It’s been a stressful few weeks. Jeremy is commuting to two universities to teach, one requires a weekly plane trip and the other an almost 2 hour drive. Gabe is back in school, and he now has sports and Cub Scouts. I’m the official schedule juggler, animal caregiver, and of course, I have to write a lot. This is compounded by the fact that my stepfather has been in and out of the hospital since we left for our honeymoon, and the hospital isn’t local. I feel like I can’t support my mom the way I should, but I can’t be everywhere and do everything. Currently my only stress relieving activity is crafting. I’ve made everything from wall decor, to customized bedding, and this metal personalized pumpkin for our yard. If you already have a Cricut, this project should be a breeze once you find your pumpkin. Yes, my pumpkin is store-bought and if you read on I’m sharing where I found it (on sale). I hope you enjoy this metal personalized pumpkin tutorial, and please share with me if you make your own. buy fluoxetine online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/fluoxetine.html no prescription

Are you a Gilmore Girls fan? I’ve always watched the television show, and I still watch it over and over on Netflix. When Rory and Paris start college, Paris’ life coach suggests she create a “craft corner” in their dorm room as a way to relieve stress. If you know me outside the digital realm, I’m wound almost as tight as Paris. I craft as a way to relieve stress, similar to her character on the show. I’m not big into jewelry making or paper crafts, but I love home decor. When I spotted these metal pumpkins hanging at Hobby Lobby, I thought it would be adorable to customize one for our yard.

They were regularly $39.99, but all of the fall decor was 40% off. If they aren’t on sale, you could always use one of the weekly 40% off one item coupons (won’t work on sale items). These were hanging in the front of the store and they weren’t with the other aisles of fall decor, so you might want to prowl around or ask an associate if they have them. Our store had a bunch, but it’s still early in the season. I also found this one which is similar but slightly smaller and comes in a set on Amazon, or this individual one which is comparable in size.

Tip: Look them over carefully, make sure the one you buy is welded solid, doesn’t have dents, and the paint is intact. Some of the ones hanging on the front had been kinda beaten up. buy valtrex online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/generic-valtrex.html no prescription

Here are the supplies you’ll need for the personalized pumpkin:

• Metal or wood outdoor pumpkin (see notes above)
• Permanent outdoor vinyl (should be weatherproof)
• Cricut 
• Transfer tape

I love the font Playlist over on Canva.com. Occasionally I’ll design things outside of Cricut Design Space and then use my Cricut to cut it. Cricut has a comparable font called Pen and Ink, that you could use if you only want to use Design Space. I’ve also created a It’s Fall Y’all Design, that you could use as an alternative if you don’t want your last name in your yard.

This is what it would have looked like using Pen and Ink, and here’s a link to the project.

If you’ve never used a cursive font in design space, you’ll want to type each letter individually, move them into a desirable position, and then group the individual letters together. This helps to ensure that you cursive text is spaced and flows properly. It also helps if you want to resize the entire text or move the word somewhere else on the mat. buy lexapro online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/lexapro.html no prescription

One you’ve got your text set up. You’ll want to cut and weed your vinyl. When placing really long text or an image onto a curved surface, I use two separate pieces of transfer tape. I’ll cut the transfer tape to the desired size and then half it vertically. I’ll use one piece on the left side of the design, and the other on the right. I’ll make sure that my design is properly adhered to the transfer tape, but I won’t remove it completely. This makes it easier to roll up the design, and get it centered properly.

I’m showing you with regular vinyl. Unfortunately Jeremy was gone while I was working on this project, and I didn’t have an extra set of hands for photographing it.

I’ll place my vinyl into the desired position on the pumpkin (or whatever surface), then pull off the transfer tape as I go, only adhering one side a few inches at a time. I’ll use one hand to press my hand onto the working surface, and use my remaining hand to peel the transfer tape. I found it’s easier to adhere an inch or two, and then use my burnishing tool to smooth it out. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Once I get one side adhered, I repeat with the other until the design is completely adhered.

I’ll go over the entire design with my burnishing tool for good measure, and double-check for air bubbles. Air bubbles aren’t your friend, they can cause your design to peel.

Once you complete that step, your pumpkin is ready to display.

Here are a few photos around sunrise. The pumpkin seems to glow with the bright sun on it.

What do you think of my finished personalized pumpkin project? Are you ready to give it a try? If you decided to use this as inspiration to create a personalized pumpkin of your own, I’d love to see your creation.