Do you love to travel? Make this I Haven’t Been Everywhere But It’s On My List decor to your DIY list. It makes a nice addition to a map or momento wall! This post contains affiliate links which, when purchased through, add no extra cost to the consumer but send a small commission to this site. This helps to bring more Cricut projects and keep our tutorials free! It Happens in a Blink is a participant in the Cricut Affiliate Program and the Amazon Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Cricut.com and Amazon.com.
My boys had an excellent “specials” teacher this past year in transitional kindergarten. He was innovative, fun, and loved travel! He would go on adventures and return and share his experiences with the kids. My boys were excited to hear about his travels and to see photos of his time away. Any time that he wasn’t at school, my boys knew where he was and when he was returning! If my memory serves me correctly, I think he may have even skyped or facetimed a few of the classes while he was on an adventure or two.
I don’t know about you, but I always find it difficult to figure out teacher gifts for male teachers. When the last week of school came around, I decided to make him something that he could display with his travel memorabilia. With a pre-cut wooden globe, this DIY is not difficult. Just be sure to allow plenty of time for the different coats of paint to dry.
Supplies:
- Wooden globe cut out (17.75″ from Walnut Hollow)
- Black acrylic paint
- Gold acrylic paint
- Gold Iron-on Vinyl
- Cricut machine (I’m using the Cricut Explore Air 2)
- Cricut Standard Grip Cutting Mat
- Home Iron
- Thin cotton piece of material
- Painter’s tape
- Optional, but very useful: Cricut Weeding tool
Did you noticed anything strange in the supply list? Yep, I’m using Iron-On Vinyl for this project rather than regular vinyl. In sign making over the years, I’ve noticed that Iron-On Vinyl adheres much better to the wood than regular vinyl. Plus, it is less shiny and tends to resemble paint more than outdoor or premium types of vinyl.
Begin by taping out where the globe connects to the globe holder. Paint the globe holder portion gold. This may take a few coats. Let the paint dry thoroughly in between each coat. Paint both sides and the edge.
Place tape on the finished gold sections. Paint the globe black on the front, back, and edges, allowing it to dry thoroughly in between each coat. Let the paint cure for a day or two before attempting to iron-on the vinyl.
Open up Cricut Design Space. You can head HERE to use my ready-to-go cut file in Cricut Design Space. This cut file is made specifically for this size globe. If you use a globe shape smaller or larger, then you will need to adjust the size of the wording.
Cut the gold Iron-On Vinyl with the Cricut machine, being sure to mirror the words.
Weed the vinyl.
Place the vinyl (with the liner sheet still on) onto the front of the globe. Place the cotton material over the liner. Heat the iron to a cotton setting. Press the iron firmly over small portions of the globe at a time. I would count to 15 before lifting up the iron. I did not want the heat to compromise the color of the paint, and I wasn’t sure at what point this would happen. Continue until the vinyl is completely adhered to the globe.
Caution: Watch carefully to make sure the vinyl does not begin to bubble up or warp.
Are you looking for more Cricut related tutorials and crafts? Be sure to check out my Cricut project page!
And if you are looking for a more feminine version of this globe project, see this Watercolor Globe Idea from The Scrap Shoppe.
What a great gift idea and i love the look of iron on vinyl on wood too!