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I want to share a tale…
In 2018 I had a baby. She napped a lot. I needed a hobby.
I decided I wanted to start an Etsy shop. I thought it would be exciting to make products and get them into the hands of other people besides my family and friends.
I also dreamed that maybe my new hobby could make me a few extra dollars on the side.
I was right.
Previous to that point, I had never used a Cricut machine before in my life. I had heard of them, I even knew people who helped make Cricut software, but I had never experienced one for myself.
I kind of thought they were just for grandmas who liked card making.
(No offense grandmas!)
(Now I know they are also for young moms who like cardmaking… ha)
But they looked kind of neat, so I did what any sane and bored mom would do, and I bought a cheap used old Cricut model off eBay.
I had it for about 2 days before I realized I wanted a NEW one, with all the fancy options and design software.
So I sold that old one, and bought myself my very own Cricut explore model.
It was a tiny bit of a hard pill for me to swallow at first, but I don’t buy ‘expensive’ things that often and I craft a lot so I knew I’d put it to good use.
AND I DIED THE FIRST TIME I USED IT!
Pandora’s box had been opened.
(My first project was a label for my flour jar. It was so cute and surprisingly easy!)
Wow, I didn’t even know that something as simple as vinyl could be so fun!
Back to my hobby Etsy-shop plans: Of all the Cricut-y things I could make, I chose to work with HTV. (that’s Heat Transfer Vinyl)
And with that, I decided to start a fabric banner making business, and I launched it on Etsy in the summer of 2018. (Shop name withheld for privacy. 🙂 )
I sewed the banners, and let customers choose what saying or quote they wanted me to cut with my cricut and iron on the front.
I chose a cute name, made a logo, went to a craft fair (didn’t sell much), and had a lot of ideas. At first, I didn’t make a lot of sales.
But I persevered.
I kept practicing on my Cricut, making new designs and experimenting with iron ons. I changed my patterns and streamlined my process until it only took me a few minutes to make a banner.
I added additional listings to my Etsy shop, and all of the sudden, I got some orders.
Then I got some more.
Then I got one from France.
And Hong Kong.
And Canada.
And people were messaging me for custom orders!
I got 5 star reviews, my vinyl work got better, and MY handmade products were out there!!!
(I still can’t really believe it, hundreds of products that I MADE MYSELF are somewhere in the world being looked at by strangers. Right now.)
My Cricut was on fire!
Here is a screenshot of my stats from 2019, the year my shop did the best.
But I still had a new baby, and I just wanted it to stay a hobby. So I kept enough Etsy listings to stay at 1-2 sales a week. That was a great ‘load’ for me.
And they were consistent. (And when I felt like I needed a break, I set my shop to vacation mode and the sales paused, but came right back when I was ready to start again!)
All I was doing was sewing fabric, cutting dowels, cutting vinyl, and using a home iron to iron it on.
I wrapped up the banners in tissue paper, then shipped them in cute little boxes.
Done and done!
(Okay, I realize I am somewhat over simplifying things, I worked pretty hard. And there is more to selling than just making.)
But listen, I was a new mom with a baby on my back and a circuit on my desk. If I could do it, anyone could.
I made my money back in 5 months. (The first two months had no sales until I started to get found in search engines. So within three months of actual sales, I had made my money back, the money it took to purchase materials and supplies for the shop.)
And by the end of one year, I had made back TEN TIMES what it cost me to get a Cricut.
I had other expenses of course, like fabric and string, but by the end of 21 months, I had made a profit of about $3000.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, but for a mom who just wanted a fun side project, that was almost like free money.
I was having fun and also making money.
And It didn’t take me hours and hours to make a product and ship it out.
I got it down to a quick fast process, which meant I was making between 15-25 an hour.
Plus did I mention it was fun! (It was supposed to be a hobby, remember?)
What could you do with an extra $200 a month? Or more?
I haven’t sold from that Etsy shop for a while, but I do still use my Cricut to make labels, decals, cards, etc.
My friends all know who to call if they need something cut, and I’m happy to do it!
I am telling you this to inspire you.
If you need a hobby, if you want to make some money, you can totally do it.
I know you can, because I did!
Cricut is an awesome place to start. You can do SO many things, especially now with the new Cricut Maker machine, and you don’t have to be the most creative person on the planet to do it.
And for those of you who want a less expensive option, the new Cricut Joy is a perfect option. So cute and tiny.
Cricut helped me to achieve my Etsy shop hobby success. I’m so glad I took the leap!
Etsy + Cricut = Love
So that’s my quick story about Cricut and Etsy, folks. I dove in. I made some crafts, and earned some extra income while the baby was napping. I hope to do it again.
Maybe someday I will tackle another Etsy shop full time, and bring in more than just a few hundred dollars a month.
I’m not a Cricut Expert, but I do love their machines. That’s my honest opinion right there. 🙂
That is the short version of how my Cricut machine made me 10x what it cost me!
Everyone’s experience will be different, and there is never a guarantee of success. That’s the beauty of it though. You jump in, try something out, and learn and improve.
I hope this tale of my experience inspired you, it is totally possible for moms to make a few bucks with their Cricut Machines, in fact I did it with a newborn baby!
If you liked this post, here are some other Cricut projects I’ve been up to:
