I am back. After a long hiatus from my blog, I feel as though my life is once again in a place where I can spend time posting to my blog, and doing what I love – designing new SVG files for you! Perhaps a glut of Christmas svg files, since December is fast approaching!
Perhaps you clicked on a Pinterest image with these cute little wooden Christmas trees, or you stumbled here by accident. However you came to be clicking around my site, welcome! If you haven’t been here before, allow me to introduce myself. I am Kristin, a lover of creating, wife of an actuary, mother to three beautiful young daughters, and a math and programming enthusiast too.
Likely the 3 biggest reasons I have not posted for so long!
I have a big yellow laser, which I love. My poor Silhouette Cameo has been gathering dust in the closet as I have a new favorite in the house (or rather garage). I have pulled it out for vinyl a few times, but I think I am overdue for a Cameo project, so let me know if there is a file you are dying to see and maybe I can make it happen!
Christmas trees are so versatile in crafting, so I am putting a few Christmas Tree Designs out here for you. These are the simple ones for you and your Cricut or Cameo, or perhaps your Glowforge and a wooden sign? These Christmas trees would also work great in vinyl on a t-shirt for your holiday festivities with the whole extended family!
If you like these, be sure to check out my 3D Christmas Tree files that I designed for 1/8″ material like Baltic Birch. For the trees in these photos, I used a green gel stain on the wood, cut them out, and slipped them together. As a bonus, you can slide them apart for easy storage!
Hope you enjoy these fun Christmas Tree SVG files. Let me know what else you want to see as I am always hunting for new ideas.
What do you do on the fourth of July? Growing up we often went to a park with a blanket to watch the fireworks. Or, sometimes, went to see the Rockies play and watch the fireworks afterwards. More recently, we have done nothing. Yep. Nothing.
To be fair, we have three young children (ages 5, 4, and 0). Whenever I feel like we never do anything, I have to remind myself that the time will come where things will be easier, maybe?
If, unlike me, you throw a grand party, I have some great files for you. The one below is one I made last year. They would be great place cards for a more formal gathering, or labels for your buffet!
Fireworks SVG File Download
Additionally, I have a new 4th of July svg file for you to download.
Now, if I had one of the laser cutting machines that look so amazing, I would be making myself some cute little lanterns with this file. Can you blame me, doesn’t it look amazing?!
I mean, wouldn’t it look great on the side of a little lantern with an LED candle inside? I suppose I could make it into a paper lantern…
What machine or machines do you use? I currently use the Silhouette Cameo 3. It has served me well and handles everything I have needed thus far.
However, I have heard that the Cricut Maker is amazing! Anyone have it? If I upgrade though, it may be in the fall when the new Silhouette 4 is set to come out. It is supposed to match or surpass the Maker and be cheaper!
As a side note, the singular of ‘fireworks’ does not roll off the tongue easily. I looked it up. It is ‘firework’ but was noted as ‘rarely used’ in the singular. Languages were my thing in college. And math. I like words and I suppose that make me a nerd. I am okay with that.
Well, anyway, I have a beautiful fireworks SVG for you today.
It is fall! It is mid-October and a pumpkin stack svg is just what you need. Halloween is coming quickly. What does your October typically look like? For me, Halloween is a chance for the kids to play dress up and have fun going trick-or-treating. I don’t get too into the ghoulish and ghastly side of the holiday. I do, however, enjoy the fall leaves, crisp air and fun fall traditions. So, pumpkins are always fun!
So, I present you with a stack of pumpkins. A cute, free svg pumpkin stack file. I think they would make a great little picture on the wall for the season. Or perhaps a little card or a temporary window decal! Whatever you use them for, I hope you enjoy.
Meanwhile, Life Goes On
By the way, I don’t know if anyone has missed me or noticed that my posts have been a bit on the few and far between side. If you have, I will tell you that life has been more hectic than normal for us. After just completing a move into a new house here in Denver in the Spring, my husband unexpectedly changed jobs.
