More PaperCuts Projects

Sharing another layout created with the Fall 2014 Paper Cuts - seems appropriate during this time of year to share a school-related photo!

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics Paper card stock; Scenic Route patterned paper;  Martha Stewart Crafts scoring board; Fiskars embossing stylus; Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine; Sue Sykes cut files (apples, title); Alaa Studios cut file (notebook paper); Marvy Uchida heart punch; Ranger Glossy Accents; Craftwork Cards Candi paper dots; PaperMart Flair marker; 3L foam adhesive, Glue Dots; miscellaneous sequins.

So many things I love about this layout:

1) the scored background - I used the scoring board to score the card stock in 1" intervals, both horizontally and vertically, for added texture and visual interest.

2) Candi Dots - I discovered these little gems while at Younique in February and am obsessed!  I bought about 6 packs... *grins*

3) Creative covering - I have a perverse aversion to letters without centres so the tiny Marvy punch was perfect to use as a centre for my "O".

(The small, centerless vowels still makes me twitch a little bit, though...)

4) This photo of Connor in SK - journaling talks about how he always had that big grin on his face - such a happy boy!

I also used the Nerdy cut files to create this quick card:

Supplies:  Bazzill Basic Paper Cardstock; Recollections and unknown washi tape; Artistic Ribbon ribbon.

I used washi tape for the book pages and heart.  

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenges on my blog for a chance to win:
Sept Sketch Challenge (deadline Sept 30th, 2014)
Leave Your Legacy challenge - Don't Stop Believing (deadline Nov 30th, 2014)

Exhaust Your Excess! challenge blog - check it out!!

Paper Cuts | Fall 2014

In every issue, I will design themed cut files in .studio and .svg formats that will be available for download on the Canadian Scrapbooker website (coming soon!), as well as here on my blog, on my PaperCuts page.

Have you checked out the new Canadian Scrapbooker magazine?  Our new graphic designer has done a beautiful job with our Fall 2014 issue - visually engaging, updated graphics  - and I LOVE how the Scraps of Info includes a  photo of the technique/item in question!

Here are this issue's cut files available for download:  

Here's one of the projects created with them:

Supplies used:  Canadian Scrapbooker SuperStock; Bazzill Basics Paper cardstock; CraftSmart and DecoArt acrylic paints; Silhouette Cameo die cutting machine; Sue Sykes cut files; Heidi Swapp paper piercer; The Crafter's Workshop stencil; PaperMate Flair marker; Marvy Uchida heart punch; Recollections washi tape; American Crafts photo turn and brad; thread.  Photo taken by Karen Ellis.

I created the funky background to this page by just pouring pools of paint onto my page.  Once it was dry (about two days - the paint was pretty thick!), I used the same colours, slightly watered down to get some good "fling" and just threw it at my paper - and all over my desk, I might add!  Some washi tape added to the bottom edge and a couple of hand stitched circles and all that was left to do was to mat my photo on a folder cardstock card which contained my journaling.  The photo turn keeps it closed but is easily available to read with just a quick turn!

I'll share the other two later this week!

You can find the links to download these and other files on my PaperCuts page (CLICK HERE!)

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenges on my blog for a chance to win:
Sept Sketch Challenge (deadline Sept 30th, 2014)
Leave Your Legacy challenge - Don't Stop Believing (deadline Nov 30th, 2014)

Exhaust Your Excess! challenge blog - check it out!!

Happiness Is...

In working on the Charlie Brown assignment for the Summer 2014 issue, I came across this great quote by Charlie Brown and created this card:

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Silhouette Cameo die cutting machine; "Happiness Is" cut file by Sue Sykes; The Twinery twine, Fancy Pants pin; ribbon from my stash.

I'm sharing the cut file for this card today - click below to download a zip file, containing both .studio and .svg versions, as well as a .jpg image of the file.  Please read and respect the Terms of Use that are also included in the .zip file!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FILE

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenges on my blog for a chance to win:
Sketchy Challenge - June 2014 (deadline June 30th, 2014)
Leave Your Legacy challenge - Don't Stop Believing (deadline Nov 30th, 2014)

Paper Cuts | Summer 2014

The Summer issue of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine was the inaugural issue of another new article for me - Paper Cuts!

In every issue, I will design themed cut files in .studio and .svg formats that will be available for download on the Canadian Scrapbooker website (coming soon!), as well as here on my blog, on my PaperCuts page.

For the summer issue, I created these files:

Here's a few projects that I created with them.  The first is a bright card, using a favourite Fancy Pants collection, Beach Babe:

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Fancy Pants patterned paper; Summer 3x4 Title Cards cut file by Sue Sykes (available for download HERE); Cuttlebug embossing folder; Offray ribbon; 3L foam adhesive.

I also created this layout, using one of the cut files and my watercolours.  It was featured in the Summer issue but the ombre watercolour was a bit hard to see...

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Courage title and Surfboards cut files by Sue Sykes (available for download here) ; Ranger Distress Ink; Artist's Loft watercolour; watercolour paper.

To create this look, I used my Cameo to cut the title out of the kraft card stock.  Prior to cutting, I ungrouped the title and removed the "Courage" part of the title, which I then cut out of a contrasting red cardstock.

I cut a piece of watercolour paper to fit the title and after giving it a slight wash, I then dragged various colours of blue, aqua and green across the page in row, using water to blend the colours.  Once it was dry, I attached it to the back of my page.

To mimic the sand, I tore strips of kraft cardstock and attached using foam adhesive.  The surfboards were cut on the Cameo, assembled and tucked under the torn edges to look like they are propped up in the sand.

