Vinyl Lettering: How to Begin Cutting & Selling

Over a year ago I wrote a blog post titled Vinyl Cutting: Everything You Wanted to Know about how to use your Cricut, Silhouette, Wishblade or other vinyl cutting machine to cut vinyl lettering. To this day that post still shows up at the top of search engines and gets between ten and twenty hits per day. It's a lot of reading but it's one of the few places online where you can find detailed information about how to begin vinyl cutting.

I am a graphic designer for Peppermint Creative, creating hand drawn shapes and word art specifically designed for vinyl cutting machines. I absolutely love what I do, not only because I get to draw all day but because my work also helps others. The work I do from home helps other women and mothers like me stay at home and enjoy the benefits of at-home businesses. It is incredibly fulfilling and I very much wish to share my knowledge and know-how with others looking to begin their own vinyl businesses.

To accomplish this I have written a series of blog articles giving start-to-finish help for anyone looking to break in to the vinyl industry. I have seen what sells and what does not in the vinyl world and what makes one business succeed while another fails.

Hint: Vinyl shops that use graphics designed by professionals specifically intended for the vinyl industry, that are more unique than their competitor's typed text designs, enjoy more frequent and higher-dollar sales. This is because their product line is fresh, constantly added to and they can invest their time in creating more eye-catching example images. And as you know, your example images are everything and make or break your sales. This is what makes one vinyl business more successful than others: Investment in beautiful graphics and creating stunning product example images that generate a feeling of desire to buy the vinyl in the customers who view them.


Click HERE to read the Peppermint Creative Blog Vinyl Series
*Please note this is an already-written 9 part series so if you don't see all the posts, they will be posted shortly.

Want to try out our graphics? Grab our Freebie and put it to work for you! We offer a new freebie and brand new designs monthly so check back often.

If you have a vinyl business and are looking to increase your sales immediately, check out our entire line of WordArt, craft-friendly BlockArt and Hand Drawn Shapes. (Hand drawn means our shapes are exclusive to our site - they're not dingbats and you won't find them anywhere else! Yet they're smoother and cleaner cutting than fonts because of our own 3-step optimization process.)

All our commercial vector graphics come with a commercial license so you can cut and sell as much vinyl as you want. Our freebies are commercial use, too, so you can try our graphics and grow your sales without any expense! Each graphic pack contains unwelded, repositionable elements, in addition to regular welded designs, that allow you to mix and match embellishment pieces and word art phrases to create your shop's own unique product offerings. You can even use the pieces to make brand new vinyl designs that only your shop cuts and sells! It's everything you'd get from hiring a professional graphic designer without investing hundreds in each design.

File formats we sell: EPS, SVG, GSD (personal use packs only) with JPG and PNG files included in each download so you can quickly add your new graphics to your existing catalogs.

Have more questions? Leave a comment! Peppermint Creative does not sell cut vinyl and we're always interested in helping your business succeed!

How to find New Customers & Sell More Vinyl for your Online or Local Vinyl Cutting Business

Finding customers is easy if you know where to look but sometimes the easiest tasks can be elusive. I have compiled a list of ways to drum up quick and easy business to get your cut vinyl lettering sales up!

This is part of the vinyl cutting business informational series I wrote for the PeppermintCreative.com blog. It's not an e-book and it's totally free & unlike any other compilation of help you'll find online for learning how to start a vinyl business. (That's because vinyl businesses are so profitable, owners don't have TIME to go back and write how they started because they're busy cutting, weeding and making money!) Plus there are additional tips for keeping your ideas fresh and innovative so customers keep coming back for more of your vinyl lettering designs!

How much can I make per month selling cut vinyl lettering with my Cricut (with Sure-Cuts-A-Lot SCAL software), Silhouette SD, Wishblade, Inspiration, Gazelle, Craft Robo or other vinyl cutting machine?

