Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Canoe and Paddle Scrapbook Layout - with Wheresoever You Go stamp

Hello, Connie Nichol here today.  I was totally inspired to create this scrapbook layout after seeing Suzanne Cannon's canoe and paddle cut files.  How perfect to accent these photos of my husband and son on one of their adventures!


Here's what the cut file looks like.  

You've got water, you've got a lovely canoe and you've got paddles that you can cut in whatever colour and size to best adorn your scrapbook pages.  I cut the paddles and water from a piece of two sided patterned paper - the subtle patterns on the paper add a little bit of interest, and the two-sidedness lets you see some options for colours when you flip the die cuts over and look at the other side.  The Canoe and Paddle cut file is available here in the Silhouette Design Store.  

I also added this stamp from Quietfire Designs.  A sentiment to live by....

Supplies Used:  Quietfire Design stamp and cutting files, Elizabeth Craft Design stitched rectangle dies, Heidi Swapp patterned paper, Bazzill cardstock,  Fancy Pants metal badges, Sizzix Eclips electronic die cutting machine, Clearsnap ink, Brother sewing machine.



Monday, June 27, 2016

Celebrate! It's Time to Wave Your Flag!

Just wanted to share these fun designs with you!  The top 4 large ones are brand new in the Silhouette Online store today. 
 
 

 
I'm thinking I need to make a herd of those lanterns! 
A quick way to find all the older files is to use the search bar just above the Quietfire logo on my profile page.  Search for "Canada" or "4th of July" to filter to get to the good stuff!
Happy cutting!
 
Thanks for looking!
Suzanne
P.S. The video tutorial for assembling the lanterns is on YouTube here!
 
 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Golden Gate Bridge Easel card - Thinking of You die - In a Perfect World

 
Yogi here today using one of the newest files available in the Silhouette onLine store "Golden Gate Bridge" - love it. 


As soon as I saw the newest images, I knew I had to do something with it. So I created an easel to showcase the bridge...

I'm using one of an A Way With Words die sets from Elizabeth Craft Designs created by Suzanne Cannon "Thinking Of You" also available on Quietfire Design HERE

I'm also using a quote stamp from  Quietfire Design  ("In A Perfect World" 4pce set); 



Here's what I did:
The card is 7"w x 5"h when closed
 
I opened the "Golden Gate Bridge" onto my mat.

Placed a standard image of a frame onto my mat to create the window, sized it to my finished card size, then resized the bridge image to fit within the confines of my frame.   Cut both pieces.

I copied and pasted the frame from page 1 to page 2. Placed another basic rectangle image on my mat and sized it to the same size as the frame, then placing the rectangle alongside the frame and welding the 2 together. The weld line will be your score line for a standard top fold card. I decided to block in a section of the window so the floor isn't as visible when the card is closed.


So I placed another rectangle to partially fill the window frame opening. I created it so it would fill half the window.

I used one of the basic images for the state of Illinois (gave me the best contour to create my hilly area...). Placed it along my center line, stretched it, copied and pasted it a couple times to fill the whole width.

I then selected everything and weld it together.

This is a preview of the welding which you should always check prior cutting.

Everything was cut from white cardstock. After cutting I scored to create the easel shape. PS: I cut little slits on the frame edge where the hilly area meets the frame so I wouldn't score through my hills...

The hilly area was stamped with Bees Wax "Coastal Rocks" using "Pumice Stone" and here and there with "Ground Espresso". I just kept inking and stamping till I covered the whole width. PS you can use any nice texture stamp to create your hill details. Mask off the bottom edge with some torn post it notes.

The water area was sponged with "Broken China" and then some "Blueprint Sketch" in a streaky fashion. Used the same technique but without re-inking the sponge for the sky. Added a couple doodle birds.

The outer frame was dry embossed using Darrice "Brick Wall" moving the folder to emboss the whole frame. Sponged with "Pumice Stone" and high points hit direct to paper with "Weathered Wood". Adhered to card front.

The bridge was inked with Distress mini direct to paper with "Carved Pumpkin" then embossed with Emerald Creek Hot Stuff "Thanksgiving" embossing powder. Adhered to frame.

Die cut the "Thinking of You" from white cardstock, inked with "Black Soot" and embossed with Emerald Creek "Onyx Frost" embossing powder. Adhered to frame

On the floor: cut a rectangle the width of the card by 1.25".  Die cut the letters(Elizabeth Craft Designs "Alphabet Caps" from black cardstock and adhered to the stopper adding a deep pink gel heart. Scored at the 1/4" and adhered to floor of card to create the stopper. The view is the back of the stopper.
 


