Christmas Archives - Craftara Creates

Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper Tutorial with Cricut

Tara — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 18:47:26 +0000

Step-by-Step Guide: Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper and free cut file for Cricut

Check out these charming holiday cupcake topper flags for Santa’s North Pole Bakery. They’re adorable and super easy to create using your Cricut machine. With these little flags poking out of the snowy white icing, they remind me of my favorite Christmas movie – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The easy Christmas Cupcake Topper project combines Cricut cuts and pens to make cute mini signs for the cupcakes at your holiday party this year. I used a heavyweight cardstock with a smooth finish and a subtle shimmer on both sides along with a striped paper straw to achieve this look.

In this easy Christmas Cupcake Topper tutorial, I’ll guide you step by step on setting up this project in Cricut Design Space, using Cricut pens with your machine, and assembling the toppers. This project is compatible with any Cricut machine from the Cricut Joy to the Cricut Maker model.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

Where can I find the Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper cut file?

The cut file arrives to you via email from 12×12 cardstock shop. Be sure to sign up for the 12 days of Christmas Paper Crafts HERE

Here's What You'll Need To Make an Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper with Cricut

Materials to get at 12×12 Cardstock Shop:

Cardstock: CRYSTAL – 12X12 PEARLESCENT CARDSTOCK – NEENAH STARDREAM
Or MYSTERY CARDSTOCK SCRAP BAG – ONE POUND OF CARDSTOCK
Extra Tall Foam Tabs: CUBIES BY BEARLY ART – 1248 PIECE DIMENSIONAL FOAM ADHESIVE
Thin Double Sided Tape: SUPER TAPE – 1/8 INCH DOUBLE-SIDED – ICRAFT

Other Tools and Materials:

What can I use cupcake toppers for besides cupcakes?

Cupcake toppers are versatile and can be used for various purposes beyond cupcakes.

Pancakes: These would look great on top of a stack of pancakes dusted with powdered sugar on Christmas morning.
Donuts: The flags would look great extending out of a stack of powdered donuts at brunch.
Beverage Accents: Elevate your preferred holiday drinks with these as festive drink stirrers.
Table Setting Decorations: Enhance your Christmas dessert table by incorporating these red and white striped mini flags from the North Pole Bakery into your place settings.

How to upload the Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper into Cricut Design Space

To begin this project, start by uploading the provided cut file. After downloading the .zip file, unzip it by double-clicking and accessing the folder. Inside, you’ll find the license and the cut file itself. The cut file is recognizable as it begins with ‘SVG’ and is named ‘SVG-HolidayCupcakeTopperFlag.svg’.

You have two options to add it to Cricut Design Space: either drag and drop it directly or use the green browse button to locate the file.

When you enter the “prepare to upload” screen, you might notice the cut file’s font appears a bit faded and unusual, but rest assured, it’s all intact. Trust the process and proceed by clicking the green “upload” button.

You will notice on the upload screen that the cut file displays correctly. Select the design and click “add to canvas”.

How to prepare your Christmas Cupcake Topper

After uploading your design to Cricut Design Space, the first step is to check its size. For mine, I kept it at 2.6 inches wide, but feel free to adjust it as needed. I recommend not going any larger but you could size down to 2.3 inches wide. Then, ungroup the project for making adjustments.

Start by changing the color of the shapes to match your cardstock. Following that, choose the text layers and head to the Operations menu to pick the Pen function, which instructs the Cricut machine to draw with a Cricut Pen. A similar Cricut font is BFC Autumn Woodland in upper case.

Next, we need to connect the text to the shapes. To simplify this process, hide the base layer image, then select one shape and its corresponding text, and click “attach.” Repeat for each shape, linking all three shapes and words together.

Moving on, unhide the base layer, select all, and group together the whole design for easier handling. Duplicate the design for as many Christmas cupcake toppers as needed.

Click “Make it” to send your easy Christmas Cupcake Topper to your Cricut machine. When on the Make screen, select the material setting suitable for your cardstock by clicking “Browse all materials.”

Cutting your easy Christmas cupcake topper

Next, let’s proceed to your Cricut machine. Secure your cardstock onto a machine mat; I opted for a new, sticky blue light-grip mat for heavyweight cardstock. Smooth it down using a brayer to ensure a strong grip, then load the mat into your Cricut machine.

Now, it’s time to attach the Cricut pen. Open clamp A and firmly insert the Cricut pen, ensuring it clicks into place. Look for the arrow guiding you to insert the pen into the holder, then secure clamp A.

The fine point blade should already be in clamp B, which comes with all Cricut machines. Here’s where the magic happens: the machine seamlessly transitions between drawing with the pen and cutting because Cricut can do both functions during the same cut cycle.

Once the cuts are done, unload the mat, and remove the pen just as you inserted it.

Finally, carefully remove the cardstock off the mat.

Assemble your Santa's North Pole Bakery cupcake topper

Now, it’s time to put together your simple Christmas cupcake toppers. Arrange all the pieces and dry assemble your project, which means to assemble without adhesive. Keep in mind that it can be a bit tricky to determine the correct orientation of the base layer, especially if your cardstock looks the same on both sides.

The text banners should perfectly align and fit right into their designated spots. If they don’t, you may need to adjust the base layer until they line up correctly.