A "tiny" mom-run business that sells vinyl by placing photos, prices and a contact e-mail for placing orders on a free blog site with part-time work of 10 or less hours per week makes around $200 per month. This jumps to $300-$400 if selling on eBay, Etsy.com and/or ArtFire.com is added. $500 or more per month in sales is easily attainable with the tips & advice on how to increase local vinyl sales and repeat vinyl orders that is found on the PeppermintCreative.com Blog Vinyl Cutting Series of articles.

Vinyl selling makes so much money because even large, blank walls can be filled for under $50 and the vinyl is customizeable, comes in dozens of different colors to match every decor and is easily affordable for every budget. In fact, cut vinyl designs for baby nurseries and children's rooms is THE NUMBER ONE MOST POPULAR REQUEST and the thing MOST SOLD ONLINE because babies continue to be born and nurseries continue to be converted to "big kid" rooms and moms want those blank walls decorated, even in a down economy.

Click HERE to view our huge selection of Nursery designs!
Including: monkey, jungle, safari, princess, pirate ship, rodeo cowboy, garden bug, butterfly & ladybug, woodland trees, owls, giraffes, elephants, alligators, lions, tigers, moon & stars, surfboard & palm tree surf shack, surfer girl, beach, seashell & starfish and TONS of other desins including the always-popular whimsical MONOGRAM MATS & Bracket Mats & Boutique Borders for creating stunning vinyl wall monograms that moms can't help but fall in love with!

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Click HERE to read simple ways you can attract new customers without paying for advertising!

Find ways to sell more vinyl locally and online and turn your cricut, silhouette SD, wishblade, inspiration, gazelle, craft robo or vinyl cutting machine into an at home small business where you can EASILY make several hundred and up to several thousands of extra income every month!

Why is all this help free?

When I began designing graphics for Peppermint Creative I wanted to help other stay-at-home moms like myself earn enough extra income that they could STAY at home! Family is very important to me and I believe that a strong family is the foundation for a moral society; which I feel we are beginning to lack in this day and age. Drawing is what I love and if doing what I love can help others stay at home too, I want to do it even more!

When I realized the lack of good, reliable information was the only thing holding most women back from turning their vinyl cutting hobby into a profitable business I began writing articles on my blog and complied a series for the Peppermint Creative blog. This isn't an e-book. We don't profit from the information on the blog. All of it is intended to help you realize how truly EASY it is to begin selling cut vinyl and completed vinyl home decor. Give it a try - we even have 100% FREE Commercial-Use Graphic Freebies in EPS, SVG and GSD with JPG & PNG image files you can download, cut and sell just to try it out, without ever spending a dime. The vinyl industry is so lucrative, you'll make money your first month and when business is so good you don't have time to create your own designs, I'd love to help! In the meantime I'm going to keep you well-stocked with fresh, always-rotating freebies to help get your business off the ground. :)

Read the info, download the freebies and give it a try! We'll keep you updated on new freebies and newsletter members get additional discounts and even coupon codes for more FREE commercial graphic downloads! If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me directly at TaySilverGraphics[at]gmail.com!

Creative New Uses for Wall Vinyl Lettering

In any business it's a wise idea to keep your product looking fresh and innovation begins with coming up with creative new ideas for how to use cut vinyl lettering. Whether you've just bought a Cricut, Silhouette, Wishblade, Craft Robo, Gazelle, Inspiration or other craft cutter machine or you're a seasoned vinyl cutting pro, we've got the tips you need to get the vinyl off the wall and get you thinking out of the box!



The creative team has GOBS of ideas photographed and posted in the Peppermint Creative Gallery and DOZENS of helpful tips and tricks for starting a vinyl cutting business, finding and importing vector shapes, coupon codes & FREE EPS, SVG & GSD format vector files and directions for making vinyl crafts are on the PeppermintCreative.com Blog. Check them out and generate some fresh, new vinyl application ideas today!

