Incire (fold and tuck) Full Page

I have been trying all sorts of variations with the incire patterns and I decided to try a full page background for a layout.  The paper I chose is yellow on one side and has an interesting dotted pattern on the other side.

In this close up shot you can see how the design looked after cutting.  I alternated the directions of the rows of cuts to add more interest.

 Once the design is cut, the first step is to lift each half loop and fold it over.

 Then you simply tuck each loop under the oval next to it, all the way along the row.

Here are the first two rows after folding and tucking.

 You could choose to cut only a few rows and leave part of the background plain.

 I liked the idea of filling the page to add a lot of texture.

Just keep folding and tucking, one row at a time.  I think it is easier to fold all of the loops and then tuck them all at that same time.

If you want to layer the finished page over another color you can get a very complicated look that is actually quite easy to make.  The end loops should be fastened down with a bit of adhesive (I haven't done that yet).

Now I just have to look around for some photos to use on this page (maybe I should have started with the photos and then chosen the paper!). 

What do you think?  Do you like the look or is it too busy?  I don't think any of these photos show the texture very well - I'll take some more shots when I finish the page...

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Lace Cardstock with Martha Stewart Borders.

Today is Monday so you'll find another installment of "Martha on Monday" over on the Scrappy-Go-Lucky blog.  This week I demonstrated how to create your own lace cardstock by welding together several borders.  I have used this technique for many mesh pages.  The Martha Stewart cartridges have lots of lovely borders and there are many other cartridges that will also work (Storybook is one of my favorites for doing this).

There is a step by step explanation and lots of photos showing how to create the flower mesh you can see above on the Scrappy-Go-Lucky blog at THIS POST.

This leafy mesh is another example of a design created from borders.  This one is much more delicate than the flower mesh.

 Here is the border from the Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake Art cartridge that I used for this mesh.

You want to be sure to use a sticky mat - not a brand new one but one that is "just right" to keep the paper firmly stuck during the cut.  It takes quite a while to cut out something this intricate.  Above you can see the delicate cuts in the paper still on the mat.  You want a sturdy paper, not thin text weight but not too thick.  If you use heavy cardstock you might not get a clean cut - I would recommend trying a multi-cut if you want to use heavier weight material.

When the cut is finished, you can remove the outer edge around the design.  

You could save this piece and use it as a frame on another page.

Take your time as you lift the cut from the mat.  The stems are extremely delicate.

 I only had one place where a leaf came apart - I was distracted by something and tugged a bit too hard when I was lifting that section.  It is simple to glue it down so the break won't show.

Changing the background paper gives an entirely different look.

If you'd like to try cutting this mesh you can download my file HERE.  The file for the flower lace is available on the Scrappy-Go-Lucky blog.  You'll find all sorts of inspiration if you check out the projects my fellow Design Team members have been making so be sure to scroll back through the posts.  

Thanks for all of the advice on the paint color for the garage. I am planning to show you more simple style scrapbook pages soon now that I know that many of you enjoy this type of page as a supplement or alternative to the very heavily embellished and layered pages that are so popular right now.   I hope you have a wonderful Monday.

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Martha Stewart Crafts cake cartridges- Using borders to make decorative backgrounds

Happy Monday (and for those of you who are mathematically inclined - Happy Pi Day!).  I have been doing a series on the Martha Stewart Crafts Cake Art cartridges for Scrappy-Go-Lucky.  Today I posted some information about the Seasonal Cake Art cartridge and also showed a full page background made by using the borders on the cartridge.  To see the full post and download the file for the bow edged background above, please visit the Scrappy-Go-Lucky blog at THIS POST.

If you want to know how to make your own page backgrounds, here are a few tips...

It is best to start with the border that is planned at about 2 x 9 inches as shown by the selected feature key above.  This will be the closest to the size you need for your page background.

You will then need to make the border the size that will fit within the "cuttable zone" on your mat.  Be sure to do the shadow version of the border first or you may run out of room.  Be careful to line the edges up properly - the shadow is not like most shadows - the sides of the two layers will be flush.