Start by attaching a strip of slim double-sided tape to the center of the base layer, which will hold the straw. Alternatively, you can use glue as an option. Carefully position the straw along the center of the base layer.

Then, take some extra-tall adhesive foam tabs or squares, attaching one to each side of the straw on all three banners. If you don’t have these extra-tall tabs, you can double up on regular foam squares to achieve the needed height, which should match the straw’s thickness to prevent the text banners from bending much when placed on top.

After fixing all the foam tabs in place, peel off the backing to expose the adhesive.

Now, position each text banner onto the holiday cupcake topper flag, making sure they align properly.With the three text banners in place, your easy Christmas cupcake topper is ready for use. If needed, you can easily trim the paper straws to the desired size using scissors.

Was This Tutorial Helpful?

Did you find this information on how to make an easy Christmas Cupcake Topper with Cricut helpful? If so, please pin this idea and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Looking for other christmas cake topper projects?

Check out this simple, beginner friendly Cricut project that is super easy to assemble.

Upside Down Santa Cake Topper

The post Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper Tutorial with Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Tara — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 12:35:30 +0000

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Own Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Create a one-of-a-kind keepsake with this Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament, an easy DIY project perfect for family, friends, and neighbors. These customized ornaments are a thoughtful way to showcase each family member or even a beloved pet. This unique handmade Christmas ornament features the year as the trunk and a star at the top, resembling the shape of a Christmas tree.

Surprisingly, I crafted these Family Christmas Tree Ornaments with Cricut using lightweight cardstock. Each ornament requires just two sheets of cardstock, and I specifically chose a smooth-textured type for more precise cuts on these moderately intricate designs.

Throughout this tutorial, I’ll show you simple ideas to strengthen and reinforce lightweight cardstock to improve the durability and ensure your ornament will last for years to come. Also, I will walk you through the tools needed within Cricut Design Space to transform text and achieve the tree shape for this Family Christmas Tree Ornament.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

GRAB MY FREE beginner's guide to cricut cake toppers

Here's What You'll Need To Make the Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Prepare your Family Christmas Tree Ornament in Cricut Design Space

Open Cricut Design Space and start a new canvas.

Click on the text tool and type the name of the first person. You’ll want to use all caps and use a font that is uniform. This will make building out the multiple tiers of the ornament easier and look cleaner. I used the Cricut font Futura LT Condensed Extra Bold for my project.

Once the first name is done, duplicate it to create the second name in the family tree. Change the name to the next person and repeat that process for all the names you want to add.

Transform names into a tree shape using Cricut Design Space

There are a variety of tools inside cricut design space that will help transform names to create a shape.

First, adjust the size of each name to make them increasingly larger as the size of the tree widens. To do this, make sure the ratio lock is closed and click the up or down arrow on the width or height to adjust the size. The ratio lock closed means that the design will adjust both the height and widge at the same time when you adjust either one of those variables.

Once you have made adjustments to the text, check the shape of the tree by selecting all of the names, then Align, Center Horizontally.

Next, try adjusting the letter spacing. Use the update and down arrow of the letter space to change the amount of space in between the letters. For mine, I need to condense the second name to make it smaller. For some of the other names, I’ll use the letter space tool in the opposite direction to make the space between the letters larger.

Once you are happy with the names, sizes and placement, next we need to add the year as the trunk of the tree. To do this, I duplicated one of the names and typed in the year. Move the year to the bottom and make any size adjustments you need.

Next, add a star to the top of the tree. Select a star from the shapes tool in Cricut Design space. Place the star at the top of the tree and size it to coordinate well with the rest of the project.

Use the offset tool to add another layer to this star. With the star highlighted, click offset and adjust the slider to create an offset that you like. I went with a thin offset.

Next we will make a narrow bar to put under each name which will connect each of the names on the family tree. Select a square shape from the free shapes section. With the square selected, click on the size ratio lock to unlock it. Adjust the size of the square to create a long, narrow rectangle shape.

Move the thin bar under one of the names. A trick to adjust the bar without changing the height is to check that the ratio lock is unlocked and adjust the width only. This way the height stays the same and the thin bar is sized perfectly for each name in the Family Christmas Tree Ornament.

Repeat the process by duplicating the bar and to place under each name, then adjust the length to fit the name. The goal is to ensure each letter is connected.

NOTE The next time I made one of these, I would do one thing differently which is to add a bar under the year as well. This would give more space to apply double sided adhesive foam. I’ll show you in the next section the challenges I had adding foam to these small numbers.

Every time you change the design be sure to use the align tool again to center the design.

Before uniting together the design, change the color to white which helps to see the outlines of the text and shapes better. Do a final check to make sure the text and bars touch for each level.

Make any last adjustments to align text and bars to ensure they overlap just enough to weld together into one.

How to Unite and Undo Unite in Cricut Design Space

Once you are satisfied, select the whole design again and unselect the star. Then click Combine, Unite.

UNITE Unite joins two or more shapes together into one new shape but also allows you to easily undo a united design.

After the Unite function is applied, the design is all one layer and at the top of the layers panel. It looks like we lost the star but it’s under the design. Find the star on the layers panel and use the arrange tool to bring the star to the front.

Take a look at the united design and see if any adjustments need to be made.

