I’ve got 10 easy and beginner-friendly ways to make acrylic (and wood slice) ornaments that I want to share with you!
These are pretty fast to make and can also work as gift tags, place cards if you use names instead of words, Secret Santa or co-worker gifts and more.
Clear acrylic ornaments usually have backing sheets stuck to both sides so make sure to remove the one from whichever side you are placing the designs on first. You can also clean the exposed side with an alcohol swab, if desired, before placing the design on it. Remove the backing sheet from the other side once your design is adhered down on the ornament.
The video and written tutorial below shows you how to assemble the ornaments after you’ve cut the designs out of vinyl (various kinds), weeded them and removed the backing sheet(s) from the ornaments as needed.
But if you are interested in seeing the set up steps to cut this project in Cricut Design Space, Brother Canvas Workspace or Silhouette Studio, you can find those videos in my Resource Library. The FREE Round Christmas Ornaments 1 SVG (and other types) design file used for this project is also in my Resource Library. CLICK HERE to sign up for the password to access the FREE Resource Library. It’s new but growing all the time with new tutorials, free SVG files and more!
Click HERE for the SUPPLY LIST
Check out my Print Then Cut Stickers with your Cricut Joy video here.
Please check out the video tutorial below or scroll down for instructions:
The Easiest of the Easy Acrylic Ornaments
For the super, super easy ornaments you just need a couple of words cut out of permanent adhesive vinyl, some transfer tape and a scraper.
All you need to do is get your word on to transfer tape by placing the transfer tape over the word, burnishing thoroughly with the scraper and then peel away the backing sheet from the word.
Now line up the word where you want it on the front or back of the clear ornament and press in place. Burnish again with the scraper to ensure good contact and then remove the transfer tape. Add a cute twine or ribbon cord and a bow if you like.
#1: To place the word on the front of the ornament, cut the word out right side up.
#2: To place it on the back, flip/mirror it before cutting it out so it’s backwards when you put it on the ornament. Then you look through the front of the ornament to read the word.
#3: For a small upgrade, place the word on the front of a foil-backed acrylic ornament. It has extra sparkle in gold or silver (see Supply List).
A Still Very Easy Acrylic Ornament: Add a Shape
#4: Press a word on the front of an acrylic ornament using permanent adhesive vinyl. Then add a shape behind it made from patterned or glitter cardstock to offset the word.
You’ll need to make sure the cardstock you use contrasts well with the color of vinyl you use for the word. The cardstock also needs to be heavy-weight enough to not tear when you hang it on the back of the ornament with the same ribbon or twine you use to hang the ornament.
Line up the shape on the back of the ornament and mark where the hole is in the ornament with a pen. Then punch a hole at the mark with a hole punch.
Finally, put twine or ribbon through the hole in the ornament and string the shape on to the twine/ribbon so it hangs down the back of the ornament. Then, tie a knot in the twine/ribbon to hang the ornament with its backing shape from a tree or elsewhere.
Use Heat Transfer Vinyl on Some Easy Acrylic Ornaments
Since adhesive vinyl can scratch easily, especially when stored after the holidays, you may want to step it up a notch and use heat transfer vinyl instead. Heat transfer vinyl can resist scratching a bit better than adhesive vinyl – not completely but better.
#5: Cut a word out of heat transfer vinyl, making sure to flip/mirror it before cutting. Then place the word down on the front of a clear acrylic ornament, pressing in place so the backing sheet sticks to the ornament.
#6: Cut a word out of heat transfer vinyl but do not flip/mirror it before cutting. Then place the word down on the back of a clear acrylic ornament, pressing in place so the backing sheet sticks to the ornament. The word will be backwards until you look through the ornament.
#7: For a faux chalkboard ornament, cut one of the circle designs out of matte black heat transfer vinyl. Flip/mirror it before cutting it out. This one will go on the front of a wood slice ornament.
To adhere the heat transfer vinyl on to the clear acrylic ornaments, use a Mini Heat Press set to medium.
Place your clear acrylic ornament on a heat resistant surface, heat transfer vinyl side up, and then place a small teflon sheet or piece of parchment/butcher paper over it.
