Looking for a fun and creative sublimation project? These DIY Sublimation Bookmarks made with Artesprix Coloring Books, Sublimation Paints, Markers, and a Gel Plate are the perfect mix of easy and artistic! Whether you’re crafting for yourself, making gifts for book lovers, or exploring new ways to use Artesprix products, this project is full of vibrant color and unique techniques. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use paints on a gel plate, add detail with sublimation markers, and transform coloring book pages into stunning sublimation bookmarks you’ll love to use or share.
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Here’s a look at the supplies on my table ready to go. I am using the new(ish) Artesprix Sublimation Coloring books combined with Artesprix Sublimation Paints & a gel plate, plus breaking a “sublimation” rule in this new tutorial. I’ve included the supply list to create DIY Sublimation Bookmarks below.
Using the Artesprix Sublimation products opens up so many options to create and just let go and see where the art takes you. What kind of design or colors would you use on a DIY sublimation bookmark?
Check out more of my Artesprix sublimation creations HERE.
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
If you’ve clicked the SVG file option in the Silhouette Design Store recently, you may have noticed a message pop up that says: “Heads up! SVG files aren’t compatible with the Basic Edition. Upgrade your Silhouette Studio software.” Don’t worry—you’re not alone! This Silhouette SVG warning notice appears for everyone, even if you already own Designer Edition, Designer Edition Plus, or Business Edition. In this video, I’m breaking down exactly what this message means, why you’re seeing it, and how to confidently purchase SVG files from the Silhouette Design Store without confusion.
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Understanding the “Heads Up!” Silhouette SVG warning in the Silhouette Design Store can save you a lot of confusion (and unnecessary upgrades). Now that you know why it appears for everyone, you can shop for SVG files with confidence and focus on creating! 🎨✨ Be sure to watch the full video above for a step-by-step explanation, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel for more tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you get the most out of Silhouette Studio. Have you seen this message pop up? Share your experience in the comments below—I’d love to hear how you’re using SVG files in your projects!
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THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Looking for creative ways to get more out of your cut files? In this post, I’m sharing how I used one SVG file from Diva Watts Designs to create four unique and beautiful projects—all with Silhouette! From a layered cardstock sign with vinyl to an interchangeable home décor frame, greeting cards, and even a custom wood sign, you’ll see just how versatile one SVG project can be. Whether you’re crafting for fun, decorating your space, or creating gifts, this post is packed with inspiration and ideas to help you make the most of your designs.
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When you look at a design file, do you see one project idea, or can you envision it on multiple projects? I started the Crafting Creativity series to help spark ideas and inspiration to do more with your files.
First, here is a look at a finished wood sign by Diva Watts Design using this design.
Crafting Creativity Projects with Diva Watts Designs
One simple design opens the door to endless crafting ideas. You may look at this design and say, “I don’t have a laser, so I cannot do anything with it.” But that’s simply not the case! Let’s take a look at a few possibilities.
Project #1 – Door Hanger with Cardstock and Vinyl
Rather than limit yourself to a specific material, use different materials to create a similar style. I used cardstock and vinyl added to a pre-made wood backer for this design.
I love this one! I used just the hello part of the design, cut a bit off the left side using the Knife tool and then welded it to rectangle frame. Then I made an offset of the design and layered it together to make it pop.
Using just the text from the wood sign design I created the next cards. Don’t throw out those bits! In some cases, like this one, you can use the negative part of the design that’s been cut and create with it too!
When using the negative of a design, a quick trick to get the placement is to use the positive part of the design as your “stencil” and glue the pieces in place first. This means that the design will be placed exactly where you want it. I show using this technique in a video on the Swift Creek Customs channel HERE.
After I used the background as a stencil, I used double-sided foam tape to pop up the striped background to give it some dimension on it’s own card. One cut = 2 card designs.
