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What Materials Can I Cut with a Cricut Joy?

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you just get a Cricut Joy? Take a look at all of the materials you can cut with a Cricut Joy + make an easy Valentine’s Day Card project!


The Cricut Joy has become one of my favorite cutting machines!  It may be small, but it’s definitely mighty!  Don’t let its size fool you!  You can literally craft anywhere with this machine!  Over the past year, I have used my Cricut Joy to make everything from labels for storage, planner stickers, vinyl projects, and even cards!  Like Cricut’s other machines, the project possibilities are basically endless with the Cricut Joy! 

If you’re new to the Cricut Joy and everything this machine can do, I’m going to give you a run down of the materials you can cut with it.  If you’re like me, one of the first things you look to buy after getting a new Cricut machine are the materials!  The Cricut Joy is pretty special because its line of cutting materials includes Smart Materials.  These products allow you to cut without a mat and can cut a 20 foot repeated cut! But if you do want to cut with a mat, there are different mats that you can use.

What Materials Can I Cut with a Cricut Joy?

 
The Cricut Joy can cut 50+ materials.  Here’s just a sampling of what this machine can cut!  You can check out the entire list of materials that can be cut with a Cricut Joy here.


Smart Materials

Vinyl


Iron-On


Paper and Cardstock

Other Materials


The Cricut Joy can also write and draw!  I’ve used this feature a number of times for projects like minimal floral coasters using Infusible Ink pens and card making.  It’s been a really tough time for all of us, so I’ve been making it a habit to send cards.  I used to love sending and receiving snail mail.  Being home all the time has definitely given me a reason to send happy mail to friends and family again! 


With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I decided to design some valentines to make with my Cricut Joy.  These designs use a mix of cutting and drawing so make sure you have some fun Cricut Joy pens to use (I used glitter gel pens)!  The designs are sized to fit the card inserts so all you have to do is draw and cut! 

How to Make Valentine’s Day Cards

 

Open up a Valentine’s Day card project in Design Space (there are three card projects that I designed linked below).  The project is already sized to fit the card so hit “Make It!”


Since we’re making a card, you’ll need to use a card mat.  Slip an insert card into the mat and select that option. 


Continuing on, make sure to select the “Insert Card – Cardstock” option for your base material. 


Load your card into the Cricut Joy and make sure you have a pen set in the clamp. Then, hit “go.” 


Once the design has been drawn, remove the pen and set the blade back into the clamp. Hit “go” again to cut the rest of the design.


When the design has finished cutting, hit “unload” to remove the mat from the Cricut Joy. 


Now you can gently pop out the cut shapes and add your insert into your card. 

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Open one of the designs in Design Space.  Make sure your machine setting is set to Cricut Joy.
  2. Hit Make It and select the option “On Card Mat.”
  3. Click “continue” and select the Insert Card – Cardstock material option.  Place a card insert onto the card mat and load it into the machine.
  4. Load your pen/marker into the the clamp and hit “go.”
  5. Once the design is drawn, remove the pen/marker and load the cutting tool into the clamp. Hit “go” again.


If you want, you can jazz up your envelopes with some simple heart stickers. I just pulled a heart shape from the Design Space image library and resized it.  Then, I cut it on floral Adhesive Backed Deluxe Paper.


Now that you know how much the Cricut Joy can do, what’s the first thing you plan on making with your Cricut Joy?

Did you make any of these Valentine’s Day cards? Share them on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Epsom Salt Snowball Ornaments

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Make pretty Christmas ornaments that look like sparkling snow with this easy Epsom Salt Snowball Ornaments DIY project!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


My husband and I got our first tree together when I moved in with him in 2010.  I remember being so excited to go to Target, pick out the tree, and then get some ornaments.  I had plenty of ornaments of my own already, thanks to my grandmother’s annual tradition of giving us a new one each year for Christmas.  And I probably had some of my own put away for when I had a tree of my own to decorate. 

Over the years, our collection of ornaments and Christmas tree decorations has grown. In fact, I’ve probably become a little too obsessed with ornament buying!  Every ornament is special to me, but the ones that have been given to us by family and the handmade ones are most special to me. 


There was one year, while we were at my parents’ house, that we were admiring my mom’s Christmas tree decorations.  We saw these snowball ornaments on the tree and thought they were so cool!  In fact, I think we basically nagged my mom until she finally gave in and let us have them!  Now, every year since then, those ornaments have made an appearance on our tree.

Our tree is decked out in silver and white ornaments this year.  The perfect excuse to whip up a few more snowball ornaments for our tree!  So with my huge bag of Epsom salt and plenty of clear ornaments for crafting, I made some new snowball ornaments in just a few easy steps! 

Epsom Salt Snowball Ornaments

 

The first thing I did – and it’s probably an optional step – is removed the tops from the ornaments and sprayed the ornaments with frosted glass spray paint.  Since I wasn’t planning on fully covering the ornaments in Epsom salt, I wanted to give them a pretty, frosted look.  I painted the ornaments a day ahead of time so the paint could dry completely.


