DIY Shaker Ornaments to Shake Up Your Christmas Tree!

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE SHAKER ORNAMENT DESIGNS

First, download my Shaker Ornaments files from my free library – look for Design #680. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

In the SVG folder, you’ll find three Shaker Ornament designs to cut on a cutting machine: a “snowflakes” ornament, a “snowman” ornament, and a “stars” ornament. There is also a DXF folder with cut files, and a PDF folder with versions you can print and cut by hand.

Upload the SVG file you need to Design Space to get started. I’ll demonstrate with the “Snowman” Shaker Ornament.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR SHAKER ORNAMENT DESIGN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. In Cricut Design Space, open a blank Canvas.
   NOTE: If you’re new to using Cricut Design Space, go to cricutkickoff.com for my introductory tutorial on Design Space basics.
2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse.”
4. Select the SVG file of your choice.
   NOTE: I’ll pick the “snowman” version.
5. Click “Open,” and then “Continue.”
6. Click “Upload” to add the design to your Canvas.
   NOTE: On your Canvas you’ll have a top piece with a hanging loop to cut from glitter cardstock. There’s also a top backer piece with a hanging loop, and a bottom back piece without a loop to cut from regular cardstock.
   You’ll also have a gray circle for your acetate cover piece, and decorative elements (the “snowflakes” and “stars” versions have only one decorative element) for the vinyl back design.
   There is also an alignment circle to help place your vinyl design on the back piece during assembly.
   
   
7. Click “Save” and give your project a name.
8. Ungroup the design.
   
   
9. In the Layers Panel, you still have one grouped layer, indicated by a small arrow. Click the arrow to expand the group and show two circle Basic Cut shapes.
   TIP: You can also click the two stacked circle shapes on your Canvas to highlight the group in the Layers Panel, and then click the arrow to expand the layers.
   
   
10. Select the top layer of the group in the Layers Panel that has the light teal circle cut shape.
11. Click on the “Operation” field and choose “Pen” from the dropdown menu so your machine knows to draw instead of cut this part of the design. This will create an alignment ring to help you line up your pieces during assembly.
    
    
12. With the “Draw” layer selected, click the Color Box next to the “Operation” menu and select the pen type and color you’d like to use.
    
    TIP: Choose a thin pen in a lighter color so the alignment ring won’t be visible in the final assembled ornament.
    NOTE: I’ll select the Fine Point pen in the color “Gemstone Blue” for my alignment ring.
13. In the Layers Panel, click the layer with the arrow again to select both layers in the group, then click “Attach” to keep the alignment ring with the ornament’s bottom layer.
    
    NOTE: The newly Attached group will jump to the top of the Layers Panel.
14. Your project is ready to cut!
    

CUTTING

1. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.
2. Click “Make.”
3. On the Prepare screen, make sure the correct Material Size is selected for your materials.
   NOTE: I’ll keep the “12 in x 12 in” size for all my mats, including my vinyl (which I’ll trim down to size).
   TIP: If you see a mat with just “Pen” lines, your “Draw” layer may not have attached correctly, so click “Cancel” to go back to the Canvas to check.
   
   
4. Once you are satisfied with your mat layouts, select the first mat again and click “Continue.”
5. On the Make screen, set the Base Material for your first mat. Mine is vinyl. For my vinyl mats, I’m using the “Premium Vinyl - Permanent Glossy” setting with “More” pressure.
   TIP: Changing the Pressure to “More” results in a cleaner cut.
   
6. You can use a paper trimmer or scissors to trim your vinyl to cover the design area shown on the screen plus an inch or so of buffer.
   TIP: You can save smaller pieces of vinyl for other projects.
7. Place your vinyl shiny side up on a green StandardGrip machine mat so it covers the design area on your screen.
   
   
8. Use a brayer to make sure it’s fully adhered.
9. Check that your Premium Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.
10. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.
11. Press the flashing middle button to begin cutting.
12. When it has finished cutting, don’t unload the mat right away. Gently lift a corner of the material to make sure the cuts went all the way through the material. If not, press the middle button again to make a second pass of cuts in the same spots.
    NOTE: For vinyl, cuts should go all the way through the material, but not the carrier sheet.
    TIP: If you have any issues with your cuts, go to jennifermaker.com/cleaner-cuts.
13. When the cuts are complete, keep the vinyl on your mat and use your weeding tool to carefully peel away the extra background vinyl.
    TIP: It can be easier to weed vinyl, especially small, detailed designs, while it is still adhered to the machine mat.
    