To undo the unite, click the combine tool again and select Undo Unite. Now, you can make adjustments before redoing the Unite to combine all the shapes together.

When you are happy with the design, repeat the process of selecting all and uniting the design.

At this point our design of the Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut is almost ready to be cut but there’s one more essential step. To ensure the durability of this Cricut-made Family Christmas Tree Ornament, we need to reinforce the cardstock. The simplest method is to increase the cardstock’s thickness, and you don’t necessarily need to purchase thicker cardstock.

To achieve this, create additional layers that we can later combine with glue to increase the cardstock’s thickness. Replicate the united layer until you have a total of four layers for your Family Christmas Tree Ornament. You can also attach the layers together to maintain their alignment on the cutting mat.

When you are ready, send your project to the Cricut machine. Cut out all the layers in the cardstock of your choice.

Assemble the Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

After cutting out all the pieces, the first step is to combine the layers together. Use your preferred paper crafting glue and apply it across one of the layers. Cover the entire layer lightly with glue and then overlay another layer on top to create a single, thick layer.

Repeat this process for the remaining two layers. Consequently, you will have two fused together layers or thick layers.

Before proceeding, attach a string or ribbon for hanging the Family Christmas Tree Ornament. Secure the string or ribbon with hot glue on one of the layers. This layer will serve as the inside or bottom, and the glue will be covered by the top layer of the ornament, leaving the string in between the ornament’s layers.

Between the two thick layers, apply trimmed sections of extra-tall, double-sided adhesive foam tape. Use scissors or a craft knife to tailor the foam sections to the desired size. The more foam you incorporate into the ornament, the sturdier it will be.

Towards the bottom of the Family Christmas Tree Ornament, attach foam to the year. You may need to cut small sections of foam to size using a craft knife.

Once all the foam is in place, peel off the backing sheet from the foam. To help with the alignment of the top layer, apply a small dab of glue to each section of foam tape. This allows for a bit of maneuvering time to ensure perfect alignment between the layers.

Lastly, attach the star to the top of the Family Christmas Tree Ornament made with Cricut. You can attach the star using either glue or foam.

And with that, your Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut is complete. In this tutorial, we practiced with tools in Cricut Design space to transform and shape text. Next, we applied simple techniques to strengthen cardstock to create a sturdy paper ornament.

I’m excited to make more ornaments. These make the perfect finishing touch for holiday gifts.

Did you enjoy this project?

Did you find this information on how to make a Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut helpful? If so, please pin this idea and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

Easy Christmas Cake topper | free cut file

Rachel — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:17:56 +0000

Learn how to make an easy Christmas cake decorating idea with Cricut

With Cricut, you can make holiday family gatherings extra special with an easy Christmas cake topper. Add a little DIY fun and homemade sparkle to your holiday spread this year – or every year.

This easy Christmas cake topper is a simple, beginner friendly Cricut project that you can cut and assemble in no time. Assemble the easy Christmas cake topper with your favorite paper craft glue and add a stick for a cute ‘Santa fell in’ cake topper.

Grab four sheets of cardstock and follow along as I show you how to create an easy Christmas cake topper with Cricut. You are going to have a lot of fun with this project!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

Where can I find the cut file?

Grab the easy Christmas cake topper SVG cut file for FREE from my resource library. Sign up below to unlock the resource library.

Once you have the password, click on the resource library and select the Christmas craft freebies to find the template download.

The file will download as a .zip file. Once you unzip the file, look for the SVG file to use with Cricut Design space. This is one where the filename starts with SVG.

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What machine do I need to make cake toppers with cricut?

Any Cricut cutting machine can cut the cardstock needed to make cake toppers: Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore Air 3 or Cricut Joy.

Here’s the main issue with Cricut machines for paper crafts: cut size limits

Any Cricut machine can cut cardstock but not all machines can cut a cake topper that is 6.5 inches wide. For the easy Santa cake topper, use a full size Cricut machine: Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore Air 3.

Here’s what you’ll need to make an easy Christmas cake topper with cricut

How to upload the easy Christmas cake topper into Cricut Design Space

Start this project by uploading the cut file. The filename is SVG-UpsideDownSanta.svg

Click on Upload which is on the left side of the screen. Then click Upload Image. You can either click the browse button or drag and drop the cut file into the Cricut Design Space window.

Click upload. Then select the design so that the green box is around it and click Add to Canvas.

At this point, double check the size of the cake topper. I cut my easy Christmas cake topper at 6.5 inches wide.

When you are ready, click make it to send the project to your Cricut machine.

For this project, you will need 4 colors of cardstock: Black, Red, white/silver and gold. Continue on to select the material setting for the cardstock you are using and cut out all the layers.

Assemble your easy Christmas cake topper

This project is quick and easy to assemble. Follow the below steps to assemble your Santa cake topper.

Start with the black base layer
Add the red pants on top of the black layer
Add all the white or silver pieces at both ends of the red pants
Add the black belt
Add the gold belt buckle

For this Santa cake topper, I added a clear acrylic cake pop stick. The clear stick is easier to hide and make the Santa look like he fell into the cake.

Use hot glue to add the cake pop stick to the back.

And that’s it. Your Cricut made easy Christmas cake topper is ready to go.

