions to attach the snap that you purchased from the craft store. I used my rubber mallet and small setting tool to attach them to the cord keeper. If you want to personalize your cord keeper, you can cut a name or sentiment from heat transfer vinyl. Keep in mind that the leatherette sheets will melt if you use too much heat. Be sure to use a teflon sheet or parchment paper in between your project and the iron. Press with your iron for a few quick seconds at a time to press your heat transfer vinyl onto your project. The personalization is optional, but a really fun touch! As soon as I finished this cord keeper for my daughter, my two boys requested one as well!

Use Coupon Code: BARGAIN

Click to Shop Silhouette America’s Mystery Boxes or Other Products

Simple and Affordable Iced Tea Cup Teacher Appreciation Gift or Year-End Gift with Free Printable Tag

April 17, 2018 By Heidi 28 Comments
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This year Teacher Appreciation week is May 6-12 2018. It is coming up soon so we thought we would share this cute and easy gift idea.

Are you scrambling to find affordable gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week? We have the perfect Teacher Appreciation Gift for you! I just love these double-walled cups and I made this one into an iced tea themed gift for around $5! I use these cups all summer long when I’m on the go and they wash up so nicely. You can fill them with water or any other beverage and I like that they are double-walled and don’t sweat. This one fits perfectly in the cup holder of my car too. This iced tea gift for teachers would make a great year-end gift too or if you have aids or other teaching staff to recognize these won’t break the bank. When I use this for a year end gift, I usually drop a Target gift card in the cup as well. This ships free if you spend $25 or have a Target Red Card. [Read more…]

DIY Upcycled Chalkboard Easter Eggs

March 21, 2018 By Melissa 11 Comments
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My entire family loves Easter and we always seem to acquire so many plastic Easter eggs after the holiday has come and gone. I always try to think of fun and creative ways to upcycle these boring plastic Easter eggs and this year I decided to do Chalkboard Easter Eggs. These are so easy to make and you and your kids can have so much fun decorating them with designs and cute, short sayings or designs! [Read more…]

Homemade DIY Mint Bath Salts Recipe

March 12, 2018 By Melissa 7 Comments
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Easy mint bath salts recipe with free printable. Makes a cute favor or gift.

With St. Patricks day coming up around the corner it’s such a great time to whip up some homemade gifts to give out to your loved ones. I made these Homemade DIY Mint Bath Salts as a present to myself and they turned out so cute I made a few more batches! I just love how relaxing scented bath salts can be. [Read more…]

Where to find Printed Craft Vinyl Sheets Graphics Supplies, Plus Tips and Tricks

December 14, 2017 By Heidi 13 Comments
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Where to find Printed or Pattern Vinyl Graphics Supplies, Plus Vinyl Tips and Tricks

If you have an electronic cutting machine like a Silhouette, Cricut or Eclips machine, you will love crafting with printed or pattern vinyl sheets. Pattern vinyl looks great on projects alone or mixed and layered with a solid color vinyl for a fun look. I love to adding printed vinyl to my cups, keychains, shirts and it adds another dimension to my project. You can find pattern in vinyl in fun prints like polka dots, stripes, florals, camos, anchors, plaids and more. We made a few fun projects with pattern vinyl and included some resources to help you find pattern vinyl and other vinyl graphics supplies, plus some tips and tricks on how to use it.

To save these resources and tips for later, hover over the photo above and press the “P” button to pin it to your Pinterest Boards.

[Read more…]

Easy DIY Countdown to Christmas Printable – Dry Erase Frame

November 29, 2017 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Looking for an easy and fun way to track how many days until Christmas? Check out this easy DIY Countdown to Christmas printable that you can easily use with a dry erase marker once you put the printable in a frame. My girls always want to know exactly how many days until Christmas and this is a fun way to track. The frames can be cleaned each day by simply using a paper towel to remove the marks from the dry erase marker. It is so easy you can even have put the kids in charge of this task.

[Read more…]

DIY Lollipop Bouquet

March 30, 2017 By Melissa 2 Comments
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Looking for a cute and super easy craft? Then this DIY Lollipop bouquet is for you. It requires just a few simple ingredients and not much craft skill. If you can trace and use scissors, then you can make this cute lollipop bouquet. That makes this craft perfect even for pretty young kids. We used yellow lollipops and I think that makes these look similar to daffodils but you could use any color that matches your home or theme. I think these would be adorable at a wedding or baby shower or for Easter or Mother’s day.

