DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments: Easy Christmas Tutorial

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE DIY ALCOHOL INK ORNAMENTS DESIGN FILES

First, download my free DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments designs from my free library – look for Design #783. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

Inside the SVG folder, you’ll see four vinyl ornament designs: “All Is Bright,” “Joy To The World,” “Silent Night,” and “Winter Wishes.”

In the DXF folder, there are files for cutting the vinyl designs with other cutting machines. In the PDF folder, there are versions of the designs you can use to help you cut the vinyl designs by hand.

For this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create an alcohol ink ornament, then decorate it with a vinyl decal cut with my Cricut Maker 4.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: APPLY ALCOHOL INK INSIDE YOUR ORNAMENT

NOTE: Alcohol inks are flammable and should be used in a well-ventilated area, away from heat and open flame.

Compressed air is flammable and should also be used in a well-ventilated area, away from heat and open flame. Do not inhale compressed air directly or spray it on skin.

1. Cover your work surface with butcher paper or newspaper to protect it from staining.
2. Remove the metal cap and hanger from the top of the ornament.
3. Place the ornament into the opening of a paper cup or egg carton to hold it steady, with the hole pointing straight up.
4. Prepare your compressed air by placing the straw piece on the nozzle.
5. Put on a pair of gloves to protect your hands from staining, a pair of goggles to protect your eyes, and an apron to protect your clothes.
6. Choose which alcohol inks you’d like to use.TIP: I recommend using analogous colors on your ornament, or colors that are next to each other in a rainbow or on a color wheel. For example, orange and yellow are analogous. Red and green are not. NOTE: I used Valencia (orange), Butterscotch (yellow), and Gold metallic colored alcohol inks.
7. Make sure the caps are screwed on well, then shake each bottle thoroughly to prepare the alcohol ink. TIP: The metallics need extra shaking because the pigments tend to settle on the bottom of the bottle.
8. Remove the caps from the alcohol inks.
9. Choose your first color of alcohol ink, then place its tip inside and against the opening of the ornament.
10. Gently squeeze the bottle so a drop or two drips down the inside wall.
11. Continue dripping the alcohol ink down the inside walls of the ornament until you’re satisfied with the way it looks. NOTE: I dripped one to two drops of orange alcohol ink down the inside walls of the ornament in three places. TIP: Don’t use too much ink, or it will pool at the bottom of the ornament.
12. To encourage the alcohol ink to move around on the inside of the ornament before it dries, insert the straw part of the compressed air can into the opening of the ornament.
13. Gently squeeze the trigger on the compressed air to blow air onto the alcohol ink in short, small bursts. Move it around to spread the alcohol ink around the inside of the ornament. NOTE: Applying compressed air right after dripping the alcohol ink helps move the dye around more, but it may cause colors to thin or show up lighter than you expect. Letting the inks run and dry on their own leads to darker hues, but the results may look streaky.
14. Grab your second color and place its tip inside and against the opening of the ornament.
15. Gently squeeze the bottle so a drop or two drips down an open area on the inside wall.
16. Continue dripping the alcohol ink down the inside walls of the ornament until you’re satisfied with the way it looks.
17. Insert the straw part of the compressed air can into the opening of the ornament.
18. Gently squeeze the trigger on the compressed air to blow air onto the alcohol ink in small bursts while moving it around to move the alcohol ink around the ornament and blend it with the previous color.
19. Repeat steps 14-18 with subsequent colors of alcohol ink, if desired. TIP: Use a pipette to drip isopropyl alcohol into the opening of the ornament to reactivate the ink after it’s dried, or to “erase” areas.
20. Set the ornament in the paper cup with the opening pointing down, and let the inside dry completely. It should be completely dry after five to ten minutes. TIP: Using more compressed air can speed up the drying process.

OPTIONAL: COAT THE INSIDE OF THE ORNAMENT WITH PAINT

NOTE: If you want to make the ink colors inside your ornament stand out more, you can coat the inside with white or light-colored paint.

1. Prepare your paint by inserting the pump nozzle into the container. Make sure it’s fully screwed on and the pump works. I recommend pumping a few drops of paint into a paper cup to test it.
2. Make sure the ink inside the ornament is fully dry. Then hold the ornament’s opening under the nozzle of the paint.
3. Add three to six pumps of paint to the inside of the ornament, rotating it as you go so the paint is well-distributed.
4. Load a pipette with water, then drip 10-15 drops of water into the paint inside the ornament. NOTE: You’ll want to add just enough water to get the paint moving, but not so much that it becomes runny.
5. Holding the ornament in one hand, firmly cover the opening with your finger or thumb so the paint and water cannot escape.
6. Shake the ornament vigorously in all directions to mix the water with the paint and disperse it evenly around the inside of the ornament. Be careful not to hit the ornament on your work surface as you shake it. NOTE: If you need more coverage, add one more pump of paint and a few more drops of water, then cover the opening and shake again. Don’t use too much paint or water, or the ornament will take an extra long time to dry.
7. Turn the ornament so the hole is facing down, and place it inside of a paper cup to let any excess paint drip out.
8. Rotate the ornament every 15-30 minutes for the first couple of hours to allow the paint to cover the entire inside of the ornament.
9. Let the ornament dry overnight (at least 8 hours) before reinserting the cap and hanger.

