// This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand. //
Remember how I made a cute “My First Visit” T-shirt for my daughter to wear her first time at Walt Disney World? I made the graphic myself and then uploaded it to my Cricut Explore Air – it was so easy! Well, we're headed to Disney again in May (I've got the bug!) and I wanted to do a little something special again for that trip. When we went in January, it was pretty humid and we ended up bringing several bottled waters with us every day to the parks.
This time, I picked up a few refillable water bottles to bring along and refill at water fountains throughout the day (because that will be so much cheaper and less wasteful) but I wanted to add a little something to make them fun. So, why not let each person in our family pick out their own bottle and then add their initial to it? It's SO easy to upload your own images to the Cricut Explore Air!
Read on for a tutorial on how to personalize your refillable water bottle with your initial and your Cricut Explore Air!
This project was SO easy to do and it took me less than ten minutes. Check out how I did it:
Supply List:
- Cricut Explore Air
- Photoshop (or similar program)
- Cricut Vinyl
- Refillable Water Bottle (I picked these ones up from the Target Bargain Bins)
- Cricut Mat
- Cricut Cutter
- Cricut Weeding Tool
Instructions:
Step One: Create your own image in Photoshop (or use a similar program) and save as a .jpeg or a .png onto your computer and then upload it to Cricut Design Space:
- Log into Cricut Design Space.
- Select “Start a New Project”.
- Next, select “Insert Image”, located in the sidebar on the left.
- Select “Browse” and choose the image from your computer that you would like to upload into the Cricut Design Space.
- Select from the three options offered to indicate what type of image quality best matches the image you just uploaded. For the this DIY, choose “Simple Image”. Click “Continue To Step 2”.
- Next, use the “Edit” option to resize your upload to the desired size. For this project, I resized them to a width of 3.81 inches by 5.5 inches high.
- In this step, you will be removing all the white space (or negative space) to make cut lines for your Cricut Explore Air to follow. Basically, this is where you'll click and remove the parts of the graphic that you want the Cricut Explore Air to cut out (and leave the image intact). This is where you will remove all the white space that you do not want cut. Use the magic wand to click on the areas that you want the Cricut Explore Air to cut out – after you click on them, there should be a light blue/white square background showing behind them. Click “Continue To Step 3″. Big Fat Tip: The checkerboard background indicates the areas that have been removed and will not cut. The solid areas represent the image you will use on the design screen.
- Next, you'll be asked to name your file. You also have the option to tag your image, which can help you find it later if you forget the file name. Click “Save Image”.
- Now, you'll be returned to the “Upload Images” screen. Your new image will appear in the “Uploaded Images Library”.
- Click on the image to add the image to your project. Big Fat Tip: A green check will appear, indicating it is selected.
- Click “Insert Images” to add your uploaded image to the design screen.
Step Two: Select the Cut option in the Layers tab on the top right.
Step Three: Turn the knob on your Cricut Explore Air to “Vinyl”.
Step Four: Use the Cutter to cut the Vinyl to the necessary size and apply it to the Cricut Mat with the vinyl side up.
Step Five: Load the Mat into the Cricut Explore Air and then press Go.
Step Six: Watch the Cricut Explore Air cut out your uploaded image – it's SO AWESOME!
Step Seven: Once the cutting is complete, remove the vinyl from the Mat. Then use the Weeding Tool to peel the negative space pieces off your cut vinyl graphic.
Step Eight: Now, you'll remove the backing off the cut vinyl graphic and carefully apply it to the water bottle. Big Fat Tip: Work slowly (starting with one corner and moving outward) and use your finger to gently push air out from between the vinyl piece and the water bottle. If you accidentally get any air bubbles, use a needle to pierce it and the push the air out with your fingers.
Step Nine: Enjoy!
I just love how easy it is to upload my own graphics and image into Cricut so they can be cut by the Cricut Explore Air! The first time I used it, I was so surprised by how easy the process was. What will you make with yours? Be sure to share your fashionable Cricut projects on social media tagging @OfficialCricut and #Cricut.
// This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand. //
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