Thanksgiving cake topper

If you enjoyed this easy Christmas cake topper, you might also enjoy making an easy Thanksgiving cake topper with your Cricut machine. Grab the free cut file and check out the beginner friendly tutorial.

Was this tutorial helpful?

Did you find this information on how to make your own easy Christmas cake topper with Cricut helpful? If so, please pin this idea and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Easy Christmas Cake topper | free cut file appeared first on Craftara Creates.

FREE DIY Teacher gift card holder SVG | Cricut Tutorial

Rachel — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:27:02 +0000

Grab the FREE teacher gift card holder SVG and learn how to make a quick Christmas gift

Check teacher gift off your Holiday to do list with this FREE teacher gift card holder SVG below. Use your Cricut machine to make a personalized Hot Chocolate gift card holder ornament for your child’s teacher.

If you are like me, each school year you are looking for fun and unique ways to give gifts of appreciation to your kid’s teachers. Teachers love to receive gift cards as gifts. But gift cards don’t allow for much creativity. That’s not an issue with a Cricut machine.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

A Cricut machine makes this teacher gift card holder Christmas ornament project a breeze. With Cricut Design space, use the text curve tool to add the teachers name to the bottom of the mug. The teacher gift card holder SVG project uses a scoring tool and is compatible with the Cricut Explore Air 3 or Cricut Maker 3.

With this project, I will share tips to combine both cardstock and vinyl to personalize the gift card holder.

Where can I find the cut file?

Grab the free teacher gift card holder SVG cut file from my resource library in the Christmas craft freebie section. Then upload the SVG cut file into Cricut Design Space.

Sign up below to unlock the resource library.

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What do I need to make the Teacher gift card holder SVG with Cricut?

How do I make the teacher gift card holder SVG?

Start this project by uploading the cut file. The filename is SVG – Hot Chocolate Gift card mug.svg

Click on Upload which is on the left side of the screen. Then click Upload Image. You can either click the browse button or drag and drop the cut file into the Cricut Design Space window.

Click upload. Then select the design so that the green box is around it and click Add to Canvas.

Once the cut file is in Cricut Design Space, update the envelope lines to score lines and attach the score lines to the envelope shape.

How to personalize the teacher gift card holder SVG

At this point, the gift card holder is ready to make. However, you may want to personalize the project with the teacher’s name.

To personalize, use the text tool to add text and choose a font. I used the font Melody Stores.

Next, I used the curve tool to adjust the text around the bottom curve of the teacher gift card holder SVG mug.

Oftentimes, when curing text, you will also need to adjust the spacing between letters. This is because as the text curves, more space is added between the letters to create the curve.

Use the letter spacing feature on the top menu to adjust the spacing between letters.

Cut out the project with your Cricut machine

For this project I used a combination of smooth cardstock and foil cardstock. You can cut the teacher gift card holder SVG project with any cardstock of your choice.

Most of the gift card holder project is made with cardstock, however, I cut the name with vinyl and applied it to the cardstock.

Check out this post to learn how to apply both adhesive and iron-on vinyl to cardstock.

When cutting out the envelope for the gift card holder, add a scoring wheel or scoring stylus to the cricut machine to add score lines.

How to assemble the Hot Chocolate gift card holder

Once all the pieces are cut for the teacher gift card holder SVG, weed the vinyl to remove the extra parts.

Add the name in vinyl to the bottom with the mug using a transfer tape that is low tac or low stickiness. Or you can see my trick for adding vinyl to cardstock here.

To make the envelope, fold in the 3 score lines. Apply glue or double sided tape to the small flaps, then fold together to create an envelope.

Continue assembling the mug with the white top section, then add the red candy cane layer on top.

Lastly, add the envelope to the middle of the mug with glue or double sided tape. Leave space at the top of the envelope for the gift card.

And that’s it! Your hot chocolate teacher gift card holder SVG is ready to be gifted. I hope you had fun making this project.

Was this tutorial helpful?

Did you enjoy this free Teacher gift card holder SVG and tutorial with Cricut? If so, please pin this idea and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The post FREE DIY Teacher gift card holder SVG | Cricut Tutorial appeared first on Craftara Creates.

How to make gift tags from holiday cards with Cricut

Tara — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 02:45:23 +0000

Did you get a new Cricut machine this holiday season? Congrats! Learn how to make DIY gift tags from holiday cards with your new Cricut cutting machine.

Use Cricut as an easy and quick way to reuse those holiday cards before they land in the garbage can. Upcycle a few cards as gift tags using Cricut’s SnapMat feature to cut perfect gift tags.

The Cricut Design Space SnapMat feature is only available in the mobile app because it uses your phone to take a photo of the cutting mat. Once you take a photo of the mat, you can perfectly position your cuts over the part of the material you want to cut. The Cricut SnapMat feature is a great way to use up small scrap pieces of vinyl or make gift tags out of holiday cards.

