I was recently inspired to create a bigfoot-style SVG design and it turned into a card kit that I am calling Monster Feet. It is a collection of SVG, PNG, DXF, etc. elements for use with your Cricut, ScanNCut or Silhouette machine that allow you to create the fun, interactive card shown above.
While it is geared toward Halloween with the included sentiments, the feet could easily be used for a birthday card, t-shirt, mug or any other monster or bigfoot themed event (see some pics at the end of the post). For this project, I am making the card with some added interactivity with action wobbles (aka craft springs) on the feet. Extra cute, right?
The video below shows you how to assemble the already cut card components but if you are interested in seeing the set up steps for this card in Cricut Design Space, Brother Canvas Workspace or Silhouette Studio, you can find those videos in my Resource Library. CLICK HERE to sign up for the password to access the FREE Resource Library. It’s new but growing all the time with new tutorials, free SVG files and more!
Click here for the SUPPLY LIST
Please check out the video tutorial below or scroll down for instructions with photos:
What Comes in the Monster Feet Card Kit?
The Monster Feet Card Kit is a digital download of SVG, PNG, EPS, DXF and Studio3 design files for use with your Cricut, ScanNCut or Silhouette cutting machines. It makes a 5″ x 7″ card so you won’t be able to cut the card base on the Cricut Joy unless you shrink the overall size down. Reducing the size will make cutting the sentiments pretty tough because some of the letters are pretty thin and intricate. If it were me, I would simply cut a piece of cardstock to 10″ W x 7″ H with a trimmer or ruler and straight edge and fold it in half to make the card base. You can cut the rest of the elements on the Joy.
The entire kit comes in one zipped folder. There is also a PDF instructions and tips sheet that covers some specifics for Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio and Brother Canvas Workspace. NOTE: This card kit does not come with an envelope template but is sized to fit in an A7 envelope.
I encourage you to sign up for the FREE Resources Library to access the specific tutorials for Cricut Design Space, Brother Canvas Workspace and Silhouette Studio to get complete instructions on how to easily cut all of the components, including material settings where appropriate.
Tips About the Monster Feet Card Kit
As mentioned above, you will have the choice of SVG, PNG, EPS, DXF or Studio 3 versions to use depending on the type of machine you’ve got.
Cricut and ScanNCut users should use the SVG. Silhouette users who have Designer Edition or higher of Silhouette Studio can also use the SVG. Those who have the basic free version of Silhouette Studio should use the Studio 3 file.
Basic free Silhouette Studio can also open DXF files, but I would avoid that in this case because there are a couple of elements to the card that have small pieces. Since the DXF file doesn’t preserve groups, it will make grouping the various pieces for those elements (claws and toe pads as well as the sentiments) somewhat tedious and time consuming. You may also have to resize the DXF file to fit an A7 size, since Silhouette Studio may resize the spread apart components to fit on the mat.
The card is made up of the orange card base, two green feet with separate toes, two purple fur layers for the feet, two sets of five claws each for the toes and four sentiments. Two of the sentiments come with shadow layers since they are designed for the inside of the card. As with any project, feel free to use the elements you like and not others and to change the colors or materials being used.
For sentiments, I highly encourage you to use a lighter weight cardstock (eg a 65 lb, low GSM cardstock similar to Michael’s Recollections cardstock) because it is easier to cut these kinds of intricate letters out of a lighter cardstock. The card base, however, should be heavier (eg 80 lb, high GSM or 100 lb, medium – high GSM). to support the decorative elements being added to it.
I also suggest using a glue or wet adhesive when adhering the layers together. It gets tricky to line up the sentiments on the card front and on their shadow layers so being able to move them around a bit as you go is important. Wet glue should allow you to do that.