 
Once you have copied and pasted the border section and have arranged the four sides you will need to add a "filler" in the center to create a solid page.

Check to make sure that everything is welded correctly by doing a preview and looking at it from a blank page in the file.  If you get a preview that looks like this you will need to "burp" the design.  This means you will take one of the border sections and "copy-delete-paste" it back into the design.  By adding an outer border edge after the center, the welds will be corrected (you need to work from the inside out).

You can turn off the welding to do previews in color and make decisions about the colors for your design.  Just be sure to weld the group together again before you attempt to cut!

 

You should also save the edges of the pages you cut so you can use these reverse borders on some pages.  

By carefully planning one of these cuts with Design Studio or the Gypsy, you will save paper and have some beautiful coordinated backgrounds for your projects.  Best of all, you will save money since you don't need to purchase expensive single background sheets.

To see more photos and download the file be sure to click over to the Scrappy-Go-Lucky blog HERE.  Once you get started making these you will find that it is easy and fun to do.  Best of all, you can make exactly what you want for a special occasion...so have fun with it!

 

Snowflake from Frame (the test cut and files)

I am always amazed at the incredibly complex cuts that the Cricut machines can make.  This is the test cut of the snowflake design I posted on Monday.  This snowflake was made with just two elements from the Reminisce Accents cartridge.  I cut the snowflake from a piece of common white cardstock with my blade at 6 and pressure at 5 (the speed is set at 4 on my machine, however, Design Studio controls the speed when cutting from the program).

The mat I used was not a new one but it was still sticky all over and I smoothed the paper down carefully before starting the cut.  It is actually better not to attempt a cut like this on a brand new mat as it might be too sticky and the design could tear when you are lifting it from the mat.  My "secret weapon" for lifting delicate cuts like this is a four inch plastic putty knife that I got at the hardware store for a few dollars.

This is the offcut from the design and it can be saved and used to frame another page layout.

This is the piece from the center of the snowflake - yet another snowflake shape that you can also use for another project.

Using a different background paper makes a big difference in the look of the cut - suddenly this looks more like a Valentine to me!

Many people asked for the file for this cut and I am happy to share it.  You can download the file from the links at the bottom of this post.  I did post both the .cut file for Design Studio and a .gypsy file.  I have to say that I do not use the gypsy for this type of work.  The complex welds seem to overwhelm the small memory and it can be very frustrating to precisely align elements that overlap other elements.  For a design like this, Design Studio is a much better choice.

When I preview the file in Design Studio it takes less than five seconds.  To preview the design on the Gypsy took nearly ten minutes.  I don't have time to wait for these incredibly slow previews as I work through a design.  I did not actually cut the design with the Gypsy - if someone downloads and cuts the file I would be interested to know how long it takes to cut.

I happened to have this cut from the Snow Angel cartridge that I made with the Imagine on my table.  I think that a larger medallion placed on this design and framed would be a pretty holiday decoration.

I have so many projects in the works right now - I wish there were more hours in the day to make samples and photograph them (and fewer real life tasks like laundry and errands to do!).  I'll be back later today to tell you about the new deals for the month of December from Creative Charms.  I am working with the new Kit of the Month and it is very elegant - I think you will like it too!

Snowflake From Frame - .cut file

Snowflake From Frame - .gypsy file


If you are interested in ordering the Reminisce Accents or Cheerful Seasons Creative Memories exclusive cartridges and don't have a local consultant I would be happy to help you - just click the names of the cartridges to go to the page on my personal website where you can order and have them sent directly to you.  This is a great time to order since there is a special deal for shipping of just $1.99 on orders of $25 or more - the normal shipping for the two cartridges would be $9.35 (and the usual minimum shipping fee is $8.50 if you order just one cartridge and nothing else).  Please leave a comment or email me if you have any questions about these cartridges.



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Fancy Full Page Mat or Frame from a Border

There are a lot of wonderful border designs on the Reminisce Accents cartridge.  With Design Studio or the Gypsy you can transform some of these borders into fancy full page mats or frames.

