How to Make a Two-Layer Paw Print Ornament (Print & Cut Tutorial)
If you've ever seen a layered ornament and wondered how it gets that little "shadow" effect around the edge, it comes down to one simple design move: cutting two versions of the same shape at slightly different sizes and gluing them together.
I built one of these start to finish — a two-layer paw print ornament — on the xTool M2, and the best part is how easy it is to personalize on the spot. Add a pet's name to the bottom edge and it's no longer just "a paw print ornament," it's that dog's ornament. That's exactly the kind of detail that turns a browser into a buyer at a craft fair table.
Here's exactly how it comes together.
What You're Building
Two pieces of wood, cut to two different sizes of the same paw print shape:
- The backer — a solid paw print, cut a little bigger
- The top layer — the same paw print shape, printed in full color, cut a little smaller
When you glue the smaller printed piece centered on top of the bigger backer, you get a thin border of exposed wood showing all the way around. That border is what creates the layered, three-dimensional look — no shading, no extra materials, just a size offset done right.
Step 1: Get the Offset Right
The offset between the two layers is the whole project. I used about an eighth of an inch smaller on all sides for the top layer. Go much smaller than that and the backer barely peeks out. Go bigger and the top layer looks like it's floating instead of sitting on the backer.
If you're trying this yourself, start at an eighth inch and adjust from there based on your ornament size.
Step 2: Print First, Cut Last
This is the part I'd tell any beginner to pay attention to: print your design onto the wood before you cut it out.
It's tempting to cut your shape first and then print on it, but once a piece is cut free, it's loose on the bed — which means it can shift slightly before the print goes down, and that throws off your alignment. Printing while the material is still a full, flat, uncut sheet keeps everything locked in place. Once the print is done, then you cut.
This order also means you only need to swap tools once for the whole build (from print to cut), instead of going back and forth.
Step 3: Cut the Backer
Once your printed piece is cut to size, cut your second piece of wood — the plain backer — to the larger size. Same wood, same cut settings as before, since nothing about the material changed.
Quick tip: if you get any charring on your edges after cutting, a wipe-down with a household degreaser cleaner takes it right off. Just work carefully around any printed piece so you don't wipe off the ink.
Step 4: Assembly
Glue the printed top layer centered onto the backer. I like a translucent wood glue for this — it gives you extra open time to line things up, and it dries clear so it won't show at the edges.
Once it's pressed and set, thread jute twine through the top hole for the hanger — that's what I use on nearly all of my ornaments, since it fits the rustic style. A wooden bead or two on the twine adds a nice extra touch if you want a little more visual interest.
The Personalization Add-On
Here's the step that makes this a genuinely good product for craft fairs or custom orders: adding the customer's pet's name to the bottom edge of the backer. It takes under a minute, and it instantly turns a generic ornament into something made for one specific dog (or cat).
Depending on the setup, that name can be printed or engraved — having both options matters, since not every venue allows an open laser on-site, so being able to print a name is a solid fallback for personalizing in the moment.
Lessons From This Build
A few things I learned the hard way (or ahead of time) that are worth knowing before you try this yourself:
Protect your bed. The M2's stock setup sits your material close to the bed, which can leave laser marks over time. I used a material riser to lift the wood up and laid down a sheet of tinfoil underneath to catch stray light — not something officially recommended, but it works and keeps the bed cleaner longer.
Leave clearance for the print head. Make sure your material sits far enough to the side that it doesn't block the inkjet cartridge cover from closing. Skip this and you risk bumping your material out of alignment right after printing — which is exactly what happened to me on this build, and I had to manually realign the cut instead of letting the camera do it automatically.
Keep a fire blanket nearby. Any time a laser's running, don't walk away from it, and keep something on hand to smother a flame fast. A fire blanket is worth it over a fire extinguisher here — it won't leave residue or powder damage on your machine.
Watch the Full Build
Want to see the whole process, including the software side of getting the offset and print-then-cut order set up correctly? I walk through the entire build start to finish in this video:
Grab Your Own Paw Print Ornament
Don't have a laser or UV printer set up yet? No problem — I make and sell these ready to go, and I can personalize them with your pet's name.