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.

View this post on Instagram

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.

DIY - NYE Personalised Champagne Flutes

This blog was originally written and designed for the team at Kassa in 2017, but as it’s approaching NYE 2018, I thought I would share it on my own platforms too. When Kassa posted this blog to their site, it took the coveted title as "Staff Pick" for Amazon Spark and Amazon Prime. Please note that this post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links (I have provided international links for everyone, but for Australian specific stockists, please click on the alternative links in the list below).

Do you often feel like you’ve had to use multiple wine glasses at the one party as you’ve put your glass down and couldn’t remember which one was yours? Problem solved! Brighten up your New Year’s Eve party in a practical and festive way!

Kassa Liquid Chalk Markers are perfect for personalising your wine glasses as they are water-based and non-toxic. What’s also great is that they dry super quickly, will stay on for the night and easily wash off with water once your guests have left you to do the clean up!

What you’ll need:

- Wine or champagne flutes

- Kassa liquid chalk markers

- Kassa Clear Transfer paper

- Silver stickers or foil adhesives (if using foil adhesives, you’ll need a die cut machine, I personally use a Cricut)

- Scissors

- Credit card or other firm flexible plastic scraper

Step One: Ensure your wine glasses or champagne flutes are clean and dry.

Step Two: Using a die cut machine (I use a Cricut Explore Air 2), cut out your New Years messages on to adhesive foil. Alternatively, you can use pre-cut stickers, or hand cut your own messages. I’ve written: Cheers, Bottoms Up, Drink to 2018, Sip Sip Hooray, Hello 2018 and of course, Happy New Year.

Step Three: Cut a piece of Kassa clear transfer paper to the same size as your adhesives. Peel off the backing paper from the piece of Kassa clear transfer paper, and carefully stick it over the adhesives. Peel off the backing paper of the adhesives.

Step Four: Adhere the clear transfer paper with the adhesive to your wine glass or champagne flute.

To ensure that the adhesive is secure on your glass, use a firm but flexible plastic (like a credit card) to scrape on the adhesive, then peel off the Kassa transfer paper.

PARTY TIME: Leave your Kassa Liquid Chalk Markers next to the wine glasses or champagne flutes for your guests to personalise. They will love choosing their own color for easy identification. Have your guests personalise their own glass, but don’t forget to let it dry (they dry super quickly!) before using it.

AFTER THE PARTY: To remove the liquid chalk markers, simply wash under the tap with a soft sponge, or even rub off with a dry cloth.

Have a wonderful New Years Eve and let’s drink to 2019! Bring on 2019 everyone!

Take care and happy crafting,

Christmas Baubles, three ways!

It’s truly the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The tree is up, lights are sparkling, baubles are decorated and carols are playing from the moment the kids are up, right until bedtime.

To help you get into the festive spirit, here is my tutorial on how to create your own personalised Christmas baubles, done three ways (vinyl, embossing and chrome). To top it off, I’ve partnered with Sony Music Australia to share with you my favourite Christmas playlist, a perfect accompaniment to Christmas crafting!! The best thing about this playlist is that all the classics are there, as well as the new songs that the kids will know and love, so everyone can sing along!

This blog will be quite lengthy as I am basically covering three techniques; Vinyl, Embossing and Chrome. Feel free to skip to the sections that are relevant to you. Obviously, if you’ve only got one bauble to decorate, take your pick. Alternatively, why not use all three? However, don’t feel that you need to do all three methods, but as I love to experiment with different techniques, I thought you might be interested in seeing what works best for you!

If you find glass baubles difficult to see, you may wish to stuff them with hobby fill, cotton balls, pom poms, glitter, cellophane, whatever tickles your fancy. Gently take off the cap, use a stick (or a chopstick!) to push the stuffing in, and replace the cap. I personally like mine clear, but for the purpose of this blog (so you can see what I’m doing) I will stuff a couple of the baubles.

