How to Create a Memory Wall

Ok parents and grandparents out there in the crafting world, this post is for you!

*Fair warning this will tug at those heartstrings*

I'm guessing that you have an area in your home where you have all the little keepsakes from when your children were born/adopted. Maybe in the junk drawer, storage box, baby book, etc. No judgment on where it's currently sitting!!

Mine were in a zip lock bag in a bin that sat on a shelf behind our sofa for several months after each child was born. I eventually dug them all out to make shadow boxes with the little footprint card, hospital bracelets, and adorable tiny hats. Just buy shadow box from your local craft store and arrange the items using pins.

The final piece for this memory wall is a quote sign which I'm about to teach you to make.

The Supply List:

• wood sign(this is the exact sign I'm using)
• paint (if needed for the wood sign)
• permanent vinyl (I used oracle651)
• transfer tape
• scraper tool
• weeding tool
• Silhouette Cameo or similar machine

Start by painting your wood sign (if you chose to do so) that way it has plenty of time to dry. I would recommend letting it dry overnight.

While that's drying let's design the sign! I'm going to show you my font selection process too.

I don't know about you but I own a few too many fonts (bah ha ha, said no font lover EVER) so to keep myself from being overwhelmed with options I tend to keep my choices from bundles.

Did you know you can preview the fonts within a bundle on the bottom of the page?

I am testing fonts from the delightful font bundle volume 2.

I'll then take the few fonts that jumped out at me and test them in Silhouette Studio.(I added sticky notes showing the font names so you can see which fonts I chose)

I should tell you that I have 2 boys so I factored that into my font choice. If I had 2 girls I probably would have used Monttassic because it's gorgeous.

I chose to go with Wildly Sweet because it was such a happy and energetic font (like my boys). I also have a soft spot for hand-lettered fonts, I wish my handwriting looked like it!!

My sign is 5" x 12" so I changed the design page to match it and resized it to fill most of the sign. You always want to leave some white space around the edges so it doesn't look crowded.

There are a few spots where the letters overlap, so you'll need to weld the design together so it doesn't cut those areas.

Group it all back together so if you move it around you don't lose your alignment.

Once you're ready send the design to the send panel and adjust your material and cut settings. Load the vinyl onto your cutting mat and into the machine.

When the machine has completed its magic use your weeding tool to remove the excess vinyl.

Add a layer of transfer tape over the design so you can cleanly move it over to your wood surface. I always go over it several times with the scraper tool and press really hard.

Lift the words off the paper backing slowly. If a letter isn't sticking well just roll it back down and use the scraper a bit more over it.

If you very gently lay the transfer tape over the wood without using any pressure, you can use your ruler to make sure the design is centered.

I lifted this off and on about 8 times making small adjustments as needed.

Once you're confident in the location use your scraper tool again. Use heavy pressure to attach the letters to the wood sign and peel off the transfer tape.

Time to hang it with those precious shadow boxes!!Try to hold those tears back, I mean come on. Look at those tiny little faces and feet.

Now every time you walk past this wall the memories will come flooding back of those first incredible moments of meeting some of the most important people in your life.

I made my oldest son's a few months after he was born. Of course, when my second son was born I couldn't find the same size shadow box. I would recommend buying a few the first time to avoid that if you know you want more children.

I personally love filling my home with art like this. It tells the story of who we are and I never want to forget. I'm not a scrapbooker type, instead, I display it on the walls for all to see.

Thanks for joining me down memory lane today! If you make a memory wall please take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @designedtobecrafty