Home Decorating With Your Personal Die Cut Machine

When most people think of a personal die cut machine, they think of a tool used for making cutouts for scrapbook layouts, handmade cards, and other paper crafting projects. Very few think of using die cuts for home decorating, but cutouts can be used in a number of ways to inexpensively add a special decorator's touch to your home.

Following are three of the many ways you can transform your home using die cuts:

1. Artwork

Even on sale, artwork can be a pricey investment, but it's hard to deny the impact of artwork and pictures on the ambiance of a room. With a little time and creativity, you can make your own custom art for a fraction of what you would pay in the store. Even if you think of yourself as artistically-challenged, it is very easy to make your own pictures using custom made cutouts. Assuming that you already own a personal die cut machine, you will only need to invest in card stock or paper that coordinates with the room's theme, as well as a nice frame and mat that highlight the cutouts.

2. Vinyl Wall Letters

A popular trend among home interior experts and homeowners alike is to use words or phrases as wall accents in various rooms. Perhaps you envision the word "Dream" painted on the wall above your bed, or "Home Sweet Home" spelled out over your entrance door. Of course, you could try your hand at painting the letters on your wall. Many people, however, opt for purchasing vinyl wall letters, which tend to be expensive. Some models of personal die cut machines are capable of cutting through vinyl, and if your model has this capability, you will be able to create your own vinyl wall letters in minutes. As an alternative, you can also use your machine to cut through wallpaper, to create your own wallpaper cutouts.

3. Decoupaged Accent Pieces

Wall clocks, benches, shelves, end tables, kids' furniture, and other accent pieces in your home can be personalized with die cuts using a technique called decoupage. Using a special adhesive, such as Mod Podge, it is easy to affix your cutouts to the accent piece you are personalizing. After the die cuts have been decoupaged to the surface, you may want to consider following up with a layer or two of clear varnish to further protect your design and ensure that it will last for many years to come.

There are countless other ways to use custom cutouts to decorate your home, but hopefully this will serve as a source of inspiration to try something new with your die cutter.

This article was written by Dawn Hall. She recommends shopping for the Cricut Expression machine at DiscountDiecutCartridges.com, where you can also pick up great deals on the entire line of Cricut cartridges