Vintage Sign Tutorial using Cricut

Well, that was quite the month! 

Lot's of changes with my jobs. I still do after school daycare, but have gone from working nights in a job I wasn't happy in, to a job that will allow me to work during the day till school is out.

There was also a considered move and well... Christmas season all rolled into the last 30 days!

Whew, I didn't sleep much but I've made it to the other side and am back to blogland to show you

what I've been up to in the art room.

Rather than post all in one, I'll spread them out over a few days.

Quick Cricut sign making 101

We  finally decided to put some shelves up, under and over our TV, as it was hanging on a big wall looking lonely and there were horrible wires hanging around.

I dislike wires.

So, after my Honey got the shelves up, he decided to nap. I on the other hand needed to add something to the shelf and with Christmas around the corner I thought I could use a sign.

There are so many ways you can make an old sign.

I decided to use My Cricut for this one.. because it's sitting there.

I started out by painting a board black.

I then cut some vinyl letters and snowflakes.. I made extra letters to use for a "Joy" sign later.

Next, stick the vinyl letters and snowflakes onto the board and paint a cream color over everything.

After it is good and dry you can peel away the vinyl revealing crisp black lines..

I sanded down the whole board, aging it as I went along.

Here it is on it's new shelf.

Since doing this I managed to make a couple more different styles for gifts.

Of course I forgot to take pics.. I'll try to get them.

(I also replaced that wimpy wreath with a spectacular one.)

sMashing Mickey!

This was intended for a child but it would make any Disney fan a fun journal. I started this last spring for a friend's child, but their trip was postponed and I stopped working on it. With all the rage being journal type smash (I like to call it Mash!) books, I thought it would be fun to complete this autograph, activity, scrap, up-cycled trip journal.

plain papers for autographs and a photo mat

Recycled book

Pin It

Top Secret Envelope

Mickey pocket for tags and stuff.
Looks like I missed the buttons, will fix!

I always come back from a Disney trip with papers, maps, fast passes, coasters, cute packaging and anything else I think will bring back the magic... in my pockets, in my bags, in the kids ears, wherever I can stuff it.. to get it all home.

Then, I stick it in a drawer. Forever.

I'm the perfect candidate for this type of thing.

Magic Kingdom Bingo

Make Character Paper Airplanes

Mash it up!

Although, I started this "Mashing Mickey" journal to house everything a kid would collect along with Character autographs... there are some trivia and facts pages, (to keep the kids amused while waiting in line) photo mats and more plain pages that I didn't photograph. It also has 4 divider pages with tabs you can write on or add a label. As a big Mickey fan, I'd use this journal myself. A pen and a glue stick (and now they have the cute smash tape) and I'd be good to go...

..right back to Walt Disney World. 

 °o°

Make it Sweet, Patricia

Linking up to these wonderful blogs..

Sugar Bee Crafts
Make it Monday
Making the World Cuter
Mommy by Day Crafter by Night
Not Just a Housewife
Reasons to Skip the Housework
Vintage Wanna bee

Mickey Cookie Lollipop and a Birthday Cake!

I had a very productive week!

It seems that sweets were in demand.

I'll start with the Mickey Mouse Cookie Lollipop. The kids and I decided that we had to make these once we spotted them at Cake Central some time ago. Since then, I have seen them around on other sites.. none of which I can remember. So, I remembered to buy Oreos and we finally got to it.

Here is what we started with.

Double Stuff Oreos

Red and Dark chocolate Melts

Lollipop sticks (I had hollow ones, like straws, that worked best)

A Red Starburst fruit chew or fruit leather would work too (optional)

Microwave safe container for melting the candy melts

We melted our red and dipped half the cookie, leaving it on waxed paper to dry.

I found that once the candy coating hardened you can't get the stick in without it cracking. 

Adding the stick while the candy coating was soft worked much better. Also, putting the Oreos in the microwave for a few minutes (before you even get started) will soften the creamy inside of your Oreos to make the stick slide in better as well. 

Next we heated a small pot of water on the stove and used the side of it to slightly melt the edge of a dark chocolate melt and stuck two of them into the creamy centers for ears.

Another option would be to use Mini Oreos and use melted dark chocolate to glue them on as ears.

We wanted Minnie pops too.. so I broke out the Starburst candies from halloween. I microwaved a red one for a few seconds to soften it and flattened it to cut little triangles to make Minnie bows.

Add some white icing buttons or polka dots and Voila!

How Cute is Minnie?

 And the two together....

One little tip on the dark chocolate, if you find it's really scratched up you can rub it with a clean finger and it will be smooth again. In the above pic, Minnie has smooth ears while Mickey's are a little scratchy.

They were not long for this world....

Sweet!

Aside from that, I also whipped up another fondant Birthday cake..

This

Crooked little cake

Plus this...

I created some extra large fondant sprinkles.. and a cherry complete with stem.

EQUALS THIS....

TADA!

A cute cartoony cake

Watch for my Disney autograph/journal/smash style book! It's almost completed..

Linking up at these link parties..

lolly jane boutique

Along For the Ride

Be Different Act Normal

Boogieboard Cottage