Christmas Craft Challenge Week 7 - Glass Etching With A Stencil Made By Cricut

 Step By Step How To Make A Stencil For Glass Etching

So far  in this 12 week Christmas Craft Challenge, we've covered how to cut paper, how to use the pens to write, how to transfer vinyl, how to  layer vinyl with registration marks, how to use print then cut, and how to use Heat Transfer Vinyl  You can find an index of the past projects here:  https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-12-week-christmas-craft-challenge.html

This week we're learning about making stencils with cricut.  This step by step is for glass etching, but the concepts will apply for many stenciling projects.  

For "Choose Your Own Adventure" section this week, there are ideas for adding color to your glass etching, reverse etching, and more etching ideas and inspiration.

As always,  I'd love to see what you make!  Join the group for this page to share your progress, ask questions, and be absolutely inundated with free svgs, posted by themes.  :-) Join The FB Group For This Blog By Clicking Here

For which vinyl to buy, I have a list of my favorites, and price guidelines, here:

Christmas Craft Challenge Week Six - Making Cards & Addressing Envelopes

Step By Step How to Make A Card & Envelope, & How To Address Envelopes With Pens In Cricut

We're half way through the 12 week Christmas Challenge!  If you have completed all of the lessons, you now know how to use pens in cricut, how to apply a vinyl decal, how to layer, how to use htv, and more!  Find the index of previous lesson here:   https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-12-week-christmas-craft-challenge.html

This week we're back to paper and pens,  learning about card making, and specifically addressing envelopes.

For "Choose Your Own Adventure" section this week, there's a section of free svgs for making Thank You notes.  

As always,  I'd love to see what you make!  Join the group for this page to share your progress, ask questions, and be absolutely inundated with free svgs, posted by themes.  :-) Join The FB Group For This Blog By Clicking Here

For which vinyl to buy, I have a list of my favorites, and price guidelines, here:

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Step By Step
Making Cards & Addressing Envelopes
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Supplies:

Most often, when you download an svg, it will download as a zip file.  For this week, I wanted to show you something different.  Sometimes a file will be in google drive just as an svg.  When you click on the link for this download:
You should see something like the screen above.  In the top right, 
beside the printer icon, is a down arrow.  Click on that to download the svg.  It will download just an svg - not a zip file.  Open Design Space, and upload the file.

Chevron & Leopard Print Arabesque Ornaments

Free SVGS For Chevron & Leopard Print Tiles From Lowes


These are easier than they look!  I used the frisco matte black vinyl, which is my absolute favorite, and is easy to weed.  (It's also the cheapest I've found!)  But I used oracal gold, and that weeded very well too.  The hardest part was that tiny text at the top of the chevron ornament.  Avoid tiny text, and these will be pretty quick and simple to make!

My favorite vinyl, and where to buy it:


I use the Santori Tiles From Lowes found here:

There's a small "lip" around the edge of these, but it is very slight, and for these, I simply ignored it - you really can't tell that the vinyl goes right over it.  

Once uploaded, size the Chevron to: 3.622 X 4.372

For the leopard print, there are two files to upload.  Once uploaded, select the solid one, and change it to gold or brown, then attach it.  Then select the "outline" and attach that one, leaving it black. Layer one over top of the all, group, then change the size to: 3.606 X  4.374

Add whatever you would like in the center circles.

Then once cut, layer the designs on the transfer tape and apply the entire layered design all at once.

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Find More Tips, Ideas, & Free SVGS For Lantern or Arabesque Ornaments here:

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The Christmas Index
Where To Find: Free Christmas SVGS By Theme (Nativity, Grinch, A Christmas Story, Etc), Where To Find Free Christmas SVGS By Project (Gift Tags, 3D Paper, Earrings, etc) and Where To Find Free Christmas Project Tutorials & Gift Ideas.  Including an entire extra index just for making Christmas Ornaments.  Find it all here:

Quick Links:
 An Alphabetical Index Of My  Free SVGS By Theme Posts
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To See All Of My Latest Free SVG Finds, 
Join Cricut Tips, Tutorials, & Free SVGS
There you will find themed posts with all of the latest links in the comments
And you can share your projects, tutorials, and ask questions there too!








