KEEPSAKE BOXES for Kids
with the Cricut Maker
I was tired of storing my daughters records and keepsakes all over my house as she began going to
school, so I decided to make a keepsake box for her! I saw something similar on Pinterest and loved the idea but had some tweaks I wanted to make. A few months ago I had a little baby boy named Beckham and had to make him one too. I thought I'd share the process in writing as I've had so many requests for it. I love that these are so organized and sturdy and will be able to be passed onto them once they head off to college. I brainstormed on the best way to do this all the many specific files I would need and shared a Reel / Tik tok with what I came up with to make my version of a perfect keepsake box. I will link that here if you're a visual learner and would like to see a video tutorial as well!
Materials :
- File Folder Tote You can buy these without latches and the gasket functions for cheaper, but due to those keeping water out and planning to keep these for years, I went with the most durable ones I could find
-Some fun file folders ( These are optional but add a fun customized pop behind their names! )
- Cricut White Smart Vinyl ( or color of choice )
-Cricut Transfer Tape
-Cricut Brayer
-Cricut XL Scraper
-Ruler I love this extra long one Cricut makes!
-Pen of choice to handwrite on labels if you choose to not use vinyl or make stickers
Lets Get Started!
Make sure you have all of the materials listed above!
For my first step I usually put together all of the folders and attach their labels, as this can be tedious. I used to just simply write neatly on each file folder tab, but for these I purchased a set of stickers on Etsy, as it was more neat and had all of the different file sections I wanted! I've made several of these and have done them different ways for the labels. Feel free to use my photo as a guide or for some ideas for what to write or print on your labels, but you can customize them to your liking! I like to arrange each folder with a different color after the next ( as pictured ) to break up the colors and make it easy to read. The Cricut Maker also does an awesome job with a pen if you would rather the machine write your labels for you to save some time and cut down on cost!
After that I then put those 25 folders inside of the tote container as well as a decorative one in the front that shows through for a cute design behind my kid's names. This is totally optional but adds a cute touch that you can switch out to stay on trend for years to come! I chose this fun summery leaf design to put behind his name.
Once I have my box put together I move on to the fun part! Labeling. Open up Cricut Design space and browse through their fonts. With Cricut Access they offer so many beautiful images and fonts and it is well worth the cost in my opinion! Personally, I like the look of the name in a typed clear font for their first and a little more fancy for their middle name, somewhat off centered.
After you have that finalized and formatted measure your tote container to see how large you'd like the text. I chose to do a label on the front as well as the top to make sure you can easily identify their box from any angle.
Next, prep your machine with your Cricut Smart Vinyl ( color of choice ) and the Roll Holder attached. The Roll Holder is new and totally genius in my opinion. It saves you so much time from the traditional way of needing to adhere vinyl to a mat and cut with scissors. I find that vinyl decals come out much more neat with smart vinyl as well, as nothing has the potential to stick to a mat underneath.
After that, duplicate your design and let your Cricut Maker do its magic! I love how easy it is and how clean the edges are. After that , I cut it with the slicer attached to the roll holder & weed the excess vinyl with my weeding tools
From there I transferred my vinyl onto transfer tape and used my XL Scraper to really press it onto the box to keep the vinyl from lifting anywhere. My secret is to always use the brayer as well. By using both the scraper to really press it on and the brayer to roll it gives that extra insurance to make sure that your vinyl is super secure to your box for years to come!
Lastly fill your files with all of their important cards, keepsakes and Documents!
I love these because they are so easy and store well in a closet or pretty enough to have out in the open if you are lacking storage space. They also make for amazing personalized baby shower and birthday gifts! Comment below when you make yours! I'd love to see how they turn out and the personalized spin you put on it!
XO,
Sierra
MamaHacks
Follow along my journey on Instagram for more DIY's & Motherhood content!
I'd love to connect with you!
Comments