"Squeeze My Cheeks & I'll Give You A Kiss"
Reads the tags on these homemade ornaments popular in the 1980's.
The ornaments hold a Hersheys Kiss inside.
Here's where to find patterns to make them today:
Elf Yourself (or your grandchildren) Ornaments
Into Movable Elf Ornaments
A Print Then Cut Project With Cricut (Free Project)
Quick Links:
- Design Space Project - the Elf Image is no longer free, you will need to purchase it from cricut to make this project. #M1E36ED
- Melody Lane YouTube Tutorial showing how to add the string (I did not use string)
- I used Plain White Card Stock
- I used Red & Green Button Brads (I got them at Michaels)
- Tips For Solving Common Print Then Cut Problems
This is what the project looks like in Design Space.
The white image in the middle of the first row is unused in my version, I am not really sure what it is for - but my best guess is if you would prefer to cut a photograph to glue fast, or have a child draw a face rather than use a photograph, that piece would work as the face.
For my version of this, I did not need two holes side by side on the leg and arm pieces, but I put two holes there, in case you want to make them with the string like Melody Lane did. I think our grand-kids would just break them faster if they had a string, I am happy just to have the arms and legs move.
This is the image that is used for these. This project was free in 2019, and is still free if you pay the monthly rental fee for Cricut Access. For me personally, I always find it better to purchase one image as need from cricut, rather than pay for access. When you purchase the image, you can use it as long as you can use Design Space. When you pay a monthly fee for cricut access, you are merely renting the images, and once you stop paying the monthly fee, you stop having free access to those images.
Quick Reference:
- I sized this to fit on one sheet of paper, the finished elf is approximately 8.5 inches tall
- Attach the black dots. Attach - not flatten. For all but the piece on the left, this is already done. If you flatten the dots to the body, they will not cut, and you will need to use a hole punch.
- Once you add the face, select the hat, coat, and face, and flatten! Then attach the dots.
Crop your photo as much as possible before uploading it to design space. Then use the eraser tool to crop out the face. Do not worry too much about it being a little jagged, the imperfections will fade out, and many will be hidden completely by the hat and the coat. If you need help learning how to use the eraser tool when uploading to Design Space, this may help: https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-to-convert-simple-free-clipart-to.html
Move your face around and resize until you like the way it looks.
For this project, it's much easier to select in the layers panel on the right. Click on each item, while holding the shift key down. I group my 3 items to start. Then move them over the image on the left, making sure the hat and coat will line up when you put them together. once you are sure it's the right size, select your 3 items - hat, coat, face, and flatten.
Send your new flattened image to the back, and move your dots over. In the photo above, the dots are not lined up. You want to line them up so it looks like there is only one set of dots. Then over in that layers panel, select the dots, and the image with your face. Once selected, attach. Then drag the image to the side once again.
Click Make it, and send to your printer.
Place the printed page on a mat.
Use the blue one if you have it, it's meant for paper. I am using a green one here that is not too sticky - it's been used a lot. You can wash your mats with soap and water and the stickiness will come back - but this one hasn't been washed recently, and has been used pretty hard, so it is not TOO sticky.
Here's one I cut on the blue mat. :-)
I love the Cricut Spatula tools for removing small pieces of paper from the mat.
Put the arms and legs together first. Then layer the pieces all together. The hole at the top is for a ribbon, to hang them.
===============
An Index Of Tips, Tutorials & Free SVGS For Making Christmas Ornaments
=================
For More Tips, Tricks, Tutorials, and Free SVGS -
Making 3d Paper Christmas Ornaments With Cricut - Free SVGS
I've separated this post into three parts - Free SVGS for making 3D Paper Christmas Ornaments, Free Templates that you can either convert to svg with a free converter or simple clean up (or just cut by hand!) and lastly, SVGS & Templates that are not free.
If you make any of these, come on over to the Cricut Tips, Tutorials & Free SVGS facebook group to show us what you made! (And share links to your tutorials and free svgs there too!)
Christmas Lampshades With Cricut
A quick Christmas Decoration - Vinyl inside a lampshade
I'm going to try to remember to come back and take better photos at night, when there is not so much light pouring in the windows here. :-)
A Christmas Card Holder Canvas
Free Santa Sack SVGS at the bottom of this post.
I used a Santa Sack SVG & htv, ironing it onto a craft canvas.
Then I cut slits in the canvas with an exacto knife to run the ribbons through.
Cards slip in the sides, and are clipped (paperclips work great) or taped to the ribbons.
For more tips, tricks, and projects using htv:
This is the file I used for my card holder. It's a silhouette file, and the download it under an ad, click on the "Santa Sack Cut File" text, which is located right above the words "Note: This cut file is for personal use only". Then you will need to request access to view the google drive file...
This one is a studio file [for silhouette machines]. To convert it to SVG, use the free online converter here: http://www.ideas-r-us-software.uk/FileConverters/SilhouetteStudioConverter.aspx
I made this back in 2019, so I am not 100% certain the file will still be available for download. I've included some additional FREE Santa Sack SVG options below.
===========
Materials For Santa Sacks
==============
 |
 See a list of some of my favorite Htv brands. The only brand I NEVER buy is [the very overpriced] Cricut brand. I tend to prefer Caregy, HTVront & Transwonder - all of which have performed great for me over the years. |
 |
There are a LOT of options for XL Cotton Laundry bags on Amazon. I found two packs for $10, making them $5 each - I don't yet know what they cost in local stores.