Once the paint was dry, I gathered the rest of my supplies. I added Epsom salt and iridescent glitter to a bowl and mixed it together.  I was running low on Mod Podge, so I added school glue to a disposable cup and watered it down a little bit.


Using a foam brush, I brushed my glue mixture onto the ornament, leaving space at the top.  I rolled the ornament in the Epsom salt mixture, making sure that the ornament was covered, and shook off the excess.


I carefully flipped the ornaments over and set them aside to dry.  The glue takes about an hour to dry to the touch.  So once an hour passed, I put the tops back onto the ornaments and attached an ornament hook. At this time, you can hang the ornaments on the tree, but don’t touch them for another 24 hours so the glue has a chance to dry completely. 


I’m really happy with how these turned out!  The Epsom salt and glitter together gives the appearance of sparkling snow.  And the frosted paint makes them look icy and wintry underneath! 

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Remove the metal tops from the ornaments.  In a well-vented area, or outside, spray a coat of frosted glass spray paint on the ornaments.  Allow the paint to dry 24 hours.
  2. Once the paint is dry, mix the Epsom salt and glitter together in a bowl.
  3. Use a foam brush to apply glue or Mod Podge to the surface of the ornament.
  4. Dip the ornament into the Epsom salt mixture, making sure it’s completely coated.
  5. Shake off the excess and carefully set aside to dry.
  6. Allow the ornaments to dry for an hour before placing the metal tops back on and hanging on the tree.
  7. Once the ornaments are hung, don’t touch them again for 24 hours to allow the glue to dry completely. 


These ornaments make easy ornaments gifts for friends and family. Or if you’re a snow lover, like I am, they’ll make a pretty addition to your Christmas tree!

Did you make this Epsom Salt Snowball Ornaments project? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap

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Make washing your hands a scream this Halloween with this easy Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap tutorial!

This post may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


My husband was watching one of those homesteading shows. You know, they usually take place in Alaska, they own quite the expanse of land, and they make their own food, clothing, etc.? Well, one of the women on the show was talking about making soap. It made me miss my melt and pour soap making hobby. So with Halloween around the corner, I decided to make some spooky soap!

The first Halloween soap idea that immediately came to mind was a blood splatter soap.  A simple concept, but creepy enough for Halloween!  So I got a white soap base and some red soap color. 

I wasn’t sure how I was going to make the soap look like it was splattered with blood.  At first I thought I might just drop some red color into the melted soap base and swirl it around.  Then, I looked up some techniques for marbling.  Ultimately, I ended up playing around with a dropper and a spoon to achieve the look I wanted.  

Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap

 
Melt and pour soap base is great because it’s just that!  Cut the soap into chunks, melt it down, and pour it into a soap mold.  You can add all sorts of things to it like soap color, fragrance, and even additives like dried flower petals or coffee grounds. 

For this project, I used an entire 32 ounce container of soap base for this project, red soap color, and cinnamon and vanilla essential oils. This project made eight bars of soap in total. 


The first thing I did was cut the soap base into chunks.  I placed half of the chunks into a large, microwave-safe measuring cup and microwaved the soap in 30 second intervals until it was melted. Then, I added the other half of the chunks and continued melting them down.


Once all the soap was melted, I stirred in my essential oils.  I used a simple blend of cinnamon and vanilla essential oils to make a warm, cozy fall scent.  The amount of drops you add is up to you.  I think I used about 20 drops total.


Next, I poured a little of the white soap base into a small, microwave-safe bowl and added red soap color.  Since I used a white soap base, I added enough soap color so the soap looked more red than pink. 


Then, I poured my white soap base into my silicone soap mold making sure to leave a little room at the top.  I played around with a few different ways to make my blood splatter effect, but found that dipping a spoon into the red soap and dripping it on top of the white worked the best. 


Wait about 4-6 hours for the soap to harden and then you should be able to pop it right out of the mold!

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Cut the soap base into chunks and place them into a large, microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until the soap has completely melted. 
  2. Add 20-22 drops of your favorite essential oil.  The amount of drops you use is completely up to you depending on how strong you want your soap bars to smell.  Stir to incorporate the oils into the soap base.
  3. Next, add a little of the white soap base into a small, microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in enough soap color to the base so that the soap looks red and not pink.
  4. Carefully pour the white soap base into the soap mold.  You might have to work in batches depending on the size of your mold. 
  5. Optional: lightly spray the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol to get rid of bubbles.  Let the soap sit for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Dip a spoon into the red soap base and drizzle over the top of the white soap to make it look like blood splatters.
  7. Allow the soap to harden about 4-6 hours.  Then, remove from the mold. 
  8. Wrap the soap in plastic wrap or put them in a storage bag to keep them dry.  Store the soap bars in a cool, dry place.  

A few notes about this Blood Splatter Soap project:
  • I ended up with a lot more red soap than what was needed.  So I would start with a little (maybe 1/4 cup or less) and melt more, if necessary.  You really only need enough to drizzle on top of your soap bars.
  • If you notice that your soap base is starting to harden up while you’re working, pop it into the microwave for another 30 seconds, or until it’s melted again. 
  • I didn’t use rubbing alcohol spray, but if you want to avoid bubbles while your soap sets, give the soap a spritz.  It should knock out any bubbles that you see.

