Trash Can Fancy: Vinyl Project

I am all about spending the least amount of money possible and getting the biggest bang. The Silhouette Portrait has helped me tremendously in doing just that! You can see some of the other projects I've done here: Vinyl Projects but I thought I'd run through the basics on this post about how I made this boring trashcan into something with a little more character. You can do it with anything really! Mirrors, glass, boxes, walls, plastic... the list goes on!

I bought a cheap trash can for the guest room and I wanted to apply vinyl to it give it some personality.

Here is how you do it...

First, find something cheap:

Using the Silhouette software (or whatever brand you have) build your image. This is where you can be as creative as you want to be. You can insert pictures, symbols, use fancy fonts or anything else that represents your own personal style.

My design for the trash can is the combination of a FREE font and an embellishment that I purchased on the online store for $0.99.

The Silhouette software measure the design size for you so all you have to do is drag the edges to the size and shape you want your design to be. 

Cut out the size of vinyl you need (a little bigger to be safe) and place it on the sticky cutting mat in the same place as the design on the screen. Just use the boxes as guides for your vinyl placement. 

Line the edges of the mat up with the white rollers and push the top button which "grabs" the cutting board and brings it to the cutting device. 

Simply click the send to silhouette button and press "Cut" and wait for the machine to do it's magic.

When you print it out it will look like one solid piece, but you'll see the indentions of the cutout in the paper. 

Separate the corner of the vinyl from the white backing and slowly pull it apart to separate the excess vinyl from the cutout. The vinyl will be a little sticky so try to make sure that the vinyl doesn't roll back on itself or your design may get distorted. 

When you pull off the excess vinyl don't be alarmed if some of it is left in the letters. Especially in letters that have circles like R and B. If this happens, then simply lightly bend the paper back and pull off the vinyl you don't want. 

To transfer you need contact paper. Cut the contact paper slightly bigger than the vinyl white backing paper so you can adhere it to the object without taking off the vinyl backing so you can decide exactly where you want it. Trust me. You will want to do this because it will give you an opportunity to measure edges and to make sure things are aligned properly. It will make you so mad if you put it on and it's slightly crooked or more to the left than the right because you have to do everything all over again.

Peel the backing of the contact paper away and place the sticky side over the cutout. Try to make sure there are no creases as you lay it down or the cutout may look slightly distorted. Now is your chance to make sure this thing sticks properly. Use your fingers and rub each tiny part of the design vigorously.  

Now put the contact paper on your object and make sure it's exactly where you want it. Once you figure it out, then peel off the vinyl's backing and place it in the correct spot. Make sure you rub the letters and symbols against the object to make sure they stick.

Simply pull off the contact paper slowly. If the cutout starts to stick to the contact paper, then just carefully place it back over that portion and rub some more! Once you finish taking off the contact paper, then you are done! 

If you like the trashcan (without the vinyl) you can purchase it here: Rectangular Trashcan