WooHooo, Discount Code!!

I get to share something very special with you today!  I just got it!  It's a discount code you can use at checkout on the Silhouette America website on basically everything (the Mint might be exempt....).

Go to the Quietfire Digital Blog (click HERE if you're receiving this by email) and the special code is right on the sidebar.  Make a note of the code, click the image and you'll go straight to the Silhouette site.  How cool!
Of course you should always check to see if Silhouette has a special for what you're looking for. 

Happy shopping!
(Tell them I sent you!)  Smiles, Suzanne

Oh, and while I'm here, let me share this week's designs on my Silhouette profile (still on the Christmas in July theme!)  Happy cutting!:

Watermelon box-Layering technique

Hi Y'all!

Robyn here with a summertime fun project!

After Christmas in July, time for some hammock time and  this sweet treat!

The technique I want to share today is layering paper pieces- die cut or digital cuts.

Watermelon Box

On the mat
The text is to help identify what pieces go where.
There are good instructions on the Silhouette Store page.
The only change I made was to copy the seeds and make 4 sets, so I could layer them.

***Layering Technique***

• While the seeds are still on the mat, leave the number you need for the base layer, and lift the rest out.
• Apply adhesive, I used a matte medium in a needle nose bottle( left over from baktik days)to the seeds on the mat.
• Use a pick up stick or tweezers to pick up  the next layer of seeds, press into place, and add as many as you wish to get the desired effect.

I ended up using three layers for these seeds.
Wait a bit for the glue to dry, and lift out your seeds.
It's much easier to let the negative space hold the shapes in place when you are trying to layer.
For even more dimension, add glossy accents.

Celebrate the season with creativity, and don't forget the watermelon!
Comments and Questions Welcomed!

Periodic Table SNOW - Using Yarn as a Simple Embellishment

Hello, Connie Nichol here today with a wintery layout featuring the periodic table cut file SNOW, the snowflake spray stencil and some simple embellishment with white yarn.

I started by selecting a favourite photograph and some patterned paper, the beautiful Winter Wonderland line from Simple Stories.  I cut SNOW (sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen and tunsten) from white cardstock using my Silhouette Cameo and adhered it to the corner of the page.  (As always, if you don't use a Silhouette and would like this cut file as an svg file, just email suzanne@quietfiredesign.com).    I then added some snowflakes to the upper left corner of the page using white texture paste and the snowflake spray stencil.  Just goop it on and scrape off.  The fine details of the snowflakes show up beautifully as dimensional accents.

I had a bunch of yarn lying around my craft space for other projects and I thought to myself "hmmm, white yarn would work really well on a snow themed scrapbook page".  So, I added some swirls of yarn to add some texture and interest to the page.  You can use a pencil to sketch out a line, trace it with clear drying liquid glue and then gently place the yarn on top of the glue. 

Sketch out a design in glue.

Place the yarn over top.   Easy and quick, but it's very fun.  Add a few extra stickers or die cuts to embellish your yarn design and call it done.  Happy scrapbooking!

Supplies:  Simple Stories patterned paper, stickers and die cuts, Quietfire Design electronic cut file and snowflake stencil, Silhouette Cameo, Ranger texture paste, Aleene's white tacky glue, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L tape runner and dimensional foam adhesive.

On the Quietfire site  |  On Elizabeth Craft Designs

Snow on Silhouette

Let It Snow - Snowman - If Kisses Were Snowflakes

Yogi here today... Quietfire is having a Christmas In July week... and I'm doing an easel card for the Quietfire Digital Blog

I'm using the digital file from Suzanne available on the Silhouette onLine store - click on image to purchase

 Also using a quote  stamp from Quietfire Design ("If Kisses Were Snowflakes...");  

Scored and folded my dark blue cardstock. Cut another piece as front. Dry embossed it using Cuttlebug "Winter Wonderland" set. Sanded the high points giving a ghost like look. My embossed paper was a bit shy in size, so cut a piece of an aqua glitter cardstock and created a frame.

Note: Why waste the whole piece of glitter cardstock by layering the dry embossed piece in front... Now I have the drop out piece for another card...

Opened the "Let It Snow - Snowman" on my mat. Pushed the snowman of my mat. Resized the word to 4.5"w, copied and pasted it 2 more times and the just the snowflake 4 times, then cut from white cardstock. While on the mat, painted the word piece with Distress dabber "Broken China". Let dry naturally. Removed from mat and inked with Versamark and embossed with Emerald Creek "Turquoise Shimmer" embossing powder. The snowflakes I embossed with "Psychedelic" embossing powder. Adhere the snowflakes to the word pieces, then onto the card front.

 
On the floor: Stamped the quote using Versafine Black Onyx on white cardstock and clear embossed. Trimmed down and adhered to a scrap piece of the aqua glitter cardstock. Adhered to floor with 3D foam tape to act as my stopper.

