Letter Christmas Ornament and 5 FAQ about the Cricut Maker

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut . The opinions and text are all mine. See how to make a Letter Christmas Ornament and read 5 frequently asked questions about the Cricut Maker. 

Last year, someone gifted us a letter Christmas ornament that represented our family. It is one of my favorite Christmas ornaments! As a crafter, I loved the look, and I immediately wondered if there was a way that I could create one to gift to friends and family. With my Cricut Explore Air 2, I didn’t think that I could cut a material thick enough to make a durable ornament. But this year I am a happy Cricut Maker owner, and these Letter Christmas Ornaments are so easy to create with the Maker and Cricut Chipboard!

Supplies:

• Cricut Maker
• Cricut StrongGrip Cutting Mat
• Cricut Heavy Chipboard (2mm)
• Masking tape (or painter’s tape)
• Cricut Knife Blade (This is necessary to cut the chipboard. Only the Knife Blade in conjunction with the 2mm Heavy Chipboard should be used.)
• Ribbon

To make the ornament with your own personalized letter, begin by opening up Cricut Design Space. Open a new design canvas. Click on “shapes” and insert a circle. Size the circle to the size that you would like the ornament. The circle below is 5″ but feel free to change the size to an ornament of your choosing.

Click “shapes” again and insert another circle. Make the circle a bit smaller than the first circle. Center the second circle in the middle of the first, making sure that there is still an outer ring of the first circle showing.

Select both circles (both should be highlighted on the right hand panel).

Click the “Slice” button at the bottom of the right hand panel.

Delete all the elements except for the outer ring.

Click the “text” icon. Type in the letter of your choosing and pick a font. This step usually takes me the longest as I’m playing around to decide which font that I like the best. Place the letter in the center of the ring and resize it to fit in the ring. The upper portion and the lower portion of the letter should overlap the ring.

Select both the ring and the letter (they will both be highlighted on the right hand panel). Click “Weld” on the bottom right hand panel.

Click “shapes” on the left hand side. Place a circle on top of the letter shape. This will be the hanger for the ribbon, so size it accordingly.

Click the “shapes” icon again. Place a smaller circle inside of the circle.

Select both of these new circles (NOT the one with the letter, but the other two smaller circles). Click the “slice” icon on the right hand panel.

From the new slice result, delete the two whole circles.

Select the letter circle and the top ring (both should be highlighted on the right hand panel). Click the “weld” icon at the bottom of the right hand panel to complete the design.

Before sending the design to the machine, place a piece of Cricut Heavy Chipboard on the StrongGrip Cutting Mat. Use the masking or painters tape to secure the chipboard around all four sides.

When using chipboard, the white star wheels on the machine rollers can make depressions in the material. Before turning on the machine, follow these instructions to move the white star wheels over to the right hand side of the machine.

Make sure that the Cricut Knife Blade is in the housing. Follow these instructions if you are unsure of how to install this.

Load the chipboard into the Cricut Maker machine.

Send the design to the machine, being sure to select “heavy chipboard” as the material.

Tip: For intricate chipboard cuts, the upward facing layer of the chipboard may show some rough edges. If cutting small or intricate designs, 

The ornament will take a while to cut. The Cricut Design Space cutting screen will display the progress of the cut. This particular ornament cut in approximately 25 minutes.

This side photo of the ornament demonstrates the thickness of the material.

Tie ribbon or twine through the top for an ornament hanger.

If desired, tie ribbon around the top for additional color.

Tip: Did you know that Cricut Chipboard can be painted? Change the color of the ornament with a light coat of paint to the top, bottom, and sides of the ornament. Be sure to use light coats of paint. 

I understand that a Cricut Maker can be a huge investment. Whether you’re a current Cricut user thinking of upgrading to a Cricut Maker or you’re looking at a Cricut Maker for your first purchase, you probably have several questions. Here are 5 of the most common Maker FAQ, answered!

#1 Will I use the Cricut Maker enough to justify the price? I’m a craft blogger, so it is easy for me to say, “Yes!” I know that this isn’t the answer for everyone. The truth is, there isn’t a definitive answer. It will vary for everyone. But here are a few considerations that will hopefully help in making this decision. A Cricut Maker will come in handy for those thinking of opening an Etsy shop or selling handmade items. It will also be your new BFF in the craft room if you enjoy crafting several times a week. Whether you’re a card maker or a DIY decor goddess, the Cricut Maker can help create any of that! The Cricut Maker can make personalized home decor (think wall art or monograms), as well as personalized clothing items. If you have a school aged child, a Cricut Maker will come in handy for school projects.

#2 What materials can I cut? The Cricut Maker cuts the widest variety of materials than any Cricut machine to date! The Cricut Maker cuts leather, adhesive foil, balsa wood, burlap, canvas, card stock, vinyl, iron-on vinyl, felt, fleece, duct tape, chipboard, window cling, poster board, and a large variety of fabric. With the Cricut Maker’s ability to use different cutting blades, the cutting material possibilities are endless!

#3 Will it be easy for me to learn the Cricut Design Space software? Yes, but how quickly you learn it may be dependent on your familiarity with a computer. If you already use a computer regularly, then you should pick up Cricut Design Space easily. For those with little to no computer experience, you may need more practice with the software, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t be cranking out projects with ease soon!

#4 Can I upload my own images? Yes! This is one of my favorite aspects of the software. You may upload your own images that you have created or purchased. I share a step by step tutorial on how to upload your own images into Cricut Design Space here.

#5 Can I use my old cartridges? Yes, you may link your old cartridges into Cricut Design Space for use with the Cricut Maker. However, you will need a Cricut Cartridge Adapter to do this.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut . The opinions and text are all mine.