Americana Decor by Shanna

Hello everyone!  July brings the pinnacle of and American summer in my house....Independence Day!  I have many fond memories watching glorious fireworks displays both when I was a child and more recently with my own children.  I love decorating around the holidays, so I decided to make a new addition to my summer decor with a fun vinyl sign utilizing SRM's vinyl!

I started with a wooden blank I picked up at my local craft store, it was a 12x12 square, so I enlarged the design I chose to fit those measurements and then went to cutting!  I love the extra bling the holographic vinyl added to the star!  

What do your summer decorations look like??  

~Shanna

Welcome Summer Sign by Samantha

Hello! Samantha here today to celebrate summer with this Welcome Summer sign.

 Usually I'm a matte vinyl girl, but for this project, the glossy vinyl just seemed far more summery. One of my favorite home decor color combos for summer are shades of blue, white, and a rich red. 

When I use multiple colors of vinyl on one project, I cut each color separately and then place the letters one at a time. It seems like a lot of work, but placing the vinyl on this project took less than 15 minutes. 

To get the spacing right, I placed the letters for "Welcome" from left to right, and then the letters for "Summer" from right to left. 

 This Welcome Summer sign is a great way to add a little color (and vinyl fun) to your summer decorating!

Hello Spring by Karen

Hello Karen joining you today.  As I write this blog post, I'm still on the look-out for spring. Winter does not want to let go quite yet. Even though spring may not have arrived on the outside, this brightly painted spring sign certainly warms up the inside and helps me "think spring."

I used a scrap piece of wood, lightly sanded for this sign. I grabbed several of my brightly colored acrylic paints and "messily" painted the board so that all the colors could be seen. After designing and sizing "Hello SPRING" in my electronic die cutting software, I cut the letters in vinyl and applied them to my (dry) sign. 

Next, I layered a cream colored paint on top of my board and the applied vinyl. I like to peel my vinyl off before the paint is quite dry. I love the variation of bright colors revealed underneath the vinyl as I peeled it off.

To finish off my sign I added some spring colored twine and a trio of buttons. Simple eye hooks and more twine made it the perfect sign to hang in a sunny spot in my home. 

Come on, spring!

For this project I used:

wood board | acrylic paints | Oracal 651 vinyl | SRM spring jute twine | buttons | eye hooks

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Vinyl Bible Cover by Christine

Hi there SRM Fans! Christine joining you today with a an idea for how to cover your Bible! I recently picked up a Bible with just a thick cardstock cover on it.  It doesn't quite fit into a fabric cover but I knew that I wanted to do something to make it a little more sturdy.  As I considered my options I decided some vinyl would be a great way to personalize it and strengthen it!

I took a very traditional approach to covering this, pretty similar to how you cover school books.  I did cover just the front and just the back.  Then I added on the binding in the gold vinyl. Next it was time to decorate, I contemplated adding flowers, lots of crosses, and all sorts of other artistic items.

I opted to add a quote to my cover.  After digging thru my options I chose this one from Jillibean Soup and cut it out in the gold vinyl.  Then I used transfer tape to transfer it onto the cover.  I also cut out a cross with a metal die. As you can see the binding coordinates perfectly with the quote!  

All in this probably took me just under 30 minutes - the actual covering was quick and easy!  Adding the quote required a little more time so that I didn't mess it up!  

One thing that I like about this is that I can easily change it out later by just adding a new cover. If you've got a Bible that could use a new cover or a stronger cover, why not give vinyl a try?  

Craft Caddy + Vinyl = SRM Love! by Shanna

Happy Spring SRM friends! 

Shanna here today with a quick and easy project perfect for your Spring cleaning endeavors!  

I was in desperately need of a desktop organizer for my craft desk....DESPERATE!  I stumbled upon this "utensil holder" in the dollar spot at a local store and thought it would be prefect!  But not just ANY caddy will do in MY craft room....I absolutely positively HAD to personalize it!  

