Do you sometimes think our world is going crazy? I do. More people need to follow the golden rule or just be kind. It really isn’t that hard. I decided to create some DIY kindness art to remind everyone who sees it to just be kind.

My office is the perfect spot for kindness art. I work for the court system and it is a good reminder for everyone. So, when I go back after this two week rotation of working at home I will bring it with me and display it proudly and hopefully it will inspire others to act in a kind way toward others.

DIY Kindness Art

This is a sponsored post from StyleTechCraft. If you have been here before you know that I am on their design team and I post for them each month. This month we are using the glossy craft vinyl but in with that group is also a matte black craft vinyl that I love. I have to say that I think it is my most used color and finish.

Follow StyleTechCraft on social media. They always post new colors and fun things on their pages.

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I was in a rubber stamping class one time and the teachers said that you should always have a little bit of black on every project. They said it makes the other colors pop.

That has really stuck with me some…ummmmm…20 years…give or take. And when I create a project that does not include black I always wonder if it would have been better with just a tiny bit somewhere.

Anyway, I use this particular vinyl a lot and I am so happy that StyleTechCraft provides me the vinyl to use.

Inspiration is everywhere

My inspiration for this project was all that is going on in the world and our country (USA) right now. I think we can all use gentle reminders to be kind to one another.

Maps are something I love to keep around and use in projects too so when I saw this saying, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind” I knew it would go perfectly with an old map.

This is how this project came to be.

If you like to watch a step-by-step video you can click on the video below! Be sure to follow me over there on You Tube!!!

Materials List

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DIY Kindness Art

We all need gentle reminders and this DIY Kindness Art displayed in your home or office can be just that. A reminder to all who sees it to be kind to others. It is a really easy and fun kindness craft!

Prep Time 2 hours

Active Time 1 hour

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Difficulty Easy

Materials

Glass Tile
Map
Black Matte Crafty Vinyl
Transfer Tape
Mod Podge or Decoupage
Frosted Glass Spray Paint - I like the Rustoleum brand the best
PVC tile
Glue for the frame - we used the Bondic UV kit

Tools

Ruler
Sponge Brush
Cricut Maker

Instructions

Clean the glass tile with alcohol.
Cut a 12 x 12 piece of the area of the map you want to use for the heart shape.
Cut the heart shape with one flat side on the Cricut. You can also cut a full heart then trim off one side.
Use the Mod Podge to cover the back surface of the glass tile.
Place the heart where you want it to be then add more Mod Podge on top of the heart. Let the Mod Podge dry completely.
While that is drying design your text in Cricut Design space.
I used Arial font for the printed text and Queenland for the script.
And I got the world symbol for the "o" in world in the Cricut images. It was a free image.
Size it to fit your glass tile then group everything together.
Click on the "attach" in the lower right side of the screen. This will keep your text exactly like you have it on the screen. If you don't click this it will scramble the letters and words to save space and vinyl.
Once the text is cut weed the background. Tip - since this is a larger piece of vinyl I like to make cuts in the vinyl so as I weed I am only pulling up one row at a time. Don't cut the rows apart because you need to keep the design together. You can check the photos to see how I made cuts in just the vinyl, not the backing.
Add transfer paper to the top of the entire design after it is fully weeded.
Before adding the design to the glass tile, use some Frosted Glass Spray paint and cover the back of the tile. This was sprayed over the map. Mine took 2 coats for a nice frosted glass look. Let it dry completely.
Remove the transfer paper with the text from the backing.
Place it onto the front of the glass piece. Remove the transfer paper.
Cut the pvc pieces to make a frame for the tile. My tile was 1 inch thick and is 12 x 12. Two of the pieces were cut at 12 x 1 and two were cut at 12.5 x 1.
My sample tile had some gray caulk-like material on the edges. Some of it had to be trimmed to allow the frame pieces to lay flat against the sides.
The two shorter pieces went on opposite sides (the top and the bottom) then the two longer pieces went on the other sides (the right and the left).
Use some sort of adhesive to attach the frame. I think hot glue would work but we used the Bondic UV kit. It worked really well.
Squeeze some of the glue out into a corner then use the light to instantly dry the adhesive. It worked like a charm. We added some to all four corners and a few places on each side. The entire side did not need it.
Display as a great piece of home decor and to remind all who see it to be kind!

Step 1: Clean the glass tile

My hubby works at an architectural firm and he is always bringing home samples of formica tile, carpet tiles and this time, two glass tiles. I have no idea if they are for windows, or showers or what but I loved it and wanted to use one of them.

I thought it would be perfect as sort of a shadow box…but not.

The glass tile sample before I started adding the map and the vinyl to it.

The sides have a weird sort of caulk-like feel to them and are gray and rough. I was trying to figure out what sort of frame I could use. But I just stayed focused on the design for now.

I used some rubbing alcohol to clean the glass so it was ready to work with.