Additional Resources for the tools I used to create the designs:
Project #3 – DIY Glass Frame Sign with Vinyl and Sharpie Markers
I love creating projects that can be repurposed and have use all year long! This glass frame with the flower portion of the design does just that.
I cut the flower design from adhesive vinyl and added it to the backside of the frame. Then colored that in using Sharpie markers on the backside. While that was drying and the adhesive vinyl curing, I designed several backgrounds to swap out in the frame. This really makes the project versatile and something that can be used year round.
There are so many patterns & design sentiments options out there!
This was another project that I didn’t even bother to use registration marks with. I designed it the size I needed and then used a paper trimmer to cut the straight edges to fit the frame. Sometimes I think we can overcomplicate projects just because we have a machine that can cut things. A good ole paper trimmer is a great tool to have in your tool box!
I used my Glowforge laser to cut all the pieces out of a piece of Maple Plywood. Here is a look at the pieces etched, scored, and cut out.
I prefer to mask my wood pieces before cutting with the laser and then I can simply remove the masking and they are much cleaner.
Once I had all the pieces cut, the Posca Paint Markers made this so easy to color in. Painting is not my favorite part of the finishing process and I hate waiting for things to dry, but I’m getting used to it. Coloring with the paint markers was so satisfying.
The larger pieces I did end up using a bit of acrylic paint to cover the larger surface area.
A great big thank you to Stacey at Diva Watts Designs for contributing the free file for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter for the month of July! If you missed grabbing the free design in July, it is available in the Silhouette Design Store HERE.
This year I started offering a free file each month for Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter subscribers. I love designing in the Silhouette Studio software and have shared some of my creations as well as look forward to collaborating with more artists in the future too!
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Did this give you some ideas? How about how you can take 1 file and create a variety of projects with it. I had so much fun brainstorming, designing, and creating with this file. See more ideas and inspiration in the Crafting Creativity section on the website HERE.
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Looking for a versatile home décor project you can enjoy all year long? This DIY Interchangeable Glass Frame Sign with Silhouette Studio is the perfect solution! Using a simple glass frame, adhesive vinyl, Sharpie Creative Markers, and Epson Presentation Paper, you can create a custom sign with beautiful digital backgrounds and sayings that can be swapped out for every day decor, seasonally, or for holidays. Designed entirely in Silhouette Studio, this project combines the ease of printable designs with the precision of vinyl cutting, making it beginner-friendly yet completely customizable. Whether you’re decorating for spring, adding a spooky touch for Halloween, or creating a cozy Christmas look, this reusable sign is a budget-friendly craft you’ll use again and again.
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For this project, you may even have all the supplies available in your craft stash or think about what you could use as an alternative. I’ve listed the supplies I used below, so you can recreate it too! Don’t limit yourself to these designs either! Think Halloween, Christmas, Winter, and more! I’ll add photos to this blog post as I create more too!
Gather the supplies. I grabbed an 8″ x 8″ glass frame from my supply closet, some scrap adhesive vinyl in black, some transfer tape and my Sharpie Creative Markers.
Measure the inside of the frame you are using. Even if the photo frame states a certain dimension, make sure to measure it and verify so that you don’t end up with a print that is too small like I did.
Open Silhouette Studio and using the Drawing Tools, draw a rectangle. Size the rectangle to the measurements taken using the Scale Tools and verify it again.
I designed 3 different backgrounds at the same time. Use the Silhouette Studio software to create the entire design, including sizing the flower shapes to fit within the shape you are working with.
Now comes the longest part of the entire project – selecting a background pattern and the quotes you want to use. This is what always takes me the longest in creating.
There are multiple ways to add a pattern to a shape. Check out the additional resources below for several options.
I selected the square and then clicked on the library tab in the top right. Then selected a pattern from under my Patterns Folder in the Silhouette library and just continued to do that until I found the ones I wanted. I have 1100 patterns in my Silhouette library, so it took me awhile to make a decision.
Repeat these steps to create as many backgrounds as you choose.