In this tutorial, I show you how to use the SnapMat feature in Cricut design space to DIY next years Christmas gift tags out of this seasons holiday cards.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

SUPPLIES

Cricut Cutting Machine (Explorer or Maker)
Cricut Mat
Festive string or twine
Old holiday cards

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the cards by cutting off the area that is perfect for a gift tag – most often the front.
Place the card fronts in the four corners of the Cricut mat.
Using Cricut Design Space from your mobile phone, search images for gift tag and select a basic shape. Duplicate the shapes for as many as you need. Ensure all the shapes are the same color to cut them on one mat.
Select Make It to bring up the SnapMat screen.
- Tip for using Cricut Design Space SnapMat

Before you select make it, switch over to the bluetooth settings in your phone and check to be sure the Cricut machine is connected. Otherwise, you may get a ‘no device found’ error in Cricut Design Space when the phone is not able to communicate with the Cricut machine.

Select SnapMat and follow the onscreen guides to line up your mat. I suggest laying your mat on the floor to achieve an easy parallel angle.
- Tip for using Cricut Design Space SnapMat
  Have you ever became frustrated with the Cricut Design Space SnapMat photo taking function?
  When you click the SnapMat button and Design Space struggles to take the photo, try a different background. I have noticed that if the contrast between the mat color and the background makes a big difference. When I lay the mat on a dark background, the SnapMat feature works successfully ever time.
Adjust the shapes around the mat over the areas of the cards that you want to cut.
Select a material setting. I used medium cardstock.
Feed the mat with your card fronts into the Cricut and start the cut.
With the cut complete, remove the tags off the mat. Add string
Further embellish your upcycled gift tags with bows, ribbon, glitter, washi tape or anything you have laying round the craft room.

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WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

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The post How to make gift tags from holiday cards with Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

DIY Santa Mug: How to Use the Cricut Mug Press

Tara — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 02:54:39 +0000

Make your Christmas Eve even more festive with a mug for Santa using the Cricut Mug Press

Along with a special plate of cookies, Santa should have the opportunity to enjoy a beverage in a mug dedicated just for him on Christmas Eve. Use the Cricut mug press to make a DIY Santa mug that will last a lifetime. Mugs created with the Cricut Mug Press are dishwasher and microwave safe.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

MUG BLANKS FOR THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

I will show you how to make the DIY Santa mug and how easy it is to use the Cricut mug press. Before we get started, lets chat about mug blanks. Mug blanks are just that – blank mugs. However, for use with the Cricut mug press, sublimation mug blanks are required. These types of mug blanks can be found in Cricut’s shop or even on Amazon.

The difference between a sublimation mug and a regular mug is that the sublimation mugs are prepared with a Polymer coating that reacts when heat is applied to transfer the ink into the mug for permanent results. Sublimation is defined as the transition of ink into a gas through high temperature heat and pressure to permanently dye the substrate (substrate = mug blank).

For the DIY Santa mug, I used a non-cricut mug with a black handle from Amazon. These 15 oz mugs are huge and are sized well for dipping cookies into milk. To create this festive look, I combined the black handle mug with buffalo check infusible ink.

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS CUT FILE?

The Santa Stop Here – free SVG cut file is in my resource library. Sign up here to unlock the resource library and grab the free SVG cut file. You will find this in the Christmas Craft section of the resource library.

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HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE DIY SANTA MUG WITH CRICUT

Cricut machine (Joy, Explore Air or Maker)
Cricut Mat – StandardGrip Machine Mat
Cricut Mug Press
Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet
Mug Blank with black inside/handle (rated for sublimation)
Heat Resistant Tape
Lint Roller

HOW TO MAKE A DIY SANTA MUG USING THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

In Cricut Design Space, open a new canvas. If you are a Cricut Access member, search projects for ‘Mug Design Setup’ to find the template with multiple size/edge options to choose from to take the guesswork out of setting up your mug design. I choose the straight edge. Select the size for the mug you are using 12 or 15 oz size. Even though the mug I used is not a Cricut brand mug, the 15 oz design fit well.

Without a Cricut Access subscription you can still easily find templates in both 12 and 15 oz size. Within images, search for ‘mug’ to find basic mug wrap templates that you can customize and the placement guides to help line up your mug designs.

Next, upload the Santa Stop Here free SVG cut file into Cricut Design Space and adjust the size as needed. For the big 15 oz mug, I sized the cut file at 3.4 inches wide. Check to be sure the mug design template is not grouped together. If so, select the template and ungroup.

Add the design to both sides of the mug template and use the pen layer as a guide to center the design.

Once you are happy with the placement of the design, select the middle rectangle and the designs, then click attach. This will attach the design to the mug press template.

Then select all and click attach. This will attach the design to the mug wrap template. Now your project is ready to send to the Cricut machine for cutting.

CUT INFUSIBLE INK TO MAKE A DIY SANTA MUG USING THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

Once you click Make It to send to Cricut, be sure to mirror the design much like iron-on vinyl.

Select Infusible ink transfer sheet as the material. With all infusible ink, I use more pressure and will repeat the cut after the first cut completes. If using a Cricut Explore machine, turn the Smart Set Dial to Custom first.

Place Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet onto a StandardGrip mat, ink side up.

Using the standard fine point blade that comes with all Cricut cutting machines, load the mat with Infusible ink into the machine, then press the flashing Go button.

TIP BEFORE unloading the mat, I always repeat the cut for Infusible Ink. Repeat the cut by pressing the middle button - the C button on the Cricut Maker/Explore Air 2 models or the ‘play’ triangle button on the Cricut Maker/Explore Air 3. Clicking the middle button will repeat the cut. Repeating the cut makes weeding Infusible Ink easier.

