Category: Tutorial

Make a Silhouette Advent Calendar!

Have you seen the Advent Calendar that is available in the Silhouette Store this year?  Last year it was only available as part of one of the Black Friday bundles but it was so popular, that Silhouette has made it available as a stand alone project this year!  It features a pyramid-shaped shadow box and 25 pre-cut  triangular boxes, which fill the shadow box. Its so simple and fun, and now is the perfect time to make one!  Normally, it is  $39.99 – but between now & October 31, 2018, you can purchase it for just $24.99, using my exclusive code LORI and by clicking HERE.

The Advent Calendar arrives completely blank. Silhouette gives you a download card with a code that you can redeem for a set of cut files to customize your calendar. Also, included in those cut files, are 4 Christmas scenes that you can cut and install in layers behind the boxes. After all your boxes are removed, you then reveal a fun layered holiday scene!

To redeem this download card, simply open the Silhouette Design store, click on your name & this screen will appear.   Then click on Redeem a Promotional Download Card — and a screen appears where you can enter the 16 digit code that is hiding underneath the silver scratch off area on the card.  Once you have entered this code, click on “Apply Card”, and the designs will download to your library.   

Once you’ve downloaded the files, it’s time to get started customizing your calendar!  Here’s how I embellished my calendar…To start, I opened Advent Calendar Box Faces file.

Next, I un-grouped and removed pieces all except the triangles.

I created 1 inch circles using the left tool bar, To do this, select the oval/circle shape. Then hold down the shift key and drag your mouse while holding the left mouse button. When you’ve drawn the circle, release the mouse button first and then release the shift key. You can resize the circle as needed.

I then used replicate tool to create 25 circles

I then added the numbers to my Pattern Fills library and began filling circles with numbers. I’d like to give you the number set for FREE just for reading along this far in the post : ) CLICK HERE to download the number set.  (click on the link then the three dots in the corner and click “download”)

After I was finished with the numbers, I added fills to the triangles to coordinate with the number fills. Did you know you can simply drag and drop pattern into the triangles directly from your computer window? No need to upload them into your pattern library. Of course adding them to your library is great, but dragging them in from your computer window is sure handy and quick! I used the digital version of my Celebrate Christmas Collection.

You may choose to use a portion of a pattern fill by using the pan pattern tool in the fill portion of the side panel tool bar. To move the pattern to your desired placement, hold down the black circle with the crossbars and pan the pattern to your desired placement.

After you have filled in the patterns, place your numbers in desired triangles. You can use the align tool to help you center them in each triangle.

Repeat this process until you’ve filled all 25 triangles.  When complete, you will want to group each number and triangle. Then, carefully set up your triangles to print and cut. Depending on your printer, this can be done on 8½”x11″ or 12″x12″ sheets.

Basic Print and Cut Instructions:
1.Open the Page Setup Panel and change page size to 8.5×11 (or whatever size paper you’re using with your printer)
2. On the Page Setup Panel, click on the third Tab over. Set registration Marks Style: Type 1 CAMEO (or Portrait if that’s what you’re using)
3. Send the file to your printer and print on white cardstock.
4. Load the sheet of printed cardstock on your CAMEO Mat in the top left corner just as shown on your screen.
5.Click on the Send Tab.
6. Choose your material, Action = Cut, choose your tool.
7. Be sure to select the image on your cutting mat and then choose CUT EDGE.
8. Send. (your machine will read the 3 registration marks with it’s optical eye and then cut the triangles out precisely).

Once you have everything cut out it’s time to assemble. Simply glue the triangles to the front of the boxes. The scene in the back is numbered and has little tabs that insert into the advent calendar base making it easy to put those in place. 

Here’s a finished view of my Advent Calendar! I’m super excited to use it this holiday season!

And, as you remove the boxes each day, it reveals a darling layered shadow box scene.

This advent calendar is such a fun way to celebrate the season! And, it was fun to customize it with print and cut and my Silhouette CAMEO.  This calendar is available for just $24.99 through October 31st when you use my exclusive code LORI and by clicking HERE!

3D Witch Hat Tutorial with Brigit

Hello there, today I’m sharing a tutorial on this 3D witch hat project. This hat can also be purchased from the Silhouette Design Store here and also as a set in the 3D Halloween Bundle from Lori’s shop.

This is such a cute home decor piece to add to your Halloween collection, I really love how it came out.

The first thing I did was add all the pieces onto my mat in Silhouette Studio, this included the 3D Chrysanthemum Flower, (Silhouette Studio chrysanthemum). You will need 6 duplicates of the triangle layer and 2 duplicates of the hat top. I used patterned paper from Doodlebug Design’s Pumpkin Party  I did a release compound path on the triangle layer and removed the circles.  Tthis way I’d have solid pieces to show off the pretty star paper.

I resized the hat so I could fit one piece of the hat top with the hexagon bottom on one sheet, this saved me a black piece of cardstock, I also sized the flower so the orange color pieces would fit all on one sheet of cardstock.

I cut all my pieces out and inked the edges of the patterned paper, flowers and leaves.

I assembled the top of the hat first, this thing went together perfectly, I love Lori’s files!!

I then added the triangle layers onto the sides and glued down the circle patterned paper to the black circle rim.

For the leaves I bent them by hand and used ink to create some vein lines, I then sprayed them with some water and crinkled them by hand a little.