When ready to cut, it’s a great idea to use File > Save As and create a “cut file”, so you keep an original working file that could be referred back to if needed.
When ready, move the flowers away from the background design. Change the line color of the sentiment to transparent. You do not want the red cut line to print around the image and have to reprint. A line thickness greater than 0 on any line in Silhouette Studio will print out.
I am using Epson Presentation Paper – Matte with my Canon TS9521C printer on the photo matte high quality setting. Every printer can vary in what colors look like and the only way to know what the colors will be is to test with your printer. See additional resources below.
Next, cut the flower design (or whatever design you are using) from adhesive vinyl. Make sure that the adhesive vinyl you use is the same color on the backside as the front. This will be applied on the backside of the glass frame.
Weed the adhesive vinyl design and apply transfer tape to the entire design.
Clean the backside of the glass frame carefully and let dry.
Then, carefully apply the design to the backside of the glass frame.
Tip: (not shown) Use painter’s tape along the edges of the glass to make it safer to handle and prevent cuts from the glass edges.
After applying the adhesive vinyl, don’t worry about seeing the adhesive of the vinyl on the front side. As the vinyl sits on the glass and the adhesive sets up, the adhesive look will disappear. Just make sure to apply the adhesive vinyl smoothly and make sure all areas are adhered well to the glass.
Next, on the backside of the glass, start coloring in the design as desired with the Sharpie Creative Makers. These work great on glass!
Don’t worry too much about it looking a bit messy or coloring only in the lines, you won’t see the backside of the glass.
Let the paint dry. Add additional coats as needed for the desired look.
While it dries, grab a paper trimmer and trim down the printed backgrounds. I did not set this up for a print and cut as I would have lost space and not been able to fill my frames completely. Plus, it is 4 straight edge cuts per page. A good quality paper trimmer is a great tool to have in your craft supplies.
And then all that’s left to do is to add the background paper into the frame and secure it.
Grab some photos of your awesome project and think of new ideas that you can swap out the background with or keep it up all year long!
(I’ll add more photos as I create additional backgrounds to swap out.)
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
The wait is over – the Silhouette cloChé Heat Press has officially arrived in the U.S., and it’s making a stylish statement! Available in three gorgeous colors—Milky White, Chiffon Pink, and Ice Green.
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After the Silhouette Summit 2024, I published a detailed blog post sharing everything we learned about the Silhouette cloChé. If you are interested in seeing the specs, recommended usage, temperatures, duration of use, and more; please see the post Silhouette Summit 2024 – cloChé Heat Press HERE.
At this time, there is no release date or information for international areas. If you are outside the U.S., please contact your Silhouette retailer for more information.
Silhouette first announced a heat press with a prototype at the 2019 Silhouette Summit. It was big, clunky and only a prototype that was not functional. The new Silhouette cloChé heat press is a completely new design from what we saw originally. A sleek, modern look.
I will continue to share information on the new products released from Silhouette and watching to see who does add it to their craft rooms. I am still waiting on the new tools – Super Fine Power Engraver and the Leather Carving Knife to be available.
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THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Looking for a creative way to use those gorgeous wood sign designs without needing a laser cutter? In this tutorial, I’m sharing how you can create a stunning door hanger using just cardstock and vinyl—no laser required! I’m using a design by Diva Watts Designs and showing step-by-step how to bring it to life with your Silhouette machine. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking for a new way to use your cutting machine, this is a great project that proves you can make high-impact decor with tools you already have.
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Quick Steps to Create Your Cardstock & Vinyl Door Hanger
Want the quick version? Here’s a fast rundown of how I created this layered door hanger using my Silhouette and a design by Diva Watts Designs:
DIY Door Hanger with Cardstock & Vinyl Project Details
First, I started by measuring my wood sign backer. Then, I grouped the Oh Hello design and scaled it up to 11.8″. Next, rather than paint, I printed a Wood White Texture Digital Pattern by Daniela Moscone onto a 12″ x 12″ sheet of cardstock and then cut the background out of the printed paper. I played around with many different color combinations and finally settled on basic black and white.
