Do-It-Yourself Doormats

My niece Sienna has a brand new cubby house, so of course, aunty Liz had to personalise a doormat to make her cubby house a home.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated by the vendor (at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I have provided you with links to Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay and Cricut.com.

To match the doormat to her cubby house, I used the left over weatherproof paint that her dad used to paint the cubby. Here’s how I created a stencil and personalised a doormat for my niece.

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A post shared by Liz Tu | Letter Me! (@letterme_au)

What I used:

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Procreate App
Custom Letter Me Brushes!
Cricut Maker cutting machine (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Design Space software (https://design.cricut.com)
24” Standard Grip cutting mat (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
A4 Laminate pouch (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Heat proof tape (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Scissors (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Door Mat (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Cricut EasyPress 2 (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
EasyPress Mini (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Paint Brush (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Paint (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Ruler (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Weeding tool/Tweezers (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)

Step One: DESIGN

As a calligrapher, I love to design everything from scratch. I used the custom Letter Me! Brush with the Procreate App on my Apple iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil. After I have finished my design, I exported it to Cricut Design Space. For more information on how to do this, check out my earlier blog by clicking here.

If you are more comfortable using fonts, you can create a design directly from Cricut Design Space using fonts available, or download a font of your choice.

Step Two: PREPARING A STENCIL

The doormat that I used is roughly larger than two sheets of A4 paper (A5 size). As A5 laminate pouches are harder to come by and I do not have A5 sized laminate pouches, I created a stencil based on two A4 pouches. With an A4 laminate pouch, I used a guilotine (scissors will also work) to cut off the sealed edge so I am left with two single sheets of laminate. I faced the inside (sticky) side of the now-separated laminate pouch down on the table, lined them up side by side and used heat-proof tape to stick them together.

Step Three: CREATING THE STENCIL

I placed the sticky side (what used to be the inside of the pouch) facing upwards (shiny side down) on to a 24” Standard Grip Cutting Mat. In Cricut Design Space, I mirrored the image, set the cut to Vinyl and cut my stencil using Cricut Design Space.

Step Four: PREPARING THE STENCIL

As the stencil is made of laminate, it will be quite flimsy and fragile. To remove the stencil from the cutting mat carefully, I turn the mat over (sticky side down) and peel the mat off the stencil, keeping the stencil as flat as possible. I removed the words carefully, keeping the negative spaces but discarding the actual letters as we only need the outside and centre of the letters.

Step Five: STENCIL PLACEMENT

I positioned the stencil on the doormat carefully in the centre of the doormat using a ruler. The stencil is sticky side down (on the doormat), so the words should read the right way up. I left the negative spaces off at this step as I was more concerned about positioning the stencil perfectly.

Step Six: SECURING THE STENCIL

Using the EasyPress 2, I ironed the stencil down on to the mat. The EasyPress2 was set to 165 degrees celsius for 20 seconds. After it is heated on, it should feel secure and shouldn’t move around, but it is not permanent and can be removed later.

Step Seven: ADDING THE NEGATIVE SPACES

I now repositioned the negative spaces back into the stencil on the mat. As the negative spaces are small, I used the EasyPress Mini. I also used the Mini to secure the stencil in turning points and edges where the stencil is vulnerable. If you feel that those areas are not secure enough, you may use pins to hold it down further.

Step Eight: PAINT!

Once the stencil is secure, it’s time to paint! To match the doormat to her cubby house, I used the left over weatherproof paint that was used to paint the cubby. I dabbed the paint on the letters, using a paintbrush. It is highly important to dab instead of brushing the paint on, so that paint does not seep under the stencil. Dabbing also pushes the paint into the fibres of the the mat so that the colour is deep within the mat even after it has been used. I applied two coats of paint to ensure that the colour is bright and vibrant.

Step Nine: REMOVE THE STENCIL

Once the paint has dried, I carefully removed the stencil by peeling it off the mat. If the paint is not completely dry, the paint on the stencil may run onto the mat, so it’s important to wait for the mat and stencil to dry before removing. Don’t forget to remove the negative spaces from the letters. I used a tweezer to do this.

Step Ten: FINISHING TOUCHES

Once the stencil was completely removed, it was pretty much ready to go to its new home! If you want to go the extra step (like I did!), I used a fine paintbrush and went over some of the sides of the letters to make the letters cleaner and sharper.