 

Six Christmas Ornaments (With Free SVGS) To Make With Cricut This Week-End

Six Christmas Ornament Ideas With Tutorials & Free SVGS

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Bigfoot is cut out of vinyl, and applied to a clear transparency, then placed inside the ornament.  Find the step by step here: https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2019/10/bigfoot-ornaments-using-vinyl-on.html

Find the "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out" version here:

Arabesque, Or Lantern Tile, Ornaments (Free SVGS)

 
Download The SVGS Here

Be sure they are sized as shown in the graphic above.

The size on the left is for the backing, if you want to cover the back in felt or paper.  It is the full size of the ornament.  The sizes on the right are for the inside of the front.  There's a small "lip" around the ornament, the size on the right will fit inside of that.

These are specifically the Satori Arabesque tiles, 15 in a 12x12 sheet, for $5.98, from Lowes.  Search for Anatolia Tile Hudson White Lantern Mosaic Wall Tile

Note - the marble version are 3x the price of the white version.

For those asking about weight, they are much lighter than the look - weighing roughly 3 ounces.

Ideas for covering the back:
Adhesive felt
Paper

For Hanging:
You can simply glue ribbon or string to the back
My husband said he has a special ceramic drill bit if I want a hole in the top (but I haven't tried it yet)

If you cannot find the tiles  - you could make them from salt dough!
I made Easter Egg ornaments from Salt dough, cutting a paper stencil with cricut to cut the shapes and then running a knife around the inside of the stencil to cut the dough - it would work for these shapes too . https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2020/03/easter-salt-dough-ornaments-with-vinyl.html

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Free SVGS For on The Lantern, 
or Arabesque, Tiles:
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Affiliate Disclosure - Please remember that I am an affiliate for a variety of sites, including Design Bundles, Amazon, Creative Fabrica, and others.  If you click on the links here for the FREE svgs, then decide to purchase something from that site, it's possible I will earn a very small commission.  This in no way effects the price you pay.



In 2023, there's a LARGE selection of free Arabesque Ornament svg bundles here:

Free svgs from





Find more free grinch svgs here:

For Grinch Green Spray Paint, Try:
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NOT FREE
(But Great Examples!)
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No idea where this photo is originally from - but look at that gorgeous topper!

This is a good example showing that really ANY free svg can be used on these:

Find an index of free Christmas SVGS here:

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The Christmas Index
Where To Find: Free Christmas SVGS By Theme (Nativity, Grinch, A Christmas Story, Etc), Where To Find Free Christmas SVGS By Project (Gift Tags, 3D Paper, Earrings, etc) and Where To Find Free Christmas Project Tutorials & Gift Ideas.  Including an entire extra index just for making Christmas Ornaments.  Find it all here:

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Arabesque
by Emma Lazarus

On a background of pale gold
I would trace with quaint design,
Penciled fine,
Brilliant-colored, Moorish scenes,
Mosques and crescents, pages, queens,
Line on line,
That the prose-world of to-day
Might the gorgeous Past's array
Once behold.

On the magic painted shield
Rich Granada's Vega green
Should be seen;
Crystal fountains, coolness flinging,
Hanging gardens' skyward springing
Emerald sheen;
Ruddy when the daylight falls,
Crowned Alhambra's beetling walls
Stand revealed;

Balconies that overbrow
Field and city, vale and stream.
In a dream
Lulled the drowsy landscape basks;
Mark the gleam
Silvery of each white-swathed peak!
Mountain-airs caress the cheek,
Fresh from the snow.

Here in Lindaraxa's bower
The immortal roses bloom;
In the room
Lion-guarded, marble-paven,
Still the fountain leaps to heaven.
But the doom
Of the banned and stricken race
Overshadows every place,
Every hour.

