Making a nautical-themed anchor decor with Gwen Studios.
with Gwen Studios
What a fun and easy anchor decor to make for your summer decorating. Nautical-themed decor is such a popular decor theme. Red, white, and blue is such a clean traditional color combination to work with. The wooden anchor shape was purchased at the Dollar Tree making this project quick to finish.
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Painting with Lace Chalk Paint from DecoArt gave the anchor a nice finish. The top surface as well as the edges to cover the burn marks from the laser cutting were painted with one coat of paint.
Drawing a pencil line down the center of the painted anchor assisted in aligning the ribbon.
Fabri-Tac is used to glue the ribbons in place. The red ribbon and striped ribbon are from Gwen Studios and are available at Michaels.
I would like to thank Gwen Studios for providing me with the ribbon to work with. Designer Crafts Connection will share links to all the projects made for this month’s nautical theme design team projects.
Here the red ribbon is centered down the pencil line. The additional ribbon at each end is wrapped around the back of the anchor and glued in place.
A smaller striped ribbon was added on top of the red ribbon and centered. Wrapping around the back of the anchor and glued in place.
To finish off the nautical look, blue gems were added and evenly spaced on top of the striped ribbon. These gems were found at the Dollar Tree, I had them in my stash.
Here is a close-up image to show you the detail of the finished piece. All the different elements work well together.
Cricut is having a flash sale, act now for 40% off.
Starting today, Cricut is launching their Flash Sale where you can save up to 40% off on all materials & accessories, the Maker for $249, the Air 2 for $199, and the Joy for $169!
Cricut.com is offering free shipping on orders $99+. Use promo code SHIPMAY or MAYSHIP through 5/31.
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I have a very pretty white-on-white card that could be used for a wedding, an anniversary, or just a special greeting. You can add your own sentiment or leave it as is.
I suggest this cut file for intermediate or above users.
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The paper I used was Basis White Card Stock for the card. Basis White is so versatile. I love it for the foundation of most of my card making. It cuts and scores beautifully. At 80#, I choose to set my Cricut Maker at a card stock setting of 100# which works well even for small detailed cuts.
I cut the file on a Cricut Maker. As a reminder, set the red lines to score and load your scoring tool before setting the file to cut.
There are three rose cuts for this card. You could choose to use only one or you could enlarge them if desired. I urge you to watch the video tutorial below for tips and techniques on how to weed these delicate cuts.
Video Tutorial:
Please visit the shop at Try it – Like it – Create it to download the SVG file for the card. Rose Card SVG
This view shows the detail of the 3-D effect of the layering of the roses. on the front of the card. You can also see some of the added mist that was sprayed on the top of the roses. To make your own DIY spray, see the tutorial here: [DIY Shimmer Spray]
To purchase this rose card file, please visit the shop [rose card]
Just because your kids aren’t really “kids” anymore, doesn’t mean you have to give up family craft night. It may be a little trickier to get everyone together if your kids aren’t living in your home, but it is still doable. Whether you plan a craft night in person while they are home on break or work on projects “together” while you’re in entirely different places via video calls, there are plenty of enjoyable projects for people of all ages to do together.
While your college-age kid probably isn’t interested in making paper snowflakes or fashioning necklaces out of dry pasta anymore, there are lots of other options from which to choose. You can take up a new hobby together and spend some time experiencing the many benefits of diamond painting — or embrace a classic like knitting. No matter what craft you choose, you and your offspring will get to build lasting memories while engaging in an enjoyable activity. Crafting together helps foster strong parent-child relationships, too, even if the children are already adults. Read on to discover a few DIY crafts you can do with your college-age kids.
1. Diamond Painting
Source: klevo/Shutterstock.com
If your college-age kid enjoyed doing paint-by-number kits when they were younger, they will love diamond painting. Similar to painting by numbers, this craft involves placing colors in specified locations to form a completed piece of art. However, instead of using paint, you use sparkling resin “diamonds” known as drills. Each drill color corresponds with a symbol on a self-adhesive canvas. Once you have affixed all the drills in the correct location, you will have a mosaic work of art that sparkles in the light.
Diamond painting is an excellent craft to work on with your college kid for a few reasons. First, it’s straightforward. Anyone can master the art of diamond painting, even if they don’t have any crafting experience. The kits come in thousands of different designs, so you and your daughter or son will have no trouble finding ones you like. Diamond painting kits don’t take up a lot of space and they don’t require specialized tools, making them an ideal option if you plan to craft together via video chats. There isn’t enough space in college dorm rooms for certain projects, but finding space to work on a diamond painting and store a kit is easy.
2. Embroidery
Like diamond painting, embroidery doesn’t require a lot of equipment or take up much space, making it ideal for college students. And while this sewing-based handicraft might look like it would be challenging to learn, it’s actually quite easy. With stitches, patterns, and techniques for people of all skill levels, anyone can learn how to embroider with relative ease.
Once thought of as primarily a hobby for grandmas, embroidery has seen a massive resurgence in popularity. There are countless designs to choose from, so there’s something suitable for crafters of all ages.