Once the cuts are complete, remove the Infusible Ink transfer sheet from the mat. By using the Cricut Design Space mug template, the liner should cut clear from the remaining Infusible Ink transfer sheet but if it doesn’t use scissors to trim excess Infusible Ink.

Roll the cut design so the cut lines separate and are more visible. “Cracking” the cut infusible ink this way makes it easier to remove excess material from in and around your design. Use your fingers or tweezers to carefully remove negative pieces from in and around your design, leaving the design on liner. The text will be backwards which is correct for applying Infusible Ink with the Cricut Mug Press.

APPLYING INFUSIBLE INK WITH THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

Prepare the mug for the Cricut Mug Press by cleaning it with a new lint roller to remove any dust or dirt. Wrap the infusible ink transfer sheet with the ink side against the mug. I found it easiest to apply the infusible ink sheet while the mug is upside down because I use the table top to help line up the transfer sheet with the top of the mug. Secure the Infusible ink transfer sheet with heat resistant tape.

Pre-heat the Cricut Mug Press and once ready, place the mug in the press and close. The mug press usually takes 6 minutes to press a mug. Wait for the beep and to remove the mug. The mug will be very hot. Only touch the mug handle and place on a heat resistant surface like an EasyPress mat.

Wait for the mug to cool down to avoid burns. Let the mug sit for 15-20 mins or longer if still warm.

When the mug is cooled, remove the tape and transfer sheet to reveal your masterpiece.

SANTA STOP HERE SIGN WITH CRICUT

Another way to use this free cut file is to create a Santa Stop Here sign. I created this sign to hang near our Christmas stockings. The cut file was cut out of removable vinyl and used as a stencil to add liquid chalk to the chalkboard sign.

You can see a quick video of this project on my Instagram profile.

WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

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The post DIY Santa Mug: How to Use the Cricut Mug Press appeared first on Craftara Creates.

DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

Tara — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Learn how to create a DIY Baby keepsake Ornament with Cricut

Ever come across a broken ornament when you pull out the holiday decorations? I have. With a broken ornament and a glass baby food jar, create a special DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut. The glass jar is perfect to show off that tiny first baby hat from the hospital or a hospital bracelet and/or to fold up a note for your child to read later in life.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS DESIGN?

The free antler cut file is in my resource library. Sign up here to unlock the resource library and grab the free SVG cut file. You will find this in the Christmas Craft section of the resource library.

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Here's what you'll need to make the DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

Free Antler SVG file
Cricut Cutting machine
Cricut cutting mat
Small glass baby food jar
Ornament cap (from a broken ornament)
White spray paint
Nail and hammer
Permanent vinyl in black and a color for the nose
Metallic Gold Paper Cardstock
Hot Glue and Precision Craft Glue
Bakers twine

How to make the DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

To create the baby keepsake Christmas ornament, start by cleaning the baby food jar and remove any labels. Allow the jar to dry.

On the lid, we need to add holes for the ornament cap and antlers. The metal lid of a baby food jar is fairly soft and easy to puncture. Use a nail or sharp object and a hammer to puncture the jar.

The two holes in the center are for the ornament cap and two holes in the side front area are for the two antlers. Once the holes are made, apply 1 or 2 layers of white spray paint and let dry. I used a spray paint with a satin finish and it turned out beautifully.

While the paint is drying on the baby keepsake Christmas ornament, we can prepare the project in Cricut design space. Download the free antler SVG cut file and upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space.

The cut file has 4 antlers – the front and back of both sides. Double check the size of the grouped together design. Adjust the design to be 2.551″ Width by 5.684″ Height, this makes for 3 inch tall antlers. For the eyes and face, I searched the Cricut images library for “eyelash” and used a circle shape for the nose. I cut the antlers out in gold mirror cardstock and the face in adhesive vinyl.

To prepare the antlers for the DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament, apply glue to the front and back, however, do not apply glue to the bottom tab. The bottom tab will be used to secure the antlers to the lid from the inside.

Check the size of the answers and the hole. If necessary, trim the bottom tab to fit within the hole on the lid.

Once the antler is inserted into the lid, separate the tab and add a small spot of hot glue under each tab to secure the antler to the lid.

Next, use transfer tape to apply the eyelashes and nose.

Insert the ornament cap.

For fun, I threaded bakers twine around the antlers and through the holes to mimic the playfulness of my kids.

An optional add is a mini paper flower crown and embellishments.

Baby food jar keepsake ornament flower crown

Another way to complete this project is by contouring out the small holes in the antlers using Design Space and skipping the twine. Not sure about contouring in Design Space? No problem, click here to learn more.

Baby food jar keepsake ornament with flower crown

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The post DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

Cookie plate for Santa cut file for Cricut

Tara — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 08:33:00 +0000

LAST MINUTE COOKIE PLATE FOR SANTA – FREE SVG CUT FILE

I am always forgetting something every holiday season so I love super quick and easy Cricut crafts like this cookie plate for Santa (free SVG cut file) sized perfectly for a charger plate. During the Christmas season, I can find these chargers all over the place from the craft store to a set of a dozen on Amazon. The cookie plate for Santa design works well for any plastic plate charger you may have laying around from previous holiday seasons.