And there you have it, this is how I personalised my niece’s doormat for her cubby house. Hope you found this step by step blog useful. I’d love to see your creations, please leave me a comment or tag me in your socials!

Happy crafting!

Valentines Day - Free downloads

To thank you for your support and love over the years, here is a special FREE Valentines Day downloadable for you. You may wish to use the image for a Valentines Day card, or send the GIF file to a loved one.

Please note that these downloadables are for personal use only, and not to be used for commercial purposes.

JPG Image:

To download image, simply right click the image, and click on save.

GIF:

To download GIF file, simply right click on the image and click download.

Happy Valentines Day, lovers.

Hugs and kisses,

Cricut Infusible Ink - First Impressions!

(… Get the pun?! ;p)

Although Infusible Ink was launched in the US four months ago, I am super excited and so proud to be one of the first to try Infusible Ink in Australia, ahead of the Australian launch next week.

Infusible Ink is the long-awaited heat transfer system by Cricut, allowing you to achieve professional level heat transfers that are durable and can withstand stretching, washing and regular day to day wear. Instead of applying regular Cricut Iron-On (which is a heat transfer vinyl (HTV) that sits on top of your material), as the name suggests, Infusible Ink is ink that gets infused into the fibres of your material.

As I am still very new to this system, I wanted to share my initial process and thoughts with you as I go along this journey. I know many of you have been waiting for my review, so before I delve deeper and experiment more with what Infusible Ink has to offer, here is my first project to share with you.

“Even miracles take a little time“ Baby Onesie using Cricut Infusible Ink technology

Here’s what I used (links to retailers below each item):

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, with Procreate App (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Cricut Design Space software (https://design.cricut.com)
Cricut Heat Guide (https://cricut.com/en_us/heatguide)
Cricut Maker cutting machine (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Standard Grip Mat (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut EasyPress 2 (small) (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut EasyPress Mat (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Baby onesie (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Ruler (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Scissors (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet (Cricut.com, Amazon, Spotlight eBay)
Butcher Paper (included with transfer sheets)
Scrap cardboard
Lint roller (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Weeding tool/Tweezers (Cricut.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)

Step One:

As a calligrapher, I like to personalise my onesies with my own artwork. For this project, I used my Apple iPad Pro and Pencil, along with the Procreate app to create my design “Even miracles take a little time”. You are welcome to check out my first Cricut blog, where I guide you step-by-step how to export a design from Procreate. Alternatively, you can use a design from the free Cricut software, Cricut Design Space.

Step Two:

Measure your project. In Cricut Design Space, size your artwork to fit your project. For me, my artwork was 4.5 inches in width. Remember to mirror your artwork.

Step Three:

Cut a piece of Infusible Ink Transfer sheet to the desired size, and place it on a Standard Grip mat, with the liner side down (the coloured side is facing upwards).

Step Four:

Load your prepared mat into your Cricut Maker machine. Browse all materials and seelct “Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet” and you are ready to cut!! (If you have a Cricut Explore machine, set the dial to “custom”).

Press the flashing GO button and you’re ready to Cut!

Step Five:

Unload your mat, and gently remove your cut design off the StandardGrip mat. Keep your design on the clear liner (do not remove it off the liner as you will be ironing over this!), using the “rolling and cracking” technique, lightly roll your design to separate the design from the excess. Then you crack the cut and peel off the excess paper. You may use a weeding tool or tweezers to assist with removing smaller excess bits and the negative space.

Step Six:

Prep your Easy Press 2 and your garment. To find out the exact heat settings suitable for your project, use the free online resource, Cricut Heat Guide.

For this project, I heated my EasyPress to 195 degrees celcius, then ironed my baby onesie for 15 seconds using the EasyPress on the EasyPress Mat, so that the surface was wrinkle and moisture free.

Step Seven:

Place a piece of cardboard inside your garment to protect the garment and the EasyPress Mat from the Infusible Ink. For my onesie, I had to unbutton the bottom and insert the cardboard through the bottom.

Step Eight:

Use a lint roller to remove any dust, lint, debris or fibre from the surface of your garment.

Step Nine:

Place your design on your garment, face down, with the clear liner facing upwards. Your design should be the right way up. For me, I could read “Even miracles take a bit of time”. You may use heat proof tape to hold your design down if you are worried about it moving out of place.

Step Ten:

Cover your design with butcher paper (included with the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets). Make sure that the butcher paper is larger than the heat plate of the EasyPress.

