From Paper to Christmas Treasure: Make Glossy Button Accents with UV Resin

Some of the prettiest Christmas details are the smallest: a glossy holly button at the centre of a velvet bow, a tiny poinsettia on a card, or an ivory cameo finishing a little gift box. This project turns our Christmas printable into dimensional paper accents with a colour laser printer, Cricut Print Then Cut and several thin coats of clear UV resin.

The gold, pearls and carved details are part of the printed artwork. The resin adds a smooth, raised clear finish; it does not turn the printed details into sculpted metal or porcelain.

AI-generated project illustrations: four ways to use the printable accents. These are inspiration images, not photographs of tested finished projects. Additional decorative details shown are optional.

Download the Christmas buttons and cameos

Download the full Christmas Buttons, Cameos and Bows PNG here from My Grandma’s Teacups Repository for Beautiful Things. Save the original PNG rather than printing the blog preview.

This file is a white-background image sheet, not a ready-made SVG or pre-separated cutting file. You will need to remove the white background and check the cut preview before using Print Then Cut. If that is fiddly, print and fussy-cut your favourites with small scissors instead.

Gather your supplies

• A colour laser printer and smooth white matte cardstock explicitly rated for laser printers, within your printer’s supported weight and feed limits.
• Cricut Design Space, a Print Then Cut-compatible Cricut, a suitable mat and a clean blade; small scissors are useful for tidying intricate shapes.
• Clear-drying paper sealer compatible with your chosen resin; scrap cardstock for a test.
• Clear UV craft resin suitable for coating and shallow doming, plus a lamp with the wavelength and output specified by that resin’s manufacturer.
• Nitrile gloves, protective eyewear, a level silicone work mat, a small silicone brush or disposable applicator, and tweezers.
• Paper adhesive and a clear-drying craft adhesive rated for bonding cured resin to paper or ribbon.
• Ivory, cranberry and evergreen cardstock; satin or velvet ribbon; optional gold cord and a gold marker.

Before starting: follow the resin’s label and safety data sheet, use effective ventilation, protect skin and eyes, and keep uncured resin away from children, pets and food surfaces. Use any respiratory protection specified by the manufacturer. Shield eyes and skin from the curing lamp. These accents are decorative papercraft pieces, not washable garment buttons or toys.

1. Prepare the artwork in Design Space

1. Download the PNG, open a new Design Space canvas and upload it as an image.
2. Use background removal to remove the surrounding white. Zoom in carefully around ivory flowers, pearl edges, bows and cameos so pale details remain intact. Remove only the unwanted background.
3. Keep the dark printed button holes as printed details for this simple version; do not remove them if you want a solid, easy-to-coat accent. Fill any accidental interior cutouts in the silhouette with Contour or a backing shape as appropriate. Check the preview.
4. Save the artwork as a Print Then Cut image. If you want only a few designs or different sizes, duplicate the sheet and use Crop or background editing to isolate the chosen motifs, repeating as needed. Keep proportions locked.
5. As a starting point, aim for about ¾–1¼ inches across for round buttons and about 1¼–1½ inches tall for a cameo. These are suggested finished sizes, not fixed dimensions in the PNG.
6. If using an offset, keep it narrow and white. Flatten each image together with its backing or offset so it prints as one piece and cuts only its outer edge. Do not flatten the whole sheet onto a large white rectangle, which would give one rectangular cut.
7. Use Make to check every cut outline. Reduce or divide the design across mats if Design Space flags it as too large. Use the printable area shown for your machine and chosen paper size.

2. Print with a colour laser printer

1. Check your printer manual for its supported cardstock weights and recommended tray. Never put inkjet-only sticker paper, vinyl or heat-sensitive coatings through a laser printer; its fuser uses heat.
2. Calibrate Print Then Cut for your machine and printer if needed, using Cricut’s calibration instructions.
3. Choose the correct paper size in Design Space and send the project to your colour laser printer. In the system print dialog, select colour, a quality setting suitable for artwork, and the media type that matches your laser-rated cardstock.
4. Keep scaling at 100% or Actual Size. Turn off Fit to Page, borderless enlargement, duplex printing and multiple pages per sheet. Let Design Space generate the registration marks; do not add your own or print the original sheet separately and expect it to match the cut.
5. Print one test first. Check the cranberry reds, deep greens and fine borders. Let the sheet cool completely and check that toner does not rub away. Toner should be properly fused before you continue.

AI-generated process illustration. Registration marks are illustrative only: always use the marks produced by Design Space. The resin creates a clear surface over flat printed artwork.

3. Cut first, then seal

1. Place the cooled print on the mat exactly as shown in Design Space. Keep the registration marks clean, flat and uncovered.
2. Choose a cut setting appropriate to your actual cardstock. Make a small test cut first; blade condition and cardstock thickness affect the result.
3. Run Print Then Cut on the uncoated matte sheet. Do not add resin, glossy sealer or laminate before the machine reads and cuts it, because reflections can interfere with the sensor.
4. Gently release the shapes, bending the mat away from the paper. Tidy any background slivers with scissors.
5. For a sturdier accent, glue a matching plain cardstock backing behind each cutout. Press flat while the paper adhesive dries. Keep all layers aligned.
6. Test your paper sealer and resin on one spare piece first. Apply thin coats of clear-drying paper sealer to the front, back and cut edges according to its instructions, allowing each side and the final coat to dry fully. Porous unsealed edges can absorb resin and darken. Check that the toner stays crisp and the sealer does not peel.