Saturday, June 11, 2016

Chalkboard Easel - Fedora - Daddy - You Are The Best

http://quietfiredigital.blogspot.ca/
I was in a mood to make a "Father's Day" card in memory of my dad... and was itching to use these new files from Suzanne. "Chalkboard Easel"; "Fedora" and this one that I altered slightly "Daddy & Me"

This is what the parts look like in the file 

https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/80701I'm also using one of the newest sentiment sets ("I Don't Tell You Often Enough" 5 pce set)  and a design element ("Crackle background") stamp  from Quietfire Design 

Please note: opening the files in the Silhouette Studio software is best. Opening in other software like SCAL or ECAL etc, may change some of the score/cut lines.

I opened the "Chalkboard Easel" SVG file in Sure Cuts A Lot software and yes a score line became a cut line which I had to adjust by welding small rectangles over the cut lines.
Increased the image size of the chalkboard easel to 10.5"h keeping the proportions. Ungrouped the items and moved the square that will become the chalkboard to page 2. Also copied and pasted the chalkboard opening to page 2 - making it a shadow layer increased by 1.5mm border (it will be used on the inside of card). Cut the easel part from a textured beige/light brown toned cardstock.

On page 2, I opened the "Fedora" increasing the file size to 5.1" w, again keeping the proportions. Also opened the "Daddy & Me" file, ungrouping it and deleting the "and" and "me" words. Increased the word "Daddy" to 6.5"w. Cut all from white cardstock. Trimmed down the excess letters from Daddy to leave only "Dad".
The "Dad" word - Inked the "Crackle background" using Versafine "Vintage Sepia", stamped and embossed with Queen's Gold embossing powder. Used Distress stains, swiping the colors randomly ("Shabby Shutters", "Broken China", "Mowed Lawn", & "Crushed Olive")

The Fedora: sponged with a dirty yellow sponge all over, then direct to paper with "Antique Linen". It gave a nice mottled look almost like parchment. The hat details I hit direct to paper with "Frayed Burlap". Adhered to fedora adding the real feather in the band.

The chalkboard square was painted with a dark brown chalkboard paint (something I've had for eons...). Applied 2 thin coats, and dried. Adhered to back of card front. 

Cut the sentiment stamp ("I Don't Tell You Often Enough" 5 pce set) between the word "are" and "the" (you could use a stamp positioner instead...) and placed them on my acrylic block. Inked with Distress Picket Fence, stamped and embossed with detail white embossing powder.

Adhered the "Dad" to the top of the card front. The "Fedora" onto the chalkboard. 
http://quietfiredigital.blogspot.ca/
On the inside: Adhered the white shadow layer onto the card. Put down a piece of Sookwang tape and adhered my Sari ribbon.

On the drop out piece of the chalkboard opening from page 1, inked my sentiment stamps ("I Don't Tell You Often Enough" 5 pce set) with the Picket Fence and embossed with white embossing powder. Sponged the edges using "Shabby Shutters' and then some "Broken China". Adhered to card. 


http://quietfiredigital.blogspot.ca/

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Quietfire Digital Doily Cards

I'd like to introduce you to a really handy collection of cards from the Silhouette Design store! To find them, all you have to do is go to my profile and type "doily" in the search box just above the Quietfire logo and all these sweet cards will show up.  Easy peasy!
 
 
 

Okay, so there is one missing from my image above....
Sorry lambie!  (ooooo, so cute with his little ear that flips up!  Kissy!)
These files contain the card base, too.  You can use my colour scheme or choose your own!
 
There are so many different Quietfire stamps that you could choose for the inside of these cards.  Check in to the Quietfire Gentle Thoughts stamp collection and look for the topic that you're needing. Choose one that's just right for the occasion!
 
Thanks for having a look!
Happy creating,
Suzanne

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Steampunk Top Hat - The Longest Journey



Yogi here today with my 1st project for the blog - loving this newest cutting file "Steampunk Top Hat" from Suzanne - BIG GRIN

"Is this the man in your life? Or perhaps his alter ego!? Assemble this hat as you please in colours of your choice and it’s ready to go on a card front or scrapbook page."