Step Eleven:

Now you are ready to press your design! Press the EasyPress down on your garment for 40 seconds at the recommended temperature (mine was at 195 degrees celsius). Keep the EasyPress steady so that the Infusible Ink does not move during the transfer. When the EasyPress beeps, slowly remove the EasyPress without moving the butcher paper or the transfer sheet.

Step Twelve:

Wait patiently (very difficult for me!) for your garment to cool. Once it is cool, slowly remove the butcher paper and carefully peel off the liner with the design on it.

Voila!!!!!! The transfer is complete!!!

My first thoughts:

First touch: the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets felt much more thicker than the regular iron-on / HTV; more like rough cardboard on one side, and the shiny, clear transfer backing with gridlines on the other side
First experience: instead of using a weeding tool to remove the excess / negative spaces of regular iron-on/HTV, you cant just weed the excess off as the cardboard layers separate. To remove the excess, you need to do the “rolling and cracking” technique, where you gently roll your design to separate the design from the excess. Then you crack the cut and peel off the excess paper. Just like with regular HTV, I can see that it will get easier and quicker with more experience.
First visual observation: the colour I chose for my first project seems a bit muted, unlike the vibrant glitters and colours I am used to with the regular Cricut iron-on. However, from the photos and videos I’ve seen of Infusible Ink, I’m sure the other transfer sheets are more vibrant and I had simply selected a more pastel option for this first project.
The image (in my case, my calligraphy), seemed to be less “sharp” than what I have been accustomed to with heat transfer vinyl. This would be because the Cricut is capable of cutting the most intricate detail, that would usually sit on top of the fabric. Now that it is infused into the fabric instead of sitting on top, it appears to be more softer.
First physical observation: definitely more durable than heat transfer vinyl as the ink is infused into the fabric instead of on top. I could stretch the fabric, rub at it, and not worry that the “iron-on” would crack or peel.

Final words: I can most definitely see great potential with this new technique, especially in the future as new transfers are developed and more materials are made available. Although this is much more durable and is very exciting, I am not concerned that Infusible Ink will make HTV redundant any time soon, as glitter and foil iron-ons are still very desirable, and many applications still work better with heat transfer vinyl applied on top, rather than infused in.

I can’t wait to see what other products Cricut develops for Infusible Ink. I look forward to going on this Infusible Ink journey with you. Next project, I’m going to try the Infusible Ink pens! Can’t wait.

Personalised Pajamas for Father's Day

Disclaimer: The content, thoughts and opinions in this blog are purely my own. I was not paid by Cricut however I was provided with a Cricut Maker, EasyPress2 and other accessories. This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links at NO additional cost to you. I have provided links to the official Cricut store, International and Australian resellers.

My kids absolutely LOVE crafting and they’re always excited to see what I am doing. So naturally I wanted to involve them in my first project with my new Cricut Maker and EasyPress2. As Father’s Day is just around the corner, my eight year old daughter wanted to design a new pajama top for their Dad.

Those of you who have followed me for a while will know that previous to this blog, I have always used a Cricut Explore Air 2 machine with a standard iron for my iron-on projects. As my iron is low heat, I have always just ironed directly on the iron-on without using a separator (like paper/cloth in between, much to the horror of many people). It’s never been a problem for me as my iron does not generate enough heat to melt the plastic however it does take five times longer and much more pressure than if I used a stronger iron or the official Cricut EasyPress machines. So needless to say, when I received the EasyPress2 from Cricut, it was a complete game changer. Firstly, I can use the online Cricut Heat Guide to find out EXACTLY how long I need to apply heat on for, the amount of pressure I need to use, as well as the specific temperature for my fabric.

There are of course many ways to personalise clothing, but to share how we created our Pajama top for Fathers Day, I’ve broken down what we did into three parts;

PART ONE : DESIGN
PART TWO : CUT/WEED
PART THREE : APPLICATION.