I'm thinking it might be less expensive to buy the bags with premade designs at Hobby Lobby, and just add names? But again, I haven't actually checked prices yet.
===============
FREE SVGS FOR SANTA SACKS
 |
 |
 This one is a studio file [for silhouette machines]. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
This was the original version - isn't it amazing what a difference some different ribbon made - in the top photo?
===============
For Tips, Tricks, Tutorials, and Loads Of Free SVGS - Find Me on Facebook:
Cricut For Beginners Lesson #2 - Vinyl On A Candle Holder
This is a very simple, basic, project meant for those who have been afraid to take their cricut out of the box. You'll learn to upload a free image, cut it, weed it, and apply it to a Dollar Tree Candle Holder.
- 1 Square Dollar Tree Candle Holder (or any similar item you already own)
- Vinyl - it can be 631 (temporary) or 651 (permanent) for this project, it does not matter. We are not using HTV (Iron On) for this project. That works a bit differently.
- Transfer Paper (Buy a roll of Magic Cover Shelf liner, clear contact paper, while at the Dollar Tree for your candle holder - it works great!)
- Free Snowflake SVG NOTE - The file I used for this tutorial is no longer free! That means this entire posts needs a bit of a rewrite. I'm working on it!
- A weeding tool (Although not always a fan of cricut products, I love their tool set and use it constantly - The Nicapa brand is identical to the Cricut brand, and $3 cheaper, on Amazon)
- A Scraper (If you do not have the tool set, a pampered chef pan scrapers and credit cards work well)
SUPPLIES:
These square candle holders are absolutely perfect for a beginners project.
The round candle holders are slightly, only slightly, more challenging, because it's not a flat surface. But this candle holder will give us four surfaces to practice on. For this lesson we will be decorating just one side - we'll add on in future lessons.
For your vinyl, you can use whatever you have on hand. 651, or 631, it does not matter. You can just pick up a roll at the Dollar Tree, if yours carries it. If you are ordering vinyl, I suggest the Frisco brand of permanent vinyl. It's inexpensive, weeds great, and holds up wonderfully. Personally, I do not like Cricut Vinyl. I find it to be overpriced, and it has not held up well for me. There are a lot of sites with great sales, but until I pay shipping, it's rare that anyone beats the prices on Amazon.
Uploading The Image To Design Space
- Go to Design Space, If it's your first time, you will need to create an account
- Go To Design Bundles, Download the Free SVG (Again, you may need to create an account - this is a GREAT site, you'll want a free account here for their weekly freebies!)
Download The Free SVG
The file will download as zip file, and will likely go download to the downloads folder on your computer, depending on your device and system.
Unzip The SVG
Once it downloads, you will need to unzip it. (Most likely you can right click on the file and choose extract, but you may need to download software to unzip files).
I have a very detailed step by step on unzipping and using free svgs in Design Space, if you need more visuals - https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-to-download-install-svg-to-design.html
Open Design Space.
It may look slightly different than this, they are constantly doing updates, and I am using a beta version here, but it will be similar to this. In the top right choose "New Project".
Now you have your Design Space Canvas. This is where you create all of your designs to cut with cricut. We won't be designing anything today, merely uploading - so click on the upload button on the bottom left.
Browse to the folder where you have unzipped the downloaded svg, and locate the one that looks like an html file. I use Google Chrome as my browser, so for me this is a chrome icon - it's the bottom file here, and it says "chrome html file" under type. SVGS are html files.
Once it is uploaded, click on it, and then on the bottom right choose "Insert Images".
When the image is in Design Space, you will see it is way to large for our candle holder. At the top of the screen, where it says size, make sure the lock icon is "locked". Click on it, and you will see it lock, or unlock.
In 2022, it is currently unlocked by default for newly uploaded images. Locking it keeps the size ratio. If you want to change JUST the height, then unlock. If you want to change the height and keep the width ratio, resizing the entire image without stretching it out, you want to keep the size ratio locked.
For this project, with the lock ON, in the box beside the w type 2.5
This image has uploaded in a blue color. You can change the color in design space if you would like (top left hand of the screen) but there's no need when your design is a simple one color design. It is going to cut out of whatever color vinyl you put in the machine, no matter what color is on the screen.
Cut The Design
Place your vinyl on the cricut mat, hold it up to the rollers and push the arrow button on the right of the machine. This will pull the mat in under the rollers, your vinyl is now "loaded" and ready to be cut.
I used a Cricut Air 2 for this project, so if you have a Maker, your dial will look a bit different. On the Air2, set the dial to vinyl. Then go back to Design Space, and on the top right click "Make it" and then on the bottom right, choose "continue." The machine will cut your design.
I own both a Maker and an Air 2, but I find the Maker to be so much more temperamental, and so much fussier about which settings are needed. I VERY MUCH prefer my Air2.
Weed Your Design
When you remove the vinyl from the mat, cut the design off the roll of vinyl - so you have a square like on the left. Then use your tool an separate the vinyl from the backing, starting at the top corner and working on the diagonal.
You will be left with a vinyl "sticker" on the backing.
Transfer Your Design
Next Cut a piece of your transfer tape (Dollar Tree contact paper works well) a little larger than your design.
Remove the back from the contact paper - but save it, you can use this over and over until it is no longer sticky. Place the clear contact paper over top of the design.
Flip the design upside down, rub over it.
Then peel back the backing so that the sticker is on the contact paper.
Place on the candle holder. rub over the top, then remove the clear transfer paper, leaving the vinyl design on the candle holder.
That's all there is to it!
=====================
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)