STEP 3: CUT & WEED YOUR VINYL DESIGN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. In Cricut Design Space on a blank Canvas, click “Upload.”
2. Click “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse.”
4. Find and select the SVG of your choice from the main SVG folder. NOTE: I’ll demonstrate with the “All Is Bright” design.
5. Click “Open” and then “Continue.”
6. Click “Upload” to add the design to your Canvas.
7. Click “Save” and give your project a name.
8. The designs are sized to fit the ornaments in my materials list, but you can use the corner handles to adjust the size as needed.
9. Your design is ready to cut!

CUTTING & WEEDING

1. Select your machine at the top right, then click “Make.”
2. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”
3. On the Prepare screen, make sure the correct Material Size is selected for your mat.
4. Click “Continue.”
5. On the Make screen, choose the material setting that corresponds to your material. I used the “Value Vinyl” setting with “More” Pressure.
6. Place your vinyl pretty side up onto a green StandardGrip machine mat.
7. Use a brayer to adhere it well.
8. Check that your Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.
9. Load your mat into your Cricut and press the flashing middle button to begin cutting.
10. Before unloading the mat, use your weeding tool to gently lift one of the insides of the letters to see if the cut went through the vinyl, but not the carrier sheet. If not, press the middle button to cut the design in the same spot again.
11. Once the vinyl is cut, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the material. NOTE: If you have any issues with your cuts, check out my Tips & Tricks for Cleaner Cuts tutorial.
12. Use scissors to cut away any excess vinyl, or to cut the decals apart if you cut more than one.
13. Use a weeding tool to carefully peel away the extra background vinyl around the design, leaving the design behind on the carrier sheet.
14. Use your weeding tool to gently lift and remove any other areas you want to remove, like the insides of the letters.TIP: It can be easier to weed vinyl, especially small, detailed designs, while it is adhered to the machine mat. If any needed pieces lift up, use your weeding tool to carefully tack them back down to the carrier sheet before continuing.

STEP 4: APPLY THE VINYL DECAL TO THE ORNAMENT

1. Use a soft cloth and a little isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the ornament of fingerprints and dust.
2. Place the ornament in a clean paper cup, so the hanger is pointed away from you and the side you want your decal to be on is facing you.
3. Cut a piece of StandardGrip transfer tape that is slightly larger than your vinyl decal.
4. Remove the backing from the transfer tape.
5. Stick and unstick the transfer tape to a piece of fabric a few times to make it a bit less sticky and easier to remove from the ornament once the vinyl is transferred.
6. Hold your transfer tape in the shape of a “taco” sticky side down, then touch the bottom of the “taco” onto the middle of the vinyl decal. To help align the decal on the ornament, try to align the grid lines on the transfer tape with the line(s) of text in the design.
7. Use a scraper tool to burnish the decal to the transfer tape from the front and back.
8. Gently peel off the backing from the vinyl.TIP: If any vinyl lifts up from the transfer tape, lay the backing back down and burnish again.
9. Before you apply the vinyl to the ornament, use scissors to cut slits into the edges of the transfer tape. Cut into where the design is, but do not cut the vinyl. This allows the transfer tape and vinyl to bend around the ornament and curve to the surface, preventing bubbles and creasing.
10. Bend the design into a taco shape and touch just the middle onto the approximate center of your ornament.
11. Don’t smooth the transfer tape down yet.
12. Pick the ornament up by its hanger and look at it straight on, at eye level, the way it would hang on a Christmas tree.
13. Check that the design is straight and centered on the ornament. If it’s not, adjust it or pull it off and try again.
14. When you’re happy with the positioning, use your fingers to smooth the decal onto the ornament from the center outward, smoothing out any wrinkles in the vinyl.
15. Take your time and really press the vinyl well onto the ornament. TIP: Since you cut slits in the transfer tape, be sure that any vinyl you press down is directly touching the ornament. If the transfer tape gets wrinkled or overlaps itself as you press the decal into place, that’s OK.
16. Carefully remove the transfer tape from the ornament. Since you cut slits, it will likely come off in multiple pieces. NOTE: If there are some vinyl pieces that are not stuck to the ornament, push them down again with a little more pressure and continue to remove the transfer tape.
17. Once the transfer tape has been removed, go over all parts of the design with your fingers and press down any vinyl that may not be adhered properly. Remove all bubbles as best as you can. TIP: If you notice a spot in the vinyl that has shifted or has bubbles or creases in it, carefully use your weeding tool to lift it up and move it, then use your finger to smooth it back down into the right position.
18. Make sure the cap is securely inserted into the opening, and your DIY Alcohol Ink Ornament is ready to hang!

STEP 5: SHOW IT OFF!

Here are what my DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments look like!