Here’s what we used:

Apple iPad Pro (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Apple Pencil (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Procreate App (App Store)
Pajama top or oversized shirt (Amazon, Amazon Australia)
Cricut Everyday Iron-On (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut EasyPress 2 (or Iron) (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Scissors (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Ruler (Amazon, Amazon Australia, eBay)
Weeding Tool (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut EasyPress Mat (or heat proof surface) (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Maker (Cricut, Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay) or Cricut Explore Air 2 (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Standard Grip Mat (Amazon, Amazon Australia, Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Design Space (free download)
Cricut Heat Guide (online resource)
The best Dad in the universe (not pictured)

PART ONE : DESIGN

I personally LOVE lettering on the iPad Pro with Procreate, it is so easy to use and is compatible with my Cricut machines. Unfortunately the Apple Pencil and Procreate is only compatible with iOS, so if you are on another platform, the first part of this blog (PART ONE: Design) will not be applicable to you. Instead, you may create your design on paper, scan it and upload it to the Cricut Design Space software.

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A post shared by Liz Tu | Letter Me! (@letterme_au) on Aug 26, 2019 at 4:53am PDT

Part 1 DESIGN : STEP ONE

Using an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, my eight year old daughter designed her artwork for her dad’s pajamas on the Procreate app.

She used a combination of the monoline brush (included in the calligraphy brush panel on Procreate) and my custom calligraphy brush to create her design.

Part 1 DESIGN : STEP TWO

Once you have completed your design, make the background colour transparent. You can do this by going into the Layers panel, and deselect the Background Colour checkbox.

Part 1 DESIGN : STEP THREE

Select Share and export your artwork as a .PNG file to your iPad.

Part 1 DESIGN : PRO TIP

By creating your design in different layers, you can export your design as separate layers. This may allow you to rearrange your design on Cricut Design Space later on, to minimise the materials you will use and minimise wastage.

PART TWO : CUT/WEED

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A post shared by Liz Tu | Letter Me! (@letterme_au) on Aug 27, 2019 at 5:00am PDT

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP ONE

On your iPad/PC open the Cricut Design Space application, and click on New Project.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP TWO

Upload your .PNG image/s. Insert image/s to canvas. If you have multiple .PNG images, arrange the images close together so that you minimise wastage. Measure the size of your garment and resize the image in Cricut Design Space to make sure that your creation fits your garment.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP THREE

When you are ready, click on Make It. Power on your Cricut Maker or other Cricut device and select it as your Assessory. In the top left hand corner, click on the mat icon and remember to turn on Mirror (for iron-on). Click on Continue.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP FOUR

Set Material as Everyday Iron-On. Remember to turn Mirror ON for Iron On projects.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP FIVE

Prepare your Standard Grip Mat by cutting a piece of Iron-On to the size as indicated on Cricut Design Space. Remember to put the SHINY side downwards (the matte side facing up). Insert your prepared mat into your machine and PRESS GO!

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP SIX

After the cutting is complete, remove your mat from the machine. Carefully remove your Iron-On from the mat.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP SEVEN

Using a pair of scissors, cut off any excess Iron-On, you may be able to use this for future projects.

Part 2 CUT/WEED : STEP EIGHT

Now the fun part - weeding! Using a weeding tool, gently remove the excess Iron-On and the white space from the inside of letters, revealing the clear/transparent backing of the Iron-On. Your creation should remain on this backing, DO NOT remove your creation from this. If you tried the Pro Tip (above) and have condensed your working space, you may need to use a pair of scissors and cut out your individual pieces.

PART THREE : APPLICATION

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A post shared by Liz Tu | Letter Me! (@letterme_au) on Aug 28, 2019 at 4:57am PDT

Part 3 APPLICATION : STEP ONE

Set up your Cricut EasyPress 2 machine (or iron) on a firm heat-proof surface. I will be using my EasyPress Mat. Using the Cricut EasyPress Heat Transfer Guide select the EasyPress machine you are using, followed by the Heat Transfer Material (Everyday Iron-On) and the base material (our pajama top for Dad is cotton). The Guide tells me that I will need to set my EasyPress to 155 degrees Celcius, for 30 seconds.

Part 3 APPLICATION : STEP TWO

To set up my EasyPress, click on the power button. Next, click on the thermometer button and then using the + or - buttons set the temperature to 155. Next, click on the timer button and again, using the + or - buttons, set it to 30 seconds. Once the heat has reached your desired temperature, the machine will beep and the Cricut button will turn green. You are ready to start!

Part 3 APPLICATION : STEP THREE

Prepare your garment by making sure it is flat, use the EasyPress or Iron on it to heat it up for 15 seconds. Then arrange your design (shiny side up! Your design should be visible through the clear plastic, and should be the right way up). I use a ruler to ensure everything is centred nicely.

