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Hello Spring Sign staged with bunny
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HELLO SPRING SIGN WITH THE GLOWFORGE

This Hello Spring sign is made using a Glowforge or other laser cutter! This sign is easy and quick to make—it's the perfect addition to your spring home decor.
Keyword: Glowforge, Sign, Spring
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare the Draftboard for Cutting
    To make assembling this project easier, use 3M double-sided adhesive. It's basically a sheet of double-sided tape that will allow you to assemble the project without glue.
    Draftboard and 3M adhesive roll
  • If you're using a material that's already masked like the Glowforge draftboard, peel off half of one side of the masking. Using a craft knife to score the mask before you peel it off makes things easier.
    Hands scoring mask so it can be peeled away
  • Hands peeling away the mask on the left half of the draftboard
  • Then, starting at one end, place the adhesive on the un-masked side of the draftboard, trying to avoid bubbles. Use a brayer to push out any leftover bubbles.
    Hands using a brayer to apply the 3M adhesive
  • Then use a craft knife to trim the adhesive, and the brayer to push out any leftover bubbles.
    hands using a craft knife to cut the adhesive
  • Okay, let's cut this thing!
    Hands using a brayer to flatten the adhesive.
  • Upload the Hello Spring SVG File to the Glowforge App
    There are three layers included in the file—a backing layer, a layer with the edge and cutouts, and a layer with just the cutouts.
  • For the way the sign is being crafted, the cutout layer is not needed, so that layer was deleted and then the two pieces were resized to fit on a single piece of draftboard—about 10" tall in this case.
    Glowforge App: Hello Spring File
  • If you're using a proofgrade material, it should have a QR code for your Glowforge to read. Mine automatically selected draftboard. You can also select it by hand by clicking in the upper left on the material:
    You'll also want to make sure it's set to cut and not engrave.
    Glowforge App: Material Selection
  • Cut Your Material
    Place your draftboard in the bed of the Glowforge with the 3M adhesive side down and to the left, so that the cutout Hello Spring piece will be the side with the adhesive backing.
    Once you've set up your file and material, click Print in the upper right. Your Glowforge will do some wizardry and then you'll be able to click the button and watch your machine do its thing (but don't look directly at the laser!).
  • Once your file is cut, you can use a bit of masking tape over the smaller pieces so you can remove the whole cutout from your machine without the tiny bits dropping into the crumb tray. We'll be using almost all of the pieces, including the centers of the letters, so make sure you don't lose them.
  • Here's what you should have. The only pieces you can discard (or throw into a scrap drawer) are the inside of the watering can handle and the little triangle right above that.
    Pieces of the Hello Spring file cut on the Glowforge
  • Remove the Mask
    Now separate your pieces into the different colors you're going to use. Note that the interiors of the letters will be the same color as the watering can itself.
    Then remove all of the masking off the front of the pieces (do not remove the liner to the 3M adhesive on the back yet!).
  • Paint Your Pieces
    You can then paint your pieces however you like. For this project, spray paint was used (Montana Gold is the go-to brand), but you can also use craft paint.
  • Assemble Your Hello Spring Sign
    This next part. is like assembling a puzzle!
    All of the painted pieces on a desk
  • Start by peeling back the liner on the 3M adhesive on the black cutout piece, and then affix it to the other backing piece.
    Hands peeling back the liner on the 3M Adhesive
  • Hands lining up the two watering can layers
  • Now just peel back the liner on the colorful pieces, and insert them into the frame. You can use tweezers to pull off the backing liner, but your fingernail works better than anything else for this.
    Hands placing the letters in the sign.
  • Partially complete sign
  • Press everything really well (run your brayer across it) to make sure the adhesive sticks, and you're done! If you'd like, you can glue a ribbon to the back for hanging.
    Final Hello Spring Sign with bunny