[Read more…]

After Christmas Sale Expressions Vinyl for Crafters

December 26, 2016 By Heidi Leave a Comment
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If you love crafting with an electronic cutting machine like a Silhouette or Cricut, you won’t want to miss out on the one-day only, December 26, 2016, vinyl sale at Expressions Vinyl. Right now, you can get 20% off all vinyl at Expressions Vinyl. Expressions has great prices on rolls of adhesive vinyl. I use rolls for most of my projects because you can just cut off what you need, as you need it. I also love to make fabric projects with heat transfer vinyl. If you are new to the cutting machine world, this is a great opportunity to purchase your vinyl at a discount.

20% off all Vinyl, One day, December 26, 2016 (ends at midnight)

Use Coupon Code DAYAFTER2016

Shop Expressions Vinyl

DIY Bath Bombs: Where to Find Supplies Plus Tips and Tricks

October 14, 2016 By Heidi 39 Comments
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I love making these pretty bath bombs at home and it is a fun project to do with kids, tweens or teens. These bombs make great affordable gifts for a variety of ages or they are fun treats to use at home. It is so much fun to experiment with different scents and colors to create these amazing bath fizzies. I love adding body glitter to add some sparkle or other decorative sprinkles. My young teen daughter loved helping me with this project and she is already planning to make these as treats for her friends. I was surprised how much my young boys loved using these bombs too!

Finding the ingredients for bath bombs at your local brick and mortar stores can be pricey and challenging, so we have compliled some resources on how to find quality bath bomb ingredients at a great price and they will come right to your doorstep. It takes an initial investment for some of the molds and oils, but you will end up with ingredients to make lots of bombs at an affordable price. Make sure to order a good amount of supplies so you have plenty to experiment with.

There are so many recipes out there on the internet for bath bombs, but I have found this recipe, which includes the addition of skin-softening kaolin clay to create durable bombs that can easily be gifted without breaking. Plus, kaolin clay is great for your skin and has other household uses. Creating bath bombs takes a little practice, but it is a great project for both beginner and advanced crafters. I will say my first batch wasn’t the best, but my kids were thrilled to use my flopped bath bombs and they fizzed just the same. Just be sure to order plenty of ingredients so you can experiment. Once you get the hang of it, making bath bombs is so much fun!

Be sure to read all the directions and tips before making your DIY bath bombs. Scroll down to find my favorite recipe, tips, and directions on how to make your own bath bombs.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is the main ingredient that will make your bath bomb fizz and I love that it is both all natural and also used in the food industry. It can be pricey in your local store, but I buy it in a big 5 lb bag and if I order other items with it, I can get it shipped at an affordable price for free. It also has other uses such as for cleaning toilets, descaling your coffee machine, unclogging drains and cleaning the inside of your dishwasher. Store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.

Citric Acid is sold by the pound:

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has so many great uses in the kitchen and it is also a great softening oil for your skin. You may also love cocoa butter to use as an oil in this recipe. I used coconut oil in my bath bombs, but you may like to try one of these other oils or butters in your bombs. Solids should be melted for a few seconds in your microwave to liquify them for use.

Oils that can be used in your bombs:

Kaolin Clay

Kaolin Clay is often used in bath products or in mineral makeup and it will soften your skin. Plus, it also makes your bath bomb harden properly so it won’t break.

The 1lb bag lasts a long time:

Kaolin Clay

Fragrance Oils

There are so many great fragrance oils available. I had fun ordering the scents that my kids would love like vanilla ice cream, cotton candy, toasted marshmallow and pink sugar from Chelsea’s. I included information on how to order from Chelsea’s, plus some other types of fragrance oils. Be sure you check the size of each bottle that you are buying. I found that each 1/2 ounce bottle will work for two batches of these bath bombs. You can buy these fragrance oil in sets or individually. I bought several bottles so I could make multiple batches. These oils can be used for other DIY skin and body projects as well.

Bath Bomb molds

I prefer stainless steel bath bomb molds myself. They are more durable than the aluminum molds and they don’t have a chemical reaction to your ingredients. They also clean easily and don’t retain the scent of your oils. I mold them one after another and let my bombs dry in a muffin pan covered in plastic. Plastic molds can also be bought in large packs. Some people like to let their bath bombs dry in their molds and this way, you have lots of molds to use. Molds also come in a variety of sizes. I prefer the medium to large size for larger bathtubs like this 2.5 inch mold that I used in my project.

