First Cricut Steps – and a Happy Hamster!
I got a very exciting gift at Yule from the love of my life; a Cricut Maker 3! This digital cutting machine can cut over 200 different types of materials and has a lot of advantages over hand cutting and manual die cutting. Cutting is done neatly, and just as it shows on the screen, and you are also not restricted by what die cuts you own. You can even do more with additional tools, such as drawing pens, foil transfers, scoring and perforating card.
This machine does so much, it took me a few days to start using it, as I felt a bit overwhelmed and just did not know where to begin. Fortunately, the Cricut Design Space (the software/app you use to prepare your designs) does have some projects that are ready to make. I spent a lot of time browsing through everything, seeing what I could make and saving the projects that I was interested in having a go.
Design Space also have a wide variety of different images and fonts that you can use to make your own personalised makes. You’re not restricted to these either, you can import your own svg image files and fonts, that you have acquired elsewhere – or created yourself.
I was cleaning my hamster out just after christmas, and whilst sorting through all his bits, I noticed how plain his treat tub was. And here I decided was the perfect opportunity to practice making something.
I decorated the lid only, as it was easier to add a design onto instead of the circular tub. To give the design a background to help the vinyl stand out, I got my paint set out. A bit of white gesso as a primer, a couple of coats of orange acrylic and finishing of with a quick coat of Mod Podge Gloss, and I was ready to go.
On Design Space, I searched through, and found a cute, simple image of a hamster holding onto a sunflower seed. Simple designs are good to start with at first as they require less layers to get all the colours.
Once the design is cut out, the bits that you don’t want on the item are stripped away (called weeding), leaving behind what will be transferred.
It was at this moment when I realised that I could cut the same design out with a different coloured vinyl and weed out the opposite bits in order to ‘fill in’ the hamster outline with colour. And this is what I did!
Transferring the design is a process that needs care and attention. You can see on my finished project that I didn’t get the transfer in the centre properly. It was only a practice project though.
The transfer tape that you use to lift the design on to place onto your item needs to be pressed down really well, and carefully pulled back, checking that the design is being lifted. One tip that I have heard from multiple sites and videos is to turn the design upside down and lifting the backing away from the tape. It feels as though it is something that will improve the more practice you get. I occasionally use my tools, such as the edge of the weeding tool to help stick the vinyl to the transfer tape, and to keep it there when I am transferring a more intricate design.
Anyway, you can see the finished product here! Latte was definitely happy with his new funky treat box.
I had originally written this post months ago, but before I could finish it, Latte passed away. It was so sad, and I still miss him today. I could tell he wasn’t quite himself a few days earlier, so I was giving him lots of love, and making sure he could access his food and water without struggling.
On his final day, I knew it was going to happen. I was working from home on this day, so I took him into my office with me, and rested him on my chest so he was warm and well-loved. I even gave him bits of cucumber which he would lick. And then it happened. I stroked him and said soothing words to him about how amazing he was. And then I cried so much!
But, after a few weeks I fell in love with a long-haired Syrian hamster whom I called Sebastian! I have not yet changed the lid for Sebastian yet, but that is definitely in the pipeline – I will share the updated box in a later post, and detail how easy/difficult it is. Sebastian was so tiny and timid when I first brought him home, but each day he got more confident and he is now enjoying play time in the living room and lots of cuddles!
To finish off, here’s a pic of Sebastian!
Have you made any crafts for your pets? Feel free to share your pics in the comments, or email su*********@************co.uk
Looking to get your own Cricut machine, or some supplies? Check the Cricut store – they often have special deals on their product lines!