I added the digital pattern paper to the background to get a feel for how it would look before I printed the page.
If you are printing a large pattern or filling almost the entire sheet of material with a pattern design, skip the print and cut limits and print the entire page or as much as your printer will allow and then simply cut the design from the printed page. If I had used registration marks on this page, I may not have gotten the size circle I needed with my pattern.
I could then simply place the entire sheet on my cutting mat and cut the size circle I needed.
I cut the black piece from a sheet of black cardstock and the “OH, Hello” from white cardstock.
Now here is my next “secret”. I used the negative of the white cardstock as my placement template for the words on top of the black section. I used a couple pieces of washi tape to hold it in place so nothing moved.
Then I could easily add glue and every piece was placed lined up as the original design showed.
To adhere the background paper to the wood sign, I used Maker’s Magic glue and spread it all over the wood sign and on the backside of the printed cardstock. Then smoothed it down onto the wood backing. I’ve had this Maker’s Magic glue in my stash for a while. The first time I used it, I had a few issues, but I think it was me and just like many things, it takes practice. It worked great for this project, and I knew I wanted to not only protect the cardstock but also add it to the top of the entire sign before I applied the adhesive vinyl flowers so the transfer tape wouldn’t tear up my printed design. I did let the Maker’s Magic dry overnight before adding the adhesive vinyl flowers.
Next it was time to apply the adhesive vinyl flower design. I enlisted the help of my new magnetic glass craft mat & magnets helped to hold this sign in place to easily apply the adhesive vinyl in the exact location I needed.
Instead of using the magnets on top of the material, I placed them in 4 places around the edge of the wood sign and it held it securely in place.
I love how this DIY door hanger turned out with cardstock and vinyl!
Think outside the box! Even if a design is shown in a project photo a certain way, start brainstorming how else you can use it. What other materials could you use to create it? Cardstock and vinyl instead of wood cut pieces? This design is so much more than just a wood sign!
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Ready to unlock the full potential of your Silhouette machine? Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just starting out, stenciling is a fun and versatile technique that can transform almost any project. In this post, I’m sharing creative stencil ideas you can cut right now with your Silhouette—think custom doormats, etched glass, painted wood signs, fabric decor, layered art journaling, and more. You’ll also find must-know tips for designing stencils, multiple stencil materials that can be cut, and step-by-step tutorials below too! This blog post is packed with Silhouette information, tips, and tutorials—so make sure to bookmark it for future reference.
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Stencils can be created from many different materials. Cardstock, adhesive vinyl, plastic stencil materials, and more! I’m sharing some of those materials below with tips and tutorials to help you design and create in Silhouette Studio.
Project #1 – Custom Stencils with Silhouette Stencil Material
Create your own stencils with basic shapes and patterns in the Silhouette Studio software.
I created these 2 stencil patterns and cut them from the Silhouette non-adhesive stencil material using the Silhouette Autoblade.
Silhouette has both adhesive backed and non-adhesive backed stencil material as shown above. One might work better for your projects versus another. Since my plan was to use the stencil on a flat material like mixed media paper, I didn’t really need it to be sticky on the backside.
I also kept all the negative bits that were cut out from this stencil for a possible future project. They could be used as elements on a card, creating a pattern on a card, as a stencil by itself, and more!
Then I pressed a piece of bubble wrap into the stencil butter to give it even more texture.
Make sure to let the stencil butter dry completely before touching it. I sometimes get impatient, so having a heat gun can be handy to help speed up the process too.
I use adhesive vinyl for many different projects as a stencil such as glass etching, painting, or in this project below – I was trying it with a Scorch marker for wood burning.
