Project: Just Keep Sippin'

Whether it be coffee or wine, "Just Keep Sippin," - Sometimes during a meeting, I will reach for my coffee cup to help me keep my mouth closed and stop me from volunteering and/or making an inappropriate comment.  So I decided that I needed this cup for work and maybe a few other times in my life.    I purchased my cup from the Silhouette Life Inspiration Box Store and the permanent outdoor vinyl from Expressions Vinyl.  Although it is outdoor vinyl, I would recommend hand washing.

I am not going to walk you through the entire process because there are a lot of amazing tutorials out there.  I personally love the Silhouette School's  How to Apply Vinyl Tutorial. 

But I want to share a few tricks and hints that I have learned along the way.

First, be patient and take your time, especially when working with thin fonts.

I always use a cup stabilizer.  A friend made it for me in his shop, but you can also find these on Etsy or Ebay.   It allows me to have my hands free to help straighten my designs.

Clean your item with alcohol, to remove dirt and finger print oils.

 I like to use the mini alcohol wipes, that you can get at the pharmacy.

 Play with the design and figure out exactly where you want it on your cup.

Once you figure out your alignment, gently apply it

and rub it in place with the pad of your finger.

Working from the center out towards the edges.

Then get slightly aggressive and rub your design into your mug. 

I used a bone folder, but you can also use a scrapper.

(Suggestion: the Pampered Chef little brown stone cleaners).

 Rub the design in until you can clearly see it through the transfer paper
Working from the center out towards the edges.

 Gently pull the transfer paper up.  I like to pull upward and sideways.

Use your finger to gently press the design in place as you pull the transfer paper.

 Then I gently rub my finger over the design, rubbing out any air bubbles.

And finally, blast it with a hair dryer or heat gun to help set the adhesive.

My finished project, perfect for meetings.

#JustKeepSippin
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