The new job is great, the new area is great, but the timing was not! In fact, as I am writing this I am one day past my due date with our third child. We just got some moving containers delivered to our driveway. And, the furniture is being literally moved out from under me! On the bright side, we should hopefully be getting all settled into a nice new house in San Antonio in less than a month. God willing, we will be settling in to a nice new life with a brand new baby girl.
In the meantime, however, my posts are going to stay very few and far between and I have put my Etsy shop on vacation mode. While I wanted to keep it open, the fact that I will have a brand new baby and that my supplies are already packed up meant that reality trumped my desire to keep it open.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy this cutting file. I haven’t (perhaps obviously) had time to test it, but this mock up makes it look really cute.
If you happen to make something adorable with any of my files, I would love to see it!
Free Pumpkin Stack SVG Cutting File – A cute little pumpkin stack for you
Without further to do, here is the free pumpkin stack SVG file.
My First Day SVG File Freebie – Just in time for back to school pictures!
Tomorrow is August. Yes, AUGUST! For many that means summer is almost gone and school is starting up. We just launched our first year of homeschooling with our oldest. It is Kindergarten time! So far, it has been a lot of fun. Still, it doesn’t seem like summer is over. Weather here has been very hot and then very stormy. This is strange weather for Colorado!
At any rate, Iam looking ahead to August. I love new school supplies. Did you know that the fat crayola markers make an excellent tool for hand-lettering? AND they don’t cost a fortune. Especially if you shop the school supply sales this coming month. The sale can be really good, so be sure to shop around. If you are like me, you may already have a good stockpile of supplies, but the sales are sooooo tempting, who can stay away?
The My First Day SVG freebie I am bringing you today is perfect for those first day of school pictures. I only went from 1st to 6th grade with the apples, because I can’t really imagine a junior high or high schooler cooperating for custom shirt school photos. However, if you have an exceptional child who will cooperate, the font is Segoe Print if you need to add other numbers or customize the text in any way.
If, like me, you would like a simplified project that mitigates the need for layering, I have you covered. Included with this download are the following welded apples with the numbers inside for a more silhouetted version. The key here is that you only need one layer of vinyl and should look adorable all the same!
So, will I do first day of Kindergarten photos? I want to, but that doesn’t mean I will. Life gets in the way. Hopefully, however, I will get on the ball with photos. We need some. Do you do professional photo shoots or just take your own? Either way, this “My First Day SVG” would be a great photo prop or t-shirt.
Free SVG Cutting File
Without further to do, here is the file. It includes each grade text and apples for you to swap in as needed. I think it would look great cut out in glitter heat transfer vinyl on a shirt. As you see above, it looks very cute on the shirt of this adorable girl I found searching for free stock photos. I wish you and your kids a happy August and hope they enjoy their first day of School!
Turning your Photo to SVG file has satisfying results
From Photo to SVG: The topic of taking a photo and making an SVG is one I keep coming back to. Perhaps it is because custom images from your own photos are simply delightful. Also, it is a great way to get some adorable silhouettes just in general. Whatever your reason for wanting an SVG from your photograph, you can do it! It may take some patience and attention to detail, but it is totally worth it.
My first attempt at a silhouette was one of our bunny rabbit Geronimo. It came out nicely, but wasn’t a very hard shape. With this shape I basically made a bunch of little shapes and then combined them with the path merge tools.
Geronimo the Bunny
Then, for my second attempt I created some custom artwork for my girls’ playroom. These images were definitely more complex and took a lot longer, but with spectacular results. I used a different approach for these images. First, I edited the original photos to make them as black and white as possible.
Second, I traced the images using Inkscape (you can also use Adobe Illustrator or your cutting machine’s software). Lastly, and most tediously, I hand edited the nodes of the path until it was just the way I wanted it. At last, you have converted your photo to svg.
From Photo to SVG
While I am not going to go into detail in this post as it is not my first on this topic, I will hit a few important points.
First, you need to find the right photo – a crisp, clean silhouetted photo with nothing in the background will be much easier to create a custom silhouette cutting file from than one that has a lot going on.