Body Glitter

I love putting body glitter in my bath bombs for that princess effect. When your bomb fizzes in the water, a light layer of glitter floats on the surface. It is both fun and pretty! Body glitter comes in teeny bottles, but I have found that it lasts a while. I like sprinkling it in the mold first and then packing in my mixture. That way it is on the top of the bomb.

Coloring

I used the Wilton Color Right System to color my bath bombs. There is a brochure included on how to achieve different, hard-to-mix colors and it was very helpful, plus each bottle lasts a long, long time. It took about 45-50 drops of color to achieve vibrant colors. If you are splitting the recipe in half and doing marbled coloring, I did about 25-30 drops of each color in the proportions listed in the brochure. You can also use more “professional” products to color your bombs called mica colors. Mica is similar to coloring that is used in eye shadows.

Bath Bomb Recipe

1 cup Citric Acid

2 cups Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons melted butter or oil (either Cocoa Butter, Coconut oil or shea butter)

4 Tablespoons Kaolin Clay

1 Tablespoon Fragrance Oil

Food Coloring or Mica Color

Witch Hazel in a spray bottle

Optional: Body Glitter or Sugar Sprinkles

Other items needed:

Bath bomb molds, either plastic or metal

Disposable Rubber gloves

Large Strainer

Bowls (I prefer stainless) and wisks (large and small)

Parchment paper and plastic wrap

Muffin tin covered in plastic wrap for drying

Cello bags for wrapping

Make sure you set out everything you need within arm’s reach so you can mix quickly.

Measure your citric acid, baking soda and kaolin clay and place in your strainer over your bowl. Use a wisk inside the strainer to break down any lumps. Take your wisk and thoroughly mix your dry ingredients. If your oil of choice is solid, melt it for a few seconds in the microwave. In separate, small bowl mix the oil and fragrance oil together. **If you want to make two-colored bombs, you can divide your dry ingredients evenly in separate bowls and divide your wet ingredients into separate bowls.** If you choose to divide, you will have two bowls of dry ingredients and two bowls of your oils. Add your coloring to the wet ingredients and wisk.

Get your witch hazel handy and put on your disposable gloves. Use one hand to slowly add your wet ingredients to your dry, only a few drops at a time (so that your mix does not fizz), and use your other hand to knead the mix. Once all of your oil and color mixture has been added, keep kneading. Spray a few spritzes of witch hazel in at time until you get the perfect texture. If you live in a dry climate, you will need lots of spritzes. If you live in a humid climate, you won’t need as much. Your mixture should be like wet sand. Squeeze a handful together and if it stays formed, it is ready. If it cracks, it is too dry. If you are doing two colors, repeat for the second color until you have two bowls of colored mixture, the texture of wet sand.

If you are using sprinkles or body glitter, put a little bit into one side of your mold. Pack each side of your mold with the wet sand mixture, until it is mounded and overflowing. If you have two colors of mixture, I alternate layers of colors in my mold for a fun effect. Press together. If you are using a stainless mold, you can remove immediately and place on a muffin tin covered with plastic wrap. If you prefer to have multiple plastic molds, fill and leave for a few hours, then gently tap on the mold to remove. Allow your bombs to dry a full 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or airtight bag.

DIY Bath Bomb Tips:

Sift all of your dry ingredients to removed clumps. Any clumps in your dry ingredients causes warts and lumps in your bath bombs. I use my wisk to push the ingredients through the sieve. It makes the dry mix sift quickly.

Use a wisk to thoroughly mix your dry ingredients until they are well-blended.

If you are dividing your ingredients to make two colored bombs, after your oils are mixed (no color yet!), divide your oils into two small bowls like this. THEN, add your colors to each bowl. I used these Wilton food colors and I used about 25-30 drops of color in my divided bowls. Then I wisked the wet ingredients.

Add your wet ingredients just a few drops at a time to make sure your wet ingredients don’t react with the dry. If you pour in too much wet ingredients at a time, it will remove the “fizz” from your bombs. Use your gloved hands to bury and mix the drops of wet.