I love the versatility that SRM Vinyl brings to any project I want to be just a little *more*.  I have had this file for a while and knew right away that it was a perfect fit for my craft desk caddy.  I chose black and gold, because who doesn't like a little bling and the galvanized metal really makes the vinyl pop!  It is already being put to good use too :)

What are your Spring Cleaning projects this season?  Need a label or some personalizing done to "complete the look"?  SRM is a fantastic spot to find what you need in the wide world of vinyl!  

Until next time,

Shanna

Planner Decal with SRM Vinyl by Shanna

Hello!  Shanna here today with a quick way to personalize and even add a little sparkle to your planner!

SRM Vinyl makes it super simple to personalize the cover of your planner with any type of picture, quote, or even your name if you want!! I love how the gold pops against the purple, and the grid transfer tape helped me keep everything aligned. I chose to put a design I found in the Silhouette Store on the front of mine as it suits my life with a family of 5 perfectly! Either I have planned or I am in a panic!!

What do you want to put on your planner?? 

Be sure to tell me in the comments below!

Until next time,

Shanna

Reverse Canvas Vinyl Sign by Karen

Hello!  Karen joining you today with something I just whipped up!  Pun intended! 

This was such a fun project to create! 

The bright colors of vinyl really make it stand out against the rustic frame.

When applying vinyl to canvas, the key is to prep your canvas - either with a layer of paint or spray it with a sealer before attempting to apply your vinyl. For my project, I sprayed the canvas with a spray adhesive after removing it from the frame and before cutting my vinyl. 

I used my electronic die cutter to cut the words/letters and cupcake (3 gorgeous colors of Oracal 651). By the time I finished cutting and weeding, my canvas was ready. The vinyl easily adhered to the surface. I sprayed the whole thing again with the sealer and let it sit while I stained the frame. Once the frame was dried and ready, the last step was re-attaching the canvas to the back of the frame. A very easy project with great results!

For this project I used:

Oracal 651 vinyl from SRM

Vinyl Wall Hanging by Christine

It's always nice to be able to create a new home decor piece and the vinyl selection from SRM makes it easy to do just that!  Christine joining you today with a new piece I made for our Dining Room.  My kids and I do our homeschooling in that room and they could use a reminder on both fronts about being humble and kind. So enter the message for this piece :).

I combined some hand made flowers and leaves with a wood plank base.  Then I brought in some vinyl that was easily cut on my electronic cutting machine. One thing I really enjoy about a project like this is how simple you can keep things.  You don't need a whole bunch of layers or fuss, just a few quick details and it is done!

Once I found a quote I was happy with - I combined it with my vinyl and began cutting.  Finally I used a transfer sheet to place it on my wood plank background.  That made it nice and easy to remove the whole thing and keep it straight.

Dishwasher Safe Tardis Mug by Samantha

Hello! Samantha here with you today. I'm really excited that SRM now has dishwasher safe vinyl. I have a collection of fun coffee mugs, and I'm a bit of a sci fi geek. Thanks to SRM's Oracle Dishwasher Safe Vinyl I got to combine those two things in this dishwasher safe Tardis mug.

Can I see a show of hands for all my fellow Dr. Who fans?!? Love this show, but I haven't come across a mug I really wanted (or when I'd find one it was really expensive) so I decided to make my own.

 I picked up this cool cool mug for about $4. It looks hand thrown, but is actually from a retail chain store and is dishwasher and microwave safe. Then, all I needed was some dishwasher safe vinyl, transfer tape, and a way to cut my vinyl (I love my Silhouette Cameo, but you can use any digital die cutting machine to create your designs). 

I washed my mug, and wiped the area I was going to add my vinyl to with an alcohol wipe. You don't have to use and alcohol pad to prep the area, but I wanted to make sure that my surface was as clean as possible since it's a bit lumpy and bumpy.

