Looking for cute personalized gift ideas that kids can help with? Grab some Infusible Ink markers, some paper, and a Cricut mug blank and learn how to infuse a drawing onto a mug!
How to infuse a drawing on a mug—a perfect personalized gift!
I did a huge post about how to use the Cricut Mug Press when it first came out—and then I did a roundup of a bunch of different Cricut mug projects to get your creative juices flowing. Today I am adding a fun mug project to the list with a tutorial on how to infuse a drawing onto a mug!
You can use this tutorial for infusing any kind of drawing onto a mug. It doesn’t have to be a kid’s drawing that have people with freakishly long legs! But how cute are kids drawings? And what better way to save them forever than to permanently transfer them onto a mug?
Want more? Check out my tutorials on how to Make an Infusible Ink Tote Bag and how to use Cricut Infusible Ink on Coasters, as well as my post on the Best Cricut for Making Shirts.
Here’s what we used…
- Cricut Mug Press
- Mug blank
- White laser printer paper (I just grabbed a few sheets from our printer)
- Infusible Ink Markers
- Scissors
- Heat-resistant tape
- Lint roller
And here’s how to infuse a drawing onto a mug!
Step 1: Cut paper & draw
Cut a piece of paper to be a little smaller than the total height of the mug. Then trim it down further so that when you wrap it around the mug, it doesn’t hit the handle area.
I told my daughter that she could use any of the Infusible Ink markers to color anywhere on the piece of paper I cut. Since these markers aren’t super washable, I put a larger piece of white paper under the paper she was coloring on.
She loved using “mommy’s special markers” to do a craft. She always sees them in my desk drawer and wants to play with them. You’ll also notice that the colors are a bit duller than what you might expect. This is normal.
After you transfer the design using the Mug Press, the colors will become much more vivid. Exactly like Infusible Ink sheets.
Step 2: Clean mug & tape on design
Next use a clean lint roller to thoroughly clean off the mug. Even if you don’t see anything on the mug, the goal is to pick up tiny invisible pieces of lint or dust. These can look discolored after you transfer the design in the heat press.
Next use heat-resistant tape to tape the design in place. The most important spots to tape the design on are near the handles and along the tops and bottoms of the mug.
Step 3: Transfer the design
Turn on your mug press and let it heat up. It will beep when it’s ready. Then pop the mug in and close it. Watch the lights as they make progress. It will beep when it’s done, and you can remove the mug.
The handle won’t be hot, but the mug and the teal area in the press will be EXTREMELY hot. Don’t touch! And let the mug press cool completely before you handle it to put it away. Cricut also recommends working in a well-ventilated area because the Infusible Ink transfer process can create fumes.
Step 4: Remove the paper to reveal the design
Once the paper and mug have cooled completely, you can remove the heat-resistant tape and paper to reveal your design! These turned out perfectly, and they were a big hit when we gave them to my mom and grandma. These are dishwasher safe, too!
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