After all the wet is mixed in, start spritzing your Witch Hazel, just 1-2 sprays at a time and keep mixing. Too many spritzes at one time will also cause your mix to have a fizzy reaction. Your mix should resemble wet sand. Squeeze handfuls of your mix together to test it. When you handfuls no longer crack, your mix is done. If your mix is too dry, your bath bombs will crack after they are molded. If they are too wet, then will not hold their shape after they are molded and they will flatten.

Tips For Molding

-Optional: Place a few drops of mineral or baby oil in your mold and wipe out excess with a paper towel. This can help your bombs unmold easier.

-Sprinkle glitter or sugar sprinkles in your mold first before adding your mix so that they glitter will appear on top of your bombs.

-Overpack each side and press firmly together

-If you are using a stainless mold, you can mold one after another. If you are using a set of plastic molds, you can leave them in your molds for 1-3 hours before unmolding. Just tap the outside of your plastic mold gently with a spoon.

-Cover a muffin pan with plastic wrap to create hammocks for your bath bombs. Place each unmolded bomb in the hammocks to dry.

-Allow your bombs to dry 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or an airtight bag.

How To Make an Easy DIY Homework Station Bin

July 20, 2016 By Melissa 13 Comments
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Before you know it school will be here again plus my girls also have summer homework to complete. It seems like we are always scrambling to find everything we need when the girls are doing homework. In order to solve that dilemma, I wanted a dedicated spot for highlighters, pencils, crayons, rulers, paper clips and more. Even though both girls have a desk, they often complete their homework in other spots of the house. Therefore, I made the bin portable with all the necessary supplies plus it looks cute too!

I bought all the supplies to make the DIY Homework Station Bin plus all the school supplies at Dollar General. It cost me under $30 for everything.I started with a basic shower caddy and my youngest daughter used washi tape and patterned duct tape to give it some style. She also used the sticker letters to add the word homework to the side. The beauty of this project is that you or your kids can decorate it however you like. Dollar General carries a bunch of cute washi tape patterns and duct tape patterns. We picked pink with white polka dots, mustaches, and owls.

I bought some tumblers that we decorated as well to hold pencils and highlighters. They fit right inside the shower caddy and give some more organization. It helps when everything has an assigned spot. I also bought some small plastic containers in the kitchen section that are perfect for paper clips!

Overall, I love how this project turned out. It is so easy plus inexpensive as well. I think that this DIY homework station will keep us on track for the upcoming school year!

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DIY Sugar Scrub – Essential Oils Infused

February 8, 2016 By Melissa 1 Comment
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I love a good sugar scrub but don’t love all the extras that are in some commercially prepared ones. Plus they can be expensive. This easy DIY sugar scrub requires just a few ingredients and can be infused with your favorite essential oils. [Read more…]

DIY Crafty No Candy Valentine Ideas for Kids

February 3, 2016 By Melissa 6 Comments
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So my kids get a ton of candy for Valentine’s Day so I went on a hunt for some fun no candy Valentine’s Ideas. I got all the ideas from Pinterest and you can click through each one to get directions to make them yourself. If you are interested in just one of these valentine cards, be sure to pin the original source. Each of these ideas has free printable and instructions for a no candy valentine. Also, if you are not following me on Pinterest yet, you should because I pin lots of great stuff. Follow me on Pinterest. [Read more…]

Getting Started with Vinyl for Electronic Cutting Machines: Vinyl Graphics Supplies, Tips & Tricks

January 1, 2016 By Heidi 47 Comments
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Tips and Resources for Creating with Vinyl with Electronic Cutting machines

Crafting with different types of vinyl in my electronic cutter is one of my favorite things to do. Vinyl is so fun to work with and I have created lots of cute personalized party favors, teacher gifts, straw cups for sports, t-shirts and more. My kids and their friends love to receive their own personalized items with their name, initials or favorite characters on them. Soon you will find yourself personalizing anything with a blank spot on it!

I have used many different vinyl products and a few different cutting machines. It took me a while to figure out what products and machines work best. I am sharing my favorite tips, tricks and resources below on vinyl graphics supplies to use with your electronic cutting machine.

