DIY Coffee/Espresso/Latte Mugs!

For a while now I've been interested in trying a project with vinyl.  Trying to decide what has always been tough and it's never moved to the tops of the list.  But then, inspiration hit!  So now I have completed my very first project with vinyl using my Silhouette and I'm pretty happy with the results.

For our tenth wedding anniversary, my husband and I had thought we'd be talking a trip somewhere enjoying sun and calm, but really our little ones weren't ready for us to have an extended time away.  So instead, embracing the life we have, we treated ourselves to an espresso machine.  It's been wonderful and we still enjoy it several months later!  Espresso, lungo, cappuccino, and lattes all at the touch of a button.  For a tired person in the morning, it really doesn't get better than this.  My husband ordered some great espresso and latte mugs from Crate & Barrel for us to use.  They are plain white, which I do like but I sort of also saw a Silhouette vinyl project waiting to happen.  So today, I thought, why not make that happen.  Here is the end result:

I thought it would be fun to drink an espresso while putting a mustache on!  And then I couldn't resist some great word art for the latte cups.  It was really fun designing the items to print but the whole process was a bit more work than I thought it would be.  However, I have to mention that I probably should have picked a much simpler project to start with.  But then, I wouldn't be me.

Once I had the designs ready to print in the Silhouette software I went about loading the vinyl.  You're told you don't need a cutting mat and that you can just load the roll but I really couldn't get that to work despite looking for many tips and tricks online.  I ended up cutting a strip of vinyl and using my cutting mat. 

After it's all cut, you have to strip away the excess vinyl and "weed" out the little parts.  This is where I went a bit crazy since I had picked a fairly intricate design but overall it wasn't that bad.  You definitely need all those little tools Silhouette recommends though!

Then I adhered the transfer paper and went about getting the designs onto the mugs.  So I knew I'd have to deal with the curvature of the mugs; however, I didn't think it would be as hard.  The transfer paper actually seemed to work against me a bit during this process as it is a heavy paper and as you bend it, it creases.  The first design I did wasn't so hot.  After removing the transfer paper, I lifted a few items up to fix them. Working slowly and creasing the transfer paper in between design elements, I was able to have more success with the second mug.  That all being said, in the end, I wasn't too impressed with how the vinyl stuck to the mugs!  I hope it holds up well!  I do hand wash these, so I hope that adds to the longevity. 

All in all, I'm glad I gave it a try.  I don't think the project took that long but I was chasing toddlers in the middle of it so it felt like it took forever!  I love the word art I created for the latte mugs and could easily see it as a print as well.  I'm sharing it with you for free for your PERSONAL USE ONLY.  You can grab it here.

Now, what next?