Press down on the ornament with the Mini Heat Press, using medium-firm pressure for 25 seconds to set the heat transfer vinyl on the acrylic.
When done, place the ornament to the side to cool completely before removing the backing sheet from the heat transfer vinyl.
To adhere the heat transfer vinyl on to the wood slice ornaments, use a Mini Heat Press set to low.
Place your wood slice ornament on a heat resistant surface, heat transfer vinyl side up.
The heat transfer vinyl won’t stick to the ornament before heating, so you’ll need a heat resistant glove to hold the heat resistant vinyl on the wood slice ornament while you heat it with the Mini Heat Press.
Press down on the ornament with the Mini Heat Press, while holding the design in place with a gloved hand, using medium-firm pressure for 25 seconds to set the heat transfer vinyl on the wood.
When done, place the ornament to the side to cool completely before removing the backing sheet from the heat transfer vinyl.
The Most Difficult(?) of the Easy Acrylic Ornaments
The most involved of my easy ornament ideas is still pretty easy but it requires some more equipment. This time, I’m using spray products on the backs of the clear acrylic ornaments to create different effects.
#8: Cut a word out of permanent adhesive vinyl, flip/mirror it before cutting. Adhere on the back of a clear acrylic ornament.
Place in a well-ventilated area and spray over the word and the entire back with frosted glass spray. You’ll need to add 3 – 4 light coats of the spray and let dry.
Once dry, carefully remove the vinyl from the back of the ornament to reveal the clear word, surrounded by the frosted acrylic.
#9: Cut a word out of permanent adhesive vinyl, flip/mirror it before cutting. Adhere on the back of a clear acrylic ornament.
Place in a well-ventilated area and spray over the word and the entire back with Krylon Kamar Varnish.
While still wet, carefully pick it up by the edges making sure to not touch the back and transfer to a piece of scratch paper, wet side up. Cover the wet side with fine glitter in the color of your choice. Let dry.
Once dry, tap off the excess glitter and carefully remove the vinyl word from the back of the ornament to reveal the clear word surrounded by the glitter. You may want to wipe the glittered side off with a Swiffer cloth to make sure all excess glitter is removed.
Then spray the glittered side again with the Krylon Kamar Varnish to seal in the glitter.
#10: Cut a word out of permanent adhesive vinyl, flip/mirror it before cutting. Adhere on the back of a clear acrylic ornament.
Place in a well-ventilated area and spray over the word and the entire back with Krylon Kamar Varnish.
While still wet, carefully pick it up by the edges making sure to not touch the back and transfer to a piece of scratch paper, wet side up. Cover the wet side with fine glitter in the color of your choice. Let dry.
Once dry, tap off the excess glitter but leave the vinyl word in place. You may want to wipe the glittered side off with a Swiffer cloth to make sure all excess glitter is removed.
Then spray the glittered side again with the Krylon Kamar Varnish to seal in the glitter.
TIP #1: If after tapping off the glitter (but before removing the vinyl if making #9) it looks like areas are not as solidly covered as you’d like, you can respray it with the Kamar Varnish, cover with glitter again, let dry and then tap off again. The second coat should fill in any light areas.
Tip #2: You can save yourself a step by using glitter spray paint instead of Kamar Varnish and loose glitter to create the glittered look of ornaments 9 & 10. But, you’ll still need to seal the glitter paint with some kind of varnish afterwards.
Those are my 10 easy acrylic ornament (and wood slice) ornament ideas! I hope you use them to make some great ornaments, tags or gifts this holiday season.
Do you know other easy techniques for acrylic ornaments? Please share in the comments below.
Questions or Comments?
If you have any questions, please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you soon. Want to just tell me how much you loved this tutorial? Please leave me a comment below – lol!
Suggestions?
I would also appreciate any ideas you may have for topics to cover related to the software for Cricut (Design Space), Silhouette (Studio) or Brother (Canvas Workspace) and any suggestions you may have on projects to create with the Cricut Maker, Cricut Joy, Silhouette Cameo 4 or the Brother Scan N Cut DX. Please leave any requests you have in the comments. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and read my blog. Thanks!
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