Having a fine tip on your glue bottle will help with keeping the glue dots small. This is my current favorite:
Having a skinny tweezers on hand as you go so you can clean off any glue that may ooze out from under the layers is super handy. I find scraping the glue off right when you see it is much easier than trying to fix it after the glue has dried. My skinny tweezers allows me to scrape the wet glue off without much hassle. It’s also great for placement of elements when my fingers would otherwise be in the way. This is the one I use all the time:
You will also need some action wobbles/craft springs to create the fun interactive feet on the card front. Click here for the SUPPLY LIST.
Sparkle Up the Fur on the Monster Feet
I am a big fan of glitter for Halloween so naturally I wanted to add some to this card. I thought putting some snazzy purple glitter on the feet fur layers would be the perfect sparkly effect.
To do this, I poured a generous amount of purple glitter into a coffee filter and a good sized puddle of glue on to my non-stick craft mat.
I then ran the edges of the fur feet layers through the glue to coat just the tips of the furry sides. I then used my fingers to smush the glue down along the edge and spread it out for a very organic glue line.
Then, I dipped the glued edge into the pile of glitter so it would stick. It made a fun addition to the foot.
Repeat the same process for the second fur foot layer and set aside to dry.
Add Shading to the Monster Feet
To add an extra special touch to the green parts of the feet (the pads, I guess?), I decided to add some shading with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.
The toe pads are really small and it would be virtually impossible to hold them down to shade them. Instead, I used the washi tape that helped me lift them (and the claws – not shown in this step) off the cutting mat. I pressed the washi tape strips with toes attached face down on to a full sheet post-it label (sticky all over).
Then I peeled the washi tape off to reveal the toe pads, now right side up and ready to be shaded. I used the washi tape pieces to hold the post-it label flat.
With my mini blender tool and my Mowed Lawn Distress Ink, I used a circular motion to blend the ink on to the edges of the toes and the feet. For the foot pieces, I started on the non-stick craft sheet and then gradually blended on to the feet, trying to get more shading on the instep sides of the feet.
For the toes, I angled the blender tool to do my best to get more ink on the lower side (side toward the feet) of the toes.
Once done, I set them aside to dry.
Glue the Sentiments to Their Shadow Layers
Now I decided to glue the sentiments ‘Happy Halloween’ and ‘Give Me Something Good to Eat’ to their shadow layers. Both sentiments are cut in a few pieces, some thicker and some thinner.
I started with the ‘Happy Halloween’ sentiment since it is in fewer segments. I added small dots of glue to the backs of the pieces and then placed them on the shadow layer with tweezers.
Then I tackled the ‘Give Me Something…’ sentiment and its shadow layer. This one is a bit more complicated since it comes in six pieces. But starting with the large center section worked well. Again, I added dots of glue to the backs of the pieces and then used tweezers to place it on to the shadow layer.
Once adhered, I thought they were a bit plain and needed some sparkle.
Quick head’s up that I will be presenting a really fun holiday card with removable ornament project during the Holiday Crafts 4 Cricut Makers event that runs October 12 – 15, 2022!
The event is FREE and is being hosted by Bette Daost of Bettes Makes
Over four days, more than 15 crafty Cricut experts will present fun holiday project tutorials that can be made with a Cricut. The classes are pre-recorded but will feature chats during the class showings as well as live Facebook chats afterwards with the presenters, including me!
The classes are available for FREE viewing for 24 hours after they are shown during the event OR you can purchase the VIP All Access Pass that will give you access to all of the classes right away AND some great bonuses from the presenters. This MONSTER FEET CARD KIT will be a part of the VIP All Access Pass Bonus that I am providing along with two other Halloween cards and three Christmas card kits.
Click Here For Details and Your FREE Ticket!
Add Glitter to Sentiments to Match the Monster Feet
To add glitter to the sentiments, I followed almost the same method I used for the fur feet layers. I edged the shadow layers of the sentiments with glue but using my fingers to rub glue on the tight areas worked well to get glue on all the edges.
I then dipped the glued edges into the same purple glitter and coffee filter I used for the fur feet layers. If easier, I would pour the glitter from the jar on to the sentiment to make sure I covered the glue.
Once the edges were coated with glitter, I set them aside to dry.