4. Build the glossy dimension in thin coats

1. Set the fully dry cutouts face up on a level silicone mat. Work out of direct sunlight so the resin does not begin curing before you are ready.
2. With gloves on, add a very small amount of clear UV resin to one accent. Use a silicone brush or applicator to spread a thin, even film across the front, stopping at the edge. Avoid a thick puddle or drips underneath.
3. Inspect for bubbles and gently move them to the edge with the applicator. Do not use a flame or heat gun on these paper pieces.
4. Cure that coat using the exact lamp distance, exposure and other instructions supplied for your resin. There is no universal cure time: formula, lamp wavelength, output and coating thickness all matter.
5. Let the piece cool before the next coat. Add and cure another thin coat, repeating only as allowed by the resin instructions until you have a modest raised gloss. Start with two or three coats on your test piece and assess the result.
6. Keep resin on the front surface. Opaque printed paper blocks UV, so resin trapped beneath the paper or between glued layers may not cure. Keep the back clean for later attachment with craft adhesive.
7. Allow the full final cure and any rest period specified by the manufacturer. Check with a gloved tool or gloved hand that the piece is firm and free of wet or sticky areas. Do not attach or gift tacky pieces. Follow the resin maker’s troubleshooting guidance rather than covering uncured resin with more resin.

About the holes: the simplest version leaves the printed button holes as part of the picture. For a threaded look, glue a tiny piece of cord across the finished button or tie it around the accent. Real punched holes require a separate tested method to keep the openings free of resin; do not drill through partially cured resin.

Four little Christmas projects

1. Velvet-ribbon gift tag topper

1. Cut an ivory tag about 2½ × 4½ inches and trim its top corners. Add a cranberry backing slightly larger if desired.
2. Punch a hole near the top and thread through a length of cranberry satin ribbon.
3. Tie a small evergreen velvet bow separately. Trim its tails and glue it below the tag hole.
4. Attach a fully cured holly button over the bow’s centre with adhesive suitable for cured resin and ribbon. Allow the adhesive to set flat.
5. Write the recipient’s name below. For the illustrated layered look, add a flat tree cutout lower on the tag, leaving room for your message.

2. A sweet button-cluster Christmas card

1. Make an A2 card: cut ivory cardstock to 8½ × 5½ inches and score at 4¼ inches.
2. Add a cranberry mat measuring 4 × 5¼ inches, an evergreen mat 3¾ × 5 inches, and an ivory panel 3½ × 4¾ inches.
3. Arrange one poinsettia accent and two smaller round buttons in a loose triangle. Keep the cluster toward the upper half and check the balance before gluing.
4. Wrap fine gold cord around the panel near its lower edge and tie a small bow. Secure the cord ends on the back before attaching the panel to the card.
5. Glue the fully cured accents in place and add a stamped or handwritten sentiment. Use a protective mailer or box for raised embellishments and check postage before mailing.

3. An elegant cameo-topped keepsake box

1. Start with a small ready-made ivory gift box, about 2½ inches square. Cut an ivory lid panel slightly smaller than the lid if you want an extra layer.
2. Wrap narrow cranberry velvet ribbon around the lid in two directions, securing its ends inside the lid. Keep the lid separate from the box base so it still opens.
3. Place a fully cured Santa or angel cameo over the ribbon crossing. Use a small matching cardstock pad beneath it if needed to create a level gluing surface.
4. Attach with a compatible adhesive and allow it to set. Keep the embellishment outside the box and use the box for a tiny keepsake or other non-food gift.

4. A refined Christmas place card

1. Cut ivory cardstock to 6 × 4 inches. With the 4-inch side vertical, score across at 2 inches and fold to make a 6 × 2-inch tent. For a smaller 3 × 2-inch tent, start with 3 × 4 inches instead.
2. Draw a fine gold border on the front or add a narrow gold cardstock mat.
3. Write the guest’s name before adding the raised accents, leaving space at the left for a small reindeer or tree cameo.
4. Glue the fully cured cameo at the left, keeping it above the bottom edge so the card stands evenly. Add a tiny evergreen bow underneath.
5. Stand the card beside the place setting, away from food and drinking rims. Match the cameo colours to your ribbons for a coordinated table.

If something does not look quite right

• A rectangle cuts around everything: the background is still part of the silhouette, or the entire sheet was flattened onto a rectangle. Return to background removal and check individual outlines.
• The sensor cannot find the marks: use clean matte white stock, follow Cricut’s lighting guidance, and keep marks uncovered. Cut before coating.
• Paper darkens at the edge: improve the edge sealing on the next test and let the sealer dry completely.
• The piece curls: use a suitable cardstock backing, dry the paper layers flat, and reduce the amount of resin in each coat.
• The finish is tacky, cloudy or soft: stop and consult the resin manufacturer’s troubleshooting instructions. Do not mount a questionable piece onto a finished project.

Make a few extra accents while your supplies are out, then keep the fully cured pieces flat in a small divided box. A little ribbon, a single cameo and an ivory base can be all a Christmas project needs.

Subscribe to My Grandma’s Teacups for more printable projects and seasonal crafting ideas.

Helpful technique references

Cricut: How to Print Then Cut · Cricut: Compatible materials · Resin Rockers: UV Resin 101. Always follow the instructions for the specific resin, paper and printer you use. This printable and resin combination has not been physically tested for this tutorial.

Explore My Grandma’s Teacups printable collections on Etsy for more artwork and seasonal crafting inspiration.