The (not-so-secret) secret to lettering and crafting on a spherical surface like a Christmas bauble is having something to rest it in for support. These can just be regular household items like a sauce dish, an egg-cup, a bowl, or in my case here, a gigantic paperclip. But what’s even better (if you haven’t already binned it), is the original plastic packaging that the bauble came in.

So here’s what you’ll need for all methods:

Glass Christmas baubles
Object to rest your bauble on (see paragraph above)
Hobby fill (optional)
Stick (optional)

What you need for the Vinyl method:

Vinyl cut-out of your personalised word (alternatively, use a pre-cut sticker)
Transfer tape
Flexible scraper (credit card can work too)
Scissors

What you need for the Embossing method:

Embossing Pen (glue-based pen)
Embossing Heat gun/tool
Embossing powdersing Powder — Letter Me!
Synthetic paint brush
A piece of paper/cardboard, folded in half to collect excess powder

What you need for the Chrome method:

Chrome marker (I used a 2mm bullet tip)

Let’s start with the Vinyl Method.

Firstly, if you haven’t already got a vinyl cut-out of your personalised word, you can learn how to do it here. Alternatively if you have a pre-cut sticker you can use that also.

STEP 1: Position your bauble in your holder so that it is easier to work with.

STEP 2: Peel off a piece of transfer tape, big enough to cover your vinyl cut-out.

STEP 3: Stick the transfer tape over the vinyl-cut out.

STEP 4: Use a flexible scraper or a credit card, scrape over the transfer tape to ensure that the transfer tape is firmly stuck down and there are no bubbles.

STEP 5: Peel the transfer tape (and vinyl) off your table/work surface and then gently peel off the backing paper from the vinyl cut-out. Be very careful as to not touch the sticky side of the vinyl, as oils from your skin will effect the adhesiveness of the vinyl.

STEP 6: Carefully place the transfer tape and vinyl over your bauble. Gently using your fingertips, secure the centre part of your work first, and work outwards. As the bauble is spherical, it may be fiddly getting the vinyl to stick flat on the spherical surface. Your priority is getting the vinyl to stick flat, it is okay if the negative space of the transfer tape creases as long as the vinyl itself does not crease. The trickiest sections would be the loops or larger flourishes (if any).

STEP 7: Very gently peel off the transfer tape. If you struggled to stick the vinyl flat from certain areas, it will lift off with the transfer tape. Do not worry about that as long as the majority of the word is stuck down.

STEP 8: Using your fingers, gentle smooth down the vinyl onto the surface of your bauble, working from the middle of the word again, pushing outwards. If there is a section that refuses to stick down without creasing, do not hesitate to use a pair of scissors and make a small incision in an unnoticeable area. After cutting the word, make sure you stick it down firmly.

STEP 9: Voila, admire your amazing creation!

Now on to embossing!

STEP 1: Position your bauble in your holder so that it is easier to work with.

STEP 2: Using an embossing pen write your word on your bauble. You may wish to write in monoline (the lines in your letters are consistent in width), or you may wish to do faux calligraphy (your letters will look like you used a brush pen with thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes). If you are doing faux calligraphy, it is best to write one letter at a time (working from left to right), back-fill the thick strokes, before moving on to your next letter. This will reduce the chance of smudging.

STEP 3: Remove your bauble from you holder carefully, making sure that you don’t accidentally touch the glue/ink from the embossing pen.

STEP 4: Fold a piece of paper in half and use it under your work as a “spill mat”.

STEP 5: Generously pour the embossing powder over your lettered bauble, ensuring that the whole word is covered.

STEP 6: Dust off the excess powder, and using a dry synthetic brush, firmly remove the excess powder from the bauble on to the piece of paper. Remember a single speck of powder will melt into a blob, so be patient with this step and brush carefully. Siphon the clean, excess powder back into the jar of embossing powder.

