Blooming Orchids

I have written before about my love of orchids. I have many around the house that are in varying stages of growth.  Here is my latest graduate!

 

 

I purchased a Cimbidium Orchid PunchBunch punch some time ago but it came without instructions and I was unsure as to how to assemble it into the 3D flower that the illustration promised. However, I decided to use it to make a 50th birthday card that a friend had requested.  So....bull by the horns .......went surfing to find a solution.  I needed to cut a couple of the petals twice...duh...why didn't I think of that?

So this is the card that I created.

 I used water colour pencils to colour the components of the flower, then cut leaves from card before using the pencils to make them more lifelike.

I used a Martha Stewart  Punch around the Page set for the base mat and a Spellbinders die to cut the white mat.

My Silhouette Cameo provided the text.

Stumped...for a few days.

I was asked to make a card for a couple who shared a birthday.   In actual fact they will be celebrating their 70th birthdays very soon. My dilemma will be obvious - one card - male and female to accommodate.Took me a few days to come up with an idea.

I made a double easel card as a base. I haven't made one before but I thought that this would enable me to devote one half to each of the couple.

I asked what their occupations had been - teacher and fisherman.  I decided to visit Silhouette America to see what files would suit .  I thought that the lifebelt, the wheel and the anchor would be a great starting point.

The lifebelt dictated the colour scheme.

Rather than cut out elements in different coloured card, I just used white card and coloured using Promarkers.
No stamping here - just die cutting, punching, embossing and computer printing.


Didn't fancy using teacher related elements so went for a floral theme.


If you read previous post, the answer to the question is that the left picture is artificial and the right is the real deal.

Finished at last

As I had not tidied away (yes, I said "tidied away") the Silhouette  after my cutting session yesterday, I decided use it to complete a card that has been sitting on my desk for ages waiting to find the right sentiment to come to mind. 

I had previously purchased the Birthday Boy file and thought that it would be an appropriate choice.  All I had to do was to measure the space that was available on the card then size the graphic to fit.

An  aside: The effect on me of seeing the Silhouette cut intricate designs is matched only by the pleasure and wonder that I always get when using embossing powder and a heat gun. You know what I mean, I'm sure.

I used a punch to cut a blue circle to use as a backing for the sentiment before mounting the result on 3D foam pads.


Now I need to have a look at the other cards that are awaiting "that finishing touch" and see if the Silhouette can oblige!

Other materials used: Stamp -Lili of the Valley -Balloon Bunny, Promarkers, Martha Stewart punches, Nestabilities label die, button , ribbon Stampin' Up embossing folder.

Silhouette Comes to the Rescue

I was asked to help with the place names for the upcoming wedding.  As a continuation to the kraft / recycled theme, the request was for labels with the guests names printed on them. These will have ribbon and twine threaded through them which will be tied around the table napkins. I have a Sizzix die that would do the trick but the complication of getting text position aligned would take ages.

So, out came the Silhouette digital die cutter.  A quick look at the help files and off I went. I purchased and downloaded a set of tags from Silhouette America and used one of these. ( the licence is for personal use and, as I am not using it for commercial purposes, I assume that this is allowed)

I managed to position 12 tags on one sheet before inserting the guest names. The trick is to select text , use the fill tool and then just select do not cut feature.  This is sent to the printer first when only the text is printed.  The sheet is placed on the cutting mat, and then cut as normal.


Here are the tags as they were cut on the Silhouette.  

I used a spare one to see what a finished one would look like.   They will need a wider ribbon that this, though.  We might add a punched or stamped and embossed heart.

I really need to dedicate some serious time to get to know the Silhouette. It is obviously a very versatile machine and, up to now, I have only used a tiny percentage of its potential.

Craft Stamper Free Stamp

I invariably buy a copy of Craft Stamper each month. It always comes with a free stamp attached but I rarely remove them from their position on the front cover.

However, I was inspired by Liesbeth Fidders' and Sara Engels-Greer's samples made using the flower stamp that came with the May issue.  I chose one of Liesbeth's cards - (five flowers) to CASE.

*I have used this term before and know roughly what it means but I decided to have a look for the exact explanation of this acronym.

CASE - Stands for "Copy and Share Everything." The best inspiration for cardmaking comes from admiring other people's cards.

 (I knew that!)

 

Here is my card. I'm not sure about the copyright issues surrounding the scanning of photos from a magazine so I can't show the original  A6 card but what I replicated was the printing of the flowers in a line to create a division between two contrasting papers on my 6" by 6" card. ( Liesbeth had stamped the images on the top paper then cut round the bottom edge of the flowers.  I decided to stamp the flowers on to white card before colouring with Promarkers. I use the technique of masking to achieve the end result.

I also stamped, cut and coloured two more flowers so that I could add them as decoupage.


I had previously used my Silhouette to cut some chandeliers in white card.  They were on my craft mat so I decided to use one. A liitle uneasy about there not being a realistic context for them to be included here( A chandelier and a row of flowers?)but hey ho - artistic licence!   I just love the detail that is achieved by the Silhouette.  I used a Memento inkpad to roughly colour it before positioning it on the card.   I completed the card with a sentiment and a row of faux stitching around the papers.

CAS-ual Fridays 10

This week's challenge is shaped cards.
It has taken me a few days to think this one through.  In the end I got out my Silhouette and downloaded a shaped card from the site.  

I  decided on a male theme so I chose this starry paper to cover it. Having said  that, it is equally suitable for a female. Once this was done, I used diecut stars and 3D foam pads to decorate. The Silhouette did the hard work for me!

I haven't used my Sillouette much since I received it as a birthday gift. I need to spend some time playing with it.

Less is More Challenge 20

Monogram -is the title of this weeks challenge at Less is More.  The inspiration for my card came from a card that I made at friend, Susy's class.

I used my Silhouette to cut the letter, then embossed it with the Swiss dots Cuttlebug Folder and the Big Shot before applying Memento Tuxedo Black with a sponge.

The oval was cut from a piece of copier paper to act as a mask and I used Spun Sugar Distress Ink to create the background. I used the same ink for stamping The stamps are Stampin' Up Pocket Silhouettes and the sentiment is Hero Arts.

I wish that I has a slightly darker colour of ink for the foreground stamp. I just used glitter to visually separate it from the other image.

I am going to make a few more like this with different stamps and colours.

Today's Post, Today

This is the second post of today..........but the first one was yesterday's.....

My husband bought me a Silhouette for my birthday in February. I had been debating with myself for years about the decision to buy a digital die cutter.

There was the Cricut.... then the Cricut Expression...........then the Pazzles and of course the Craft Robo. I really wanted the option of creating my own designs but the Cricut was so tempting.

In the end, the decision was taken out of my hands and I was pleased about that because I would have still been "haavering" still.

I have not had a lot of time to get to know what this machine can do. Friend, Susy has a Craft Robo and gave me and introductory lesson. My husband is intrigued by it and has had several goes.


Today they were demonstrating the Silhouette on Create and Craft and I learned that you could take the graphic from a CD Rom into the software where you could print and cut.
As I was watching the show, I was cutting out flowers from Polka Doodles Sugar Birdies CD Rom---with scissors.
This is when my husband got involved and worked out how to cut them out digitally. Here are the results of scissor cutting - time taken - approx 20min

Now, here are the flowers that were cut by the Silhouette. Time taken - approx 1min.