I attempted to solve this problem by making vinyl letters on my Cricut vinyl cutter for the A, B, X, and Y buttons that are bright white and extra large. I took out my calipers and measured the buttons. They outside diameter is 3cm. I turned to the Cricut design software and typed out the letters in a nice square font. I hit make… and well it was close.

Hmm. My first attempt was off. If you are following along at home, I squared the circle instead of finding the largest square to fit in the circle. Rookie mistake. After let’s call it a test print, I also noticed that the 3DS was covered in a layer of grease. I cleaned it off with rubbing alcohol and then made some smaller letters.

With confidence in the math and a clean 3DS, I went ahead and cut out the rest of the letters. I tested them in low-light conditions. I am very happy with how the new button overlays turned out. The vinyl is stuck in place and has kept up with my play through of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

Have you upgraded your 3DS? Any tips for me to try?

Warning

If you like stuff organized and have things put away into bins, stay away from The Container Store. I am addicted to organization hacks and The Container Store is my drug of choice.

Cricut Cutting Mat Storage

The sticky cutting mats used for the Cricut cutting machine are really important to keep dust free and stored properly. I never know what to do with them. I now store them on the Elfa Utility Board using a slim hook. This keeps the mats in a convenient place and protected from accidentally sitting things on them. Also, write the date of their first use on them with a marker. The mats do not last long, but I recommend using the Monicut brand of mats. The Monicut mats are about 66% cheaper and work just as well.

Cricut Tools

The Elfa slim hooks are also perfect for hanging the Cricut tools. By handing up the tools, you get easy access to them and keep the sharp parts out of the way.

Magnetic Storage Bins

The Elfa Utility Board is made out of metal and magnets like metal. Over at Dollar Tree, I found magnetic storage bins for $1. This is a great deal. The bins also have a clear lid. I use them to store game components and keep them in view while designing games.