STEP 7: Turn on your embossing heat tool, hold your bauble by the cap, and gently melt the powder on the bauble. Be careful not to touch the tool to your bauble. I prefer to keep my heat gun approximately 2cm away from my object as to not overheat it.

STEP 8: Voila, admire the sparkle!

Final and simplest method; chrome!

STEP 1: Position your bauble in your holder so that it is easier to work with.

STEP 2: If it’s your first time using a chrome marker, make sure you take off the cap, holding the marker down on scrap paper, press down on the tip until the chrome travels to the tip. Once your marker is ready, you can start!

STEP 3: This step is similar to using an embossing pen, but with a chrome marker. You may wish to write in monoline (your letters are a consistent width), or you may wish to do faux calligraphy (your letters will look like you used a brush pen with thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes). If you are doing faux calligraphy, it is best to write one letter at a time (working from left to right), back-fill the thick strokes, before moving on to your next letter. This will reduce the chance of smudging.

STEP 4: And… Voila, you are done! Admire the shine!

I appreciate the merits of all three techniques. The vinyl is shiny, refined and perfect. The embossed bauble gives a homemade, rustic feel, if you use a metallic powder, it will sparkle. The chrome technique would be the most simple by far and the results are stunning and shiny, maybe less refined than the vinyl, but something I would be happy to compromise.

Now it’s your turn. Turn up your Christmas Songs, and let the likes of Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Wham! and Bruce Springsteen get you in the mood. Which Christmas bauble method will you try first?

xx Liz

Introduction to Cricut

Please note that this post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links at NO additional cost to you (I have provided international links for everyone, but for Australian specific stockists, please click on the alternative links in the list below).

EDIT: This post was first created in 2018. Although the instructions and techniques are still relevant, I have since also posted about the Cricut Maker, Cricut Easy Press, as well as Cricut Infusible Ink.

Those who follow me on Instagram and Facebook will know how much I love my new Cricut Explore Air 2 machine and how much I love personalising things with it. I've received literally hundreds of requests to blog about how I do what I do with the Cricut, so here we go.

One of my most popular items in my shop last Christmas were my personalised mugs. So I decided to break it down for you, step-by-step. Although they can be fiddly and the steps may seem overwhelming, these are easily achieved using the Cricut.

Here's what I used (below are links to where you can find these items):

Apple iPad Pro 12.9" (click here for Amazon Australia)
Procreate App
Procreate Brushes
Apple Pencil (click here for Amazon Australia)
Cricut Explore Air 2 ( click here for Amazon Australia and Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Gold Adhesive Foil (click here for Amazon Australia and Spotlight eBay)
Scissors (click here for Spotlight eBay)
Kassa Clear Transfer Tape
Cricut Weeding Tool (click here for Spotlight eBay)
Cricut Standard Grip Mat (click here for Spotlight eBay and Amazon Australia)
Cricut Scraper (click here for Spotlight eBay and Amazon Australia)
Cricut Design Space
Mug

To make this blog easier to follow, I have broken it up into three sections: DESIGN, CUT and ADHERE.

DESIGN

So before we can cut out our design, we need a design. In this tutorial I will be personalising a mug for "Danny".

IMPORTANT NOTE: For the Cricut to cut out my lettering, it will need to be in a .PNG format. I personally LOVE lettering on the Apple iPad Pro, using the Apple Pencil with the Procreate app. The Apple Pencil is only compatible with the Apple iPad Pro, so it won't work with any other iPad. My custom Procreate Brushes are available here. Procreate is also only available for iOS, so unfortunately for those using other platforms, the first few steps won't be applicable to you. (*Note: I was an avid Windows and Android user until I "needed" Procreate and the Apple Pencil, and now I am an Apple convert).

Step one: Open the Procreate App on your iPad pro and create a new canvas.

Step two: Select your favourite brush/es and create or letter the design you would like on your mug. My custom Procreate Brushes are available here. Try not to make your design too thin or intricate as it may be difficult to cut and adhere later.