Some Quick Ideas for Chalkboard Vinyl:

When an order is placed for chalkboard vinyl you end up cutting one huge shape and inevitably have extra space that is just wasted. DON'T WASTE IT! Here's a suggestion of what you can do to double your business sales using vinyl scraps:

1. Fill the extra chalk board vinyl space with small 2 to 4 inch label shapes that are unique in appearance. (I recommend these basic labels, fancy organizer labels and bracket labels!)

2. Weed & tape the extra labels, STAMP THE BACKING PAPER WITH YOUR COMPANY INFO (see this blog post about free advertising tips) and place them with your shipping supplies.

3. Type up a small, quick direction sheet that tells customers how to apply and use chalkboard vinyl and gives application tips on what to do with the labels.

Hint: chalkboard vinyl eraseable labels work GREAT on metal buckets, glass jars, kitchen canisters, children's room toy storage buckets & bins, nursery storage bins and they can even be placed on top of "junk mail" free magnets to turn the magnet into a chalkboard magnet for the fridge!)

Tip: Suggest that customers blunt their chalk by scribbling on a sheet of paper before writing on the vinyl because cheap 99¢ chalk can sometimes have sharp edges that may scratch or indent the blackboard vinyl if the user is not careful.

4. Print your small direction sheet and include one direction sheet and TWO free chalkboard vinyl labels with every paid order you ship. Not only will customers be THRILLED to find a freebie in their order, they'll be excited to use the labels and will know just who to contact for more.

Keep in mind the more visibility your vinyl gets, the better and using your scraps to create vinyl freebies doubles your exposure and greatly increases the opportunity for word-of-mouth advertising when friends ask about your vinyl! Dry erase and chalk board vinyl labels are an excellent way to boost interest and business without spending an extra cent!

If you're looking for the best quality chalkboard vinyl, SignWarehouse.com sells this premium quality material that is smooth cutting, luxuriously thick and provides the silkiest writing surface with the easiest, cleanest erasing! It's even rated to last 2 years in FULL ELEMENT EXPOSURE outdoor weather! (Much longer lasting if applied on a covered porch or patio where it is partially protected from the elements.)

Want more specialty EPS, SVG, GSD custom vector graphics for cutting unique shapes in dry erase, chalk board or black board vinyl? Check out these commercial-use graphic downloads:

Address Plaques
Fancy Formal Chalkboard Plaques (EPS & SVG vector format files)
Bird Silhouette Chalkboards
Spoon, fork & Kitchen Gadget Utensil Shapes
Wine Bottles, Corks & Olive Oil Bottle Vector Shapes
Princess Crown Chalkboard Vector Shapes (EPS & SVG format files)
Bracket mats

Vinyl Cutting Machines: Best Info & Advice Compiled Here

I still get LOTS of questions about vinyl cutting machines & digital die cutting machines (like the Cricut, Silhouette and Wishblade) that can also cut vinyl.

If you are JUST starting out, researching what machine to buy or want to know what type of vinyl & supplies you'll need, please see this post with ALL the information you'll need: http://shantasilver.blogspot.com/2009/01/vinyl-cutting-everything-you-wanted-to.html

If you still have questions, check out my "More of What You Wanted to Know" post here: http://shantasilver.blogspot.com/2009/03/viny-cutting-machines-more-of-what-you.html

This post will answer some of the more random, detailed questions I have been getting.


• What is chalkboard vinyl and where do I get it?

Chalkboard vinyl is a special black (or other colored) vinyl that allows you to write on it with chalk. You can purchase it from SignWarehouse.com. You can also use Oracal 631 matte black vinyl like chalkboard vinyl for small projects, like putting chalkboard labels on buckets, glass jars, etc. Simply cut the label shape from black matte vinyl (my favorite label shapes are Miss Mint's Labels for Vinyl Cutting Machines) and stick the label on your bucket.
IMPORTANT: Before writing on ANY type of vinyl, but especially 631 black matte vinyl, use a paper towel to smooth the writing end of your piece of chalk until it is domed and soft with no sharp or rough edges. This way the chalk won't scratch, mar or indent your vinyl label and you can erase & re-write it as many times as you'd like. Just ALWAYS smooth your chalk in this way! Use a lightly damp rag to erase.