No matter what plate or platter you use, don’t go into Christmas Eve unprepared without a DIY Santa cookie plate using the free SVG cut file. I designed this cut file with my playful young children in mind. There is no guess where the cookies go and who the cookies are for.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

This cookie plate cut file was designed to be super easy. One color, one vinyl cut with your Cricut machine, curved perfectly for a plate. A quick win last minute holiday must have to help the little ones prepare for Santa’s big visit.

The cut file includes a circle guide to help perfectly size the design to your plate. Grab the free Santa Cookie Plate cut file and check out the quick guide below on how to size the design for your plate.

Grab the Cookie Plate for Santa Free SVG cut file for Cricut here

The cookie plate for Santa – free SVG cut file free is in my resource library. Sign up here to unlock the resource library and grab the free SVG cut file. You will find this in the Christmas Craft section of the resource library.

You will be included in my email newsletter with helpful Cricut ideas, tips and resources. Unsubscribe anytime and your email will never be shared.

Here's what you'll need to make the cookie plate for Santa with Cricut

How to make a cookie plate for Santa

STEP 1: Measure the inside circle of the plate where the design will be placed. You will use this measurement to size the design within Cricut Design Space.

STEP 2: Download the cookie plate for Santa free SVG cut file and upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space. Resize the whole design to the size you measured from the plate.

STEP 3: Prepare to cut by hiding the size guide shape. Click on the eyeball icon to the right of the layer for the circle. This will hide the layer (and the shape) from Cricut and the machine will not cut out that shape.

STEP 4: Click Make it and to send the design to your Cricut machine. Select the type of vinyl material you plan to use. The cut file works well with either adhesive or iron-on vinyl – in case you want to place the design on a round fabric placemat.

STEP 5: Once Cricut is finished with cutting the design, weed out the unneeded parts and transfer the design to your plate.

Lastly, add cookies and enjoy the magic of Santa! I hope you and your family enjoy this Santa cookie plate DIY and never miss a Christmas Eve without a special spot for holiday cookies.

WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

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The post Cookie plate for Santa cut file for Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

How to create a mitten ornament using Cricut

Tara — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 03:30:56 +0000

Learn how to use a vinyl stencil to create a personalized mitten ornament using your Cricut and shrink plastic.

My oldest daughter loves to watch shrink plastic bake in the oven. She gets so excited when the plastic starts to move and curl as it heats up. In fact, she puts a small kid seat in front of the oven so she does not miss out on anything.

This is a kid friendly project using removable vinyl as a stencil on shrink plastic. Learn how to personalize a mitten ornament/gift tag combo using your Cricut – perfect as a unexpected addition to your already beautiful gift wrap.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

Easy to Medium

SUPPLIES

Cricut (Explorer Air 2 or Maker)
Cricut mat (either light or standard grip)
Cricut Deep Cut blade
Removable vinyl
Pre-sanded Shrink plastic
Washi tape (alternatives: masking tape or painters tape)
Alcohol ink markers (alternatives: colored pencils or Sharpies)
Ribbon or String
And an oven to bake the shrink plastic

DIRECTIONS

I created this project in Cricut Design Space. The mitten design is #M41EB5 however, I have prepared the design with the cut hole for the string. Click here for the link to the Design Space project.

Mitten from Design Space

Mitten Ornament in Cricut Design Space

To personalize with a name and year, start by double checking all layers are ungrouped.

Add the text you want to put on the stencil.

Add Text

Place the text over the top (blue) later of the mitten.

Prepare your design for the Cricut by attaching the text to the top layer of the mitten design. Select the blue mitten layer, hold down shift and select the text. Now with both the top (blue) mitten layer and text selected, select attach.

mitten ornament

Send the project to the Cricut by clicking ‘Make It’. Cut the bottom black colored base layer with shrink plastic. Cut with the smooth, shinier side down and the rougher side up. Secure the outside edges of the shrink plastic with washi tape and switch the blade to the deep point blade.

Cut settings:

Acetate
More Pressure

For the top layer (blue color), cut using removable vinyl. Weed out the text and snowflake to use as a stencil.

Shrink plastic base and stencil in removable vinyl

TIP: To easily apply the stencil to the shrink plastic, lay the removable vinyl stencil down with the sticky side up and apply the shrink plastic to the vinyl. The shrink plastic is transparent so it is easy to see placement.

Be sure to check that you are applying the vinyl stencil to the rougher side of the shrink plastic. The rough side will take the color better in the next step. Push out any air bubbles and double check the vinyl is applied well to avoid color bleed.

Apply the stencil

Time to add color! I used alcohol ink markers to add color. Shrink plastic also works well with sharpie markers or colored pencils. Feel free to let the kids add color but avoid crayons as the wax will not do well when the shrink plastic is baked.

Personalized mitten ornament with color completed

Once the markers are dry, carefully remove the vinyl stencil.

Color completed and vinyl removed

Bake the shrink plastic according to the package instructions. The shrink plastic will curl and crinkle up in the oven. Don’t worry! The plastic will go flat again.

Check out this shrink plastic butterfly keychain

Save this project for later!