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Adhesive Vinyl

You can buy both removable/indoor and permanent/outdoor adhesive vinyl. Temporary vinyl can be removed easier than the permanent variety and works great for walls and other items that will remain indoors. I actually prefer permanent or outdoor vinyl for things like car decals, straw tumblers, water bottles, decorating my kids’ school supplies and more. It holds up well through washing. Once your item is cut, you will need transfer tape to apply your vinyl. You can buy either paper tape or clear transfer tape. I prefer clear so I can easily see where I am placing my design. Once your design is cut, remove the negative of your design and cover the top of your design with transfer tape. Peel off the backing and apply your vinyl.

Craft stores do not sell the quality of vinyl that I like to work with. It is best to order your adhesive vinyl graphics supplies online. My favorite brand of vinyl is Oracal Vinyl made by Orofol. There are also a few other brands that work great like Greenstar, which is similar to Oracal quality. If you are in a hurry to get started, I highly recommend the outdoor vinyl variety pack in the links below. Oracal 631 is the most popular indoor or removable vinyl. Oracal 651 is the most popular permanent or outdoor vinyl. I love my 100 yard roll of 6 inch transfer tape. The clear is easy to use and it will last a long, long time. Once you invest in your transfer tape, there is no need to constantly purchase more.

Some of my favorite vinyl resources:

1. Expressions Vinyl – Oracal 631 and 651

2. MyVinylDirect.com for Affordable Vinyl by the Sheet

3. H&H Sign Supply- Rolls of Vinyl (Use coupon code TENOFF for 10% off your first order of $50 or more)

4. Variety Pack – 12 x 24 inch – 30 Sheets of Assorted Glossy Colors of Permanent Adhesive-Backed Vinyl for Craft Cutters (ships free and fairly quick from Amazon)

5. Large Variety Pack – 12″ x 24″ – 40 Sheets Assorted Glossy Colors of Permanent Adhesive Backed Vinyl (ships free and fairly quick from Amazon with an order totaling $35 or more)

Transfer Tape

1. Expressions Vinyl – Transfer Tape

2. H&H Sign Supply – Transfer Tape

Heat Transfer Vinyl

For t-shirts, you need something called heat transfer vinyl (HTV). HTV can be applied to shirts or other fabric either with a heat press or with a home iron and comes in many different colors, metallic and even prints. If you are using a home iron, be sure to use extremely firm pressing (not gliding) motions with your iron and make sure you have a very hard surface underneath, like smooth tile or a metal cookie sheet. HTV comes on its own carrier sheet (like transfer tape). When cutting HTV, make sure you put the shiny side down on your mat and mirror your design, so the writing or design appears flipped or backwards. After you remove the negative part of your design, place the whole carrier sheet on top of your t-shirt or fabric and press or iron according to the product directions. It is also recommended that you place a Teflon sheet on top of your carrier sheet to help the heat to be evenly distributed on your design.

Heat Transfer Vinyl is very expensive and hard-to-find in the craft stores. Also, many brands will not last through a washing, so it’s best to order quality HTV online. My favorite brands of HTV are Siser Easyweed or Thermoflex. They are the easiest to work with and give the best results.

Regular HTV:

1. Expressions Vinyl – Siser HTV

2. H&H Sign Supply Siser Easyweed 5-pack, 1 foot each

3. MyVinylDirect – HTV Vinyl by the Sheet

4. 4 Yards Siser Easyweed, Mix and Match Pack 4 Yards Siser EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl (Mix & Match your favorite colors) ***FREE Shipping***

5. 6 Yards Siser Easyweed, Mix and Match Pack 6 Yards Siser EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl (Mix & Match your favorite colors) ***FREE Shipping***

Glitter HTV:

1. Expressions Vinyl – Glitter HTV

2. H&H Sign Supply Siser Easyweed Glitter HTV by the foot

3. 3 Yards, Siser Easyweed Glitter, Mix and Match pack 3 Yards Siser Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl, Wide 20″ (Mix & Match your favorite colors) ***FREE Shipping***

Teflon Sheet

1. Heat Press Teflon Sheet 15×15

Heat Presses

If you plan to create tons of t-shirts, personalized bags or other designs on fabric, you might consider buying a heat press. Heat presses use an exact temperature and pressure to set your HTV easily. There are several smaller machines that work for home use.