When creating a stencil with adhesive vinyl, weed out the design and that creates the stencil. In the photo below, I have weeded the flower design out of the black adhesive vinyl. I use basic shapes such as a rectangle around the design to create the outer edge of the stencil. The actual project I’m creating will determine the size of the shape I place around my design for the stencil outer edge. For projects such as painting or glass etching, I will give myself plenty of space around the design. For something smaller, as shown below, I don’t need as much extra space since it will be close to the edge of the blank being used.
Now, in this case, my project failed, but I’m still sharing it with you because it happens! Projects don’t turn out, projects fail and what you see on social media is not always reality.
These wood earring blanks were a bit too porous, and the Scorch marker liquid just bled too much. It looks more like those therapy cards – What shape do you see?
And that’s just how it goes sometimes. Some projects fail!
Here is another example of adhesive vinyl cut for stencils that I was using for glass etching.
And this one turned out fabulous!
Additional Resources for the tools I used to create the design:
Project #3 – Layered Stencil with Plastic Stencil Material
We see a lot of questions by users on cutting stencil materials. Typically, it is in reference to plastic materials that a user is trying to cut. While Silhouette machines can cut a lot of different materials, there are limits and it is not just about thickness, but also density and composition.
Another thing to keep in mind is that stencil material is plastic and plastic will dull the blade quicker than other materials. It is perfectly normal to have to increase the blade settings or passes the more that is cut. And if you are cutting this material a lot, you may go through more blades than other thinner, easier to cut materials.
I cut this 6 mil stencil material using the preset for Stencil Material in the Silhouette Studio software. All I changed was to increase the passes to 2 and then when that started having a few hang ups, I increased it to 3 passes.
The settings that work for you will depend on the blade sharpness, material, and your machine. There is no perfect setting that works for all users magically.
I do recommend cutting one stencil design at a time. This way you can catch any issues before you’ve wasted time and materials.
Do not unload the cutting mat before you check the cut and if it did not cut through you can send it again.
I was using the same Autoblade that I used with the Silhouette Stencil material mentioned above and it’s still going strong with the settings pictured above on the 6 mil stencil material.
The hardest part for me was that I had to stop the design and creation process and move on to other things. Once you get started cutting, it is easy to get wrapped up in the projects. Here are a couple more I cut before I moved on to the next phase – using the stencils.
And there is more!!! A follower asked for more design tutorials after seeing the video above. So I also shared how to quickly design a flower and a heart in Silhouette too!
Click the images above or the links below to watch these quick tutorials:
When working with stencils whether it is a design or a font, the pieces have to all remain in the stencil somehow. If a piece is completely cut out, it will fall out of the stencil.
For instance, for letters A, B, D, O, P, Q, and R, they all have “counters”, which are the centers of the design that would fall out when cut. In order to cut as a stencil and remain in place, the letter needs a “bridge” so it can be held in place when cut.
I typed in “stencil font” to the Silhouette Design Store search and many options come up. All kinds of styles and the perfect one will vary based on your project and taste.
You can see my taste varies and some of these will cut better at larger sizes than smaller. Each project may vary and you never really know until you test it.
The fastest way to create a stencil font is to use a premade font file, but you can also create your own from a font. This works best with a bold font where you can make “bridges” to help hold the centers (counters) of the letters in place.
I used a font style called Grossura to create the stencil quote shown above.
There is so many different projects you can create with stencils! And you can apply the same techniques and design steps to other projects as well. I hope you’ve picked up a few new ideas and techniques!
Looking for more creative ideas and inspiration? Check out the Crafting Creativity blog posts for a treasure trove of fun and unique projects! Each month, I share a fresh collection of craft ideas designed to spark your imagination and help you expand your skills with confidence. Don’t miss out—your next favorite project could be just a click away!
