Making Printable Acetate Christmas Ornaments - Cricut

Floating Christmas Ornaments
I love these so much!  They are photos printed on acetate that "float" in the center of the ornaments.

Cliff Notes Version:

• Transparency film.  I use Grafix Ink Jet Film, 8-1/2-Inch by 11-Inch, 6-Pack, Clear
• Cut on custom, choose Foil Acetate
• New in 2018 - Download Free SVG's for the floating shape
• Glitter and snow will stick to the acetate - foam beads (found at the dollar tree) work best.
• I use a mini bowdabra. It's currently one of my most favorite things. Darice Designer Bowdabra Bow Maker, Mini

(That's my first successful use of the Samantha font)

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The Supplies - 

It's important that you buy the right transparentcy paper for your printer. I like Grafix Ink Jet Film, 8-1/2-Inch by 11-Inch, 6-Pack, Clear.  I get mine on Amazon, because it is so much cheaper there, but you can also buy it by the sheet at Hobby Lobby (not Michaels, nor Ac Moore) or at a local office supply store like Office Depot or Staples.

Others have tried vellum, and the clear page protectors.  They tend to curl after a day or two and do not work well.

I usually use the flat ornaments you buy in a 6 pack at Michaels.

My printer is an HP envy 7800, but last year I had a very old HP officejet that worked just fine for this too.

I cut them with a Cricut Air 2.

The Design - 

I originally made my own images using rectangles and circles, and sizing them...  but you can now just download the svgs, already sized for a variety of ornaments, here:
https://svgfilesfree.com/products/free-floating-ornament-insert-svg-dxf-file/

Unzip the file, and you will see folders for the different ornament sizes.  Upload the svg for the ornament you are working with.  I'm using the 4 inch disks, which I bought in a 6 pack, from michaeld

Next I uploaded photos.  I did nothing but upload them, as this will be print and cut.

Then I placed the blank ornament image over the photo, and sliced.

I did that for each of the ornaments below.

For the Gilmore Girls ornament (top left) I had to re-add the topper - there wasn't enough space at the top of the photo for a full slice of just the image.  So after deleting all of the extra slices, I selected the top and the photo and chose "flatten" to make it one image for print and cut.

If you add any writing on the photo (I usually cut writing in vinyl and place it on the outside of the ornament instead) be SURE TO FLATTEN.  If you do not select all and flatten, the text will cut out as well.  Flatten makes it just print the inside, and cut only the outside shape.


Print & Cut

Then I hit "Make it"

I shall title this step, "Mistakes have been made".  LOL!  First - you can't do 4 at a time if you are using the larger ornaments.  (Four fits great if you are using the smaller ornaments, )  Maximum width is 6.75 for print and cut.

Second, there are TWO kinds of acetate.  I of course, bought the wrong one.  There's an acetate specifically for ink jet printers, that is the one I needed.

Once you have the correct paper, make sure to place it in your printer so that it prints on the "rough" side of the transparency paper.  You can feel the difference when you touch it, but touch lightly at the corners, so you do not leave fingerprints.

It actually printed beautifully.  But it was sooooo wet that I couldn't hit cut.  I ended up pulling it off the mat, and blotting it.  Why?  Because I don't always think things through.  Blotting it was not a good idea.  I should have just let it alone to see how/if it would dry.  Patience is never my strong suit.

(They look lighter, with the light shining through the window, than they really are)

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Two days later - 

My new inkjet printable acetate has arrived!  And it works GREAT.  This is what I bought:

 6 sheets for $5.95.  I'm using the larger, 3.9 inch, ornaments, and can get two ornaments from one page.  The smaller ornaments would allow me to get 4 ornaments to a page.  Be sure to print on the rougher side!  You'll feel the difference easily enough.

My next problem was cutting - it didn't cut all the way through.  But since it was print and cut, I was able to recut without any problem.  However, once I went to custom settings and chose foil acetate, it cut beautifully.  I noticed that on this setting, it cuts twice.  

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Free SVG Files For Christmas Ornaments
(a collection of links)
http://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2017/11/free-svgs-for-christmas-ornaments.html

How to Make a Bitmoji Christmas Ornament
http://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2017/11/how-to-make-bitmoji-christmas-ornament.html