Glue the Monster Feet Pieces Together
Now the feet elements were dry so I could assemble them together. First, I added glue to the back of the green foot pad.
Then pressed it down on to the matching fur layer with tweezers and my fingers.
Repeat that process for the second foot.
Next, I added the claws to the fur layers. You just have to match up the claw with its outline on the purple fur foot layer and glue in place. The washi tape I used to remove them from the cutting mat (see beginning of video for details) made it easy to know which claw went with which toe.
When finished, I love how the claws look on the feet.
Work Around for the Toes Holes on the Monster Feet
The green toe pads are designed to be inlaid into the holes in the fur feet layers when the feet are being placed flat against a surface, like the card front. But for this project, I want to lift the feet off the card so I need to find a work around for those holes so I can add the toe pads into them.
I decided to use strips of 1/8″ double sided tape, placed over the centers of the holes on the back sides of the fur feet layers.
Then when the fur layers are flipped over, I added the toe pads into the holes and they stick to the double sided tape and stay in place.
Once the toe pads were all in place, I needed to cover up the stickiness of the tape on the backs of the fur feet. To do this, I cut small strips of the same purple cardstock. I used glue, along with the double sided tape to adhere the strips over the exposed tape.
To remove the stick from any remaining exposed tape, I patted my embossing pouch over it. Baby powder works too to remove the stick.
Add the Sentiments to the Front of the Monster Feet Card
I decided how I wanted the bigger sentiments to look on the front of the card, giving the feet enough space to wobble.
I then glued the larger ‘Trick or Treat’ and ‘Smell My Feet’ sentiments in place by adding dots of glue to the backs of the letters.
Like previous steps, I placed the letters with glue on them down on the card front with tweezers.
Attach the Wobbles/Springs to the Monster Feet
Action Wobbles (or craft springs depending on who makes them) come in two sizes – large and mini. For the Monster Feet, I am using the large size.
They are basically a plastic spring loaded between two plastic plates. One end attaches to the card front and the other attaches to the item you want to spring off the card. You can tell which end is which by the spring itself – the larger end of the spring goes on the card front and the smaller end goes on the springing element. You can also tell because the card front end is usually more solid and heavier.
It is best to attach them to the springing element first. I placed each wobble/spring in the center back of each foot, a bit closer to the toe end of the foot. After removing the backing sheet from the adhesive on the wobble/spring, I pressed it in place on the back of the first foot.
I then removed the backing sheet from the other end of the wobble/spring and pressed it (and the foot obviously – lol) down on the card front.
I repeated the same steps for the second foot.
If you look closely at the photo, you can tell the feet are raised up off the back of the card. But, the springs press nearly flat for little bulk when you mail the card.
Try Out The Wobble Action on the Monster Feet Card
You can try out the wobble/spring action by flicking the feet and watching them wobble back and forth. Pretty cute!
Don’t forget to add one or both of the sentiments to the inside of the card with glue.
The card is complete. I hope the recipient of your card loves it as much as I do. Enjoy!
Other Ideas for the Monster Feet
Questions or Comments?
If you have any questions, please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you soon. Want to just tell me how much you loved this tutorial? Please leave me a comment below too – lol!
Suggestions?
I would also appreciate any ideas you may have for topics to cover related to the software for Cricut (Design Space), Silhouette (Studio) or Brother ScanNCut machines (Canvas Workspace) and any suggestions you may have on projects to create with the Cricut Maker, Cricut Joy, Silhouette Cameo 4 or the Brother Scan N Cut DX. Please leave any requests you have in the comments. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and read my blog.
The links below are compensated affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase using one of these links, I receive a small commission that adds no cost to you. This helps me run my blog and YouTube channel. I truly appreciate your support!
Monster Feet Digital Card Kit SVG, PNG, EPS, DXF & Studio3 Files available for purchase here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackSheep303
Use Coupon Code BIGFOOT303 to receive 50% off the design through October 23, 2022