    
14. Poke your weeding tool into small sections of the design you want to remove. Gently lift the tool away from the design.
    
    TIP: Make sure you do not pull up any pieces you want to keep! If they come up, gently pat them back in place and try again. Refer back to the Design Space screen if you’re not sure which pieces to remove.
15. Continue to weed until all that is left is the vinyl for your design, then flip the mat over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the vinyl with its carrier sheet.
    
    
16. For my cardstock mats, I’m using the “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb (216 gsm)” setting with “More” pressure.
    
    
17. When you get to a mat with draw lines, follow the screen prompts to select and add your pen in the clamp indicated.
    TIP: Remove the pen’s cap (put it on the back so you don’t lose it) and test it on scrap paper to make sure it flows well first.
    
    
18. Place your cardstock face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat.
    
    
19. Repeat Steps 8-12 to cut your cardstock mats.
20. When the cuts are complete, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the cardstock.
    TIP: Use the spatula to help lift delicate parts (such as hanging tabs), and the weeding tool to poke out small bits of cardstock that are still attached to your cut pieces (like bits between the letters in the “stars” design).
    
    
21. Use a scraper tool to remove the small bits of cardstock left on your mat after you remove the cut pieces.
22. The glitter cardstock mat can be cut and unloaded the same way as the regular cardstock, but remember to change its material settings to “Glitter Cardstock” with “More” pressure.
    
    NOTE: Glitter can stick to the blade and cause trouble on your future cuts, so I recommend cleaning it after each sheet of glitter cardstock.
    You can take the housing and blade out of the clamp, press down on the plunger, and carefully poke the blade into a ball of aluminum foil several times. You can also clean it with an alcohol wipe or a microfiber cloth with isopropyl alcohol. Be careful, it's sharp!
23. For your acetate mat, change your material settings in Design Space to “Acetate” with “More” pressure.
    
    
24. Take the protective film off one side of the acetate only.
25. Place the acetate’s side with the protective film down on a green StandardGrip machine mat to keep adhesive and scratches from damaging the material.
    
    
26. Repeat Steps 8-12 to cut your acetate.
27. Lay out all of the pieces face up in organized piles.
    For the top: a glitter cardstock top piece, an acetate piece, and a regular cardstock top backer piece.
    For the vinyl decal: a white snow layer, a black snowman base layer, a white snowman top layer, a red scarf piece, and an orange nose piece.
    For the bottom: a regular cardstock back piece with an alignment ring drawn on.
    TIP: Refer to the Design Space screen if you’re not sure about some pieces’ orientation.
    
    

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE YOUR SNOWMAN SHAKER ORNAMENT

1. Stack the vinyl layers with the snow layer on the bottom, then add the black snowman base, the white snowman top, the scarf, and finish with the nose on top to make sure the design will look correct.
   
   
2. Lay the bottom-most vinyl decal, which is the snowbank, face up on your work surface with the teal cardstock back piece next to it.
   
   
3. Cut a piece of StandardGrip transfer tape and a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than the back piece.
   
   
4. Remove the backing from the transfer tape, then pat your fingers on its adhesive side to lessen its stickiness and prevent damage to your cardstock.
5. Remove the backing from the transfer tape.
6. Hold your transfer tape in the shape of a “taco,” sticky side down, then put the bottom of the “taco” onto the middle of the snowbank layer.
   
   
7. Smooth the transfer tape over the decal from the center outward and burnish it down using the Scraper Tool.
   
   
8. Flip your vinyl over and burnish again, then gently peel away the backing.
9. Place the parchment paper on top of the backer piece so some of the cardstock is exposed at the top.
   
   
10. Gently place your first vinyl piece onto the parchment paper so the design layers align and a small area of transfer tape touches the bottom carrier sheet.
    NOTE: Keeping the parchment paper in between the vinyl layers lets you position them before sticking anything together.
    
    
11. Adjust the top decal until the snowbank lines up with the curve of the drawn alignment ring, leaving a small area of transfer tape touching the bottom carrier sheet.
    
    
12. When the layers line up, lightly press the exposed section of transfer tape onto the cardstock.
    TIP: Don’t press too hard, or you’ll damage the cardstock when you lift it!
    
    
13. Hold the transfer tape in place with one hand, and use the other hand to lift the second layer and gently remove the parchment paper.
    TIP: Continue pressing on the exposed section of transfer tape to help keep everything aligned.
    
    
14. Gently lower the transfer tape and vinyl layer back into place, then use your finger to burnish down only the area where the vinyl lays on the cardstock back piece.
    
    
15. Peel away the transfer tape to reveal your first two combined layers!
    
    
16. Prepare the same pieces of transfer tape and parchment paper to apply the snowman’s black base decal to the snowbank layer.
17. Position the snowman so it’s slightly diagonal on top of the snowbank, using the drawn alignment ring to keep the vinyl elements inside the viewable area.
    NOTE: For the snowman design, the snowbank is meant to line up with the curve of the drawn alignment ring. For all other designs, the vinyl elements should not be touching the alignment ring.
18. Repeat Steps 12-15 to apply the snowman’s base layer to the snowbank layer, then position and apply each of the remaining layers the same way.
    
    
19. Next, peel one strip of the ¼” adhesive foam tape from its carrier sheet and carefully adhere the sticky side flush along the edge of the cardstock background piece.
    TIP: Work in small sections to make sure the adhesive sticks well and that the strip matches the curve of the cardstock shape.
    NOTE: Keep the foam tape’s protective backing in place for now.
    
    
20. Take another strip of the ¼” adhesive foam tape, firmly attach it to one end of the adhered strip, and then adhere it flush along the rest of the cardstock piece’s edge to complete the ornament’s walls.
21. Use scissors to trim away excess adhesive tape just past where the seam overlaps, then press the end in place.
    
    NOTE: Cutting slightly past the overlap point allows you to seal the seam tightly.
    
    
22. Add the filler to the inside of your ornament. There should be enough to move around easily when shaking, but without covering too much of the background design.
    TIP: If your filler has a lot of static preventing it from moving around freely, wrap the pieces in a dryer sheet and rub them gently to remove the static before adding the filler to your ornament.
    
    
23. Peel the protective film from the top side of the acetate piece.
    TIP: Use a weeding tool to help remove the film if needed.
24. Lay the top cardstock backer piece on your work surface, and add a thin line of craft glue around its inside edge.
    
    
25. Center the acetate piece on the top backer piece, then press the acetate to adhere it to the backer.
26. Wipe away any excess glue using your finger or a paper towel, then allow the glue to set.
    
    
27. Add a thin line of craft glue around the outside edge of the acetate on the backer piece, including on the hanging loop.
    
    
28. Keeping the hanging loops aligned, center the glitter cardstock top piece on top of the acetate and the backer piece.
    
    
29. Press to adhere the pieces together, and then wipe away excess glue.
30. Peel the protective backing from the top of the adhesive strip forming the ornament’s walls.
31. Center the assembled top piece on the adhesive strip, with the hanging loop where you want the top of the ornament to be.
    NOTE: Make sure the adhesive foam strip is flush with the top piece’s edges. Push the sides in, if needed, to keep the rounded shape.
    
    
32. Press firmly around the ornament’s edge (not the center) to seal the top piece in place.
    NOTE: Pressing in the center instead of the outside edge can cause the ornament to collapse.
33. To finish the ornament, cut a 13” length of the ¼” finishing ribbon.
34. Apply the ⅛” double-sided tape all around the ornament’s outer walls.
    NOTE: I like to leave the tape on its roll as I apply it to the walls for better control, and then cut at the end.
    
    
35. Peel the backing from the exposed side of the ⅛” tape.
    TIP: A weeding tool can help lift the backing.
36. Press the finishing ribbon in place around the ornament’s walls, and trim away any excess ribbon overlapping at the seam.
    
    
37. Cut another 13” length of the finishing ribbon and slide it through the ornament’s hanging loop.
38. Tie the ribbon into a knot at the ends, and then trim the ribbon’s ends on the same angle so they’re neat and free of frayed threads.
    
    

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF

You now have a fun and festive Shaker Ornament perfect for hanging in your home or gifting to a loved one!