Thursday, April 9, 2020

3 Fast and Easy Vinyl Projects To Make With Cricut Joy

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

3 Fast and Easy Vinyl Projects To Make With Cricut Joy


Fast and easy vinyl projects to make with Cricut Joy

Have you heard of the new Cricut Joy? Do you already own it? Is it on your wish list? Whether you are considering buying the Cricut Joy, you already have it or you're here just wondering what the heck a Cricut machine does, I have three fast and easy projects using vinyl that will give you a good idea of how Cricut Joy can enhance your life and your crafting experience.

If you live in a small space and can't set up a sizable craft room, Cricut Joy could be your new best friend. Even if you do have a dedicated craft room, you may find yourself using Cricut Joy in the kitchen, living room or bedroom (yes, right in your bed!). So far, I've kept my Cricut Joy on top of a cookbook shelf right in the kitchen. It's so convenient to grab it and make a quick project (some in under 15 minutes) at the kitchen table or on the coffee table in the family room. You'll be tempted to make cute little projects while binging your favourite shows on Netflix.
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You can see just how compact the Cricut Joy is, above, as I put it to work on my coffee table.  This wee machine allows us to personalize mugs, t-shirts, water bottles and more with one cut and colour in mere minutes. Cricut Joy is fun, functional and simple to use. To make it even more portable, you can buy the matching tote and take Cricut Joy along to the cottage, a craft meet or a friend's house.

How big is the Cricut Joy?

The dimensions of the Cricut Joy are : 8.25 inches (length); 5.25 inches (depth); and 4.25 inches (height). Cricut Joy is Cricut’s smallest smart cutting machine ever. Place it on your bedside table, on a shelf or in a cupboard. Move it from room to room easily. It weighs just 3.9 pounds. To use Cricut Joy, just plug it in and connect to Design Space via Bluetooth.


3 Fast and Easy Vinyl Projects To Make With Cricut Joy


1. Owl Mug Decal


To make an owl mug decal in vinyl with Cricut Joy, open Cricut Design Space on your phone or other device. Choose an owl from the available images in Design Space. Size the owl design to fit your mug. Ensure the image is set to "cut." Click "Make It." Choose "Without Mat" to use Smart materials like the Smart Vinyl I used for this application.


Ensure the cut looks right in the preview screen and select "Continue." You'll be asked to select your cutting machine (connected via Bluetooth). Select Cricut Joy. Select your material. Load Smart Vinyl into the Cricut Joy under the guides and up against rollers. The Cricut Joy will check to see if you have enough material inserted by running the material through the machine.


Ensure the cutting blade is inserted. Press "Go" to start the cut. Watch the Cricut Joy do its thing. Unload the material when the cut is complete.


Weed away the excess vinyl from the cut, leaving your cut owl image alone on the backing paper. With this particular owl, I decided to weed away the chest feathers rather than leaving them on the backing. They were just so tiny that they were hard to leave in place.

Place transfer tape over the completed cut. Remove backing paper (very carefully to avoid ripping your cut!).


Apply image smoothly to a clean and dry mug. Remove transfer tape slowly and carefully, pressing the cut down as needed. Voila! A cute new mug in minutes!


2. Butterfly Plate Decals


Cricut Joy is also great for using up little bits of vinyl and paper that you have left over from other projects. In addition to cutting Smart materials without the need for a mat, Cricut Joy has a range of mats for when you want to cut regular materials.

To bring some cheer to my spring tablescapes, I decided to add vinyl butterflies to white plates. For this project I used Cricut Natalie Malan premium patterned vinyl from the Orchard Sampler pack. First, insert a few different butterfly shapes and sizes from the available images in Cricut Design Space. Cut out the butterflies as with the vinyl owl above, except choose "On Mat" before selecting your material.


3 Vinyl Projects with Cricut Joy

Affix the premium patterned vinyl to the mat before inserting the mat into the machine under the guides and against the rollers.


patterned butterfly plates with vinyl and Cricut Joy

This is a very fast and fun project - you can have a whole new set of plates in 15 minutes! Try bunnies for Easter or general spring themes such as bees and flowers.


3. Smart Label Writable Vinyl Mason Jar Labels


My third Cricut Joy fast and easy vinyl project is perfect for your spring organization goals. I chose to create labels for pantry items in mason jars, but you could also create labels for storage bins, boxes of kids' toys, bathroom necessities in jars or boxes - basically for anywhere you need a bit of help organizing.


For this project, insert an apple shape in Cricut Design Space (from available images). You could also use a circle, rectangle or any other image shape you desire. Size the apple or other shape to fit the jars. Ensure the image is set to "Cut."

Use the text tool to add a inside the apple. Set the text to "Write." Duplicate the shape for as many labels as your require. Double click on the text to change the wording. For this project you will need Cricut Smart Label writable vinyl.

The procedure to cut is much the same as for the owl mug, however Design Space will prompt you to insert a Cricut Joy pen (I used a 0.3 black). After the writing is complete, you'll be prompted to switch from the pen back to the cutting blade.


Weed and apply the labels carefully - the Smart Label writable vinyl is thin and can tear or bubble if you don't apply slowly and smoothly. This project is so fast, you'll have a beautiful, organized pantry (or play room) in no time!

Those are just three ideas for how to use vinyl to create quick, fun projects with your Cricut Joy, but the possibilities are truly endless.




Questions for you


Do you have the Cricut Joy? Do you want one? What would you create with it? What areas of your home do you want to decorate/organize?

Why do I need Cricut Joy if I already have a Cricut machine?


If you already own a Cricut machine, you might wonder why you would also need to invest in a Cricut Joy. Of course "need" might not be the right word. It's more of a "want," but I'll tell you why I wanted a Cricut Joy in addition to my Cricut Maker. Cricut Joy has unique features that make it perfect for quick, mat-free projects, long cuts and easy card making.

Smart materials save you from having to apply materials to mats, for faster results and less hassle. New Smart vinyl comes in extended sizes, with up to 20’ repeated cut capability, and no need to switch out multiple mats, so you can create amazing wall art or birthday banners in just one cut.

Cricut Joy blank insert card sets allow you to create a quick last-minute card even when you forgot you needed a card for today's special occasion. The unique Cricut Joy card cutting mat means you can customize cards in minutes. All the folding has been done for you - just cut a design from the front of the card and pop in an insert card to make your design pop. 


Learn more on Cricut.com. Cricut Joy is now available online and in stores.

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