Heat Presses with good reviews:

1. PowerPress Industrial-Quality Digital 15-by-15-Inch Sublimation T-Shirt Heat Press

2. GECKO 15×15 T-Shirt Heat Press Machine

Electronic Cutting Machines

I personally have own several Cricut machines and a Silhouette Cameo. My Silhouette Cameo is my absolute favorite crafting machine. I am able to design all of my vinyl cuts right on my computer and then easily cut them out. The original Silhouette Cameo was released a few years ago and recently, Silhouette released a slightly updated Cameo 2. The updates were small and I would recommend both models. The Sizzix Eclips 2 is another new electronic cutting machine on the market for home use that would work great for vinyl cutting. It’s features are similar to the Silhouette Cameo and this new and improved model has gotten excellent reviews so far.

Cricut has a new Cricut Explore machine that is computer-based. Although pricier than the Silhouette, it’s worth checking out. Keep in mind that you will need internet access at all times to use this machine. I love that my Silhouette machine works without Internet Access.

Click to See Any of these Machines:

1. Silhouette Cameo 2 Electronic Cutting Machine Starter Bundle

2. Silhouette Cameo Starter Bundle Kit

3. Silhouette Portrait (smaller cutting area)

4. Sizzix eclips2 Starter Kit

5. Cricut Explore Electronic Cutting Machine

6. Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutting Machine

Tools for Vinyl

If you are planning exploring vinyl cutting, you will need just a few simple tools. If you are cutting adhesive vinyl, you will need transfer tape to easily transfer your design from the carrier sheet and place your design on your item. For example, if you are cutting a name, the transfer tape keeps it straight or just as you designed it and you are able to transfer entire names, words or phrases all at once. Other tools include a hook for “weeding” out the negative vinyl around your design or those little shapes inside letters like “A and R”. I also own a great scraper or squeegee tool to help stick the vinyl to my transfer tape and to the item. After placing the transfer tape on top of my decal, I go over it with my scraper to make sure it picks up every detail of my design before I peel off the backing paper to apply it.

Some of my favorite tools for vinyl

1. 3M Vinyl Squeegee

2. Silhouette Hook Tool

3. Silhouette Digital Cutter TOOL PACKAGE

4. Transfer Tape

Tips for Using Machine Mats and Blades

It is best to make sure your mat still has plenty of adhesive to hold your vinyl in place to avoid sliding. Your mat should be free of paper debris so it will cut properly. Be sure to start with a new blade for vinyl for a clean cut. To prolong the life of your blade, keep a blade specifically for cutting vinyl. I mark my Silhouette blade with a metallic sharpie with a “V” for vinyl and save it to only use with my vinyl graphics supplies. I keep a blade for every type of medium that I cut whether it’s vinyl, paper, stamping material or fabric. I find that the best prices for mats and blades seem to be online.

Mats

1. Silhouette Cameo Replacement Cutting Mat

2. Silhouette Portrait Cutting Mat

3. Sizzix eclips Cutting Mats

4. Cricut StandardGrip Adhesive Cutting Mats

Blades

1. Silhouette Replacement Blade

2. Sizzix Eclips Blades

3. Cricut Replacement Blade

Machine Cut Settings for Different Types of Vinyl

Different types of vinyl require different cut settings in your machine. Below are some guidelines for cut settings, but it is always recommended to do a test cut before wasting any of your precious vinyl. Also, machines may vary, so use these settings as a starting point with your cutting machine.

1. Silhouette Vinyl Cut Settings

2. Silhouette Version 3 Software Cut Settings

3. Cricut Vinyl Cut Settings

Calming Homemade Christmas Play Dough Recipe

December 16, 2015 By Melissa 1 Comment
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There is so much activity and stimulation at Christmas time that your kids can easily get overwhelmed. This Calming Homemade Christmas Play Dough Recipe is fun to play with and has the added benefit of calming. It is so easy that the kids can help make it plus play with it!

I used the Lavender Essential Oil from my Young Living Starter Kit. This is a great way to get started with essential oils and I even have some bonus items when you purchase through me. Learn more about Young Living Essential Oils here.