The post How to create a mitten ornament using Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

How to create a handwritten ornament using Cricut

Tara — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:33:54 +0000

Finding ways to highlight simple childhood joys is my favorite thing to do. This year my preschooler learned how to write her name and she is very proud of herself. I want to hold on to these super sweet moments and remember her special accomplishment with every holiday season. Using my Cricut cutting machine, I created a handwritten ornament in my little girls own handwriting.

The process to convert a handwritten name into a Cricut cut file was much easier than I expected and I want to share with you the five easy steps to create an ornament with handwriting, drawing or even a footprint!

Skip down to the bottom to see the steps using a smart phone only.

Handwritten ornament

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my No Profit Promise and full disclosure for more information. Thank you for your support!

SUPPLIES

Cricut Cutting Machine (any model)
Cricut Mat to cut vinyl
Vinyl (any vinyl of your choice)
Scanner
Ornament (I used Plastic Chalkboard Disc Ornament)

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: For best results when creating the handwritten name or drawing, use a black marker (like a sharpie) on white paper.

How to create a handwritten ornament step 1: write name

STEP 2: Scan the image. If necessary crop down the image to the writing/drawing you want to put on the ornament.

How to create a handwritten ornament step 2: scan image

STEP 3: We need to remove the background of the image to leave only the writing. The easiest and quickest way to remove the background is by using a free tool called remove.bg Upload your image and select remove background. Download your new image without the background.

How to create a handwritten ornament step 3: Remove image background

STEP 4: Next, open Cricut design space and upload your image with the background removed. For select image type, select simple. For select and erase, click continue.

How to create a handwritten ornament step 4: Upload image to Cricut Design Space

Cricut Design Space

STEP 5: For the Save As, be sure to save as Cut image.

How to create a handwritten ornament step 5: Save as cut image

Now you have your handwritten image ready to apply!

Tip: When creating a footprint image, generously apply black paint on the child’s foot to achieve the best solid shapes.

Footprint

Using a phone

Below shows how to digitize a footprint using only a smartphone.

WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

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The post How to create a handwritten ornament using Cricut appeared first on Craftara Creates.

Christmas Archives - Craftara Creates

Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper Tutorial with Cricut

Step-by-Step Guide: Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper and free cut file for Cricut

Where can I find the Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper cut file?

Here's What You'll Need To Make an Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper with Cricut

What can I use cupcake toppers for besides cupcakes?

How to upload the Easy Christmas Cupcake Topper into Cricut Design Space

How to prepare your Christmas Cupcake Topper

Cutting your easy Christmas cupcake topper

Assemble your Santa's North Pole Bakery cupcake topper

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Looking for other christmas cake topper projects?

Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Own Personalized Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

GRAB MY FREE beginner's guide to cricut cake toppers

Here's What You'll Need To Make the Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Prepare your Family Christmas Tree Ornament in Cricut Design Space

Transform names into a tree shape using Cricut Design Space

How to Unite and Undo Unite in Cricut Design Space

Assemble the Family Christmas Tree Ornament with Cricut

Did you enjoy this project?

Easy Christmas Cake topper | free cut file

Learn how to make an easy Christmas cake decorating idea with Cricut

Where can I find the cut file?

What machine do I need to make cake toppers with cricut?

Here’s what you’ll need to make an easy Christmas cake topper with cricut

How to upload the easy Christmas cake topper into Cricut Design Space

Assemble your easy Christmas cake topper

Thanksgiving cake topper

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FREE DIY Teacher gift card holder SVG | Cricut Tutorial

Grab the FREE teacher gift card holder SVG and learn how to make a quick Christmas gift

Where can I find the cut file?

What do I need to make the Teacher gift card holder SVG with Cricut?

How do I make the teacher gift card holder SVG?

How to personalize the teacher gift card holder SVG

Cut out the project with your Cricut machine

How to assemble the Hot Chocolate gift card holder

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How to make gift tags from holiday cards with Cricut

SUPPLIES

DIRECTIONS

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DIY Santa Mug: How to Use the Cricut Mug Press

Make your Christmas Eve even more festive with a mug for Santa using the Cricut Mug Press

Table of Contents

MUG BLANKS FOR THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS CUT FILE?

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE DIY SANTA MUG WITH CRICUT

HOW TO MAKE A DIY SANTA MUG USING THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

CUT INFUSIBLE INK TO MAKE A DIY SANTA MUG USING THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

APPLYING INFUSIBLE INK WITH THE CRICUT MUG PRESS

SANTA STOP HERE SIGN WITH CRICUT

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DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

Learn how to create a DIY Baby keepsake Ornament with Cricut

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS DESIGN?

Here's what you'll need to make the DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

How to make the DIY Baby Keepsake Ornament with Cricut

WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

Cookie plate for Santa cut file for Cricut

LAST MINUTE COOKIE PLATE FOR SANTA – FREE SVG CUT FILE

Grab the Cookie Plate for Santa Free SVG cut file for Cricut here

Here's what you'll need to make the cookie plate for Santa with Cricut

How to make a cookie plate for Santa

WAS THIS TUTORIAL HELPFUL?

How to create a mitten ornament using Cricut

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

SUPPLIES

DIRECTIONS

Cut settings:

How to create a handwritten ornament using Cricut

SUPPLIES

DIRECTIONS

Using a phone

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