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenges on my blog for a chance to win:
June Sketch Challenge (deadline Jun 30th, 2014)
Leave Your Legacy challenge - Don't Stop Believing (deadline Nov 30th, 2014)

Spring 2014 Cover Challenge

Jackie asked me to once again participate in the Spring 2014 cover challenge.  I absolutely loved the photo they had chosen for this issue's cover!  So much fun...

My layout wasn't chosen for the cover (Kelly Klapstein got the honours this time around - check out her gorgeous layout here!) but I'm featured inside, along with CS guest designer and fellow Inspiration Elevator teammate, Jodi Wilton!   Here's my layout:

Supplies used:  Authentique patterned paper; Silhouette Cameo and cut files (Lori Whitlock lvd tab, Echo Park Co. hearts, Loni Leah Designs feathers); Mission Script font; Martha Stewart Crafts border punch; Tim Holtz distress ink; Studio Calico wooden veneer hearts (not shown); PaperMate Flair marker; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares and tape runner; sewing machine, sequins (not shown), thread.

You may (or may not!) have noticed that the wooden veneer hearts and sequins are missing from these images… I added them as an afterthought just before I popped in in the mail to Jackie!!

I cut the feathers with my Cameo and stitched a rachis on each feather, as well as a border around the edge of the layout.

The "love" tab and hearts were also cut, using my Cameo and purchased cut files.  The title font was cut using the Mission Script font (download available here):

Thanks for peeking!  Just a reminder - there's a few days left to play along with the February sketch challenge on my blog (see below for a link to the post).  I'll randomly select a winner (using random.org) and send along some goodies.... including the Spring 2014 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker!!

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenge on my blog for a chance to win:
February Sketch Challenge (deadline Feb 28, 2014)

Tuesdays With The Team | Nov 26

Today, on the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine blog, I shared one of the layouts that I completed at CropFest a few weekends ago:

Supplies used:  FabScraps patterned paper; Core'dinations and Recollections cardstock; Prima and Recollections washi tape; Pink Paislee flair button and photo tab; Freckled Fawn wooden speech bubble; Momenta key; Studio Calico wooden stars; Maya Road mist; May Arts twine; Canadian Scrapbooker sanding block; Marvy Uchica punch; miscellaneous calendar page; Sakura marker; Ranger Distress ink; Silhouette Cameo.

Well, I didn't finish it COMPLETELY at Crop Fest - I knew I wanted to create a title using my Silhouette, but until the layout came together, I wasn't quite sure what it was going to be so I couldn't create it ahead of time.

Nor did I have time in the week leading up to CropFest to create it! :)

The patterned paper from FabScraps was perfect for this photo of Connor that I had taken when he was seven.  I wanted to document his love of the written word and how he became totally immersed while reading - a trait he inherited from me.  Gary always claims that he can have an entire conversation with me while I'm reading, only to have me look up at the end of it and say, "Did you say something?" :)

I layered the paper with a few FabScraps patterned paper strips, torn to length, some coordinating washi tape and a sheet torn from a weekly scheduler by o-check design graphics that I picked up at Chapters last year for $3 - one of my favourite finds so far!!  [It's called weekly scheduler (L) - key]

I created a little book as an embellishment, using cardstock, plain copy paper, twine and a small heart punch.  I debated using it for my journaling, but a) I think it may be too small and b) who's going to want to untie and tie that teeny book up to hear the story?!?

As I said earlier, I created the title and title mat using my Silhouette Cameo and the Titan One font.

And I'm sharing the cut file with you, just because I like ya'll so much! :)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD .STUDIO FILE

(Note: When I click this link, it automatically downloads the file into my Downloads folder on my Mac - not sure what happens on a PC?  Can someone please leave me a comment and let me if it auto-downloads or if a dialogue box pops up?)

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the challenges on my blog for a chance to win:
November Sketchy Challenge (deadline:  Nov 30, 2013)

Leave Your Legacy: Top Ten Lists (deadline:  Nov 30, 2013)

Good-bye, Xacto...

Hello, Silhouette Cameo!!

I finally did it - I broke down and bought the Cameo!  Well, technically Gary and the kids bought it for me for Christmas... :)

I couldn't pass it up - Studio Calico had such a great deal on it... $279.99 for all of this:

Silhouette Cameo Electronic Cutting Tool 

Silhouette Studio® software

51 exclusive cuttable designs 

Power cable, USB cable 

12" cutting mat 

Cutting blade 

$10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store 

Basic Instruction Guide

Teal dust cover 

Additional Replacement Blade 

Additional Silhouette Cameo 12x12 cutting mat 

Additional $10 download card

And free shipping!

I will probably have to pay HST on it when it arrived, but it still works out to be cheaper than anywhere else I've seen.

And I'm so excited to be able to use the 8,000+ fonts I have!!  Or to create my own masks or die cut backgrounds:

[source:  Paper Eudaimonia]

Or to cut out and use negative space on my layouts:

[Layout by Davinie Fiero for Studio Calico]

Or to create something like this for the holidays:

[Harvest banner by Lindsay for Silhouette America - click HERE for a tutorial!]

I'm so excited!  I hope Gary's not going to make me wait til Christmas though... I can always give him the empty box to wrap!

And so, in honour of my new toy, I've decided to make Fridays on the blog, Free Font Fridays!  Each week, I will share a new free font.  But I missed posting this on Friday so this week, it will be Free Font Saturday!

Today, I'd like to share one of my favourite fonts - perfect for party invitations or menus.  I can't wait to try titles with it on my Cameo!

[Aquarelle download from Fonts101.com]

Happy Friday!