This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
I really thought that we would get off easy with winter here in New England. We had a handful of snowy days, but nothing that screamed "big storm". That was, until Mother Nature noticed me and so many other Englanders started looking forward to spring. As of today, it is only 14 days away...but this past Monday, spring wasn't on our minds, as we shoveled out from 14+ inches of snow.
I guess we should have known better when the forecast kept changing. It started with an estimate of 6-10 inches of snow, and then by Sunday night it changed to 10+ inches, with many forecasters throwing out the "?" when asked to a better estimate. How foolish us New Englanders were to think of spring, with still 2 1/2 weeks left to winter. But, Mother Nature and the silly groundhog got the last laugh, as we shoveled away all the heavy, wet snow that fell.
Knowing that we would be getting snow, I hit up the market to get the essentials -- milk, bread, etc. And, after that, my oldest daughter and I stopped into Michael's. We thought that with a snow day in our future, it would be good to have some crafts on hand for the girls to do, as they are not big fans of snow, and also were hoping for spring and the warmer weather, to get back out in the backyard to play.
You know how girls shop...we walked up and down every aisle, checking for sales and deals. And, when we got to the Cricut aisle, I was in Heaven. OMG!, I couldn't believe all the colored vinyls, iron-ons, and cardstock rolls that were available.
And, they were having a buy one, get one 50% off sale, so how could I resist. :-) As we made our way down the aisle, my daughter saw something I had no idea existed...pre-made iron-on designs from Cricut. While I have been having fun using my new Cricut maker and EasyPress 2, I wondered if they had Iron-On designs, and was so happy to see that they did. My daughter was quick to pick a handful of Iron-On Designs, before grabbing white t-shirts to have my apply them to.
I found myself looking at other designs to add to tote bags, as I had an idea to make the girls their own canvas tote bags to bring to the library each week, to return books they took out, or to fill and bring more books home to read. Usually the librarian gives them a plastic bag to bring their books home, but I thought it would be more Eco-friendly to have their own totes.
In addition to taking out all these books each week at the library, the girls are now back to classes outside the house for homeschool, which means we are in the car more, traveling from place to place So, they have been filling their old backpacks with puzzle and activity books, as well as their crayons and colored pencils, to keep them busy during the long drives. Seeing this, I thought it would be fun to surprise them with busy bags, like I did when they were little, filled with fun on-the-go games they could play, as well as a new sketch pad, magazines, and other fun activity/sticker books, to make the rides more enjoyable for them...and, I would also benefit, as I wouldn't hear, "Are we there yet?" or "When are we going to be home?" So, when I saw these these two Iron-On Designs from Cricut, I knew they would look great on totes for the library and a busy bag. And, with the buy one, get one 50% off, I couldn't resist! :-)
Last week I shared a post all about my experience with the EasyPress 2 from Cricut, that was sent to me, along with the Cricut Maker at the end of January. I shared how my husband has got in on the fun, and has been creating vinyl stickers, t-shirts, and more. Just last night, he and the girls were making stickers to add to the back of their phones. It was nice seeing him get crafty with the girls, and for the girls to see that guys can enjoy arts and crafts, too. :-)
But, the real Cricut fun was had on Monday, after we shoveled out from the snow storm. The girls and I sat at our craft table and we made shirts with the cute Iron-On Designs my oldest daughter picked out. She wanted to make one for her, her little sister, and to give to their best friends.
While I could have made the designs myself...well, I am still getting the hang of overlapping and adding multiple colors to a Cricut design, as a busy mom, always on the go, I was so happy to see these iron-on designs at Michael's the other day. Without the sale, they were only $4.99 each, which is a steal if you ask me, as they are full of detail, and make iron-on crafts so easy and fun.
Just like with the other Cricut projects I have done so far, there are step-by-step instructions to walk you through how to apply these iron-on designs.
You are even told the temperature to set your Cricut EasyPress 2 for, and how long to press the design for.
It really was an easy process, and my oldest, after seeing me do the first shirt, was able to make the other 3 t-shirts on her own. She took so much pride in her cool new t-shirts, and couldn't wait to surprise her little sister and friends with them.
First, she chose the spot for your iron-on designs, then set the timer and heat setting on the EasyPress 2...
Then, she followed the instructions and applied heat for 50 seconds all around the design on the front, followed by 10-15 seconds to the back. Remember, you have to also warm the material you are applying design to first before apply the heat to the applique. This also helps to get out any wrinkles to the material.
After she applied the heat, she let the shirt cool for 1-2 minutes, before peeling off the backing paper...
And, then she was left this amazing t-shirt, made by my daughter, and with a little help with the super cute iron-on designs from Cricut!
First I made the library tote for the girls, which I thought would also be a dual tote for me to carry stuff to the library or coffee shop, when I drop the girls off to their outside classes. I usually bring textbooks and school material to go over, and really like the teacher's red apple, and the wording: "Teach, Love, Inspire." This is what I hope I am able to do with my girls through our homeschooling journey, and now we have a dual tote -- to use at the library, and for our homeschooling. :-)
When the girls found themselves bored mid-day on Monday, I surprised them with the busy bags I made for them.
Both of my girls were all smiles when they saw they had their own bags, filled with goodies, to keep them busy on this snow day and any more (hopefully not, but you never know here in New England) as well when we are traveling in the car. I loved seeing the girls dump out their new busy bag totes, to look at the magazines, new chapter books, activity books, journal, etc. I filled their bags with.
They loved everything, and surprise, surprise...they were no longer bored after that! :-) Since Monday, I have seen the girls carrying their new totes around, with the stuff that I gave them, as well as other books and puzzle books they had. They love the cute iron-on design I applied to the tote, and can't wait for their outside classes this week, so that they can bring their busy bags in the car to keep them busy.
I am so happy I made a pit stop at Michael's on Sunday after stocking up on storm necessities, as I would never have known about the iron-on designs from Cricut, or been able to make these cute totes for the girls. And, my oldest woudln't be walking around the house today, all smiles, as she modeled the t-shirt she made all by herself. :-)
If you have Cricut maker, and have found yourself struggling to make detailed iron-on designs like these, or you simply don't have the time, but still want to craft and create fun an expected gifts and surprises for your family and friends, then why not visit your local Michael's or other craft store, and check out the pre-made Cricut Iron-On Designs, available for purchase. You can even purchase the through the Cricut online shop, too! Yes, it is fun to create with the Cricut Maker, but there are just not enough hours in the day, especially after you start your busy work week snowed in, to get crafty. Crafting is an outlet for me to relax after a long day, and I love having the option to grab an already made up iron-on design, like the ones I bought at the store the other day, and apply in a matter of minutes, with my Cricut EasyPress 2.
You can learn more about the Cricut Maker, EasyPress 2, accessories, and supplies by visiting their website at https://tap.fit/HJW2AZJBE. And, be sure to follow their social media channels for special offers, new product ideas, news and more:
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