• What is whiteboard dry erase vinyl and where do I get it?

Buy it at SignWarehouse.com. I haven't used it myself but I do know you need to use specialty dry-erase markers with it and even dry erase marker cannot be left on for longer than a week without it staining the vinyl. (Chalkboard vinyl is more popular than whiteboard vinyl if you are looking to invest in only one.)


• Can vinyl go in the dishwasher?

NO! The same vinyl you use on your interior walls cannot go in your dishwasher! The washing & heat dissolve the vinyl adhesive and the letters fall limply from your plates & cups.

• Can any of my holiday decor with vinyl lettering on it go in the attic?

NO! Attic storage where temperatures exceed 75° at ANY time of year has the same effect on your vinyl lettering as a hair dryer does: it will cause the vinyl to "shrink" and curl up from your project, ruining the decor piece. Wrap your vinyl decor to protect the face of the vinyl from scratches and store it indoors. (This is expecially important where I live in the southern US where March his hot enough to ruin vinyl in the attic and August is hot enough to ruin vinyl sitting within 5 feet of the front door!)

• How do you measure & cut wood and vinyl for your BlockART designs?

See an example of finished BlockART here and here!

Select and cut your wood first, then cut vinyl to fit your wood once you have checked the actual wood block measurements. When you purchase wood boards keep in mind that their width is 1/2 inch off their actual size. So if you purchase a 1x4 the wood is actually 1/2 inch x 3.5 inches, not truly 1x4 inches. I use a chop saw to cut my 1x4 and 2x6 wood boards into square blocks. They measure 3.5 x 3.5 inches (from 1x4 boards) and 5.5 x 5.5 inches (from 2x6 boards) when cut down this way. I cut my vinyl in 3 inch or 5 inch square sizes respectively, sizing the LONGEST edge at 3 or 5 inches and allowing at least 1/4 of an inch (0.25) room from the edge of the vinyl to the edge of the wood. So a 3.5 wood square would accept a 3 inch square cut of vinyl with a 1/4 inch border, giving the appearance of a perfect fit!

• Can I cut and sell any design I find online? How do I know if that is legal?

My commercial designs are intended for just that - cutting and selling! The price includes a commercial license which never expires, meaning you can use it forever to cut as much vinyl as you would like. Same with my commercial use freebies. They are meant to grow your business while trying out our new designs. Plus the graphics are unwelded, which means you can use individual elements, like a heart shape for example, independently and cut it as many times as you want simply because it came in a pack with other commercial designs.

With any graphic you intend to use, you must check on licensing before using it to ensure you are not infringing on any copyright or useage terms. If you know the graphics are suitable for this type of commercial use (meaning they were sold to you with the intent for vinyl cutting, such as a Vector Graphic CD from your vinyl supplier) then you are within the graphic product's legal terms of use. While fonts and dingbats can be cut on just about any machine, you need to make sure you are using a legal copy of the font and that the font type you have purchased is approved for commercial use. A few dollars to support a font designer means they will continue making new fonts which you can use in the future to continue to expand your business!

• Can I cut vinyl on my Cricut, Silhouette or Wishblade to sell?

Yes, you can! It's a great way to recoup the cost of buying your machine and supplies, even if you only sell vinyl locally to friends, neighbors and on local community websites. Many church and neighborhood groups have ladies craft days and they often need someone local to supply the vinyl if a craft calls for it. (See info about selling complete craft kits below.) Local craft fairs are also a great way to sell pre-cut designs directly to the public without having to bring your machine up and cut on-site. In my experience people either want finished vinyl crafts or 'everyday' vinyl that is ready to be put up on their walls and can stay up year-round.

Keep in mind that your digital die cutting machine is a hobby machine and will limit you on the size you can cut which also means some designs simply will not cut at certain sizes. Keep this in mind and do some test cuts before accepting orders from clients.

• What are vinyl craft kits and how do I get into selling them?

