Joy to the World Sign
Do you have a Cricut or Silhouette? Making new home decor never got easier! We love making our own signs and love using out cutting machine. Follow this simple tutorial for making this festive and joyful sign for the holidays. Also makes a cute gift! Need some fresh home decor but no time to craft? Check out our store for custom signs shipped to you!
Joy to the World Sign
What you will need
- Wood
- I used craft wood found and paint sticks
- (2) ⅜” x 1 ½” x 12” (Sides)
- (2) ⅜” x 1 ½” x 5 ½” (Sides)
- (1) ⅜” x 6” x 12” (Face)
- I used craft wood found and paint sticks
- Wood Craft Knife or Utility Knife
- User can also use table saw or hand saw if desired
- Paint
- Cardinal Red acrylic paint
- white acrylic paint
- black acrylic paint
- green acrylic paint
- Stain
- Dark Walnut 2716
- Paint brushes and sponge brushes
- Hot Glue Gun
- Cricut or other cutting machine
- Oracle 651 Vinyl
- Color of your choice – we went with red and black
- Access to design program
- Transfer Tape
- Christmas Trees
- I used 3in trees
- Wooden Truck
- I used a flat wooden truck ornament found at Michaels
Craft Steps
Step 1: Cut/Paint Wood
Craft wood can be cut with craft wood knife or utility knife, but can also use table saw or hand saw
Wood Measurements
- (2) ⅜” x 1 ½” x 12” (Sides)
- (2) ⅜” x 1 ½” x 5 ½” (Sides)
- (1) ⅜” x 6” x 12” (Face)
Once wood is cut, paint the wood first with a brush. I painted the face piece White and stained the sides. If using paint sticks for sides, ensure to sand numbers of wood before staining.
Then stain the sides along the grain of the wood.
For the truck, I painted the truck red then painted the tree green. Once dried, I added some details to the truck to give it some character with black and white paint.
Step 2: Glue Wood Together
With the wood cut and painted, it is time to assemble the sign. Glue all sides together in the shape of the face and then glue all sides down to the face at once.
The paint side will be face up when gluing sides down
Vinyl – Step 1
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- See design space screenshots
- Load SVG file in design space
- Hit make it button
- Apply vinyl to cutting mat
- Load mat into machine
- See design space screenshots
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- Once sized accordingly, adjust your machine’s setting or material dial to washi sheet with more pressure. Load the oracle 651 (this is permanent vinyl) to your machine on the cutting grip mat and hit “go”.
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- After the cut is complete, begin to pull the negative vinyl off and away from the letters using your weeding tool (looks like a dentist pick) . This process is called weeding and you will weed around the outside of the letters and small parts inside any letter that is enclosed (ex. a,e,o ).
- Now that the weeding is complete, cut off a piece of transfer paper the size of your cut vinyl and apply to vinyl. This will be done to help get your vinyl off the vinyls plastic backing and onto your projects surface.
- Since working with a big design, to get transfer paper to lay smooth on design, start off by pulling the plastic backing off a little at a time and using my scraper tool (or old gift card) down the vinyl.
- Next, turn the entire design facing downwards and begin gentle pulling the vinyls plastic backing off and away from the transfer paper. Starting at a corner and rolling it away slowly while applying pressure is best.
- When the vinyl has been successfully transferred you will be able to see the through the transfer paper with vinyl attached.
Vinyl – Step 2
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- Next, find the middle of your wood sign. Be sure to leave equal amount of space on each side and enough room at the bottom of the wood sign to fit your 3in trees and truck on the sign
- Lay the transfer with vinyl lightly on top of the wood sign. Do not pull too tight when laying it down. This can distort the vinyl and leave you with air bubbles later on.
- Do not apply pressure or smooth down design until you are 100% happy with the location. If happy with the location begin to apply pressure and smooth over the design using again a scraper tool or old gift card.
- Once enough pressure had been applied slowly remove the transfer paper by starting at a corner and very carefully and slowly rolling it away and off the wood. The vinyl will remain on your project.
- Some letters on this design are small. Be careful when removing and apply and use your scraper tool to help it along at times by wedging it under the transfer paper while holding down the letter and using your other hand to roll transfer paper away.
- If still having trouble try applying heat like a blow dryer while removing
Step 3
Glue Christmas Trees to left on the bottom of the sign
Step 4
Glue the painted wooden truck to the right on the bottom of the sign.
Step 5
Display around the house