Baby's First Christmas Ornament

Baby’s first Christmas is super exciting for the baby’s parents. These acrylic ornaments are a great way to commemorate it every year by hanging the ornament on the tree or anywhere around the house at Christmas. These make a cute gift to give in a baby basket or as a surprise. It would add a nice personal touch to your holiday decor! 

These ornaments are entirely customizable; you can use whatever vinyl colours you want and paint, if you want to paint the back of the ornament. If you want to use an image, it doesn’t need to be footprints; it could be hearts, little fingers or a rattle. The ornament doesn’t necessarily need to be round. I found some super cute jumper-shaped blanks, you can do a square, a heart shape, or a hexagon. I am sure there are more acrylic shapes out there to work with. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you can always change it to baby’s first winter. 

The pictures I am using are from the first time I made this ornaments. I don't have any updated pictures for new ones but the post has been updated to fit with how I do it now.

Materials

How to make

Creating the image 

If you created the image in another program upload the image to Design Space

1. Open Cricut Design Space, go to shapes and add a circle (or chosen shape) the size of your ornament. Example 3 inches. This isn’t necessary, but I find it helps with positioning and sizing.
2. Type out “Baby’s First Christmas 2025.” I did each word separately so I could place them where I wanted them and adjust sizes. 
3. Pick which font(s) you want to use. I used two fonts, one for “Christmas” and one for “Baby’s first 2025.”
4. Go to images and search for a footprint or any image you want. You don’t need to do an image; it is totally up to you.
5. Once your font is chosen, move the wording to the shape and start arranging and sizing it.
6. When the wording and the footprint are positioned the way you want them, hide the shape, highlight everything, and attach it to ensure it stays the way you want it. 
7. Duplicate as needed.

Adding and cutting the vinyl 

1. Turn on your Cricut machine or the machine you are using, and the fine point blade is in the clamp.
2. Make sure Design Space is open.
3. Place Oracal vinyl on the standard 12 by 12 green mat(s). Use the scraper or brayer to help the vinyl adhere to the mat and help remove air bubbles. If you don’t think your mat is sticky enough, use washi tape or masking tape to help hold it down.
4. Go to "make" at the top right.
5. Click "on mat for any material". 
6. Click "continue" when everything looks good.
7. Choose your material "washi sheet". I like to use this setting for smaller and thinner images or wording.
8. Load the machine when prompted; the arrow will flash.
9. Click the flashing "C" when it starts, and the machine will start doing its thing. 
10. Repeat as needed.

Removing and weeding the vinyl 

1. Unload the machine when prompted.
2. Flip the mat over and pull the mat off the vinyl. Pulling the vinyl off the mat tends to curl the vinyl. 
3. Take the weeding tool and start removing the vinyl you don't need. I usually weed the vinyl on top of the self-healing mat. Take your time and keep scissors nearby to cut any access you want off as you go. This isn't necessary, but I find it helps. 
4. Repeat as needed.

Adding the vinyl to acrylic ornaments 

1. Set up your self-healing mat. I used painter's tape under the mat to help hold it to the desk to keep the mat from moving. This isn’t necessary.
2. Peel the plastic cover off the ornament. 
3. Place the ornament onto the self-healing mat, ensuring it is straight and centred. Use the lines of the mat to help with positioning. 
4. Put a piece of painter's tape at the top of the ornament. Essentially, taping the ornament to the mat. Helps keep the ornament from moving, and you can focus on centring the image.
5. Use the alcohol wipes to clean the ornament, removing any dust or oils.
6. Cut a piece of transfer tape to the size of the image you are working with.
7. Peel the transfer tape off and put it on top of the image, then take the scraper and run it over to help adhere it and push out any air bubbles.
8. Flip it over and run the scraper over the back, and pull the backing off the image should be attached to the transfer tape.
9. Now place the image where you want it to go. Use the lines on the mat to help keep it straight. 
10. Then take the scraper and run it over to help adhere it, and then slowly pull the transfer tape.

Painting the ornament & adding twine

1. Pull the plastic backing off the ornament if you haven’t already.
2. Clean the area and make sure it is nice and dry.
3. Take your brush and add the paint.
4. When the paint is dry add the twine or string.

Your ornament is done and ready for your Christmas tree!

I hope this helped you create your little ones' first Christmas ornament. 

If you have any questions, or comments or looking to get an ornament pop message in the box below!