Beginner Cricut Project - Baby Shower Prize Bags
Have you ever used the Print Then Cut function in Design Space? This was my first time using it, and my Cricut Maker did not disappoint. Check out these sweet baby shower prize bags I made using this function with Cricut Printable Sticker Paper. The shower theme included roses in a blush color with some pink and green. I think this would also work well for a bridal shower.
I started out printing and cutting the rose images out of regular printer paper then later switched to Printable Sticker Paper. I will show the process both ways.
Materials
Large white lunch bags
Cricut Maker or Explore
Cricut Printable Sticker Paper
Cricut Holographic Sparkle Vinyl
Cricut Tools
Inkjet printer
Printer paper
Cardstock
Washi tape
Ribbon
Paper punch
Tape or glue
I found the basic design for these gift bags on Pinterest, but I changed them up a bit to make them my own. I needed four bags, and they would be the same style, but each would include a different rose image and different washi tape.
I had recently purchased a pack of large white lunch bags for a different project, so I already had them on hand. I first prepared the bags by folding over the tops and trimming the edges to make them look even. Then I went ahead and cut two holes in the tops of the bags through all thicknesses using a simple paper punch.
The Print Then Cut process is quite easy, but I had never done it before, so I had to Google it to find out how it works. I learned that you simply send the design to your home printer (inkjet printer only) to print it. Then you put the printed design onto a mat to cut out around the design with your Cricut.
I found the rose images in Design Space and inserted them onto my Canvas. Then I placed them close to each other on the Canvas for cutting purposes. I needed them to fit on a piece of copy paper. I grouped them all and attached them before printing.
I specifically chose Print Then Cut images in Design Space. They looked a bit different than the other images. I could tell that they would not work as simple cut images.
The photo above does not show that this is a Print Then Cut image, so I took a photo with my phone to show that when you hover over the image with your mouse, the words 'Print then Cut' will show up under the image. Please see below. The photo quality is not great, but you can still see it.
I had to select the Print Then Cut option in Design Space under the 'Operation' drop-down above the Design Space Canvas.
I used plain copy paper to print out the images. Notice how Design Space shows the mat with the images as a Print Then Cut process, and the other mats were using a Basic Cut. I had paper in my printer already, so I just had to click on 'Send to Printer.'
When the images were done printing, I noticed that a solid line was added around them all. I don't know why it did that, but it did not cause any problem for me. Here are the printed images on my Light Grip mat ready to be cut.
After my Cricut cut the images, I pulled paper off the mat, leaving the rose images on the mat. I just pulled it off from the top. It did not matter that the extra paper curled up because I would not be using it.
Then I was left with the four paper rose images, and I was concerned about how I could remove them without bending each one or ruining them.
I turned the mat upside down and starting pulling the mat off the images and found I could remove them pretty easily without damaging them. However, I did this slowly and carefully.
After I had these images printed and cut, I was able to get my hands on some Cricut Printable Sticker Paper and decided it would be so much easier to just stick the images onto the bags instead of having to glue or tape them on. I also love trying new things, so I thought it was worth printing and cutting the images again.
I started over with the Print Then Cut process. The sticker paper is a little thicker than cardstock. I had a little trouble getting it to print through my printer, but I resolved the problem by removing all paper from the two trays in my printer and placing only the one piece of sticker paper in one of the trays. Then it worked just fine. The directions say you can also feed the sticker paper into the printer from the outside, if your printer has that option.
What I found interesting about this Print Then Cut process was that my Cricut first scanned the entire page of images before cutting anything, so it could be precise. I circled an area by the blade in the photo below, so you can see that there was a little light shining down onto the paper for this purpose. I had never even noticed there was a light under there before then.
Design Space also shows each process as it is happening, so this is what that looked like.
Design Space allows you the option to include "bleeding", which leaves a little extra color around the image so that you get a very crisp, clean cut. I chose to use this option, so my images would look good. Here are the roses all cut, which shows the extra bit of color around the images.
I removed the sheet of Printable Sticker Paper from my mat and set it aside until I was ready to stick the images on my bags. I turned the mat upside down this time and pulled it off the Sticker Paper to prevent the images from curling up.
Next, I created some text to put on the bags. In one 'Text' box, I typed "Something Special," and in the other 'Text' box, I typed "Just for You." I sized the groups of words to fit onto the gift bags and decided to cut them out of Silver Holographic Sparkle vinyl. Here is the vinyl on the mat ready to cut. It looks pink in the photo because of the light hitting it.
Once the text was cut, I removed it from the mat and cut the individual groups of text apart. Then I weeded each one to apply to the bags.
I find that holographic sparkle vinyl is easier to weed than regular vinyl. The little pieces of this vinyl inside the letters do not resist coming off the backing like they sometimes do with regular vinyl.
