PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRICUT
Cutting edge
Tips for making holiday magic
Not being crafty when it comes to the holiday spirit, I rely on purchased cards and gifted ornaments. However, it feels like everyone I know—from my best friend to my boss—swears that an electronic cutting craft machine that cuts through paper, card stock, vinyl and even iron-on transfers is the way to go to create a festive vibe at home. I decided to investigate and put together this list of ideas that even I could manage.
Greeting cards. Learning to design holiday cards (and envelopes) will become the gift that keeps on giving. This skill will come in handy for birthdays, invitations or any of your other greeting card needs throughout the year.
Home décor. Holiday countdown calendars are a must-make to keep you and your family on track. If you don’t have a fireplace, create a vinyl one that can be used year after year—and you won’t ever have to clean up the soot. In addition to hanging handcrafted stockings and wreaths, you can change the mantle for the different seasons. Put together a winter wonderland with a variety of snowflake designs to decorate the windows.
Use your Cricut to create holiday items and décor.
Gifts. Make custom ornaments, pillows, wine bags, T-shirts and drinkware, such as mugs, water bottles and wine glasses. And don’t forget matching gift tags, bags, boxes and gift wrap. Send guests home with homemade leftover food in handmade to-go containers.
Tablescapes. Paper flowers for centrepieces look just as beautiful as real flowers and you never need to water them. Personalized place settings are a nice touch and you can even turn this into a fun activity for children by setting them up to colour their own. Spiff up old cloth or paper napkins with monograms or seasonal decorations. And don’t forget to mark dishes with custom food labels for guests with dietary restrictions.
New year. Ring in the new year with party hats, masks, banners and fun photo props. Custom-made stemware name tags are a must for that special toast.
Wishing you happy holidays and an amazing new year!
Costco Connection: You’ll find the Cricut Explore 3 Smart Vinyl & Iron-On plus Digital Content Bundle (Item 5490883) in select Costco warehouses and at Costco.ca. Additional project inspiration and Cricut bundles are also available at Costco.ca.