Instead I decided to create an easel card with the file - real easy to do... and I'm finally finding a use for some of my Kanban cardstock. I thought they were perfect for a Steampunk theme.


I opened the Silhouette file in Sure Cuts A Lot software. Increased the image size of everything at once until my hat was approx 6.5"w. I then ungrouped everything and only selected my main hat piece, elongating it till it became approx 4.5"h. I copied and pasted the hat onto a new sheet and welded a rectangle that was the height of my hat (4.5"h) and 2.5"w. After cutting out the hat/rectangle from a chocolate brown cardstock, I scored the rectangle at the 2.25" and 4.5" points creating the front part of the easel.

I cut the main hat piece from Kanban "Pearl Glaze Farfalla - Coffee Brown Background Card". It's a relatively thick cardstock, so to be on the safe side, I cut twice. My blade is really used so I wanted to be safer rather than sorry... The gear band I cut from Kanban "Bella Paisley - Mocha Luxury". All the other elements from cream toned 110# cardstock. I cut a second main hat piece from the cream cardstock which I'll cut down and use for my quote/card stopper.

I adhered the main Kanban hat piece to the front portion of the rectangle, matching it up with the floor hat.


The hat brim was inked with "Walnut Stain" and embossed with Distress "Walnut Stain" embossing powder, then burnished.

The bottom portion of the hat piece was embossed with Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" embossing folder, sponged with the brown, then high points sanded down.

The gear parts on the hat band - the cross piece was inked with Versafine "Vintage Sepia" and embossed with Emerald Creek Hot Stuff "Chic Camo" embossing powder. The circle over layer with Distress "Walnut Stain" embossing powder.

The 3 decorative gears with Judikins "Rustique Tin Can" embossing powder.

back of easel
The 2 larger buttons were sponged with either "Tumbled Glass" or "Crushed Olive", then run through my embossing machine using Cuttlebug "Mesh" embossing folder, high points hit with the same color pads and clear embossed. The smallest button was just colored with "Broken China" and clear embossed.

The feather I lightly sponged with the olive, created score feather lines with a small balled stylus, then direct to paper with the tumbled glass.


On the extra main hat piece I cut straight across the brim section. Inked my quote ("The Longest Journey...") stamp using Versafine Sepia all over and hitting here and there with Black Onyx, clear embossed. Sponged around the edges with a dirty brown sponge. Adhered to floor of card with 3D foam tape.

As a final touch added some small manly type buttons with a glue tool.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Remember Dad Forever - 15 Minute Wonder


Hi y'all, Robyn here, shepherdess of the Quietfire Design Team and die hard (pun intended) digital designer and cutter.

I put off buying a digital cutter for a long time, for lots of good reasons.
 When the combination of Suzanne designing for Silhouette
 and a really good sale finally had me pushing the
 Buy It Now
 button,
 and I made my first cuts- trial by fire- Wedding decorations! I could only say, 
"Why have I waited so long?!"
Now Miss Cameo and I are BFFs and I hope this new Quietfire blog devoted to digital cutting will enable you to join the fold!

Excluding design time, if you are familiar with your cutter, this card can be made in 15 minutes start to admire!

On the Mat
These are three separate files available in the Silhouette Store.
If you need sgv files some are available at Quietfire Design 
and contact Suzanne for others not posted.
It can be difficult in the silhouette store to tell what size the designs are, so always ask if you have questions. 
Remember, unlike dies, you can resize and manipulate them to almost anything you want.
For this simple card, I made no changes at all to the elements.
Ungroup and go!

This is what my working mat looks like.
Only the three elements I have on the white area will cut.
The flowers are available files too!
Coneflower Sunflower QueenAnnes Lace





 *****TIPS*****
  • Use quality paper- at least 60 lb for Quietfire Design hand lettered designs with very fine thins!




















  • If you live in a humid climate, iron your paper before cutting. Damp paper =poor cuts.
  • Use sharp new blades when cutting fine designs.
  • Use a mat just sticky enough to hold your paper down well.
  • Slow the  cutting speed down.
  • Cut with less blade depth and double cut.
  • TAKE YOUR TIME removing the die from the mat. Press down well on all the drop outs to help them stay behind.
If you are a newbie - take heart! we are all here to help you enjoy our files and your cutter!

Here's to  all Dads on Earth and above!

Please visit RainbowWeaves for some back story and a peek at my work desk!
Comments and Questions welcomed!