Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Merry Christmas Wreath Home Decor


Here's a pretty quick and easy project.  You just need a few colours of vinyl and a 12 x 12" board and you're away to the races!  (The reindeer races, of course!)


You just need two cutting files to create this project, The Merry Christmas Wreath and the Flourished Christmas Tree Card. You can now purchase my designs on the Silhouette Online Design Store in svg format, so they can be used on other machines.  Yay!

The Merry Christmas Wreath was cut at actual size, straight from the cutting file. You need 12" wide vinyl for this.  (Note to self - don't buy 9" vinyl, just in case!)

Open the file and ungroup once and move the holly and berries to the side.  I adhere the vinyl on my cutting mat - don't remove the backing!  Tell the machine to cut matte vinyl and it tells you to set the blade depth to 1 and away you go!


I did all the weeding with the vinyl still on the mat.  This took a while, as there are some pretty delicate strokes. It always amazes me that the vinyl can hold those delicate lines! Once the weeding is completed, cut a piece of transfer tape big enough to cover the image and remove its release paper.  Lay it, sticky side down on the Merry Christmas Wreath and burnish lightly.  Pull the Transfer Tape up with the Merry Christmas Wreath stuck on it and position it on the wooden board. Burnish the vinyl onto the wood surface and carefully roll off the Transfer Tape.  This can be tricky if the vinyl wants to stick to the Transfer Tape!  Patience wins and the product is awesome!

Go back to the machine and cut the holly and berries and transfer them to the Merry Christmas Wreath on the wood.

When you open the Flourished Tree, you'll see it's a card.  No problem!

  Right click on the file and choose Ungroup.  Click off the images and then grab and delete the perforated score line.  Now right click on the image again and choose Release Compound Path, then delete the card outline.  Group all the tree elements or you might end up with a dog's breakfast..... I rotated the tree and placed it in the corner of the mat then resized the tree to about 4.75 inches tall.




Cut out the tree and weed out the excess vinyl.  Use Transfer Tape to place the tree in the middle of the Merry Christmas Wreath. Burnish the vinyl to the surface.





Um, I was scrolling down to write some more direction and suddenly realized, that's it!  It's done!  Now it's your turn! You'll be able to keep this for years - or give it away to a friend.  It's not an expensive project, that's for sure!  Happy creating!







Supplies:
Merry Christmas Flourished Wreath
Flourished Christmas Tree Card
Silhouette Cameo or other electronic cutting machine
Silhouette Dark Red Matte Vinyl
Silhouette Vinyl Sampler Pack Basic
Rustic White Wall Plaque by ArtMinds (at Michaels)

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Noel Snowflake Card/ May your heart be warm with the blessings of Christmas-all over background technique

Hi Y'all!
Robyn here with a easy digital file from Suzanne's Silhouette Store 
and 
new stamps for the season!

On the mat
Separate the elements and cut out the card.

Place the Merry Christmas Background stamp into your stamp positioner and stamp on to  a piece of acetate.

Use the acetate as a guide to make your first impression.

Then reposition the card to complete the background.

Make a dummy first so you don't ruin your good card.
White card is used here to to make it easier to see.

The background is stamped in VersaMark and thermal embossed gold.

The sentiment is stamped onto the larger oval cut from the file.
Adding a simple gold border adds the feeling of layering with out added bulk for mailing.
Stickles added for a touch of berry color!

Keep it simple! Enjoy the season! Share the love!

Comments and Questions Welcome!

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Santa Feet Fireplace - Christmas Magic - I'm Telling You



Yogi here today and was in the mood for something whimsical and a fun Xmas card... Love this cutting file from Suzanne but it was created as a free standing fireplace, which I altered to create an easel card instead... You know I can't keep anything the way it was originally created... it seems to be against my genes. Sigh!!

I'm using an A Way With Words dies "Christmas" 2pce set and "Magic" from Elizabeth Craft Designs, also available on Quietfire Design HERE and HERE (PS if you don't have these dies, Suzanne has tons of word cut files to choose from)

I'm using Quietfire Santas Feet Fireplace file available on the Silhouette OnLine store Click on pic to purchase. 

 
https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/207164
I'm also using a quote stamp from Quietfire Design. ("I'm Telling You..." 2pce set)

Opened the file in Sure Cuts A Lot. Selected all and Increased the size of the underlayer of the fireplace to be approx. 5"w x 5"h. Moved the front fireplace piece to the bottom let corner of my mat (avoids cutting the rest of the file which I didn't need...). Moved all the small extra pieces to another page. Cut both pages from white cardstock.


Colored and adhered the Santa Boots to the inside of the fireplace. (See below at next cut file pic.)

Cut a piece of deep grey cardstock for the back of the fireplace.

Folded along the score lines, applied 3D foam tape to the back of the fireplace. Mine is a little over 3mm thick - so scored a 2nd line at that thickness and then adhered the back of the fireplace to the foam tape. Wrapped and adhered the side flaps.