 I've washed my 3 times now, and it looks just as good as the day I made it - no peeling, bubbling, or warping. I'm in love with this dishwasher safe vinyl, now the only question is what should I make next?!?

Personalized Bible Cover by Samantha

Hello! Samantha here with you today to share how I used SRM vinyl to create a personalized Bible Cover. My journaling Bible has lots of paint, vinyl, stamps, and stickers on the inside for personalization, so I figured, why not use some vinyl to make the outside personalized for me, too? 

 I used both black and gold vinyl for my cover. Besides vinyl, you'll also need some transfer tape and a way to cut your vinyl (I used a Silhouette Cameo, but any digital die cutting machine will work). 

Make sure you wipe down the cover of your Bible before adding your vinyl. If it's well used like mine, you'll want to make sure you get those oils from your hands and bits of paint and ink wiped off as best you can. 

You can do this on a smooth or textured cover in any color vinyl you'd like. I chose black and gold, because the binding of my Bible is black with gold details. 

Chose a Bible verse that's personal to you (like a confirmation or wedding verse) or one that helps you remember why you spend time Bible journaling. What would you put on your personalized Bible cover?

Personalized h2O to go with SRM Vinyl

Hello Everyone!  

Shanna here today with a quick and easy project that can be used every day!  

Everyone knows that you *should* drink plenty of water everyday.  An efficient way to help that along is to keep a water bottle with you.  I have a teenage daughter that is actually really good about her water intake, but she takes a bottle everywhere with her!  She was in need of an "updated" bottle from the beat up one she has been lugging around for some time now. She is currently very into astronomy and constellations, so that's how this design was born!  SRM's dishwasher safe vinyl made this personalized project a breeze! I cut the design out on my Silhouette Cameo and will link to the file below! 

Some tips I have picked up along the way:

• Remember the thicker the font/design--the more adhesive that there is to adhere to the blank
• Be sure the surface is fully cleaned of debris--rubbing alcohol is a great tool to remove oily residue from fingerprints and such.
• Pull transfer tape up slowly--or risk stretching the vinyl out of shape :(

Supplies used:

SRM Vinyl - Gold dishwasher safe

SRM Vinyl- transfer tape

Silhouette Cameo

Silhouette Store design #132011

Water Bottle

 I hope you enjoyed my project!  

What do you want to personalize next??

Until next time,

Shanna

Vinyl Valentine by Tobi

Hello!  Susan here to wish you a Happy Valentine's day and to thank all of our wonderful design team members for creating so many fabulous Valentine's projects.  Hope they have inspired you! 

====================

Hi there! Tobi here today sharing a valentine idea using one of SRM's most versatile products: vinyl! It's not just great for home decor, it's fabulous for cardmaking too! 

Once you cut out the shapes you want, think of the vinyl as a read-to-go sticker! Transfer tape (the red grid) makes it easy to transfer your design to your project without worry!

I chose to mount my vinyl to vellum to create a quasi-window card. You have to rub the vinyl into the paper and carefully lift the transfer tape to reveal the design!

And here's a look at the card with a little light streaming through the vellum... Pretty, right? 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Vinyl: Black Chalkboard, Red Glitter

Love Story Coordinates Vinyl Sign by Samantha

Hello! Samantha here today with a vinyl Valentine's Day project. I thought I'd keep it really clean and simple, so I made a love story coordinates sign. 

To create this you'll need some wood (my sign measures 6" x 24"), paint (I used gray and a bit of white around the edges), SRM vinyl (I used matte white for the numbers and metallic red for the hearts), and a way to cut your vinyl (I used a Silhouette Cameo).

 My husband and I met in a city far from where we live now, so I thought it would be fun to use the coordinates to that city since that's where it all began. I'm not a terribly mushy person, so I kept it simple by swapping out the decimals for red hearts. If you're a little more lovey dovey than I am, you could also add the words "Where our love story started" or "Our love story began here" to your sign. 

