Gifts From The Heart – Personalized Mouse Pads | Denville Community News and Events

Did you know you can buy Mouse Pads, blank in bulk to customize for gifts?

All you need is a color printer, an iron and photo transfer paper to create customized homemade gifts from the heart!

Using your favorite photo or graphics program (can be as simple as Microsoft Paint!) set up the page size to match the size of the mouse pad.

For regular sized Mouse Pads , you can fit one design per 8 1/2 x 11 sheet.

Open your picture or image, add text if desired.

Extend the edges of your design 1/4 of an inch beyond the edges of the design to allow for trimming.

Flip your image or reverse image to a mirror view. This is especially important if your design contains text.

Print a test image on plain paper.

If satisfied with your design and how it prints, load a sheet of transfer paper in the printer. Choose the Best Quality or High Resolution DPI setting in your printer setup.

Make sure the printer is still set to print a mirror image.

Print your design.

Let your transfer paper completely dry.

Using a pencil lightly trace the mouse pad to the back of the transfer paper then trim the excess paper away from the design with scissors.

Preheat your iron on a high cotton no steam setting. Let it get very hot. If the iron isn’t hot enough, your transfer may fail.

Place a cloth on a hard flat surface. Don’t use a padded ironing board. A tile or wood floor or tabletop work great.

Your blank mouse pad should be fabric side UP on your ironing surface.

Place the printed iron on transfer face down on the fabric side of the mouse pad and align it carefully. Place a clothe over the paper and iron the covered paper. Don’t let the iron touch the paper direct.

Iron the transfer in a circular motion. Apply constant steady pressure for one entire minute. Be sure to press down firmly when ironing and pay special attention to the edges of the design.

Let the transfer and mouse pad cool completely for a shiny surface.

Don’t handle it while it is still warm or you will get a flat effect.

After the mouse pad and transfer have cooled, grasp a corner of the transfer paper and peel away from the mouse pad.

You are done!