When Jo and I bought the Mug Press, we honestly didn’t know what to expect… would we use it regularly? Was it worth it? (You can read our honest opinion and review of the Mug Press here).
What I didn’t expect…..HOW MUCH I USED IT WITH THE KIDS!!!!!!! I literally make a minimum of 2 mugs a week and one of those is usually a mug made from the Kid’s art work and drawings!
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How to make a Kid's Art Mug!
My 4 year old absolutely loves drawing pictures for family and friends, so it was an easy transition for us to making mugs!
The Cricut Infusible Ink markers have various thicknesses for the tip… I find for the kids, the best results come from the 1.0mm or brush tip markers!
Have them draw on regular computer paper…I literally grab a stack from the inkjet printer tray…and then have them go nuts!
TIP: Remember…everything gets mirrored on the mug!!! If your kids write names or words, there are 2 ways of getting them on the mug in the right direction.
1. Flip the paper over and trace exactly on the back of the words so the ink is mirrored to the front words. (I usually do this way)
2. Take a picture and upload it to design space, remove the background, mirror the image, and then have your Cricut draw the mirrored version for you!
Place the drawings on the mug
When the drawings are done, I cut around the designs the kids have made and tape them to the mug with Cricut’s Heat Resistant Tape.
My daughter usually draws lots of little designs that I place all around and my son (2.5 yrs) will usually do something large and abstract (haha) so I will just cut his to fit the mug surface in one large piece.
Put 3 layers of Butcher Paper or Parchment Paper over the design you just stuck on with the tape. I take a large piece and fold it on itself to make a 3 layer rectangle. I then cut it so that the ends meet at the handle and put another piece of the heat tape to attach the two ends together under the mug handle. Cut off any excess paper so that only the paper in contact with the mug surface is touching the heat plate…otherwise the paper can burn a bit.
Once your Mug Press indicator light is green, place the mug into the Mug Press carefully and push down the lever.
The Final Product: Kid's Art Mug!
When the Mug Press has finished its cycle, carefully take out the mug and place it on a heat resistant surface (I just put it on my EasyPress Mat!) LET IT COOL! Patience is not my forte, so I definitely hate the waiting to see the results, but if you don’t then you can burn yourself! Remember, the mug is literally over 300 degrees…..
Once the surface of the mug is cool to touch, you can safely peel off all of the butcher paper and then the drawing paper!
Be sure to show your kids the final results of their amazing art work!
These mugs have been the PERFECT grandparent and teacher gifts… I recently gave a mug that my son created to his daycare teacher before he moved to preschool….and she actually teared up when she saw it.
It’s honestly so special to create a unique and one of a kind gift that no one else in the world will have…that the recipient can treasure for years to come!
Check out some of the mugs we have made below!!
Looking for more? Check out some of our infusible ink tips here!
Wondering where to buy a Cricut in Canada? Click here!
Happy Mug Making!
Mandy
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