As soon as I saw this picture of Minnie Mouse printed on vinyl, I knew exactly what I needed to do. With my Cricut Explore machine, I could easily create my own vinyl prints to decorate everything from my phone case to my water bottle. And with the print then cut feature, I could create intricate designs like this one with ease.
What You’ll Need
Before we get started, here’s what you’ll need:
- A Cricut Explore machine
- Printer
- Vinyl sheets
- Cricut cutting mat
- Scissors
Step 1: Choose Your Design
The first step is selecting the design you want to print. There are many places where you can find free designs online, or you can create your own using programs like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape. For this project, I used a pre-made Minnie Mouse design I found on Pinterest.
Step 2: Print Your Design
Once you have your design, it’s time to print it onto your vinyl. Load your vinyl sheet into your printer, making sure the printable side is facing up. Then, print your design using your printer’s highest quality settings.
Step 3: Cut Your Design
After your design is printed, it’s time to cut it out using your Cricut Explore machine. First, place your vinyl sheet onto your cutting mat, making sure it’s securely fastened. Then, load the cutting mat into your Cricut machine and select the “Vinyl” setting. Once your machine has finished cutting, carefully remove the excess vinyl from around your design.
Step 4: Apply Your Vinyl
Finally, it’s time to apply your vinyl to your desired surface. Carefully place your vinyl onto your surface, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles. If you’re applying vinyl to a curved surface like a phone case, you may need to cut small slits in the vinyl to help it fit better.
And there you have it - a custom vinyl design created using your Cricut Explore machine! With the print then cut feature, the possibilities are endless. You can create custom stickers, labels, and more that are totally unique to you. Happy crafting!
