Desert Bun Thoughts #1- How Did I Get Started?

My crafting journey started about 8 years ago in 2018. I was asking my Aunt who worked at a print shop to make me a ton of vinyl decals for my car. I thought to myself: "It would be so much easier if I could just make these myself...." I did some research.... and my aunt actually gave me a VERY old Cricut machine (ya know, the ones that require cartridges LOL). I couldn't figure out how to make it work so I did MORE research and finally bought myself a Cricut Explore Air 2!

Thus, my "business", Snarky Sips, was born! (I've been through a few name changes obviously LOL!) My friends were buying vinyl decals from me left and right, I was making custom gifts for friends and family. It was a good time! 

Eventually, my mom asked me if I could make her a shirt. I said... "Why not! I can learn!" I started by hand pressing the HTV vinyl by HAND IRON!!!! At some point I got sick of all that work and I invested in a Cricut Easy press machine.... WAY easier to handle and work with at the time in my small apartment! At this point I wasn't just making cups... So I landed on changing my name to LS Vinyl Creations AZ.

I believe it was somewhere between 2022 and 2023, I decided to learn how to make stickers. I bought myself a $60 HP printer from Walmart and some low-graded sticker paper. I watched countless YouTube videos on how-to make stickers with Cricut. The size limitations were a bummer, but I made do! 

I became confident in my sticker making that I started to list them on Etsy. It took a lot of trial and error but I finally found a material combination that worked for me and made decent stickers! My customers at this point were mainly friends and family. I started posting videos on TikTok and got some following there. Heres my first sticker ever!

Fast forward a couple years, My Etsy shop has become busier (so grateful!) And I was doing research on printers that could handle the volume and quality I wanted to achieve. I finally  bit the bullet and upgraded from a $60 HP to a $250 Epson tank printer! Once I got my settings perfect, I was in LOVE with the results! I started making more videos and creating art that I loved and I was in bliss! 

Fast forward to 2024, one of my best friends requested a sticker... 

I posted on TikTok.... and I went VIRAL. 250k+ views and hundreds of comments on the video. I was sitting at my desk at my day job and all of the sudden my shopify website & Etsy was BLOWING UP with orders. 500 orders just on my website and more on Etsy. My cricut couldn't keep up anymore, so I upgraded my baby Cricut to beast Starcraft Solo machine. I could cut double the speed and amount so I was super happy!

Two years later, and my websites are still pretty steady. I've done farmers markets, wholesale orders for out of state shops, and I have even been interviewed by a local newspaper! I love this craft and I love creating. My friends, family, and YOU are the reason I am here today and I am super grateful for all the support these last 8 years. I can't wait to show you what I have up my sleeve next!