August 21, 2014

DIY ARMY INSPIRED BAG

Are you familiar with the Design Space Star Challenge? It's been floating around the internet and we are excited to be part of this challenge! We have joined up with 9 other blogs to create our team, team #16, where we can enter our individual designs into the monthly contest, hoping to win prizes. We are challenged to create a monthly project (through December) based on a category that Cricut gives us, using their Cricut Explore machine. This month the challenge from Cricut was gear/clothing and our team chose Military. I had fun with this one especially because our fall/winter line coming from STAY & Co. has some fun camo's and greens hues. It totally got my pumped for what is coming!

To be honest, I (Megan) was afraid of the machine, even though I have wanted one since they came out at the beginning of the year. I was impressed with how user friendly and easy it is to use. The options are endless - you can cut leather, fabric, vinyl and everything in between. Once you have an idea in your head, the Cricut Explore can do it! Ok, so yeah, I love it.

Back to my project...

I tend to love more simple/basic things, so I made sure I didn't go overboard with my design. I wanted to create something unisex so either of my kids could use it. I created my design in Illustrator from inspiration I found online and let the Cricut Explore do the rest (see basic instructions below):


Directions:

1) I found the bag (and camo scarves) I used at a local Army Surplus store. I had never been and I was instantly obsessed. They had a million bags (new and used) for amazing prices. My kids were in heaven looking at all the military items and cool gadgets. This bag was $8!

2) I looked online for military inspiration and new I wanted to incorporate a star and some gold in there somewhere. I created the decal in Illustrator, uploaded it into Cricut's Design Space online and had the Explore cut it out using black leather that I randomly had in my closet.

3) I also had the Cricut Explore cut the 2 scarves I purchased into strips as well as a small leather strip for detail on the added scarves (see photos below). 

4) I spray painted the smaller star and leather strip gold with my favorite gold spray paint and then glued the decal onto the bag. I tied the scarves to the metal part of the bag and glued the gold leather strip around the top. 




I had a lot of fun doing this month's design challenge and am thrilled to be working with Cricut.  I will keep you posted if I need your votes :) 


*Disclosure: I am a member of the Cricut Blogger Network. I may receive prizes in exchange for my winning projects. Even though I am not being directly compensated for these posts, I am under consideration for a prize with Cricut Design Space Star. All opinion are 100% my own. This post does contain affiliate links.


1 comment:

  1. I LOVE THIS! What an awesome idea. I didn't even think of the surplus stores. So cool!

    ReplyDelete