Print Recipe

Calming Homemade Christmas Play Dough Recipe

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour
¼ cup of salt
1 ½ tablespoons of cream of tartar
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water
Green food coloring
4-5 drops of lavender essential oil
1 teaspoon of fine silver green, or white glitter

Instructions

Heat the water in a microwave safe cup until it is boiling.
Combine your dry ingredients, with the exception of the food coloring, in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add in the boiling water and oil. Continue to mix.
Continue to stir the mixture well until a paste forms. If the paste is sticky, you can sprinkle in flour a teaspoon at a time until the stickiness is gone.
Your play dough can now be colored. Add a few drops of green food coloring to the dough. Continue kneading until the color is distributed.
Sprinkle in the teaspoon of glitter. Knead the dough well so it distributes.
This play dough can be stored in an air tight container or zip lock bag where it will keep for
weeks. You can also add additional drops of essential oil as time goes on to freshen up the smell and calming properties.

Black Friday Sale on Silhouette Cameo Electronic Papercutter and 40% Off Accessories at the Silhouette Store

November 26, 2015 By Heidi Leave a Comment
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If you are a crafter, the Silhouette Cameo Electronic Papercutter is a must-have machine. It uses digital images from your computer and uses a small blade to cut paper, vinyl, vellum and fabric. It can cut up to 12 inches and 10 feet long. Just plug this machine into your computer and use the included software to start crafting! What sets this machine apart is it’s ability to print and cut. You can design a label on your Silhouette Studio Software and print it on your home printer. The Cameo has a special sensor that tells it how to cut around your label after it’s printed on your home computer. So cool! The Silhouette Portrait machine is similar to the Cameo, but just has a little bit smaller cutting area.

Silhouette also has the newer Mint machine and the Curio machine. The Mint will help you create your own custom stamps and the Curio will cut and accommodate thicker materials.

From now until December 4, 2015, Silhouette has some exciting deals for Black Friday with machine bundles starting at just $99 and all other Silhouette products at 40% off. Use coupon code: BARGAIN to get these prices. Shipping is free for orders of $50 or more to the contiguous United States.

Silhouette America has lots of machine bundles and 40% off all consumables (with free shipping over $50 to the Cont. U.S.) for Black Friday:

To get these great deals, enter coupon code: BARGAIN

Shop Silhouette America’s Sale

If you need more gift ideas, then check out our great gift ideas page. We will be adding more gift ideas and holiday shopping tips all month. Be sure to sign up for our free newsletter so all the updates comes right your inbox.

If you are interested in finding deals on gifts for the entire family, check out our EverydaySavvy Deals Group on Facebook.

DIY Hair Tie Tutorial with 3 Free Printable Tags and Free Template

November 8, 2015 By Heidi 23 Comments
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I’m sure you have seen these no-snag hair ties at stores like Anthropologie, Sephora and Claire’s. They are great because they won’t cause breakage to your hair or leave big dents in your hair like regular hair rubber bands. They are made of fold over elastic, which is gentle to the hair and this type of elastic comes in so many fun colors, prints, and textures. I saw some of these hair ties at my local bookstore the other day for $11 for a 4-pack. It costs pennies to make these yourself, plus they are quick and easy to make. You can also attach beads or flowers to jazz them up or just leave them plain. If you scroll down, you can see a hair tie that I made for my daughter with a pretty silver, rhinestone-studded flower attached. They also double as a bracelet until you are ready to put your hair up in a pony. I made this pretty blue set for my good girlfriend and exercise buddy. We go walking together while our kids are at school and I know she will love these for walking and biking. I used the printable template to make a pretty card to hold this set of hair ties, put them in a cellophane bag, tied them with some twine and attached a fun tag. [Read more…]

Where to Find Supplies for Your Cricut Explore Machine

April 16, 2015 By Heidi 2 Comments
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Where to Find Supplies for Your Cricut Explore Machine

The Cricut Explore and the Cricut Explore Air are the newest generation of Cricut machines from Provocraft. These cool machines have a 12 x 12 mat size and they do so many things like cut shapes, score your items for folding and you can even put pens into your machine to draw and write with your Explore. If you are considering one of these fun machines, check out both models to see which one works best for you.