With 2020 being, well, 2020, these soap bars would make a fun, homemade Halloween gift to remind your friends to keep washing those hands! 

Did you make Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Five Ways to Get Organized with Cricut Joy

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Make spring cleaning and organizing a breeze with these 5 easy ways to get organized with Cricut Joy and Smart Materials!


Have you been doing a lot more cleaning and organizing lately? Not only is it spring cleaning time, but spending more time indoors has given me the itch to straighten up and get things in order around here! So far, I’ve gotten rid of clutter in the attic, reorganized closets and cabinets, and did some deep cleaning around the house. I also managed to add some labels to storage thanks to my new Cricut Joy!

The Cricut Joy is Cricut’s newest cutting machine. It’s light and portable so you can craft anywhere! This compact machine gives you the option of using mats thanks to Cricut’s line of Smart Materials that come in extended sizes with up to a 20 foot repeated cut capability! The projects are endless with this little machine that can do so much (including making cards)!


The Cricut Joy recently helped me get organized around the house. I was able to carry the machine from room-to-room – even the kitchen – and just had to plug it in! In no time at all, I made labels for baking ingredients, labels for craft supplies, and even made planner stickers to motivate me to use my planner more!

Just like Cricut’s other machines, you can also write with Cricut Joy! There’s an entire collection of Cricut Joy pens to write in a variety of styles and colors! The ability to write made it even easier to get some of my storage labeled! Take a look at these five simple projects to help you get organized with Cricut Joy!

Five Ways to Get Organized with Cricut Joy

 

Label ingredients in the kitchen

I’ve been doing a bit more baking than usual lately and stocking up on ingredients like nuts and chocolate chips when I can. To keep these ingredients fresh and within easy reach, I stored them in airtight plastic containers and made labels for them.

Personalize mail bins in the office

In our home office, we have three separate mail bins. The first bin is where we keep new mail or mail addressed to both of us, the second bin is for my mail, and the last bin is for my husband’s mail. Every once in a while, a piece of my husband’s mail ends up in my bin, or my husband ends up opening something of mine that ended up in his bin. Adding “his,” “hers,” and “ours” labels lessens the confusion.

Organize craft supplies

A few months ago, I bought small, plastic containers to sort some of my craft supplies. Since the containers are out in the open, I wanted to add labels to them that looked simple and clean. So I used the Smart Label Writable Vinyl to cut labels and also use a Cricut Joy pen to write what was being stored in each container.

Organize the bathroom closet

Our bathroom closet was a bit of a mess before I got to organize it. We have cleaning products, hair products, towels, and all of my skincare and makeup stored in there. I was able to stick some labels on my storage to designate space for my hair ties, nail polish, and makeup. It’s made it way easier to find what I’m looking for while keeping the space neat and organized!

Make planner stickers

Each day kind of blends into the next lately, so I wanted to make sure I was making use out of my planner. The easiest way to motivate myself to use my planner is with new planner stickers! I cut some simple designs, like flags and check marks, out of Adhesive Backed Deluxe Paper in pretty floral and striped designs.

How to Make Kitchen Storage Labels

 


1. Open the pantry labels project in Design Space. Go through the labels and delete the labels you won’t be using.


2. Resize the labels, if necessary, and change the color, if desired.


3. Once it’s time to cut, you’ll be prompted to choose a mat option. I have been cutting without a mat for most projects.


4. The last thing to do is get your material loaded and hit go!


5. Then, peel and stick the label with transfer tape onto the storage container of your choice.

How to Make Writable Storage Labels

 


1. Open the Craft Supplies Labels project in Design Space or search for a label shape in images.


2. Resize and duplicate the image as many times as needed.


3. Then, choose a font style making sure it’s set to “writing.” This lets the Cricut Joy know you want to use a pen with this project. Type in each label space, then send to cut.


4. Review your labels. Then, follow the prompts on screen to set each tool for writing and cutting.


5. The ink dries pretty fast, but I usually allow a little time for it to dry completely. Then, you can peel and stick the labels easily without transfer tape.

How to Make Planner Stickers

 


1. Open the planner stickers project in Design Space or search for images and shapes you would like to use as stickers.


2. I chose a simple flag and check mark design. Then, I resized and duplicated the images and changed the color of each shape to reflect the color paper I was using.


3. I used a Light Grip Mat for this project, so I selected that option to load my materials.


4. Then, I cut each color as prompted.


5. Finally, I trimmed my stickers and peeled off the excess paper to make small sticker sheets to keep in my planner.


If getting the house organized is next on your spring cleaning list, keep the Cricut Joy in mind for easy labeling! The Cricut Joy and Cricut Joy materials are now available online and in-store. Learn more about this impressive, little machine on Cricut.com!

Did you get organized with any of these Cricut Joy ideas? Share on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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