Second, you want to use a photo editing software to get it as close to a silhouette as you can from the start so it will be easier to trace. Like the ones shown below.
Third, you trace the image using a Vector capable software to go from your photo to svg file. I have used Silhouette Studio, Inkscape, and Adobe Illustrator.
Lastly, unless you are really lucky, there will be some hand editing to do to get it just right. And sometimes, when the background of the image just won’t cooperate, you may just have to use the path tool and trace your image point by point!
From Photo to SVG: my latest results
While I haven’t cut these images out yet, I can’t wait to do so. From pictures of my daughters swinging, I arrived at these adorable cutting files. One was begging for extra detail and ended up not being a true silhouette. I tried my best to make it all one connected path, but couldn’t see a way to connect in the facial details without compromising on the cuteness!
For the second image, I went true silhouette all the way. There is enough detail in the overall shape that you can still tell what is going on in the image.
While they may not hold the same emotional signifigance for you as they do for me, I am posting my final SVG files here because they are simply so adorable. Feel free to use them for your own personal projects if you so desire or make your own silhouettes using some of these photo to svg methods!
My silhouette cameo is my go to for creating beautiful home decor from these files!
To download these files, just click the DOWNLOAD button below.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful April!
Can you believe March is here? Well, here I have a free SVG file to remind you that St. Patrick’s Day is on its way. So, who likes four leaf clovers? Did you ever spend hours in a field trying to find one? I feel like I did as a kid, but I don’t remember ever finding one.
Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? We didn’t do much for it growing up, except for wear some green to avoid being pinched! Occasionally we would go out for lunch or dinner to somewhere vaguely Irish. What are your traditions? Is it a Holiday you take note of or just skip over? I have never been a big drinker, so I imagine that those who enjoy that pastime may do more to celebrate than I do.
Free SVG Cutting File
At any rate, this is a really cute little four leaf clover cutting file. I think it would look great cut out in glitter heat transfer vinyl on a shirt. Maybe with a cute little saying of some sort underneath? Well, I hope you enjoy! And have a fabulous March!!
Here I present to you this St. Patrick’s Day SVG file freebie, the famed four leaf clover!
Are you making lots of handmade Valentine’s Day cards this year? These free SVG hearts should make a wonderful addition to your projects whether you are making a new shirt with HTV, a super special handmade card for your sweetheart, or a card for everyone. Please enjoy and also check out my past Valentine’s Day freebies!
Free SVG Hearts for Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day – a bit early!
I think these hearts would look great on a t-shirt with sparkly HTV! Sorry, I haven’t had time to try it out yet, but here is a mock up for you all the same. Please pardon my Photoshop skills, they are still in progress!
Also check out my other Valentine’s Day cutting files:
Have you ever tried to make your own stencils with your cutting machine? If you have, you know that your design options are limited. No fancy fonts, only stencil fonts. You can’t have any designs that have inner details, or they will not be connected to your finished stencil. Unless you want to hand position each and every element, you have to be very careful in creating or selecting your stencil design.
THE RULE FOR STENCILS
In summary, there can be no inner shapes or details in your finished stencil. If you are having trouble understanding this, think about the letter “O”. If you cut out a stencil for the “O” there will be an outer circle and an inner circle. The inner circle will simply fall out. This is why every stencil font has at least one, usually two connections to the middle of the “O”.
For example, the following is an excellent stencil design. It will cut out easily with no inner parts left to fall out.
On the other hand, this design is not so good:
Then, what if you really want to stencil a more complex image on your card? How can you create more detailed and intricate stencils? You need a stencil that looks impossible, and you need it now! Luckily for you, now you can.
A Stencil Solution
While I am sure I am not the only person to do this, it was a light bulb moment for me. Reflecting on it, I have seen videos of spray paint artists using a series of stencils to make awesome composite pictures. This method is very similar. The idea is to use two stencils instead of one so that you can have details that you can’t get with just one stencil.
