Saturday, March 28, 2009

Easy Gift Card Envelopes

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Since giving gift cards is popular I thought I'd size some envelopes to fit them and they work well for my gift certificates, too. Just creates an extra personal touch. The paper used is by Best Occasions, Punch-Out Pack bought at WalMart. The green band, rectangular tag are in the punch-out pack. The flowers are from Plantin Schoolbook cartridge and the Thanks tag is the Stamped cartidge.
I used ponytail bands so I cut a slit from the hole on tags so I could slip them on and used a small piece of invisible tape to secure the slit (though not necessary).
The thank you below is stamped and colored and the Thank Ewe just hand written. There is a sheep designed embossed behind but I need to add a little white to make the shape more obvious.

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Friday, March 27, 2009

Baby Bootie



Here's a basic baby bootie pattern. I cut these from one of my 2-sided papers and just reversed them. The pics from the other site are very cute and there are .pdf files for both versions so they can be handcut.
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For SCAL users I've included an .svg pattern for those of us too lazy to cut all of these by hand plus it's helpful to resize! File in "Baby Bootie and Onsie Favor Boxes."
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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dancing Divas






These pins were inspired by a design in a beading magazine. It basically involves creating a shape of your "diva" and then taking smaller wire and string beads on it and wrapping your wireframe. I start my wrapping a slightly larger bead at the hands and feet and worked toward the body. After making a few it occurred to me that I could make the beaded skirts and necklaces separate so I could trade out colors and make them more versatile.
















Monday, March 16, 2009

Pretty in Pink



I really do try and control myself but I just thought I had to try another shoe made with a paper heel (it was a challenge!) and of course, it had to be part of a set! So once again the Plantin Schoolbook bag with a large flower (2 petals at 3", 1 at 2½",and the last petal set on Italic at 1½" with a metallic flower accent in the center.) I opted for a pink heel...the paper,double-sided printed paper, DCWV 'the Spring Glitter Stack' from JoAnn's Fabrics.

For the basic shoe design check my sidebar label 'shoe' and you will find a link in an earlier post to the paper artist who inspired the shoes I've created. He provides a tutorial as well as a template. He provides instructions for creating a beaded heel so I had to experiment with a paper version, not perfect, but fun and challenging.

Here's a link to the Cricut Messageboard posts that shows some of the other shoe sets created by others!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Scal Card Shapes














The top images are a couple of cards made using the coffeecup template along with my decocup file and the other...I set the words I drink COFFEE to cut out of the front of template, then put my rose paper behind the lettering and cut slightly smaller template for the inside and hand-printed the words, 'for your protection'. Found that saying and it tickled my funny bone!

SCAL Card files...check my sidebar link "More SCAL files" for the .svg files...would be cute gift tags and you could personalize by cutting a name or message in one side.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Name play in Inkscape & SCAL














Just wanted to share some ideas on using Inkscape...a free drawing program. You can create a unique design by just typing in your name using a Script font, (the upper script is Edwardian Script ITC, the lower one is Script MT bold,) create a duplicate, flip it and abut it to the first image. If you rotate it clockwise 90 degrees it becomes more of a design element. The middle image combines Laura four times as a border. Try it and have fun!
For SCAL users, convert your text with the object to path button so it can recognize it (a few other steps as well but more on that later...on the lighter script I used the shadow style in the properties window set at "1" which adds weight and makes a nice cut.

It's a fun way to make a specialized card or message, too!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

More .svg images for SCAL










Here is a fun coffee cup and chef design in my SCAL image files...no charge for these images but please don't post them elsewhere. The cup is also available as just an outline file, too. I created the deco cup using the calligraphy pen feature of Inkscape, combining elements until I was happy with it...enjoy! Would love to see your designs with these files!

These .svg files here...

Click on my sidebar link "My SCAL .svg files" for the link to the name bookmarks.
The names I have done are:
Bruce
Chris
Delores
Donna
Heather
Jim
Joe
Laura
Sally
Timothy
Looking for a name? Let me know...
Card Names...
Donna
Carmen

Wire Name Gift Tags














I designed these using the tag from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge from Cricut and bending flexible wire into names to personalize. Laney jolee was done with a single strand of wire, the others were a double strand which adds more stability to this lightweight wire. I also like adding a little flower motif and a bead at the center of the flower.


To attach the name to the tag I make two holes close to each other at strategic areas (like where letters loop) to secure it through the top tag only (a push pin on an old mouse pad works well) and then I tape the wire down on the back to flatten it and then glue the top tag to the back tag.

Another purse and shoe

This purse is done with the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, black cardstock and 2½" wire ribbon. The shoe was done with the same ribbon...the link is in the other purse and shoe post...check label "shoes" for details!