Step 2: Cut the heart shape

Maps are fun to use in crafting. You can check out my map table. I loved the way it turned out.

This time I wanted a heart shape and the Cricut is the best way to cut to big heart.

First I measured and cut out a 12 x 12 section of the map. It was hard to decide what part of California I wanted on my project but I chose the southern LA area since that is where my Brian is living now. I am sentimental that way.

Cutting out a section of a map that is 12 x 12 to cut a heart with the Cricut

Once I had the map cut, I placed it on my Cricut mat, just like a piece of paper and cut out this shape.

The map heart after it has been cut out using the Cricut. It has one straight edge on the left side.

You can just cut a whole heart then cut off one side if that is easier for you.

Step 3: Mod Podge time

This heart will be adhered to the back of the glass tile. So turn the tile over and apply a generous coat of Mod Podge to the surface.

Brushing Mod podge all over the back of the glass tile.

Place the map heart onto the glass lining up the flat edge with the side of the piece.

You can see that the heart is not all the way to the edge as there is a small “frame” already.

Using Mod Podge to adhere the map heart to the back of the glass tile.

Apply another coat of Mod Podge on top of the heart.

Allow the Mod Podge to dry.

It is very humid in Iowa right now so it was still wet after an hour. I took it upstairs and put it in front of the window air conditioner and it was dry within 20 minutes.

Step 4: Frost the back of the glass tile

Add some Frosted Glass spray paint to the back.

The frosted glass on the back of the glass tile after using the frosted glass spray paint

I wanted anything behind my DIY kindness art to look blurred out so it would be the focus. It took two coats to get it looking perfect.

You could just add a white piece of cardstock to the back if you don’t already have the paint.

Step 5: Design and cut out the text

I just went into Cricut Design space to make this design. It is basically all text.

Arial is the printed text and Queenland, which I am sure I purchased from Fontbundles.net is the script text for “be kind”.

The little world in the “o” of world is from Cricut’s library of free images to use.

To find the images they offer click on “image” on the left side of the screen. It will take you to a library and you can search for anything.

It is really fun. You sort of get lost in the images and forget about your project for a while. LOL

Cricut Design space screenshot of the saying, In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

After I got my text placed and it sized properly I grabbed them all by dragging the mouse from the top corner to the bottom corner. This puts the handles around the entire design.

Click “group” in the upper right corner above the layers. Then click on “attach” at the bottom right corner. This will keep all of the text the way it shows on the screen when it advances to the next screen. You want everything to stay together so you can place the entire design onto the glass tile at one time.

Cut the design.

Step 6: Weed the design

This matte vinyl is the best. The weeding took a while but that is because it was a larger design. Weeding is the worst part of cutting on the Cricut but you have to do it.

Take a look at the photo below.

The black vinyl after the design was cut but before it was weeded.

There are a few things you can do to make this job a little less frustrating.

Before removing the mat from the machine, make sure the cut is all the way through the vinyl and it is easy to lift up.
Slice the vinyl using a craft knife between the row of text. You can see the lines in the photo. They do not cut though the backing to separate the rows. It is just to cut the vinyl so smaller pieces are coming off at one time. There is nothing worse than having a piece of the vinyl stick to another letter and pull it up too. UGH!
Go slow and remove one section at a time. Make sure you pay attention to the dots on the “i’s”. They like to disappear!

This is what it looks like after the weeding,

The weeded vinly text before adding transfer paper

Step 7: Add the transfer tape and apply the design

Transfer tape is the best thing ever for a project like this. It keeps the design together and allows you to place it down without having to place each word or letter separately. That would be so awful.

Place a piece of the transfer tape over the entire design.

Lift the transfer tape and the design away from the backing then place it carefully onto the glass tile.

Lifting the transfer tape and the vinyl design from the backing.

Place the tape and the design carefully onto the front of the glass tile.

Placing the design with the transfer tape onto the glass tile

I was so nervous that it would not be straight! When it is exactly where you want it, rub the design a little bit to be sure it is stuck properly to the glass.

Burnishing over the top of the transfer tape with my hand to make sure all of the vinyl has stuck down properly.

Remove the transfer tape to reveal your perfect kindness craft vinyl. It is so pretty.

Removing the transfer tape and leaving the cute vinyl design on the glass tile

Step 8: Add the frame

Since the sides of this tile were so weird looking I asked Jeff what kind of frame he thought I could add to it.

It sat for a few days and before I knew it he had made a frame by himself. I didn’t get any video or pics of him cutting or anything.

He cut pieces of PVC ceiling tile the same size as the thickness of the tile.

Two of the pieces (for the top and the bottom) are 12 x 1 and the side pieces are 12.5 x 1.

Then he sanded them a little bit and rinsed them in the sink to remove all of the sanding dust. We dried them off and they were good to go. I have used this in many other projects like my Outdoor Grinch and it cuts nicely and it takes vinyl nicely too if you are making a sign. We really love it.

They came together nicely and you can kind of see the frame in the photos below.