Finding supplies for your Cricut Explore machine isn’t always easy. While you can find some things at your local craft stores, I feel like I can get better prices on supplies from internet stores, plus everything arrives right at your doorstep. For some supplies like vinyl, I prefer the quality and pricing of other brands of vinyl. I have included lots of tips and resources below to finding the best supplies for your machine. [Read more…]

Sewing Machines and Supplies for Tweens and Teens

April 9, 2015 By Heidi 1 Comment
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Sewing Machines and Supplies for Tweens and Teens

Sewing is a great life skill and if your tween or teen is showing interest in learning how to sew, they would love to receive a machine of their own to learn on. I bought my daughter her first machine at age 11 and, with a few classes, she learned how to do lots of fun, simple projects on her own. There are a lot of machines that are marketed to kids and while they are affordable, most break easily and are a waste of money. There are a few highly-reviewed starter machines that are under $100 and a several that are just over $100, with a variety of great features. We found some great solid machines that will make learning to sew easy and fun, not frustrating. There are also lots of great sewing supplies that your tween or teen will love so they can start this fun new hobby.

My daughter started off with classes at our local Joann fabrics store. They offer sales on their classes and you will receive a list of supplies, plus one of their coupons. One of her first projects was a pillowcase and they she branched out to a simple pair of PJ shorts, a pair of PJ pants, an apron and more. You can also check out if your local community center has classes as well. If your sewer prefers to venture out on their own, one of our best finds was the simple sewing patterns offered at Walmart stores, in the fabric department. They offer a variety of beginner patterns for just $1-3. There are patterns for purses, bags simple clothing, doll clothing and more. My daughter loves to save her allowance money to fund her next project and I love that she is learning a new life skill. Sewing projects are perfect for staying busy on weekends and over Summer break. [Read more…]

Cute and Easy DIY Chalkboard Menu Board

February 20, 2015 By Melissa 7 Comments
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Chalkboards are such a staple piece in my kitchen and they’re perfect for menu planning, notes, important dates and more. I love to keep a certain style in my kitchen and haven’t been able to find the right chalkboard so I decided to create my own using a gorgeous Paper Mache board, chalkboard paint and a paint brush. This entire project cost under $5 to complete and I’m in love!

Here is how to make your own cute and easy DIY Chalkboard Menu Board or Meal Planner

Supplies Needed:

– Paper Mache Shape (Found at Hobby Lobby for $1.99)

– Martha Stewart Chalkboard Paint (Found at Michaels $2.99)

– Paint Brush (Found at Dollar Tree, a set of 3 for $1)

– Liquid Chalk or white chalk (Found at any craft store or on Amazon)

Directions:

Lay your Paper Mache piece on a layer of old newspapers, magazines, cardboard or anything to protect your flooring surface.
Using your chalkboard paint start by painting the surface of your chalkboard and then cover the sides with chalkboard paint as well. Allow to dry for 15 minutes or so and apply another layer of chalkboard paint to the top and sides and allow it to dry for another 15 minutes.
Once the entire board is dry take a piece of white chalk and using the side cover the entire board and then erase it with a dry eraser. This will prep the board for your chalk sayings, drawings, menu plans and more. I love to use liquid chalk because it gives a crisper and bolder appearance.
Feel free to hang this board up and place whatever important information you want displayed in your home.
Enjoy your fun new DIY Chalkboard Menu Board!

I love how this project is so easy and frugal too but makes a huge impact. You could easily create one for your kid’s room and leave the fun notes or reminders. You could put one in your mud room with things to do etc. There are so many places a chalkboard would be useful and cute in your home!

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DIY Pony Valentine Baggy Topper

February 5, 2015 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Valentine’s Day is a very special time for every little boy and girl especially when they go to school on the special Holiday. This year I wanted to create something super adorable for my daughter to hand out to her classmates at school and of course I wanted to stay on a budget as well. I didn’t want to give the traditional candy this year as that’s been done over and over again. [Read more…]

DIY Rainbow Loom Charm Valentines with Free Printables

January 9, 2015 By Heidi 3 Comments
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My tween daughter recently started making all sorts of charms with her Rainbow Loom with the many tutorials online. Over the holidays, she made me a cute snowflake charm and I attached it to the pencil that I keep at my computer desk. My daughter makes these charms and since they stretch and loop around just about anything, she has charms attached to her backpack, her purse and her pencil case. She also makes them for friends at school.

I thought that Rainbow Loom charm valentines would be a cute idea for tweens since most are no longer buying the character valentines. There are many different types of Rainbow Loom charms and some are easy and others more complicated. If you are making them for the whole class, I suggest choosing an easier design or your tween can make them for siblings, neighbors or just for their close friends as something extra special. Some of the fun ones that I have seen are flowers, hearts, mustaches, animals. [Read more…]