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THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Want to start playing with sublimation but don’t have all the fancy tools? This easy sublimation charm tutorial using Artesprix markers is perfect for beginners! With just three Artesprix sublimation markers, a charm blank, and a few other supplies, you can create bold, personalized designs in minutes. Whether you’re making custom keychains, jewelry, or backpack tags, this simple project is a budget-friendly way to explore sublimation with minimal supplies and maximum creativity.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Hand drawn design on Artesprix Sublimation Charms
So here was the challenge – a sublimation project for less than $20. This is a great way to test the waters and get started. But, I will warn you, once you get started, it’s hard to stop and the ideas just start flowing.
Artesprix now sells individual sublimation markers, which means you don’t have to buy the entire set and you can mix and match the fine tip and chisel tips markers. Will you want the full set? YES! But, you can also get started with just a few, if you can decide on the colors.
For me, the black sublimation marker is a staple, so that is a must have. I chose yellow and blue for my other 2 colors, then I could make green as well, which I share how easy that is in the video tutorial below.
I mentioned above that once you start playing it can be hard to stop. My first charms were all free hand and I noticed my hand was not as steady as I would like. This is what happens when you are on camera and standing up to record. It was a bit better when I sat down and let things dry a bit better, but once I did that, new ideas just kept coming.
Did you know you can also use the markers in your cutting machine with the pen holders?
The Artesprix Sublimation Charms are small at 0.75″. Using the Silhouette Studio software, I drew out a circle that was 0.75″ and turned the cut line off on the Send tab for my circle template. Then I started filling the circles with designs and sizing them down to fit.
I knew that not all these designs would turn out. I made duplicates of the designs, just in case one worked better than the other and I would have a choice. Since it’s just a bit of ink and copy paper, if it doesn’t turn out, no big deal! This is a great way to test designs and see what will happen.
When sketching with a cutting machine, just like when writing by hand, the tip of the pen makes a difference in the thickness of the line. Felt tip pens will spread out more than a ball point pen tip. That can affect whether the lines bleed together or not.
I chose the designs that I wanted to use and then using only the 3 markers just like in the video below, I added color to the designs with a few different methods. I used the markers to color in some areas, then with a paint brush and a bit of water you can get a watercolor effect for a background, or combine ink and water on a slick surface and smoosh the paper onto top to get a splatter or color blotch effect.
Love them! And I satisfied that little voice in my head that said… “Hey, wait, you aren’t done – what about this idea?”
Use the tools in your craft space and see what you can create! Check out the supply list and video tutorial below.
Supplies for Custom Charms with Sublimation Markers:
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
I have been creating with the Craft Pro Mug & Tumbler Press from Heat Press Nation, and I wanted to share how easy it was to use. In this post, I’m walking you through my process from start to finish, including how I set up the sublimation designs in Silhouette Studio, how simple the pressing process was, and the finished mugs and tumblers I created. I’ve also included an unboxing video at the end so you can see exactly what comes with the press and why I think it’s a great tool for beginners or anyone looking to simplify their sublimation workflow.
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I purchased the Craft Pro Mug & Tumbler Press last year during the Black Friday sales and I have to admit that I didn’t unbox it right away. It sat there… whispering my name every time I walked by. By mid-January, I finally gave in, unboxed it, and set it up—and I have no idea why I waited so long! It was super easy to get started and even easier to use. Total win!
These tumblers and coffee mugs could not be any easier. Literally, print and press the design and you have colorful, beautiful projects! I will say that equipment does make a difference. I also will admit that not all projects turn out 100% of the time, but there is usually a reason for that. In my case, it’s usually due to user error of some sort. I get in a hurry or grabbed the wrong blank that’s not in fact a sublimation blank, etc.
For these projects, I am using a Windows 11 computer and printing through Silhouette software to my Epson F170 with the full printer driver’s installed direct from the Epson website. I am not changing or adjusting anything. I then press the sublimation blanks according to the manufacturer’s instructions. All sublimation blanks can vary in time and temperature.
Creating Sublimation Tumblers
The first step for a successful full tumbler wrap is to measure your sublimation tumbler. They are not all created the same size. Even if you order several at once, it’s always a good idea to grab a tape measure and just check the size really quickly.
