Retro Flower Vinyl Decal Side Table Top Using Cricut

I happened upon this wavy edge side table when browsing at Home Goods recently and just had to take it home with me! I found the shape to be super fun (dare I say groovy?) - and even though the original tan speckled color was not my favorite, I knew it could be turned into a really cool piece of decor for my daughter's bedroom. Enter a bright coat of paint and some Cricut Vinyl and you've got some serious flower power for a new bedside table.

Materials:

• Cricut Permanent Vinyl (5 colors)

Directions:

Create your cut design in Cricut Design Space or go directly to this project. I'm using Flower Shape #M3D2047A2 included free with Cricut Access.

Make the project from Cricut Premium Permanent Vinyl in your choice of 5 groovy retro colors. I'm using the Boho Spirit Bundle from our website featuring colors: Bracken, Whispering Blue, Aqua, Wild Aster and Maize. 

Weed the design to remove the excess vinyl using your favorite weeding tool.

Transfer the cut vinyl to your side table top surface. You can use Cricut Transfer Tape to apply your vinyl if you'd like, but I found the cut shapes to be simple enough to move to the surface using just my hands. 

Aligning cut vinyl "just so" can sometimes be a challenge, particularly when the shapes are large in size. Also, I think when a cut design is perfectly symmetrical like this one, it's easier to see when my vinyl transfer is a bit out of whack. Over the last few years, our design team has shared a number of techniques to help you get vinyl decals lined up just right, and I used a couple of them to transfer my vinyl for this project.

The Wet Method

Beth made a great short video demonstrating a wet technique for vinyl placement. The wet technique uses a spray bottle filled with water along with a few drops of dish soap. This wet transfer works well when applying vinyl to a non-porous surface like glass, or even when applying one vinyl cut on top of another. Spritz the bottom surface with a bit of the soapy water mixture, then slide your vinyl into position on top. 

The vinyl moves easily on top of the soapy water, allowing you to get it positioned just where you want it. Then use your Cricut scraper on top of a paper towel to work from the center of the design outward and remove the water from beneath the vinyl, allowing it to adhere to the bottom surface. Neat huh? Watch the technique in action in the video below. 

The Hinge Method

I also used a variation on the hinge technique for this project. This technique is a method used to apply large vinyl decals or stickers accurately onto surfaces. It's particularly useful when you want to ensure precise placement without the risk of misalignment or wrinkles. 

The hinge technique involves keeping parts of the sticky vinyl adhesive covered by the carrier sheet during application. So instead of completely removing the carrier sheet and trying to wrangle a large piece of sticky vinyl all at one time, you uncover the adhesive in stages. This allows you to get part of the design smoothed into place before removing more carrier sheet to adhere an adjacent part of the design, and so on.

Need to see it in action? Watch Courteney perform this trick in the short video below. She's specifically working on a curved surface, but the process works just the same when applying large cut vinyl on a flat surface (like this table top!)  

And that's it!  A plain side table from Home Goods was painted in bright colors and "groovied up" with Cricut Permanent Vinyl decals. The decals were transferred onto the table top using techniques like the Wet Method and the Hinge Method to ensure accurate alignment and smooth application. This project not only revitalizes furniture but also showcases the endless possibilities of DIY decor, infusing any room with a touch of whimsy and individuality. Happy making!

Do More:

Paper Template

Looking for more resources to help you get decals lined up on your projects? Check out this Easter Wreath and Love My Peeps Easter Charger for a couple of projects that use a paper template to help align vinyl. This process involves creating a template that mirrors the dimensions and design of the decal on a sheet of paper. Once the template is cut out, it can be positioned and secured onto the target surface using masking tape or adhesive. The next step is to carefully align the vinyl decal with the corresponding outline on the template. This method is particularly useful for larger or more complex designs where visual alignment may be challenging. By providing a clear reference point, a paper template streamlines the application process and helps achieve a professional-looking result.

Registration Marks

Interested in how to use registration marks to line up cuts? These marks, typically small crosses or dots strategically placed on the decal design, serve as alignment guides during the application process. By ensuring proper alignment, registration marks facilitate seamless placement, resulting in a flawless and professional-looking finish for the vinyl decal. Learn all about the registration mark technique in these posts - Decorative 4th of July Pails and Glass Jar with Wipe Off Labels.