Permanent Vinyl on Ceramic Mugs

I am just going to state these mugs have a 100% cuteness factor! If you love to create or craft or know someone who does, it’s super easy to apply permanent vinyl to a ceramic mug and it makes an awesome gift. You can even fill it with all kinds of great things too!

This is a very budget-friendly gift as well. It takes very little vinyl and I found the mugs very reasonable in price too!

Allow me to show you the easy steps to create these cute mugs so you can gift away! In fact, make one for yourself first, then let the gift a-thon begin 😜 I also made a video I’ll post below if you prefer to watch instructions as I do! YaY! 🙋‍♀️

Supplies

Table of Contents

Coffee or Tea Mugs
Permanent Vinyl
Transfer Tape
Cricut Blue Mats
Cricut Weeding tools
Cricut Explore Air 2
Cricut Maker
Cricut Design Space file – located in my resource library 😉

The Process

Designing

If you like the design I used, be sure to go to my resource library here to get the link. Even if you wanted to switch out the words such as “Sewing” instead of “Crafting” my Design Space file will work.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask, either in the YouTube video comments or here in the blog comments or you can even email me any time!

Once you have your file/images you will be on a new canvas that looks like this, with the images loaded.

If you want to change it, you can click on one of the “eye” icons in the layers panel on the right-hand side, this will “unhide” it and it will now show on the canvas for you to add your word such as Sewing.

If anyone wants a sewing one added to this file just let me know and I’ll add it to this file 😍 Who loves you now?

images for applying permanent vinyl to ceramic mugs

Once your images are ready click on “make it” in the upper right-hand corner.

Click on “browse materials”

Select Vinyl then…

shows selections of materials to choose from

I chose Premium Outdoor Vinyl.

Cutting

Now head over to your Cricut cutting machine and proceed to lay your vinyl shiny side up on your Blue Cricut Mat

Next, load the mat using the arrow button on your Cricut then when the Cricut Go button is flashing you can push the button and your Cricut will start cutting your images.

This is a great time to prepare your Ceramic Mugs by cleaning them with a cotton pad and some rubbing alcohol. This is all you need to do to prep the mugs for Permanent Vinyl.

ceramic mugs to apply permanent vinyl on

Once the mugs are clean and your images are cut, you can unload your mat by pressing on the arrow button again, then proceed to remove your Vinyl.

Once removed from your mat, you can cut the images into the size you need so you may start weeding your design

cutting the images from the permanent vinyl to be able to apply to the ceramic mugs

Weeding

Let the weeding begin. Be sure to be careful to ensure you’re not missing the dot of a small I.

Next, you will cut a piece of transfer tape the same size as your image so you can lay the transfer tape on top of the weeded image

cutting transfer tape to match image size

Then take an inch of the backing off the transfer sheet piece and lay it up towards the top of your design

lay the top edge of tape to the top of your vinyl image

Then once lined up remove the remaining transfer sheet backing. Now you can burnish firmly the image and the transfer tape together from the top side and the bottom side. This will help the vinyl stick better to the transfer tape.

Then burnish the bottom of the image

Apply

Now you are ready to prop up your mug on its side but put a few items on each side to prevent it from rolling side to side

Now you can remove the transfer tape carefully. If any letter starts to pull up simply press it back down and rub with your finger and pull the tape again. Once you’ve done this a few times it simply becomes second nature. It’s really very easy!

Line up the image and apply the transfer tape and smooth out with your fingers, press and rub until it feels firmly in place with no bubbles. Once it feels secure, carefully peel back the transfer tape ensuring the vinyl sticks to the mug. Rub again in place to ensure a firm hold on the mug

Now peel away the transfer tape and ensure all letters are secure

peel away transfer tape at 45 degree angle

Yay! Done, in fact nicely done 🙌 Be sure to not get the mug wet X 24 hrs. Cricut advised to not run through the dishwasher and to hand wash only. This is completely up to each individual.

I know people who have not had any issues running them for over 2 years in the dishwasher. But have also heard some say theirs wore off. So it may be related to different dishwashers and water temps.

Now admire your lovely work and keep on creating with love and gifting with love! ♥