Beginner Cheap and Easy Cricut Maker Project

Alright you got a new Cricut Maker and are probably feeling a little overwhelmed. Don’t let this panic paralyze you to the point you don’t use that wonderful machine! I didn’t have that problem when I got mine. I jumped in head first and did everything I could find on Pinterest to make! Things being the way they are right now, I’d like to show you a cheap and easy Beginner Cricut maker project!

No doubt you have some vinyl in your stash for this project. You will also need  the Cricut knife blade, weeding tool, transfer paper ( I use clear contact appear from Dollar Tree) and some flat cardboard.

First thing you will do is cut your cardboard with the Cricut Maker and the knife blade. I set the material on matboard (1.5mm) and it made a clean, sharp cut. I’ve read that the fine blade can tear at the corrugated cardboard. Be sure and use painters tape around the entire piece of cardboard the mat. I didn’t and it slipped and was difficult to remove from the machine!

The machine will do eight passes to cut the design. This will take some time but I promise it is worth it! The cuts are perfect! I made Christmas ornies along with this square project.

Begin filling in the sides of the cardboard with wood putty. This will give your project a nicer look when it’s finished instead of open cardboard.

Once the putty is dry I used sandpaper to remove the excess around the edges.

Time to paint! I used silver lining chalk paint on the front and edges of my square. Then I used ink chalk paint to dry brush some personality onto the piece.

Open up Design Space and pick a design or get mine here. From shapes, choose a square. Adjust the size to the size of your square. Mine is 4 x 4”. Size your design to fit in the square. Delete the square.

I used the reverse weeding technique since my design was a little intricate. Learn more about this here How To Do Reverse Weeding on Vinyl . 

Apply the design to the square and remove the transfer tape.

To make this stand, hot glue a jenga block from Dollar Tree on the back at the bottom.

Now you have a cute, little sign for a tiered tray display or tuck it into a shelfscape. It’s versatile enough to go just about any place in your Farmhouse decor and it cost virtually nothing!

So what do you think? Inspired to do one of your own? I’d love to see photos your your thoughts on mine I. The comments below.