Feeling Flakey

It's been rather cold these last couple of days and with no desire to go out (except for a dr. appt. yesterday), I just want to stay inside and keep warm!  Haven't done much in the area of crafting although I must say my sewing room has been calling my name of late.  It certainly is warmer in there since it is upstairs but instead I continue to hang out in the basement trying to learn AI.  At least I have a fireplace down here so it helps!

I've been playing with Indigo Blu Mega Flakes and created a card using this wonderful foil product.  I chose the mix called Eton Mess (I know....what a name..lol), a birch tree die from Taylored Expressions and an embossing folder by Sizzix with birch trees.

I wanted the birch die to be the focal point and chose to apply the Mega Flakes to the die.  I first adhered a sheet of double sided adhesive paper to a piece of scrap cardstock.  The great thing about doing this technique is that it allows you to use your scraps since you'll never see the paper underneath once you apply the flakes!  Next, I cut the paper using the birch die.  I then pulled off the protective layer from the top of die cut.  Using the flakes and a Rub It, Scrub It foam (by Ranger), I dropped some flakes on the adhesive side of the die cut and distributed the flakes with the foam piece.  It covered beautifully!  Once done, I placed my residual flakes back in the jar.  I positioned my birch tree die on the card using pop dots to give it some dimension as well.  A couple of cardinals (my fav) and I was done.

Here is the result:

I'm thinking I may add a phrase on the bottom right in white and pop it off the card with pop dots.  I love the simplicity of the card.

Now I think I'll try to organize my work area since I've got everything under the sun on my table!  Not sure how I can work in the clutter but it works for me....lol

Later!

Winding Down

It's been a busy few weeks with trying to get my digital files up and loaded in my Etsy shop but for the most part I think I'm done.  I was a little disappointed that I couldn't load the rest of the girl elves but I just didn't want to take the chance that customers  would struggle to use them.  The detail in the files puts a limit on how small they will cut successfully and rather than have unhappy customers I chose to skip it this year.  I will continue to work on them and perhaps get them up next year.

My garden flags that I ordered arrived and I want to do an "Elf Surveillance" flag for our front yard.  I have a small piece of inkjet printable left that I can use for one of the layers but it would leave me without any should the  one customer want her ornament order after all.  I am waiting to hear from her and once I do, I will better know whether it's a go or whether I need to order more.  I should order more anyway....

In the cardmaking department, I have actually put that all aside this month.  I do want to create a few cards to send to family and friends but it is so nice not to have to create anything this month for demonstrating.

I'm actually anxious to begin another project.....snowman key pins!  They are so cute and I knew when I saw the pattern that I wanted to create some as little gifties.  The base is a Tim Holtz key and the face is created with Kwik Wood.  I've never used this product so this should be interesting...lol

I've got to get my grandkids' ornies in the mail this weekend if they are to hang them on the tree this year!  I hope they don't think they are creepy....I thought it was funny to see elves trapped inside the ornie...I guess I have a warped sense of humor...

We did manage to get our Christmas tree up too!  I had a little tree the last couple of years and so we didn't have many ornaments for this year.  We went out and bought some but after hanging them all, the tree still looks rather bare.  I'm hoping we can go out this weekend and pick up a few more boxes.  It'll be an excuse to get over to Valley View Farms!

Finally, I am determined to learn Illustrator this year!  It has been a pain in the patootie converting files from Sil Studio to SVG and then to DXF, PNG and JPG.  Ugh!  So, I believe learning AI will allow me to create all the different formats in AI and have a native AI file of my design files.  It will be of better quality because the files will be vector files which maintain their sharp images.  I have a subscription to AI and would also love to get Photoshop but I figure I should probably learn one software at a time.  This old gray matter just isn't what it use to be.  I signed up with Train Simple and they have wonderful tutorials for every Adobe product for a very reasonable price.  Hoping that in a couple of months I will have had enough training to be able to create my designs.  My designs are no where near as complicated or elaborate as someone who is a Graphic Designer so I don't need all the extra fancy shadows, etc....just need to be able to do line drawings, some layers, and compound paths.  The big bonus is the ability to generate the different formats.  Woohoo!

It's late and I best be closing this post for now.  I've got a hair appt. tomorrow so I need to actually get to bed at a "decent" hour ... lol.  Good nite!

Visions of Digital Designs Dance in my Head

With Christmas just around the corner, my mind is working overtime!  In my sleep I'm dreaming of design files.  I think I'm ready to move on from the elf files and seems like they're being replaced by snowmen!  I love snowmen...they are a reminder of winter, the cold, and how nice and toasty one can be sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter night drinking hot cocoa and watching the flames as they dance.

Today, I've been playing with a snowman monogram!  I think my favorite aspect is the giant snowflake layered over the letter.  I was able to finish two monograms today and at that rate, I'm not sure I can get these done in a week...which was my goal for listing them on Etsy.  I'm going to keep pushing forward and see how far I can get.

I'm still working on another elf girl....she sits on a giant ornament.  Still not sure whether I'll make her available at this point.  I'm concerned the images might be too detailed for cutters.  I considered printing the elf on printable vinyl since I've never tried that....that would make it so easy to use the file then since it involves only outline cutting of the image.

Here's a peek:

That's all for now!  It's late and I really should try to get some sleep.  Tomorrow I've got digital designs to finish!

Have a blessed day!

If you were an Elf...

If you were an elf, how tall would YOU be?  LOL

Today, I've been working on more elf files.  I need a little girl elf and that is a real challenge.  I've managed to pull something together, and I've decided one of the files shall be the elf peeking around a door.  I think it would be cute to create a door from vinyl and place it on the wall at the baseboard and have her peeking.