Vinyl craft kits are premade kits that contain all the elements needed to sit down and complete one craft project. They typically include cut vinyl, a wood block or glass block (depending on the project) and a direction sheet. The kit purchaser is responsible for buying craft paint, paint brushes, ribbon and other embellishments desired to complete the craft to match her personal decor. These kits are purchased both by individuals, small groups of friends for girls craft nights and in bulk for church and neighborhood craft activities. In a world where everyone wants to get a little crafty but most people lack the power tools and knowhow, they are extremely popular. Calculate ALL your expenses and figure a good per-hour labor cost then price your crafts wisely and resist the temptation to accept more orders than you can reasonably fill. You WILL get more orders than you can fill! Do not use any material or item, such as glass blocks, that you cannot get readily at a moment's notice. Set up wholesale accounts with local or online suppliers if you must to guarantee access to the materials promised to your clients.

You will need a nearby Postage & Shipping store or company that can help you package and ship heavy boxes filled with wood blocks more easily than taking them to the post office and waiting in line. The best craft kits have each kit wrapped in plastic cellophane with an individual instruction sheet but this is not necessary. Just be sure none of the pieces are damaged during shipment and that there are enough instruction sheets to go around. One or two extra vinyl cuts are always appreciated because mistakes do happen and crafts do get ruined and the best craft kit suppliers are used over and over again.

You can sell craft kits on eBay, Etsy.com, your own website or any number of other websites, including a blog. You'll need to provide your potential clients with pictures of the completed project, the cost of the kit, materials you will not be supplying (like paint) and an e-mail where they can contact you to place their group order. If you require a minimum purchase state it clearly on your site. Most craft kit suppliers find they do not get burned out if they rotate the kits they offer, switching them out every so often and retiring any craft kits that are more stress than they're worth. This will keep clients coming back for more!

Most of my customers buy my BlockART designs for this very purpose since they are easy to cut for craft kits and make adorable finished projects! We always have a FREE graphic you can download and occasionally it's one of our new BlockART designs so be sure to grab the current freebie and try it out for yourself!

Formal Apology

I'd like to retract the statement I made last May about Brian's Mother's Day gift. I've recently learned that he uses a unique blend of logic, problem solving, constructive thinking and personal talents (he's very handy!) to create his own brand of "creativity" that he pours into any gift he gives me. I was right that my shoes frustrated him but what he really gave me was a way to avoid future arguments by organizing them for me himself. Thanks sweetie, I can't look at the shoe organizer without smiling now!

Double Trouble

1 graphic designer, 1 vinyl cutting machine, 4 girls, 5 colors of vinyl, 6 new designs, 8 bottles of paint, 9 tons of ribbon, 10 fresh-cut wood blocks and 12 M&M cookies equals...

A freaking awesome craft night! Double trouble indeed!

I am very, very lucky to have several local girlfriends who love crafts as much as I do and who are graciously willing to help me create product examples when I need them. (It's such dull, hard work, right?!!) Thank you gals, I couldn't get it all done without you!!! Special props to Nate for the M&M cookies. ;)

The above design is from my new BlockART line - vinyl cutting graphics specifically intended for fast, fun & easy crafts! Check out PeppermintCreative.com to see all the new shapes & stuff for your vinyl plotter!

First Day of PreSchool

Here is Aiden on his first day of preschool, teary-eyed after his sixth temper tantrum of the morning. (How does one pour apple juice the wrong way?)



I asked him if he wanted to hold his backpack. (It would look fabulous with his orange bracelet after all) That spurred the seventh temper tantrum. It's a GREAT day to send him to preschool!



By the time we get to the school, he's FINALLY happy! Yay!



Aiden had a total blast! However when I picked him up the teachers had a LOT to tell me about. Each day they get a parent report slip sent home with them and as you can see, they ran out of room writing about Aiden's issues:



Not listed is their concern about how accident-prone he is, the two falls-with-head-injuries he sustained and how he climbs on tables and refuses to sit still and do puzzles. That's our Aiden!