If you are getting started making paper crafts, there are a few secrets you must know to make cake toppers. Here are 5 tips to help you get started with Cricut cake toppers.
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What is the best cricut machine to make cake toppers?
Any Cricut cutting machine has the ability to make a cake topper: Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore Air 3 or Cricut Joy.
However, not all Cricut machines are created equal.
See the guide below to help you make the best decision on which Cricut machine works best for you.
Cricut Explore Air 3 (best value)
The Explore Air 3 gets the #1 slot for cake toppers. If cake toppers and paper crafts are the type of projects you want to make, then the Cricut Explore Air 3 is the best value to meet all your needs. Here are the specific features used with cake toppers and paper crafts:
- Capable of cutting craft foam (useful for shaker cake toppers)
- Print then cut feature (useful for adding character images to cake toppers)
- Scoring stylus capable (useful for favor boxes, cards and envelopes)
- Maximum cut size of 11.7 inches wide
Cricut Maker 3 (cuts 300+ materials)
The Cricut Maker 3 can do everything the Explore Air 3 can plus more. If you want to make other items beyond cake toppers and paper crafts, the Cricut Maker 3 will give you maximum Cricut crafting capabilities. Other types of projects you can do with the maker only is engraving and cutting Balsa/Basswood or chipboard.
The little but mighty Cricut Joy can cut cardstock and other cake topper materials, like acetate. The Joy works very well for cupcake toppers.
The reasons the Cricut Joy is not recommended for cake toppers are:
- Cut Size limit of 4.5 inches wide
- No Print then cut
- No Scoring tool
- Not capable of cutting craft foam
If you have a Cricut Joy, don’t worry. There is still a wide variety of ways you can use your Cricut Joy to make toppers. Here are 3 project ideas that are Cricut Joy friendly:
Ready to make a cake topper right now?
Do you already have a Cricut machine and want to give a cake topper project a try?
Grab the easy Thanksgiving 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 Fall 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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Which cardstock should I use to make cake toppers
Another of the secrets you must know to make cake toppers is that the paper you use can make your break your project.
Construction paper is not a good quality paper and does not cut cleanly. If possible, avoid construction paper and you will avoid the unnecessary frustration of terrible cuts.
Save your sanity and pick up cardstock online or at most craft stores. Cardstock comes in a wide variety of weights and textures.
Cardstock weight refers to the thickness of the cardstock. The higher the weight the thicker the cardstock
- 65 lb (176 gsm) = thin or lightweight cardstock
- 110 lb (298 gsm) = thick or heavyweight cardstock
You might be thinking I need thick cardstock to make cake toppers. Well, sure you can use a thick 110 lb cardstock but heavy cardstock is not necessary and can be more challenging to cut small pieces.
Depending on the type of cake topper project, many cake topper projects use layers upon layers. The layers add up and create plenty of stability for your cake topper.
The exception to this rule is the one cut or welded word cake topper. If the cake topper design is one layer, then choose a heavy cardstock or glitter cardstock for support.
Ready to go shopping for cardstock? There are more secrets you must know to make cake toppers at the craft store.
You might be surprised to learn that there are lots of different cardstock textures available.
To name a few: smooth texture, linen texture, canvas texture, glitter, foil, metallic.
Who knew paper came in so many options?! After all, it’s just paper. The great news is that your Cricut machine can cut all different kinds of cardstock.
Your creativity can really shine when mixing cardstock textures to add dimension to paper crafts.
This cake topper uses three different types of cardstock:
- Smooth cardstock for the rainbow colors
- Gold Glitter cardstock for the sun
- Metallic Gold cardstock for the base/background layer
If you are getting started with Cricut cake toppers, I recommend using Recollections brand smooth, solid core cardstock. Solid core means the color runs all the way through the cardstock. The smooth cardstock is the easiest to cut with a Cricut machine. I love how the Recollections brand comes in packs with multiple color shades.
Secrets you must know to make cake toppers: Cricut blades
Which Cricut blades do you need to make cake toppers? It depends.
Out of the box, any Cricut machine can cut cardstock using the provided fine point blade comes. That might be all you need.
But what if you want to make more complex cake topper projects like shakers? Or use other materials.
The Cricut Maker 3 has the ability to use the knife blade. You might be surprised to learn that the knife blade can and should be used with cake toppers.
Surprised?? Keep reading my friend.
When making a shaker cake topper, a space or compartment is created for the glitter or sequins to ‘shake’. One way to make the space for the shaker is with craft foam.
A cake topper secret no one told you is that the knife blade is the best at cutting craft foam. Don’t worry if you have an Explore Air 3, the deep point blade will cut craft foam as well.
The other common Cricut machine blade I use is a scoring tool:
- scoring stylus for Cricut Explore Air 3 or Cricut Maker 3
- scoring wheel for Cricut Maker 3 only
GRAB MY FREE beginner's guide to cricut cake toppers
Secrets you must know to make cake toppers: Skip the Elmers glue
Much like the construction paper, the glue makes a difference. Believe it or not – all glue is not created equal. That Elmer’s school glue you used as a kid won’t work as nicely on cardstock. That is because school glue is very watery and will wrinkle cardstock.
For that reason, I use a glue made specifically for papercrafts, dries clear and comes with a precision tip for super tiny areas.
The precision tip makes it really easy to control the amount and flow of the glue.
Here are two glue options that work well for cake toppers:
I love that both of these glue options come with precision tips. The alternative is buying a separate glue applicator with a precision tip and transferring your glue into the new bottle.
The one Cricut tool you must have for cake toppers
A Brayer.
Layered paper crafts like cake toppers use lots of cardstock. Rolling your brayer over your cardstock will ensure the whole sheet is well secured to the mat. Even if your mat isn’t as sticky as it used to be, the brayer will make up for that by ensuring every inch of material is secure and no air bubbles are hiding.
WAS THIS HELPFUL?
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6 Comments
I appreciate your clear and simple guides, I was in a horrible accident and suffered brain trauma my memory has suffered. I find that some of these sites complicate the process more than help understand it.
I’m so glad you found these tips useful Christie!
Very informative! I’m new at this and I have found that your website and youtube videos, are really the best out there. Your instructions are clear and easy to follow. Love your website by the way! I like that I’m not being bombarded by tons and tons of ads. Thank you
Thank you so much for the kind words Catalina!
Thank you, I am a newbie cricuteer and just learned I can make cake toppers what an amazing idea. This answered questions I had.
I’m so glad to hear that Brendalee!