One problem remains for me:  How tall is an elf door?  I've never met an elf in person!  It's got to be bigger than a mouse hole...lol

I guess I'll ponder this for just a bit...in the meantime, a peek at the file I'm working on:

Have a blessed day!

Has it Been that Long?

I just looked at my poor blog and I can't believe my last post was early this year!  This is why I had no business starting a blog...I get too involved in other things and I get easily distracted that something eventually takes a hit....in this case, blogging.

My life has been consumed with cardmaking, designing files in Silhouette Studio and Facebook (and not necessarily in that order)!

I continue to create cards for demonstrating at my local scrapbook store.  Each month, those that demonstrate create 2 cards each.  We are responsible for preparing kits for our cards (50 each) and on the 3rd Saturday of each month, we converge on the store, set up and customers buy our card kits and are taught to make our cards.  It's a great deal for the customer!  Not only do they walk away with a completed card, but everything they need to create the card is there at the table.  They only need bring their favorite adhesive.  Of course, they also come away with knowledge and the joy of saying, "I made this".

Some of the cards I've made this year:

I also worked on a set of tags this year for fall.  I finally tried Julie Nutting's Doll Stamps and had a ball.  I was reminded of days gone by when I could spend hours cutting out paper dolls!  With the help of my Silhouette, I was able to cut the clothes and dolls out without the pain of cutting with scissors!

I would love to create another set for Winter and if time permits, I will give it a shot!

I also tried my hand at wreathmaking.....I did say try.  I was able to finish the wreath but I think I'll be leaving that to those who are more gifted in that area....lol   I used the deco mesh which was very easy to work with but I think I got a little carried away with the loop-making process and ended up with quite a "fluffy" wreath base.  Of course, the challenge for me was deciding what to embellish with so I kept it at a minimum (I think)!

For the holidays, I have been busy making a few ornaments as I test my design files.  My favorite are the elves.  I created two elves that appear to be stuck inside of ornaments and also one that is stuck inside a shadow box.  The shadowbox and ornaments will go to my grandkids.  I hope they'll love them as much as I loved making them!   I also made a gingerbread ornie that I really liked and a nativity scene that came from the Silhouette store.

It is my desire to get back to my quilting and patchwork, which has also been placed on the backburner.  I signed up for a longarm introductory class which after completion (which I did), I will be able to rent time and use their longarm to finish my quilts.!  I've done one already and look forward to quilting some more.  It does take a toll on my back and neck so I'll have to pace myself.

Thanksgiving is next week and I'll be fixing the turkey this year since Lee is scheduled to have elbow surgery the day before Thanksgiving!  I think he planned it to get out of helping with all the preparations....lol

This year we bought a "fake" tree....yep, it's come to that.  I've always opted for a fresh tree but I've decided to save a tree and buy artificial.  Hopefully, we can disguise it with all the ornaments we plan to buy...lol

I'm feeling pretty good about having posted.  It had been too long.  I think this year I'd like to do a giveaway and I'm thinking of making an elf shadowbox to give to one lucky person!   The elf files have been very popular in the Etsy shop and to show my appreciation I think it would be appropriate to give away an elf!   This will have to be fast because the holidays are upon us again!

Stay tuned!

A Valentine Share

We've got snow today and that means crafty time!  Actually, since I don't work anymore it's usually crafty time all the time here...lol

I have been working on a shadow box for a couple of days and finished it today!  I am so in love with it!  I used Graphic 45 Sweet Sentiments paper, fussy cut a few images from it, and of course I had to use my Silhouette Cameo to cut out a quatrefoil lattice.  I punched out several little flowers from scraps of cardstock and patterned paper, added a dyed seam binding ribbon, some Wink of Stella for shimmer, and finally, the word "Love" on the outside of the glass in gold vinyl.  Love it!

Happy crafting!

Easter in the Winter Time

Yes, we are in the middle of winter but Easter is on my mind.  While out and about, I picked up a few little metal baskets in two different shapes.  I thought they would be perfect for little Easter baskets...perhaps for my granddaughter's class.  She is 6 years old and would love a little basket (of course it would have to be in addition to her "BIG" Easter basket...lol

These were pretty simple to make.  I designed the images in Silhouette software, cut them out of vinyl and then layered on the fronts of the baskets.  I get great satisfaction watching as the layers of pretty colors create the image into cute little bunnies.  I used my granddaughter's first initial to give them a personalized look.

My hope is to take special orders for some of these baskets.  I think they would be great for gift giving.

Feel like I have one more bunny project in me....let's see if it happens!  That's all for now!

Back to our Regularly Scheduled Program

Wow!  Seems like the holidays crept up on me quickly and just that quickly they were gone!  Glad it is only once a year.  Kept busy creating cut files, making ornaments, and a few gifties.

In the midst of all the crafting, I took a break from the "need to do" things and just created something fun.   Inspired by a board sign I saw on a recent visit to my local card store, I knew I had to come home and whip it up for a fun gift.

 I took a cutting board/cheese plate? from the Dollar Tree.  Sometimes there are some great finds at that bargain store!  I designed my image in Silhouette and cut it out using Oracal 651 vinyl.  It was quick, and the weeding was not too bad.  I reversed the image so that I could put it underneath the plate.  That way it can still be used without damaging the decal.

Here it is!

Now, I don't drink but I thought it would be a fun gift for those who enjoy the occasional glass of wine, or 2 or 3....lolol

I've been working on a few cut files and then trying to get my crafting area back in order!  Looks like a tornado came through.  Funny....I can still find everything despite the disarray!

Til next time!