Next, open Silhouette Studio and draw a rectangle. Scale the rectangle to the size of the tumbler measurements and center it to the page.
I used a design called Sarcastic Birds Funny Tumbler Wrap. This particular design was created for a 20 oz tumbler and since I’m doing the full wrap, I simply dragged it from the saved location on my computer and held it over top of the rectangle in Silhouette Studio and it filled the entire rectangle.
I would recommend always checking the “Show Print Border” on the Page Setup Panel in Silhouette Studio. This will turn on a gray border around the page that shows you the maximum print border for the current printer and page size set by your computer/printer. This is also the first place where you can spot an issue, such as the wrong printer selected, etc. I switch between my Canon TS9521C and my Epson F170 printer all the time and the print borders are different for each printer.
Next, save your file. This is always a good habit to get into, especially when working with heavy graphic files. I recommend saving your files every so often to preserve your work.
Before you print, you want to make sure the correct printer is selected. Click on File > Print > Select Print on the Preview > Verify Printer selected.
In this photo above, my regular printer is selected. That means the print border shown above will be what is set by the Canon TS9521C printer settings, not the Epson F170 sublimation printer.
If you have to switch printers or change page size, make the changes, click Apply and then cancel out of the windows back to the Design tab in the Silhouette Studio software. This will reset the print borders and settings to the correct printer.
Then proceed with printing by clicking File > Print > Print – verify the information is correct and send to your printer.
Sublimation prints will print mirrored. If you are using a true sublimation printer, the default should be set to mirror it automatically. If you are using a converted printer for sublimation, then you may have to mirror the design yourself before printing.
After printing, make sure to let the ink dry completely before handling.
Applying Sublimation Transfer to Sublimation Tumblers
It’s always a good idea to test the pressure on the Craft Pro Mug & Tumbler Heat Press before you get it heated up. This will guarantee that your press is tight enough around the sublimation blank and it won’t heat up the blank in the process. If you add a sublimation print to a warm/hot surface, it has a chance of starting the ink transfer process.
Adjust the pressure on the press as needed and then turn the heat press on and set the time and temperature according the manufacturer’s instructions instructions for the sublimation blank.
While the press is heating, trim the sublimation prints down using a paper trimmer or straight edge.
Clean the tumbler with an alcohol swab and a lint roller. This will remove any dust or debris on the tumbler. Dust and debris particles will absorb the ink and leave blue spots on the sublimation blank that are permanent.
Once the tumbler is dry after cleaning, wrap the sublimation print around the tumbler tight and tape securely. Make sure to place the print the right side up so you don’t press the design upside down on the tumbler.
I have tried many different ways to tape tumblers and I have to say this is one of those things that you have to practice with and you will get better and find what method works for you, your designs, and your tumblers.
For these, I wrapped the sublimation print tight, matching up the paper edges and spinning it to tighten the paper around the tumbler. Then I taped completely around the tumbler in the middle, at the top, and at the bottom. You do not want any crinkles, wrinkles, bubbles, or uneven areas when wrapped. Any air that can get in between the paper and the tumbler when pressing can cause “ghosting”, which is blurred images and not a clean transfer.
Once the Craft Pro Mug & Tumbler Heat Press is up to temperature, I wrapped a sheet of parchment paper around the tumbler and slide it into the press. Then closed the press and pressed for the recommended time. Since it is a full wrap and the tumbler press does not completely surround the tumbler, it is rotated and pressed again so the entire surface is heat pressed.
Sublimation is science. It is the process of turning the sublimation ink printed on the paper into a gas with the high heat and pressure. This gas transfers to the sublimation blank and binds to the polyester coating. Any empty space, debris, air, etc. between the print and the blank can interfere with the transfer process.
The more you do it, the better you will get. And you might as well get a box out and label it “DUDS”, because you will have them! It’s all part of the process.