Just a note on stencils in general. If you want to make one car with an image like the tools above, you are probably better off just cutting it out of card stock without any hassle converting it to a stencil. However, if you want to put the image on a bunch of things you may want to use a stencil. That way you only have to cut and weed your image once (or twice for these two part stencils) instead of over and over again.
As I outline my solution, I will illustrate with the letter “O” as a simplified case to demonstrate how it works.
My Method
First, open up your image in your editing software. Typically, I open mine in Adobe Illustrator. If you don’t have access to this, Silhouette Studio, Inkscape, or Cricuit Design Space should work just fine. Here, I will illustrate with Silhouette Studio.
Create a thin rectangle in a contrasting color to your design and place it over your image.
Select both your design and the rectangle.
Copy and paste the two objects. Keep them in the same relative position.
Open the modify panel (or the tools to modify paths if you are working with another software). Working on just the first copy with both the “O” and the rectangle selected, Click “Subtract”.
Now, select just the rectangle on the second copy of your design. Be careful not to move it out of place.
Open the offset Panel. We need to enlarge it just slightly to ensure a little wiggle room in our finished stencil. Create an offset. This is something you will have to judge for yourself. I used a distance of .05 inches and square corners.
Select both rectangles and weld them together. You should now have a rectangle that is just slightly bigger than the original one.
Select both the rectangle and the copy of the “O”, which should still be in the same relative position. Using the Modify Panel, click “Intersect”. NOTE: If, like me, you have the whole thing disappear when you click “Intersect”, it is likely that one or both of your images are not paths. Select them, click “Object -> Convert To Path” and then try the previous step again. If you got it right, it should look something like this:
Select these pieces, right click, and hit “Make Compound path”. Do this to the original pieces of the “O” as well. Here are your two paths now:
Change the color and overlap them if you want to see what the finished stencil will look like.
Cut your finished pieces out on separate stencils. Then use one stencil followed by the other to create an “O” with no lines through it!
Going Further
While the “O” was a very simple case, this method can be expanded to more complicated images. In theory, it could even have many more than two stencils to make the finished image, although I have not tried it.
Here is an example of a turkey that I have made into a two part stencil using an extrapolation of the method I outlined above. The key is creating enough rectangles to overlap any inner parts, there should be no islands in your finished stencils!
Stencil Time
I have just a few parting remarks about stencils for you. First, there are stencil materials to consider. Both Silhouette and Cricuit make “stencil” blanks and rolls. I have not tried them because I haven’t found their materials to be high quality in the past. Freezer paper (usually found near foil and wax paper) does work fairly well as a stencil for fabric. You can iron it lightly to get the waxy side to adhere, but you have to be careful not to get the stencil too wet with paint or it will bleed through.
However, my favorite and economical stencil material is simply overhead transparency paper. It is thin and flexible and can be reused as long as you are careful. If needed, I spray the back with a light adhesive spray to adhere it to my project. You will want to play around with your cut settings, but once you get them set it cuts really well.
Thanksgiving is coming! What better way to celebrate than to give thanks with a nice free hand lettered SVG file!? Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday as gratitude can significantly improve your satisfaction and happiness levels! The more you appreciate what you have, the happier you will be. So, give thanks!
Personally, I have tons to be thankful for! Beautiful girls, wonderful husband, the opportunity to live in Colorado near my family again. I am sure it can be harder if you are going through a difficult time or situation in your life right now, but try to think of something, even something very small, to give thanks for. It could be the sun on your face, the warm cup of coffee, a smile on your child’s face, or even just a warm blanket. Give thanks.
So, without further ado, here is the freebie.
I think this file would look great on a sign, a plaque, or on a dishtowel! Sorry, I haven’t had time to try it out yet, but here is a mock up for you all the same:
And if you want to obey the command to “Give Thanks” directly, here is another free svg file you may want to check out. Make a nice thank you card and put it in the mail today. You will brighten someone’s day using these free svg files, I am sure of it!
