Friday, July 29, 2011

Detailed Butterfly


I am so excited about my new Black Cat Lynx digital cutter!

There is no way I could have gotten all this detail in such a small area with my old machine.

Here is the cut file, but if you have any other cutter, you will have to cut it out in a fairly large size.

Please remember that I offer these files for free for your PERSONAL use.
They are not to be shared, altered, sold or used for profit.

Here is the card I made with this butterfly.


I also got a lot of detail from my scalloped mat. This mat used to take FOREVER with my old machine.
It cut fairly quickly with the Lynx.


I also used some of my "Color Me" paper that I bought a while back from Paper Wishes.
It comes with the white embossed area already on it. You just add your own color. You can use chalks, inks, mists, or watercolors. (I used Stormy Sky distress ink for this card)

Check out all those fine details!
Perfect product for those of us who are a little "stamping challenged"...LOL

New Black Cat



Look at all those details on this 2 inch butterfly!

Guess how I got this file to cut out so perfectly...


Wooo Hoooo!
I an the proud new owner of a Black Cat Cutter!!!!!


I am sooooo excited!

Shhh, don't tell this black cat...

(my other baby)
...but the new Black Cat Lynx is quickly becoming my favorite!

I ordered it from That's Scrap.
They are the official Black Cat dealer in the U.S.

You can go to the Black Cat Cutter site in England (ie Thyme Graphics) and check out all the cool stuff.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

5 Petal Pretty Flower


This was one of the first flower files that I created. I love this little flower because it is so versatile. It can be pretty and elegant or just cute. It also lays fairly flat. A lot of my flowers are pretty bulky so it is nice to have a flower that works well in a scrapbook or a card that needs to be mailed without a lot of special packaging. (I do put a piece of cardstock on top of it when I mail it. That keeps it from getting caught in the postal machines.)



Materials needed:
2 five pointed flower shapes
You will also need:

A stylus, paper piercing tool, rubber mat (or mouse pad), glue, and (if
desired) chalk, color spray, ink  or Mica powder.
If you do not have a paper piercing tool, just use a narrow smooth round tool such as a bamboo skewer, end of a paintbrush, or round toothpick. You could also use the upper end of the stylus (away from the ball at the end).

Directions:

1) Color petals with ink, chalk, mist, or mica powder.

2) Place a petal shape on the mat. Use a stylus to emboss each petal
making large circular motions with light pressure at first. Then go over
the petal again with smaller circular motions and medium pressure.
Do this to all the petals on both flower shapes. This breaks down the
fibers in the paper and allows you to mold the petals. (see figure 1 below)

3) Now use the piercing tool to press against the backside of each petal while holding your thumb against the front. Slide your thumb and the tool from the base of the petal to the tip. With a light pressure "curl" each petal downward. (Similar to pressing curling ribbon between scissors and your thumb)






4) Place flower shape on mat (or against your finger) and press piercing tool
against the center of each petal as shown.









5
) Use piercing tool to "round" each petal. I hold one side of the petal
with one hand and with the other hand I place the needle tool on the
front of the petal and press my forefinger against the back of the petal.
Starting from the center and working toward the edge, I use gentle
pressure to "curl" the edge upward. Then I switch hands and shape
the other side of the petal.













6) Use the bottom of piercing tool or pen/ pencil to press the center of the flower down, cupping the flower shape. (similar to the way this flower shape goes down in the center)










 




7) Pinch the inside of each petal at the base. (where the petal comes off
the center area)










 8) Curl the ends (tips) of the petal. I place the piercing tool at the back tip
 of the petal from the center to the right side. (see lines on red flowers
above)Then I use my finger to roll the edge of the flower over the needle
tool and downward. Then I do the
left side. (see image above)
The petals look like this when I am done.




















9) Put glue in the center of one of the flowers. Place the other flower on
top, staggering the petals.





10) Add rhinestones, beads, glitter, or brads to the center and you're done.

Here is the cut file for this flower.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Loose rose tutorial

These are lovely loose roses. They have a lot of demintion so they will not work in a scrapbook layout, but they are great for 3D projects and cards that do not have to be mailed.


My Loose Rose Tutorial 
(LOL..you can totally see the glue that I used to attach the seed beads right before I took the picture.)

1) Cut 5 petals (the large petals from the tattered flowers)



2) Ink, spray, or chalk if desired.

3) Place flower shape on mat (I use the arm rest that came with our computer mouse pad. You can also use fun foam craft sheets or the rubber mats that you use with embossing plates on your embossing machine.)

4) Use stylus to hand emboss each of the flower pieces. Make large circular motions with light pressure at first. Then go over the petal again with smaller circular motions and medium pressure. Do this to all 5 flower shapes. This breaks down the fibers in the paper and allows you to mold the petals. (see picture below)
5)  Now use the piercing tool to press against the backside of each petal while holding your thumb against  the front. Slide your thumb and the tool from the base of the petal to the tip. With a light pressure "curl" each petal downward. (Similar to pressing curling ribbon between scissors and your thumb)



 It will look like this when you are done.

6) Use piercing tool to "round" each petal. I hold one side of the petal with one hand and with the other hand I place the needle tool on the front of the petal and press my forefinger against the back of the petal. Starting from the center and working toward the edge, I use gentle pressure to "curl" the edge upward. Then I switch hands and shape the other side of the petal.


(OK, this picture is obviously of a different flower, but the technique is the same :)








7) With 2 of the flower shapes, gently pinch the sides of each petal inward, then fold each petal in towards the center one at a time. Fold all 6 petals in then release. Place one flower shape on the table and use your fingers to gently press all the petals in like this

This will be the center of the flower.

Do the same thing for the other flower shape, but don't close the petals quite as much. It should look something like this.


8) Curl the ends (tips) of each petal of the remaining 3 flower shapes. I place the piercing tool at the back tip  of the petal from the center to the right side. Then I use my finger to roll the edge of the flower over the needle tool and downward. Then I do the left side. 

9) Bend each of the petals up. For one set, bend them about 45 degrees like this


Bend the next set a little less, like this



And the last set just a little bit. Like this



The shapes should look something like this.


10) Take the center piece (that tight little bud on the far right) , open the petals, place beads in the center, then fold petals in again.





Now put glue on the bottom of each piece and stack on top of the next, staggering the petals.





Ta-Da!
Your done :)


Here is the cut file

Please remember this is for personal use only and is not to be used for profit.
I would REALLY appreciate it if you would mention me and /or link to my blog if you use my files on a project that you publish on the web. (that is not much to ask since I give the files out for free:)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tattered Roses

Tattered flower tutorial



1) Cut 2 large petals and 2 small petals as shown.


2) Ink or spritz pieces if desired.

3) Use paper piercing tool or another smooth, round tool to "curl" the petals of the large flowers down. To do this, hold the base of the petal with non-dominate hand and use the other hand to press the petal between your thumb and the tool. Slide your thumb and tool from the base of the petal to the tip as if you were "curling" ribbon for a package.
Repeat this for each petal on both of the large flower pieces.



4) Next bend each petal up straight up. (about 90 degrees)...


... and then back down again.

The flower pieces should look like this when you are done.

5) Adhere and stack flowers, staggering petals.



6) For small petals, curl up or down depending on the look you want. Stack and adhere in center.


7) Add beads or rhinestones to the center.



This page will be one of the tabbed pages at the top of my blog.

Hereis the cut file.

Tattered flower jl

Please remember to link to my site if you use this flower on a project that you post online.