Sublimation blanks are typically white and the images will show up the best on white sublimation blanks because sublimation ink is transparent. The tumbler on the left side is a Holographic Glitter Sublimation Tumbler and you can see how the colors are a bit different than the other 3 white sublimation tumblers.
I love how they all turned out! The hardest part is getting good photos of a round object. Since it is a tumbler wrap, you cannot see the entire image in a photo. Make sure to check out the unboxing video below for some full 360° views of the finished tumblers.
Since I do not sell products, I don’t print as often as some who do daily sublimation projects. I was going several weeks without printing and was having a few issues. Sublimation ink is a different composition than regular inks, however, even with a regular inkjet printer, if it goes unused for some time, it can have issues and need maintenance.
After doing some maintenance to get my Epson F170 printing well again, I decided to try to make weekly prints, whether I have a project ready to press or not. A page printed weekly is less cost in maintenance than having to do multiple maintenance cycles.
Here is a look at one of the weekly test sheets I printed out a few weeks back.
I had no real plan for the projects, just opened up my Creative Fabrica folder in my saved designs and started looking for designs that I might like to add to a future projects, such as a coffee mug. On the left side in the photo above, you can see the template shapes I drew out to size some of them. While I didn’t have a specific plan, I was thinking 3″ coasters, 11 oz., and 15 oz. coffee mugs might be a possibility.
Sublimation prints can be printed and sit for some time as long as they are in a temperature controlled environment and not subjected to moisture that would affect the paper or ink.
I love my new Sunset Turtle Coffee Mug! So bright and colorful!
And the whole reason I swapped out the tumbler attachment for the mug attachment was to press a design I created for an upcoming event. The swap between attachments was so easy! 8 screws out, switch the tumbler attachment for the mug attachment, and 8 screws in. Don’t forget to plug the new attachment into the power box on the Craft Pro Mug & Tumbler Press or it won’t heat up. Seriously, these things happen to us all!
Here is a look at the entire reason for kicking my butt into gear to get this blog post and unboxing video done. Check out the Upcoming Events page HERE or sign up to be notified by email when a new event opens for registration HERE.
Since these designs are not full wraps, they do not need taped completely around the surface. I cleaned the sublimation coffee mugs, let them dry, then placed the sublimation print where I wanted it and secured the design with heat tape around the edges. You do want to get it tight against the mug so no air gets between the paper and mug.
Coffee mugs can be tricky near the handles. Again this just takes practice and depends on the blank itself. Make sure to secure the print as best you can for the best results.
And HAVE FUN creating!
A few of these tumblers have already found their way to friends and family as gifts and I have a couple tumblers and mugs for myself too!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Ready to take your Silhouette skills to the next level? In this step-by-step video tutorial, you’ll learn exactly how to create custom sketch designs in Silhouette Studio—perfect for sketch pens, foiling, sublimation markers, and more! Whether you’re personalizing cards, creating decorative outlines, or adding hand-drawn touches to your projects, this tutorial will show you how to design from scratch and prepare your file for sketching.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This year I took a watercolor class from artist Tracey Weinzapfel and I’ve been creating all kinds of projects with the ideas from class. When I started designing a class for the Sublimation & Beyond Camp 2025, I wanted to see if I could recreate my designs in the Silhouette Software.
I had so much fun in the design process of these custom sketch designs and just kept on creating flower designs just to see if they would turn out.
I used the sketch designs to create sublimation coasters using the Artesprix sublimation markers. Since the class would be viewed by a variety of cutting machine owners, I designed in Silhouette Studio and then saved the file as a SVG.
Here is the supply list for the sublimation coasters in case you want to create too!
Head over to the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel and follow along as we unlock the creative power of sketching with your Silhouette machine! Can you spot my mistake I made in the video?
What custom sketch designs will you create? Let us know in the comments below.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click the link to buy a coffee. Every little bit helps in the cost of running the site.