 This love story coordinates sign is a fun way to remember the distance your love has traveled. Where did your love story begin?

New Product Introduction: Glitter Heat Transfer

As SRM expands our Vinyl offerings we keep adding new styles and new colors.  

One of the most popular types of vinyl is Heat Transfer and today I want to share with you some of the new and beautiful colors of Glitter Heat Transfer. 

Annette Allen is making a guest appearance today sharing a peek at a "Glitter" T-Shirt that will be featured in the SRM Booth at the Creativation show in Phoenix coming up.  Actually, I will be wearing it in the booth! :)  Annette loves playing with vinyl and this T-Shirt uses a combination of red and gold glitter, silver matte and sequins.  YUM!

SRM carries two different brands of Heat Transfer:  Siser and Chemica.   Both of these brands are the highest quality vinyls with so many amazing colors.  Here are the 2 latest colors of Siser's Glitter Heat Transfer:  Mermaid (I love that name!) and Lemon Sugar Glitter.  

And here's a look at Chemica's yummy Glitter Heat Transfer colors.   I especially love the "bling" styles that look like glitter on a white background.

Thanks for joining us this week to see all the new goodies!  

We are off to the show and can't wait to see all of our old friends and to meet some new friends too!

New Product Introduction: Heat Transfer EasyWeed Electric & Teflon Sheets

SRM offers a wide selection of vinyl and the fastest growing vinyl is Heat Transfer.  And now we are offering a new Heat Transfer from Siser called

EasyWeed Electric Heat Transfer. 

There are 14 fabulous colors and 2 special finishes.  And as Siser says they are 

"100% awesome!

If you’re looking to take your designs to the next level, EasyWeed Electric has a finish or pattern just for you! You’ve never seen a heat applied material like EasyWeedElectric. The colors are vibrant with a pearlescent metallic sheen. EasyWeed Electric comes on a pressure-sensitive carrier which makes cutting detailed designs and logos a breeze. EasyWeed Electric is durable wash after wash and maintains its bright color and brilliant finish. If you’re looking to provide multi-color designs, EasyWeedElectric can be layered.

And be sure to use our new Teflon sheet for a perfect finish and perfect for layering.  

This 13" x 15" Teflon sheet used with garment press or iron.  

Durable 4 mil thick, re-usable.  Leaves a smooth, shiny, semi-gloss finish on heat transfer materials.  If using iron, set at highest heat.  Press, do not rub. 

Drop by tomorrow as we wrap up our new products introduction with some delicious new colors of Glitter Heat Transfer.  

Winter Fun with SRM Vinyl by Shanna

Hello SRM friends, Shanna here today with some wintery-fun!  

Nothing brings forth the pictures of winter more than fluffy white snow....Small problem at my house though....I live in California!!  Snow is not generally seen at my house, and traveling to the snow is not impossible, but not always practical.  I have seen some ideas floating around the internet and decided to capitalize on them with my own twist! The end result was this fun, personalized, giggle- inducing indoor snowball fight kit!  

I loved using the SRM vinyl to design the bucket just how I wanted it... Fonts and me have an ongoing affair ( there is NO such thing as "too many"!) and I love how this script font adds a bit of whimsy!

 The "snowballs" are simple pom-poms made out of fluffy soft yarn I found at my local craft store.  

Materials Used:

SRM Vinyl- white

SRM Vinyl- Black

Silhouette Cameo

Silhouette Design Store Snowflake file

Galvanized Bucket (or container of choice)

White Yarn of choice (here is what I used)

Pom-Pom maker (makes life WAY easier!)

Who doesn't dream of throwing a snowball or two at your loved ones??  LOL  Everyone gets to stay warm and dry at the same time!  

Hope you enjoyed my project, let me know if you have any questions! 

 Have a Merry Christmas, and a fabulous New year everyone!  

Until next time,

Shanna