I set aside the cut-out text to apply to the bags later.
Then I created an edging in Design Space to attach to each bag to dress them up a bit. I found a lacy-looking edging image in Design Space and inserted it onto my Canvas. This is what it looked like initially.
I knew this image was too tall, and I did not want the holes in the top, so I had to alter it a bit for my needs. To do this, I created a strip to remove part of the image. I started with a square from the 'Shapes' menu on the left panel. I unlocked the dimensions and made it into a rectangle a bit wider than the edging. Then I placed it over the edging image.
I selected both layers by clicking on one, holding down the Shift key, and then clicking on the other layer. Then I clicked on 'Slice' on the bottom of the right panel in Design Space to separate them. I pulled the extra layers off and then deleted them from my Canvas. I changed the image color to pink, the color of cardstock I was using.
Now that I had the edging how I wanted it, I decided to make a rectangular template that matched the size of the bag, so I could size the edging width and see how it would look on the bag. I started by inserting a square from the 'Shapes' menu on the left panel and changed the dimensions to create a rectangle the size of the lunch bag. I had to unlock the dimensions to do this.
Then I changed the color of the bag template to white, using the little box next to the 'Operation' drop-down at the top of my Canvas. I wanted to place the lace edging image and the text over the top of it to size it and to see how it would look. (It was necessary to right-click on the bag template and select 'Send to Back' to accomplish this.)
I was able to size the lace edging image to the exact size of the bag template in preparation for cutting. I had chosen to cut this out of light pink cardstock, so it would be sturdy.
Here is the cardstock loaded onto my mat.
In Design Space, I had to change the Base Material to Cardstock, since I had previously cut out the Holographic Sparkle Vinyl. You will notice that Design Space had the white rectangle template on a mat to be cut, but I just skipped that one. I never intended to cut that out.
This is what the edging looked like after the Cricut cut it out, and I had removed a couple pieces. I removed the little scallop pieces with a spatula, being careful not to scratch my mat.
When I was ready to glue these onto my bags, I used two-sided tape to stick them on.
However, after applying one piece of tape, I realized the edging was still too tall, so I had to trim it so it would fit into the edge of the bag without covering the holes I had already punched in the bags. I should have done a bit more measuring before I cut these with my Cricut.
I went ahead and trimmed each lacy edging to size and proceeded to stick them onto the edge of the bags. I placed two strips of tape onto each edging piece, peeled off the paper backing, and slid them inside the very top layer of each bag, being careful not to adhere them until they were in the exact position I wanted.
Now it was time to apply the rose images. With the Printable Sticker Paper, all I had to do was remove each image from the backing and stick it onto a bag. I centered them the best I could on the bags, making sure to put them on the side where the flap would turn down.
Now it was time to apply the washi tape to the bags. I chose the colors/prints I wanted for each bag. Then I stuck them to the bags above and below the rose images, centering them as much as possible. I also had to leave enough room for the text that would go on next.
I chose to cut the washi tape a bit longer than the sides of the bag, so I could wrap it around the edge a bit. I thought this might help it not to curl up off the edge of the bags. It seemed to work well. I also applied the washi tape onto the flaps of the bags.
Here is how one bag looked after I applied the washi tape.
Now I would apply the text that was already weeded. I cut apart the two phrases for easier application. I used regular transfer tape to adhere the text to the bags.
I placed " Something Special" at the top of each bag. I completed the usual process of rubbing the text onto the transfer tape with a small Scraper, then rubbing over the top of the transfer tape to adhere it to the top of the bag.
Then I applied "Just for You" at the bottom of each bag the same way.
You might think it would have been easier to just write the text on the bags, but that would not have looked nearly as nice as this.
Now all I had to do was cut some ribbon to use as ties. I figured out how long they should be and cut four of them, one for each bag. I used some pink ribbon and some silver ribbon to switch things up a bit.
I threaded the ribbon from the back of the bag through the holes to the front of the bag and then tied the ribbon to see how it would look all done.
I could have done something to the backs of the bags, too, but I chose to leave them plain.
Here are all four bags done and ready to be filled with prizes. The prizes we had were rather small, so we stuffed some tissue paper inside to make sure the bags did not collapse.
This was a fun and relatively simple project. I enjoyed using three different mediums - Printable Sticker Paper, Holographic Sparkle Vinyl and cardstock, and then to include washi tape and ribbon.
I was really happy with how my prize bags turned out, and the guests seemed to enjoy them, too. I loved the look of the rose images. There is so much detail in them, and they look so professional. I will definitely use the Print Then Cut feature again.
Do you have a project that would use Print Then Cut? Maybe you need some gift bags, too, or something else where this process would come in handy. If you're like me, you are probably trying to think of other ways to use this feature now.
I have a well stocked craft room, so I have everything I need. Except maybe more craft supplies.
Leslie
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