Cut and adhered a piece of Kraft cardstock for my mantle and adhered to fireplace.

Stamped the quote using Distress Picket Fence and white embossing powder.
 



After cutting and still on the mat, colored the various pieces, sponging and direct to paper using Distress pads. Removed from mat.

Embossed the boots with Emerald Creek "Black Sparkle" embossing powder. Applied glue and white flocking to the boot rims.

Added glue and glitter to the stocking hearts and the mantle greenery heart.

Added Nuovo Crystal Drops "Autumn Red" to the berries. 


Used the Elizabeth Craft Designs embossing folder "Sea Glass" on the front fireplace piece and hit the high points direct to paper lightly with Distress mini pad "Frayed Burlap" and then very lightly with "Aged Mahogany". Adhered the under fireplace piece so the white shows through the slit holes.
 
Scored, folded my light grey cardstock to create the easel. Stamped a piece of white cardstock using Carabelle Studio "Texture Bois". Trimmed down to card front size and adhered to front.

Adhered the fireplace to the left side. Applied Tulip Puffy "White" and heat set to foam to act as my mortar on the stones... When cooled adhered the greenery, stockings and heart.

On the floor:  Die cut the "Christmas" from black cardstock and the "Magic" from a box of Chocolate Callebaut metallic cardstock.

Adhered some pearl ribbon on either side of the fireplace to act as my stopper.



Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Snowflake Frame Card with Nature is Full of Genius quote stamp

Hello, Connie Nichol here today with a wintery greeting card featuring the Snowflake Frame Card cut file designed by Suzanne Cannon.  Sadly, where I live in central Alberta, Canada there is already plenty of snow and temperatures are well below freezing.  Sigh.


Here's the cut file - it's available in the Silhouette store here as a studio or svg cut file for any electronic die cutting machine.  It's been available since December 2014 and is simply beautiful.  I cut the card out of smooth cardstock on a Silhouette Cameo and immediately noticed that the central area was an absolutely perfect size for a quote stamp.


I added a few sequins and a bit of fake snow paste to the bottom of the card, and that's it.  Simple, huh?  But I love looking at it, it's so elegant.  So go download the Snowflake Frame Card file and create a bunch of beautiful holiday cards for the people you love best.  Stay warm, Connie

Supplies used:  Stampin Up! cardstock and sequins, Silhouette Cameo, PentArt snow paste, Beacon adhesive.




Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Autumn Leaf Topper Treat Box/Autumn Leaves Lantern

Hi Y'all! Robyn here with a leaf theme.
Both are quick and easy files from 


On the Mat
This file is only two pieces! plus the leaves.


On the Mat
Only one piece plus embellishments!
Simple assembly instructions are with the file and a video for you visual learners!
Happy Fall y'all!
Comments and Questions Welcomed!

Monday, October 30, 2017

Carving a Pumpkin? Hmmm, Maybe Not!


There is still time to decorate pumpkins before the goblins come out!  And you don't even have to carve them!

Okay, I'll confess.  Carving a pumpkin is not my favourite thing.  It hurts my delicate little hands (have some cheese with that whine, Suzanne), there is the ever-present danger of losing blood if the knife slips (don't have a clue where those little-kid saw things went) and well, there is the goop inside ("flick the gick" is one of my favourite expressions....).  Yes, I'm a pumpkin-carving wimp.

However playing with my Cameo is right up my alley!  Here I've use mostly black vinyl to cut a couple of my older designs along with a brand new one and enlarged them a bit to fit each pumpkin.  My hands are happy, no blood was spilled and there was no flicking the gick.  And one of these babies was already getting soft, so there wasn't a chance that any carving was gonna happen there!  So go pick up a couple of pumpkins and have some fun!

{Did you know that you can buy my designs in svg format on the Silhouette Online Store now?}


Happy Halloween!

Files used:
 
 
Don't forget to use the discount code when you order directly from Silhouette. You'll find it in the sidebar!

 

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

It's All About the Chocolate & Cookies - Sheri Holt, Guest Designer



I have another project to share today featuring the Happy Birthday Tag Box and Art Deco Floral Frame Card digital cutting files. [Note: svg files, usable by most digital cutting machines, are now available for these projects through Silhouette America]

Sometimes you just need a special little treat for someone and this project was SO EASY!! The hardest part was trying not to eat all those cookies!!!



The card measures 4.5" square and the tag box measures approximately 3.5"W x 1.5"D x 4.5"H. It is the perfect size for about 3 cookies or a nice sized brownie if you choose.
Happy Birthday Tag Box




I used each of the 3 sentiments from My Dark Side Is Chocolate. The first one for the treat box and then the other two for the inside and outside of my card.
My Dark Side stamp set




I used reversible cardstock with a great mix of autumn colors. I think it adds a little something special to the inside of the box but it would be just as lovely in a solid color!


Thanks very much to Sheri for creating this awesome project to share with us!  Do you need a cookie? I do! You can see Sheri's first post on Quietfire Creations HERE and more of Sheri's projects on her blog My Sheri Cards.