Step three: Go into the layers panel and uncheck the background layer, making it transparent.

Step four: Select Share, and save Image as a .PNG file to your iPad.

CUT

Step one: Turn on your Cricut Explore Air 2 or other Cricut device. Turn the dial on your machine to Custom.

Step two: Open the Cricut Design App on your iPad and Open New Project.

Step three: In your Cricut Design App, Upload your .PNG Image and Select from Camera Roll.

Step four: Insert your image to your new canvas (the checkered background means that it is transparent) and resize the image to your desired size. When you are ready, click on Make It.

Step five: Cut a piece of adhesive foil to the size of your project. Stick it on your mat, coloured side upwards.

Step six: On the Cricut Design App, follow the prompts to set material to Adhesive Foil. I use the original Cricut Adhesive Foil as I find that it sticks well to smooth surfaces. If it's stuck down properly, you can wash the mug forever without the adhesive ever peeling off, and that's what you want.

Step seven: Next, follow the prompts to load the mat. And finally, CUT!

ADHERE

Step one: After the Cricut Design App tells you that cutting is complete, unload your mat.

Step two: Carefully peel your adhesive off the mat, and then peel off the excess foil and negative space (the transparent part of the design).

Step three: Using a Cricut weeding tool, carefully lift off the negative space in between the letters and in the centre parts of the letters such as a, g, d, e and o. Once you're done, your adhesive should look exactly how you'd like it to look on your mug.

Step four: Next, cut a piece of transfer paper/tape, the size of your adhesive foil design. I use Kassa Clear Transfer paper/tape (Use coupon code "LETTERME" to get 20% off your Kassa products) as I find that it works best with foil adhesive. To make alignment even easier for you later, the Kassa Clear Transfer Paper comes with blue gridlines. You can use the guidelines to cut your transfer paper to size (the lines are exactly 1 inch apart) and I love lining my work up to the gridlines to help keep my work straight.

Step five: Stick your Kassa Clear Transfer Paper over your foil design. Using the Cricut Scraper tool, go over the design to make sure that the transfer paper is properly adhered to the foil.

Step six: Slowly and carefully, remove the backing paper of the foil adhesive off the transfer paper. Be careful as to not touch the adhesive surface of the foil as the oils from your hands will effect the adhesiveness and longevity of your adhesives.

Step seven: Making sure your mug is clean, carefully line up the transfer tape with your foil design on to your mug. Using the Cricut scraper again, scrape down every part of the foil adhesive on to the mug, ensuring that all bubbles are removed.

Step eight: Carefully remove the Kassa transfer tape off your mug. Voila, your mug is complete!!

*Please note that Adhesive Foil is not recommended for dishwashers, and of course, do not ever put foil in the microwave!

Hope you've enjoyed reading this blog! Please "like" the blog and leave me a message!!

CHECK OUT MY NEW BLOGS: Hello Cricut Maker!, Cricut Easy Press 2 and Cricut Infusible Ink.

Blogs for Kassa USA

I am proud to be a regular Blogger for Kassa. If you're interested in what you can create with their products, please have a look at my blogs on their website (links below). Kassa liquid chalk markers are available from my store. Alternatively, you may purchase directly from Kassa and use my coupon code (LETTERME) for 20% off.

My first blog for Kassa was ranked in the top 10% of all recent Shopify store blog posts:

Custom Made Christmas Fairy Light Dome

My second blog for Kassa took the coveted title as "Staff Pick" for Amazon Spark and Amazon Prime:

NYE Decor Idea: Personalised Champagne Flutes

Minc Foiling Basics

I have been using the Heidi Swapp Minc Foil Applicator for almost a year now, and admittedly, I didn't always achieve the finish that a self-confessed perfectionist like myself would have accepted. It has taken me months and months of trial and error, and countless rolls of foil to achieve the finish that I am now thrilled with. I thought I would write this simple blog and share some of my own basic tips and tricks.