3. Painting
Source: antoniodiaz/Shutterstock.com
Painting is a dynamic art form and one that many people enjoy. It might not be the best project to work on in a dorm room, but it’s a great activity to engage in if your college student lives at home, comes home on the weekends, or is home on a break. Despite what you might think, painting is a suitable craft for beginners and advanced artists. Everyone has to start somewhere! If you and your child are new to painting, following online tutorials is a fun and effective way of learning together. You’re sure to enjoy lots of laughs and make plenty of memories along the way.
4. Macrame
Macrame is another craft that faded away for a while but has seen a massive resurgence in popularity. This hobby involves using different knots to create everything from jewelry to household decor. Learning the various knots takes practice and patience, so it’s a good choice for those who are up for a bit of a challenge.
If neither you nor your child has experience with macrame, start with the basics. Once you master the few basic knots that form the foundation for the majority of macrame projects, you can move on to learning complex ones and tackling more complicated pieces. Since most macrame projects only require cords and beads, this is another craft that does not require a lot of space.
5. Knitting
Source: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com
Much like embroidery, knitting is one of those crafts that’s not just for your Nana anymore! Today, knitters make everything from basic items like hats and scarves to runway-worthy, fashions. In addition, learning a fiber art like knitting can improve your college student’s mental health. It can also help to enhance their focus, improving a student’s ability to concentrate during lectures and while studying.
You and your college student can enjoy knitting either together or online via video chats. Unlike many hobbies, it’s incredibly portable, too, making it easy to enjoy just about anywhere. As the hobby continues to grow in popularity, knitting clubs are popping up on more and more college campuses. Getting your child involved in this hobby could be a way to strengthen your bond with them and help them build connections with their peers.
Conclusion
With lectures to attend, tests to take, and, often, a job to go to, finding time for crafts may be the furthest thing from your college-age kid’s mind. However, engaging them in these activities is an excellent way to help them build new skills while strengthening your relationship. Even if distance makes crafting together in the same room difficult, (or downright impossible) you can enjoy many of the hobbies above “together” while you’re in different places. Find something that both you and your daughter or son enjoy and commit to doing it regularly. Getting started may be tricky, but once you’re in a routine, your regular craft sessions will become something you both look forward to.
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Cricut.com is offering free shipping on orders of $99+. Use the promo code SHIPMAY or MAYSHIP through 5/31.
The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links. They cost nothing for you to use. Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.
Don’t throw away your waste paper before trying this inked wrinkle technique.
The other day I was working on a sublimation project and I was discarding my protective paper. I hated the idea of throwing away paper and came up with this idea for its use. Using the scrap paper, I Inked it to make an interesting texture. I happened to use Protective Paper from Artesprix. It has a vellum or parchment paper look to it.
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The idea here is to use waste paper. The protective paper I had couldn’t be used again for sublimation because it had some ghosting of the sublimation ink on it which might transfer if used again. I started with a black ink pad and then continued with different colors of ink.
This is the inked wrinkles after I added a few different colors of ink. After finding this successful, I did it again with sublimation ink pads and I will have a tutorial on that outcome posted soon.
Video Tutorial:
I ended up making a card with the wrinkled paper. I think it could be used in a variety of different ways. No more wasted paper for me. I will be keeping a stash of these wrinkled ink papers for crafting. Did you find this useful? Let me know in the comments.
What a fun way to declare your graduation accomplishment with this free Grad SVG.
Free SVG Hop
Whether it’s high school, college, grad school, or even kindergarten, celebrate your graduate with this personalized shirt made just for them. Shown here in gold and black but you can make it into any school color combination you desire. Wouldn’t it be fun to get everyone’s signature on the shirt? Just pair it with a permanent marker.
Grab the free (for a limited time) SVG file from the store here: [GRAD SVG]
Not sure what Cricut tools you need or should use? Check out this post – What tools to Buy.
Need to know about the different vinyl products available? You can learn all about it at About Cricut Vinyl.
Are you confused about the different colors of mats? This article will clear it all up for you. Which Mat Do I Use?
Learn how to make your own background paper using stencil layers.
The other day I shared about making your own texture paste. I didn’t share what to do next, so here is another example of its use. (here is the first example using the same stencil) The focal image of this card was made with my DIY texture paste and is the inspiration for the design of this card. Layered stenciling makes up the background of the card. I enjoy making cards without words from time to time. Adding a sentiment later makes the card more versatile in use.
The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links. They cost nothing for you to use. Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.
A variety of Distressed Oxide stamp pads were used with a stencil. Starting with the yellow shades, then adding pinks, and finishing off with the addition of greens. I really enjoy the creative process of making my own patterned papers. I find it relaxing and satisfying.
You can see how the different paper colors coordinate. They are all inspired by the small DIY Texture Paste sample. Working together, they are simply exquisite once layered.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a close-up of the final card. You can see the layered detail of the stencil and different papers. I think this is the only view where you can see a bit of the metallic shimmer on the focal point piece. It was added by spraying liquid iridescent shimmer spray.