Where fair Lindaraxa dwelt
Flits the bat on velvet wings;
Mute the strings
Of the broken mandoline;
The Pavilion of the Queen
Widely flings
Vacant windows to the night;
Moonbeams kiss the floor with light
Where she knelt.

Through these halls that people stepped
Who through darkling centuries
Held the keys
Of all wisdom, truth, and art,
In a Paradise apart,
Lapped in ease,
Sagely pondering deathless themes,
While, befooled with monkish dreams,
Europe slept.

Where shall they be found today?
Yonder hill that frets the sky
"The last Sigh
Of the Moor" is named still.
There the ill-starred Boabdil
Bade good-by
To Granada and to Spain,
Where the Crescent ne'er again
Holdeth sway.

Vanished like the wind that blows,
Whither shall we seek their trace
On earth's face?
The gigantic wheel of fate,
Crushing all things soon or late,
Now a race,
Now a single life o'erruns,
Now a universe of suns,
Now a rose.





Tozo T6 Earbud Tap Controls

 


When I bought these earbuds, my daughter joked that they were going to be too fancy for me.  

I hate to admit it, but she may be right.  It just took me WAY too long to google what the actual touch controls are for these, and I'm still not convinced I know what I am doing!

The Controls, As Near As I Can Figure Them Out:

Right Earbud:
  • Long Press - Volume Up
  • Short Press - Skip Forward
  • 1 tap, pauses or resumes music
  • 3 taps Activates Voice Service connected to my phone (Alexa, google, it will ask you to choose your service the first time.)

Left Earbud:
  • Long press =volume down
  • Short Press = Reverse
  • 1 tap, pauses or resumes music
  • 3 taps Activates Voice Service connected to my phone (Alexa, google, it will ask you to choose your service the first time.)
I came across this, for a completely different brand - so these commands may be standard for a variety of ear buds.


This is the graphic from the Tozo site
I have no idea what it even means.  There are no buttons, so why show my these symbols with no indication of how to use these functions?  

Lets start with the fact that they make a T10, but the T6 is the newer version. Why? Just why? I bought the T6, mostly because they were on sale, and they had this pretty mint green option. :-)

They work great - synced right out of the case, they charge beautifully..  but I did not realize that the case does not have to be plugged in for them to charge.  The case can be charged every few days, and then it will recharge the earbuds 4 times before it needs plugged in again.

The idea is that the ear buds are returned to the case when you are not wearing them, and they automatically charge while in there.  It also appears to be the only to fully turn them off.  There's no tap or press I have found that turns these off.  1 tap will "pause", and another tap will resume, but I've been tossing these in an antique ashtray that I keep on a stand (where I also toss my earrings so they don't get lost when I take them out downstairs) and the buds will randomly pair to my phone and start playing without me realizing it. That's annoying, when I was using them to listen to an audiobook and now find that I am way further into the book than I knew. 

 Apparently, I am supposed to bring the case downstairs and place the earbuds in it each time, rather than leave the case plugged in beside my phone charger upstairs.    Fancy.  :-)

"TOZO T6 wireless earbuds can last for over 6 hours' playtime from a single charge and 24 extra hours in the compact charging case. Charging case support wireless charging."

In one review, I read that they found the instructions in a booklet that came with the earbuds. Mine came with approximately 6 gazillion silicone covers  in every size imaginable to fit every possible ear..  [ok, so maybe it was only 12.  But it was a LOT of size options!] but no booklet.  But lets be honest, I probably wouldn't have read the booklet anyway, I would have assumed I could just easily google the controls...

If you pause them and remove them, they should shut themselves off in 5 minutes time.  I'm not sure that always happens though, as mine have randomly connected and started playing again when they should have been off.

Don't get me wrong - I love these.  Waterproof, great sound, and there were plenty of options to find the right fit for my ears.  But I still am not sure I know how to use any extra features - and I haven't tried taking a phone call with them yet.  

After a LOT more searching, I found this manual online:
It does not even mention the voice assistance (a feature I have used several times, I know that one works) - so even the manual doesn't have all of the instructions...