Part 3 APPLICATION : STEP FOUR

Once everything is arranged perfectly, place your EasyPress or Iron over your design. Follow the pressure instructions in the Heat Guide (mine said Light Pressure) and click on the Green Cricut button. The countdown begins! Apply pressure, but don’t move your EasyPress around. Once the time is up, remove your EasyPress!

Part 3 APPLICATION : STEP FIVE

The Heat Guide advised me to peel the backing whilst it is still warm. Follow the Heat Guide for your garment. Carefully peel off the backing, and if required, reapply heat and pressure. VOILA, your project is now complete!

For best results: Turn your garment over and apply heat to the reverse. NEVER iron directly on top of the iron on, without the plastic backing. Remember to turn your garments inside out in the washing machine, cold gentle wash works best, and if you are ironing it before wear, turn it inside out!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. It’s a long one, but I hope by breaking it down to three parts: DESIGN, CUT/WEED and APPLICATION, it is simpler to do and understand. Please leave me some comments and click on like if you found it helpful!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to the most incredible father I could wish for my children, and Happy Birthday to my own amazing father. Thank you for all that you do and have done for us.

Hello Cricut Maker!

Disclaimer: The content, thoughts and opinions in this blog are purely my own. I was not paid by Cricut however I was provided with a Cricut Maker, EasyPress2 and other accessories. This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links at NO additional cost to you. I have provided links to the official Cricut store, International and Australian resellers.

Cricut Explore Air 2 (left) and Cricut Maker (right)

Choosing Cricut

Although I was a late adopter, I’ve now been a part of the Cricut family for a few years, and my Introduction to Cricut blog has been read by tens of thousands of people. Believe me when I say that I am one to do thorough research before committing to a system. As I know that I will be investing in accessories and products for many years to come, I didn’t want to purchase a system and then realise that it doesn’t suit my needs. As I am primarily a Calligrapher, I needed to be sure that the system I chose ticks all the boxes:

Accepts artwork from design softwares (like Procreate) I already use.
There were no additional costs involved with uplaoding my own artwork and projects.
Software (Cricut Design Space) to be able to vectorise my work as accurately as possible.
As most of my work is intricate, machine needs to be able to cut the finest of details (and hairline strokes!).
Accessories and products to be easily accessible and readily available to me (products are available at Spotlight, CraftOnline and Amazon, Amazon Australia, Cricut.com, etc.).
I was able to use my laptop and iPad with the machine wirelessly (via bluetooth) so I didn’t physically need to be next to the machine.

Although not mandatory (but definitely a bonus selling point for me), I wanted the machine to be attractive as it would be sitting in prime position in my studio. Cricut ticked all those boxes, including the aesthetically pleasing part, so I went ahead and purchased an Explore Air 2 with zero hesitation.

Cricut Explore Air 2 VS Cricut Maker - First Impressions

Even though I was 100% content with my Explore Air 2, when Cricut Australia approached me and asked if I would like to try the Cricut Maker, I thought, why not? It could only get better. And it most definitely is. Before now, I’ve mostly only cut vinyl and paper, I hadn’t had the urge to cut fabric or anything thicker than cardstock, but now that I can cut hundreds of different materials, maybe I will! Watch this space!!

From the get go, the build quality of the Maker looks even more robust. The champagne finish on the lid is gorgeous and the storage compartments are very well thought out. When I first inserted the cutting mat, I could already feel the difference in power of the wheels, stronger pull, greater control and precision than that of the Explore Air 2.

One noticeable physical difference between the Explore Air 2 and the Maker is that the Maker does not come with a dial with different settings. All the settings are controlled online, allowing you to select from over a hundred different materials and thicknesses to cut from. The Maker came with two blades; the premium fine point blade, and the rotary blade. I’ve since ordered the engraving tip (it has yet to arrive) and I’m sooooo excited to start engraving on materials like acrylic.

The rotary blade allows the machine to turn the blade rather than “drag” the blade, so cuts are more precise and intricate. Having up to ten times more cutting force means that I’ll be able to cut things like bass wood and balsa wood without cracking or tearing up the surface.

I’ll keep posting more about the Maker as I get more hands on with my new Cricut. Looking forward to sharing so much more with you here.

Shop

Cricut Explore Air 2 : Cricut.com, Spotlight eBay, Amazon Australia, Amazon
Cricut Maker : Cricut.com, Spotlight eBay, Amazon Australia, Amazon

Letter Me!’s recommended tools and materials.