I love giving personalized gifts. This is especially the case for anniversaries and retirements. So when I saw the Artesprix blank of the month for January, I was excited to create something beautiful. The blank is a sublimation wine stopper and it is gorgeous! Let’s get to making.
Material and Supplies
- Artesprix Wine Stopper
- Artesprix Iron-On-Ink black stamp pad
- Patterned stencil
- Heat Press
- Protective Paper
- Heat Tape
- Copy Paper
- Washi Tape
- Pencil
- Blending brush, dauber, or sponge
- Permanent adhesive vinyl
- Transfer tape
- Weeding tools
- Cricut or other cutting machine
The Process
Step 1: Use a pencil to trace around the outside of the rectangle sublimation plates onto plain copy paper.
Step 2: Use washi tape to tape the stencil over the traced rectangles. (I used a stencil from Hero Arts)
Pro Tip: Since the design area is very small, be sure to place the stencil so that you capture the part of the pattern you like most for this design.
Step 3: Use a blending brush to add the black Iron-On-Ink from the stamp pad over the stencil, being sure to fill up the traced rectangle
Step 4: Repeat for the second rectangle
Step 5: Peel off the clear protective plastic from the rectangle plates
Pro Tip: Before going on, clean the wine stopper design plates using a lint brush or lint-free cloth
Step 6: Place the rectangle plates white side down over the stamped designs and tape using heat tape.
Step 7: Now we’ll make our “sublimation sandwich” to get ready to transfer our design. Make a sublimation sandwich using protective paper and your design in this order: (from the bottom up) protective paper, metal plates, design, another sheet of protective paper.
Step 8: Press the design at 385 degrees for 45 seconds.
Step 9: Before removing the design from the heat press, do a “peek test” by lifting a corner of the design to make sure the design is transferred correctly.
If the design is transferred well, you are done and you can remove the tape and paper. If it is not, replace the covering and press it for a few more seconds.
Pro Tip: If there is no ink on the sheet of protective paper, you can re-use it. However, if there is ink on it, you won’t want to use it again.
Step 10: (Optional) Use permanent vinyl to cut your personalized name, date, or anything you’d like on your Cricut or other electronic cutting machine.
Step 11: Use transfer tape to transfer your vinyl design to the completed wine stopper design.
Step 12: Remove the adhesive covering from the wine stopper and attach the finished designs to each side.
What do you think? I love the way this sublimation wine stopper turned out and I’m looking forward to making more.
Finding More Inspiration
If you love this project, I’d love to see what you create. You can grab your sublimation wine stoppers from Artesprix during January 2024. While you’re there, be sure to browse the “Inspiration” section of the site where you’ll find more ideas for making wine stoppers as well as other Iron-On-Ink projects.
You can also check out the “Sublimation” category of this site for more ideas on how I’ve used Artesprix products and blanks.
Now, go make something sleek!
Video Tutorial
If you’d like a more visual tutorial on how to create with these beautiful Iron-On-Ink blanks, you can find the full-length live on my Instagram account or a shortened, edited version on my YouTube channel. Both links are below.