Adhered the snowflake ribbon and the snowflake buttons using hot glue.

Ho Ho Ho Periodic Table of Elements/ Dona Nobis Pacem/ Leaves and Snowflakes Sprays Stencil - Christmas in July!

Hi Y'all!

Robyn here, keeping cool cutting Christmas!

Ho Ho Ho is available now ON SALE in Suzanne's Silhouette Design Store

from  the Periodic Table of Elements Series!

Holiday Geek Out!

Ho Ho Ho

On the mat

It's a tradition for me to make an ornament as a gift each year.
This is the first time I've been ahead of the game!
Here is an ATC (you knew it was coming) that with an addition of a hole and ribbon will be a gift card to go with the ornament.

Front

The Ho's were sized to complete the phrase in the smaller space.
Leaf and Snowflake Sprays Stencil

The Back

Give us peace

My sister in law aways says be careful what you do on the holidays, it might become a tradition.
I hope you will include Quietfire Design in yours
and remember all Christmas ON SALE now in the
Silhouette Store.
Comments and Questions welcomed !

Canada Outdoor Bendi Card - Thinking of You

Yogi here today with a Canada Outdoor Bendi card. 

Canada Day has just past, but we're celebrating and thinking of it all year... After all we don't turn 150 every day...

I'm using the main Bendi card file and parts of a couple other digital files from Suzanne available on the Silhouette onLine store - click on an image to purchase.

Opened the "Outdoor Bendi Card" in SCAL, and cut exactly as is from a 12 x 12 white cardstock. Colored the various images using Distress pads and a piece of double sided release paper where needed to act as a mask. Did not use the two overlay slotted rectangle pieces since I hand colored those areas on the main card.

Created the mountains by just drawing pointed mountains... on white cardstock, using the release paper and lightly sponging on one edge with "Weathered Wood" to create shadows to define the mountain edges. Cut around the mountains then hit the upper peaks with the edge of Picket Fence pad and embossed with Emerald Creek "Soft Fallen Snow" embossing powder. It has a nice snowy texture to it.  Adhered to back of Bendi card.

Stamped the "Thinking of You" using Versafine Black Onyx and clear embossed.

Electronically cut out the "Canada" word from white cardstock, inked with "Candied Apple" and clear embossed.

Electronically cut the greenery by ungrouping the file and moving the greenery to the mat. Cut 2 as per the file and  a third one flipped. Cut from white cardstock and colored with various Distress greens.

The maple leaf was embossed with the fallen snow. Adhered all the various elements.

Home is the heart of life/ Sketching with digital files

Hi Y'all!

Robyn here today with one of my favorite techniques,

using pens to sketch digital designs.

It's just as easy as cutting when you know a few tricks.

Home is the Heart of life.

On the mat

The work mat

• Draw a rounded rectangle ATC size 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 and resize the quote file to fit.
• Do an internal offset to fill in as much space as possible. the pen will only sketch on the cut lines.
• Insert pen into pen holder.This is a .01 micron. you want it to fit snug. this will vary depending on your pen holder. (see tips)

• To set the depth, put a popsicle stick underneath the holder and it should sketch on the stick when you move the stick around. This is what mine looks like.

• Set the rectangle to no cut and the quote to cut, speed 5 pressure 10 ( this will vary- see tips)
• DO NOT MOVE THE MAT AFTER SKETCHING
• Set the rectangle to cut and the quote to no cut

Pen in place in the Cameo

• Remove the pen holder and replace with the cutting blade.
• Cut the rectangle. Settings will vary depending on your cardstock.

Here is how it looks on the mat after sketching and cutting.

Make the card your own by filling in with a fine line pen or brush. 

Embellish the lettering with gold.

It looks like my hand lettering only better!

Suzanne is a wonder! with a broad edge pen.

The hearts are inked and embossed using the 

Hearts and Paw Prints stencil

and that's a technique for another day!
(a bit more on my blog and WOYWW!)

***Sketching Tips***

• Practice Cut, practice cut, practice cut-this will save you loads of time, paper and ink!

• The machine doesn't know if you are cutting or sketching. For some reason some sketch better when set to blade.
• This technique does require experimentation. There are lots of holders and DIY holders out there. Find what works for you and have fun!
• Sketch with the pen before you set it in the holder to make sure ink is flowing. Some pens work better than others, and sometimes they run out of ink in the middle of a design! If this happens you can pause and insert another pen. Just be sure to not move the mat.
• Wrapping some tape around the pen, even if it fits snug gives some tooth for the holder to grab onto and helps to keep the pen in place during sketching.
• When sketching I find setting to the fastest speed and lightest pressure gives the best results.
• Smooth paper- I use Neenah Classic Crest, 80 and 110, gives the most finished results. Any texture in the paper will cause skipping in the sketch.

I'd love to see your creations!

Comments and Questions Welcomed!