Here is a screen shot of the keypad showing the border element I used for this design.

By carefully aligning the corners of the design I was able to quickly create a frame.

The slightly bolder center lines on the virtual mat are very handy for helping you to create a symmetrical design.  In the screen shot above you can see the preview of the welded frame on a blank page.  By previewing the design on a blank page you will see exactly what will be cut with no confusion between dark and light lines in the design.

In order to create a solid mat with the border edges you need to add a square to the center of the frame.  If you add the square after you have placed all four sides of the frame you will need to "burp" the design by copying, deleting and then pasting back one side of the frame.  This will make the weld work correctly.  If you are not familiar with "burping" you can watch a video I did about welding in a frame that will show you all of the steps.  Here is a LINK to the post with the video.

I sized the square at 7 1/2 inches for the interior of this frame.  You need to be sure that the square is slightly larger than the opening and that it doesn't interfere with the cut out designs in the frame.

I had these sequin flowers on my craft island  (from the Creative Charms "Deal of the Month" for August) and I thought they would look pretty as the centers of the flowers.  I alternated the blue and pink colors around the frame.

I only did one test cut but I added a black square to the center of the mat for this photo so you can see how the frame cut would look.  There are separate pages in the file for the frame or the mat.

The only cartridge needed to cut this file is the Reminisce Accents cartridge (one of the two exclusive Creative Memories cartridges).  You can get more information about these cartridges and read my review at THIS POST.

This is a simple design to create and I encourage you to try making your own file.  You could make it much smaller to use as a card topper or medallion.  If you would like to try my file, you can download it at the link below.


Daisy Eyelet Frame

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Sweet Treat Thursday at Cuttlebug Challenge

 

The Sweet Treat Design Team was asked to use Cricut Color Inks for our projects this week.  For some tips and tricks for using the markers and to see all of the Design Team projects, please be sure to visit THIS POST at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blogspot.

 

I used the red pen to outline the scalloped doily I posted in January (here is a LINK to the post).  The doily is made with the Mother's Day and Plantin Schoolbook cartridges.  I framed the doily in an inexpensive scrapbook page frame to use for a table setting as a serving piece for desserts or for candles.

 

I also designed a card using the Give a Hoot and Mother's Day cartridges.

I used this charm element from Give a Hoot to create the cut out portion of the card front.

 

 

I hid the outline and the hole of the charm after I sized it to fit a standard A2 card.  I also hid some of the very tiny places in the design to avoid having the marker leave a blob of ink.

 

 

I used the markers to draw the design and then cut out the card.  The markers draw a thick line and the blade cuts in about the center of the line, leaving a nicely outlined cut.  The effect is similar to inking but with a sharp edge that would be difficult to achieve by hand.

 

When you use the markers with Design Studio the software will draw/cut in exactly the same place.  DO NOT unload the mat between the drawing and cutting steps.  It is a good idea to put a piece of scrap paper beneath the blade carriage when you are changing from blade to marker to prevent accidental marks on your project.

 

 

I decided to add the "Mother" word art with the lovely flourishes - there is a shadow and a top layer on the Mother's Day cartridge as shown in the screen shot above.

To determine the proper size of the cut, I put the shadow version on the same mat as the card to check the fit.  Then I moved the shadow and a top layer in the same size to another page in the file for cutting.

 The top layer is very delicate and needs to be handled carefully when you remove it from the mat.

I added a liner of pink gemstone Core'dinations cardstock to the front of the card.  This provides a good support and nice contrast to the delicate cut.

For the finishing touch I used one of these sequin flowers from Creative Charms.  You can see these HERE on the Creative Charms site. 

The flowers come in various colors and are very sparkly and elegant.

My first set of markers came in a bundle with my Expression.  I got that machine in 2007 and I discovered in working on these projects that the markers do eventually dry out.  If you have some markers that are sitting around your house, why not pull them out and give them a try while they still work!

Just for fun, here is a LINK to one of my very early blog posts when I first discovered how well the markers work with Design Studio.

Mother Card with Cricut Inks