DIY Gumball Machine Valentines Made with Cricut (with FREE PNG Print and Cut file)

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These Gumball Machine Valentines are sure to blow your kids away!

For those who are looking for quick and easy valentines for their kids to give away this Valentine’s Day, I have created a bunch of free Printable Valentine Cards that can be paired with various treats and toys which you can find Here.  However, the crafter in me thought it would be fun to also create a fun Valentine that was just a little bit MORE!

The minute I saw that I could get a 257 piece bag full of Mini Gumballs for only $6.47 at Oriental Trading Company then I just knew exactly what kind of crafty Valentine I wanted to design.  I had seen some cute Gumball machine valentines in the past but wanted to make my own. only thanks to my Cricut Explore Air 2 I was going to make my Valentine 3D.

Materials Needed (for each Valentine):

• Cricut Explore Air 2 (or other Cricut Cutting Machines that work with Design Space)
• Gumball Machine PNG
• Cricut Design Space
• 1 (8.5×11) White Cardstock
• Standard Grip Mats
• Fine Point Blade
• Essential Tool Kit
• 1 Zip Lock Back
• 7-8 mini Gumballs

Instructions:

Download the Print and Cut PNG file for the Gumball Machine Valentine Here (the download comes as a zip file with both the front and back files.)

Upload the PNG files into Design space  (selecting the complex option and then select Print and Cut option.)

Size the  FRONT Pirce ( with the glass part cut out)   to 3.408 inches wide & 5.664  inches high and the BACK Piece to 3.374 inches wide & 5.5514 inches high

Add a score line on the bottom of the front side (between the machine and the white tab to create a fold line)

Using an Inkjet printer print out the Gumball Printable (both front and back should fit on one page

Place your printed cardstock page on a standard grip mat (carefully lining up the top left corners.) and place your score tool in the tool accessory holder next to your cutting blade.

Set your Cricut to Cardstock,  and get cutting (and scoring)

Carefully remove the front and back cut designs for the gumball machine

Fold the white tab on the front side (on the scored line) and glue the back side to the front via the tab

Glue a ziplock bag to the back inside of the glass part of the gumball machine

Cut the ziplock bag about an inch wider than the edge of the gumball machine glass.

Place 7-8 mini gumballs in the middle, of the ziplock.

Carefully glue and press the edges of the ziplock to seal the gumballs inside. then glue the top edges of the ziplock to stick the front of the valentine to the ziplock.

** If you are afraid of the glue holding the edges of the cut ziplock together (or about using glue near the gumballs) then you can at this stage sandwich the edges of the valentine in parchment paper and then carefully press an iron over the edge to fully melt/seal the ziplock edges in the valentine. Just make sure you don’t melt any of the ziplock in the middle of the valentine. Anotherwards be very careful with the iron to only get the edges. 

Trim the ziplock to the edge of the cardstock

Yes, this Valentine takes a bit more work than printing out simple Valentine cards and attaching a treat but for those crafty moms out there these Gumball machine Valentines are just the sort of valentine that will blow your kids away. I know mine absolutely love them. (and really even though it looks like a lot of steps to make these, it actually doesn’t take that much time and effort.  And seriously are they just the cutest???