Have you moved lately? Well, we just moved from Michigan to Colorado! It is lots and lots of work. And requires a lot of good organization. All of which is made better by these adorable bin labels!
If you missed me, that is where I have been. Packing. Unpacking. Packing. Unpacking. Repeat.
Having grown up in Colorado, I am happy to be back and near family again.
Unfortunately, since Colorado is so awesome and everyone else wants to be here too, housing prices are much steeper here. Not just a little steeper. I’m talking 7 or 8 times steeper! For example, coming from our lovely 6 bedroom house on 4 acres in Michigan, we will have trouble finding a condo for the same price!
Getting Organized with Bin Labels
Downsizing was actually some amount of fun, until we got to our apartment and realized that getting rid of half our stuff wasn’t enough! So, that is what I have been doing the past month or so. Organizing. Getting rid of stuff. Organizing is the fun part though.
Knowing this, you can see where this project came from. It was born of necessity and the desire to have my children put their toys away so that I can preserve my sanity in our new 2 bedroom living space! Thus, the idea for our new bin labels was born. Well, it was actually in my head for quite a while. It was going to be one of my finishing touches on the playroom I was working on in Michigan. Take a look at how awesome it was!
Alas, it was time to move on. Hopefully someone else will move in and enjoy the fun colors and the animal alphabet that I left on the wall!
Do you also have seemingly hundreds of toys underfoot? Are you constantly frustrated with different types and sets of toys getting jumbled into one big mess? Do your kids need help knowing where everything ought to go? Then you need some of these bins and these adorable bin labels!
Take Stock of Your Items
First, you need to take stock of what you are trying to organize. For me, this meant categorizing the toys in my girls’ room and putting them in different bins. Undoubtedly, they have too many toys. However, once in bins and labeled with these cute bin labels, it looks much more manageable. Also, remember to try to match the number of categories to the number of bins you have available.
Here are the bin label categories I came up with for the toys we have:
DOCTOR
DRESS UP
CALICO CRITTERS
PLAYMOBIL
BOOKS ON TAPE
LEGO
MUSIC
CARS
DOLLS
BLOCKS
LITTLE PEOPLE
DISHES
FOOD
TOOLS
In addition, I added each of my daughter’s names so that they could have a bin of their own. Next, I looked for a simple, cute design for each category. The idea was to have a cohesive looking set of images that helped my not yet literate daughters identify each bin on their own.
Most of the images I found doing a quick google image search. Some I had to work more on to get what I wanted. The font I used is called “Mail Ray Stuff”. I really like how the images turned out. I am especially fond of the cute baby on the “LITTLE PEOPLE” bin.
Create your Bin Labels
Feel free to use my labels and images for your own personal use. However, I do not recommend using them for commercial uses as I am not positive on the copyrights of each one.
REMEMBER TO CUT THESE OUT IN REVERSE ON YOUR HTV!
REMEMBER TO CUT THESE OUT IN REVERSE ON YOUR HTV!
Quality Materials
Since this was my very first Heat Transfer Vinyl project, I wanted to use the good stuff. And, from what I hear, Siser Easy Weed is where it is at. I found a roll at my local Michaels and it was on a great sale to boot! All in all, I was very impressed by the stuff. Also, it is actually much easier to weed than Oracle vinyl that I am used to working with.
So, back to the project.
Decide how large you want things and cut it out! This is on you. Then cut out each label and weed out the extra. Your image is reversed, right?
Finally, the fun part – ironing the bin labels on and seeing the results. I followed the directions on the packaging of my HTV and used a grill mat to place over the images while ironing.
Results – Bin material matters too!
If you look at my results, you can see that some of my bins turned out spectacular. Unfortunately, some have nice imprints of the iron. This was largely due to the bins themselves. My nice large fabric IKEA ones look great. No iron imprints, just clean and crisp.
My cheap polyester bins which came from who knows where, did not hold up well. Since I didn’t want to buy new bins, I just went with it. They still work. Some are just much prettier than others!
Now, sit back and admire your work. Wait, scratch that. Go get to organizing!
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