I used my McGill tool and mat and a paint brush to curve the flower petals up.

I Glued all the petals together and added a black jewel in the center.

To complete the look, I added some black tulle around the hat, glued the flower and leaves to the side and added the ghost clip and ghouls sticker from Doodlebug’s pumpkin party,

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Halloween Shaker Card Tutorial with Brandie

Hi there friends! Brandie here with a tutorial for some spooky pastel shaker cards. I love that pastel colors are creeping into Halloween crafts and décor.

I used the 5 x7 Ornate Card Witch Boot, (SVG, Silhouette), 5×7 Card Ornate Witch (SVG, Silhouette), and 5×7 Card Ornate Cauldron (SVG, Silhouette). The black and white papers come from the Fright Night paper stack by American Crafts and the Halloween shaker bits are from Cartwright Sequins.

The cards needed to be adjusted for the shaker element. The first thing is to remove the score line. (I was careful not move the remaining images because they are aligned perfectly for slicing.) Once the score line was deleted I selected the white top layer and the second black layer and sliced the images.
Now that the two layer have been sliced I  have two white images and two black images. I deleted the two black images and the original white image.

I repeated the above steps for the other two cards. I then adjusted the size to be a perfect 5×7. This is now the fronts of my shaker cards.

I created a new card base for each of the cards. I added a 10×7 rectangle and add a score line down the center. I also cut three additional 5×7 rectangles for the bottom layer of the shaker element.

For the shaker bits I created some pockets with a fuse tool and plastic page protectors. When I create shaker pockets I like to use a scrap piece of paper to help me fuse in a straight line. I made three pockets 4 3/4×6. I trimmed the excess plastic and added the sequins and star glitter to my pockets then fused the top closed.

I dry fit my shaker pocket with the front and back 5×7 rectangles then marked where I needed to attach the shaker pocket. I attached the shaker pocket with super sticky double sided tape. Then added two layer of craft foam around the edges of the shaker.

I then attached the die cut fronts to my shaker pockets with another layer of double sided sticky tape. Then attached the complete shakers to the card base with my tape runner.
I also added some black and white bakers twine to finish off my cards.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a Happy Halloween!

Brandie

Shutter Card Tutorial with Kathy

Happy Fall Everyone!  Today I have a quick assembly tutorial for Lori’s new Shutter Cards.  These cards are such fun and have some great dimension.  I used the Shutter Card Squirrel file (SVG, Silhouette) for my tutorial along with some papers and embellishments from Echo Park’s Celebrate Autumn Collection.

 

The actual assembly of these cards is pretty simple, it’s mostly the folds that need some attention.  I started by cutting out the pieces of my card.

Next I added the patterned paper panels to the different sections of the card.  I like to do this before folding because I think it helps me to visualize how things should be.

Once the panels were added, I folded the card along the score lines.

Here is a view of the folds from the top of the card.

I put together this graphic showing how the folds should be.  The upside down V means mountain fold (popping up when lying flat) and the V is a valley fold (pointing down when lying flat).

Once the card was folded, I added the additional embellishments.  I started with the squirrel on the bracket shape.  I added some foam tape under the bracket to give it a little more dimension.

Next, I added the insert with the leaf and acorn.  I started by adding adhesive to the bottom front strip of the piece.

I then tucked this piece in behind the front strip on the card base as seen below.

I finished the card with a cute chipboard piece sentiment from the Celebrate Autumn Chipboard Phrases.

This card folds flat and will fit into an A7 (5.25″ x 7.25″) envelope (Lori has a set here in her shop) .  That’s it for me today, thanks for stopping by to peek!

BLOG * INSTAGRAM

4 Drawer Organizer Tutorial with Anita

Hi Everyone:

Anita here with a tutorial to create this adorable four drawer organizer.  I am going to show you how to put this cutie together and was thinking that you could customize them for every season.  I am going to put chocolates into mine and give it to a friend.  You can find the 4 Drawer Organizer cut file here in Lori’s store and here in the Silhouette Design store.  I used one of my favorite Echo Park Lori Whitlock designed paper lines called Sweet Baby Girl.Here is a screen shot of the cut files on my mat.  You will need to cut four of the outer box and the inner box as noted in black bold type near the boxes cut files.

Here are the pieces that you will have once you have cut everything for your project.

I always start my projects by folding the score lines as you can see by the photo above.

For the inner box you are going to want to glue the tabs from the back of the box to the side of the box.

Next you will glue the back flap into the box.

Next you will glue down the front flap into the box.

Lastly, you will glue in to the box the two last flaps and your inner box is done.

Now onto the outer box.

There are flaps along the bottom of the box cut file and you will be gluing the tabbed pieces together and leaving the flaps alone for now.


Here you can see that I have started to glue together the tabs on the outside box and am ready to glue the last side onto the box with the flaps left alone for now.


Here you can see that I glued together the last part of the box and the flaps are open and at the top.  They are going to get glued into the box and will make a lovely clean box with smooth insides which allows the inner box to slide easily in and out.

And that is how you put together both of the boxes.  Next, you will stack the four outer boxes two by two and glue them all together.  Make sure that you put enough glue to hold them together.  Lastly, you are going to glue on your accent pieces to finish off your box.  You could also add any cute embellishments that you want.

Hugs,

Anita