Butterflies B-Day Card, Some News, & LD Super Cut File Bundle!

I made this birthday card for my niece.  I love the purple, green, ivory, and brown color combo and the butterflies were fun to make.  Also, I used the print and cut functions in SCAL to print the digital stamp on a SVG cut.  Earlier this week, I shared a tutorial on how to do this - click HERE to read the tutorial. 

Materials Used:
- Digital Stamp/Word Art by Elegant WordArt by Bethany
- Frame/Mat SVG by Sensationally Chic Boutique
- Butterfly Silhouette SVG by SVGCuts (no longer available)
- Sizzix Stampin' Up! Embossing Template
- Corner Punch
- Glimmer Mist, twine, staple, and pearl stickers to embellish

I am entering this project in the latest Paper Dolls Challenge - Stamps!  I love this new blog!  Great challenges, link-ups, and the best part - I get to use my SVGs!!!

I have some exciting news to share too!  My Flower Ball Trees/Topiaries were featured on Heather M's blog a couple weeks ago.  You can check it out HERE!  Heather is one of my favorite SVG designers and I am so honored that she shared my project on her blog!!!  Also, I can't share too much information yet, but I will be joining a Design Team soon!!!  I will share more about this soon! 

And lastly, I wanted to mention an AWESOME bundle of cutting files available at Lettering Delights!  This new product called "Cut Its Super Shape Bunde" is being introduced at a very low price of $49 (regular price is $150) and if you have a 25% coupon from your last purchase (in puchase confirmation email from Lettering Delights), you can get it for ONLY $36.75!!! 

The cutting file formats included in the bundle are ai, dxf, eps, gsd, jpg, pdf, and svg, and below are a few of the really cute cutting files in this bundle.  There are a total of 760 cutting files in a variety of themes.  I will be purchasing this bundle tonight!  I can't wait to have fun with these!

Hurry, this deal will only last for another week - click HERE to get it!                                          

Have a wonderful day!!!                                                                

Print and Cut Out a Digital Stamp Using Sure Cuts A Lot!!! Tutorial Included!

Did you know that you can print a digital stamp using Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) and then cut it out using a shape or SVG in SCAL?  See an example of a project where I did this below.  Pretty cool, huh?  No physical stamp required!!!  The SCAL tutorial I have listed below, will show you how to do this! 

If you are not familiar with what a digital stamp is, it is a stamp that you print from your computer versus using a rubber/clear stamp.  Digital stamps are usually a JPEG or PNG image.  Many sites offer digital stamps for a fee and/or for FREE!  Free Digital Stamps is one of my favorite sites!

Sure Cuts A Lot Tutorial:  Print and Cut Out a Digital Stamp Using SCAL*
1)  Upload the digital stamp into SCAL by clicking on Place Image. 




















2) Then select the file and click Open.  Note: The image will be huge as shown below.  If the image does NOT load into SCAL, you may need to change the file format.  Using the Paint application, open the image, than save it as a JPEG image.

3)  Resize the digital stamp/image to the desired size by adjusting the width and height (circled below).

4)  Add a shape or SVG to the mat.  To add a shape, select a shape from the Shape Library in SCAL.  To add a SVG, click on the +SVG icon on the toolbar (circled below).  Then locate the SVG on your computer and click Open.

5)  Resize the shape/SVG and place it around the digital stamp as desired.  This will be where the stamp will print and where the shape/SVG will cut.  Note: You may want to move the shape/SVG behind the digital stamp so you can center it easier.  To rearrange the layers, right click on shape/SVG and select Arrange-->Send to Back. 

6)  Delete the shape/SVG by clicking on it, then pressing your delete button on your computer's keyboard.  Only the digital stamp should be showing on the mat.  Note: Make sure you do NOT save

7)  Connect your USB cord so that it is connected to your computer (SCAL) and your printer.

 
8)  Place your paper so that it is snug against where the paper feeds into the printer.

                                                                                            
9)  In SCAL, go to File-->Print.  Note:  Make sure your printer's properties are set to print color if necessary.  Click Print.

10)  Click the undo button in SCAL so the shape/SVG returns to the mat.

11)  Delete the digital stamp from the mat so that only the shape/SVG is displayed on the mat.

                                                                             

12)  Remove the USB cord from your printer and attach it to your die-cutting machine.

13)  Place the sheet of paper at the furthest corner of the mat and make sure your printed digital stamp is face up and placed in the same corner and direction as shown on the mat in SCAL.

14)  Load the mat into your die-cutting machine.  I use a Cricut and make sure the mat hugs the left-side when loading.

15)  Click the Cut button in SCAL (circled below).

                                             
16)  The SVG should cut around the digital stamp as shown below.

   

*This tutorial was developed using SCAL2; however, it should be relevant for SCAL3 as well.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!             
Melanie                                                      

Link Up Love Party with K Andrew & Blog Award!!!

Kristal Andrew of Getting Cricky is hosting a Link Up Love Party!  It is a great way to get to know other bloggers and find inspiration!   I would love it if you joined in too!  Go to K Andrew's blog for the details so you can link up and share one of your favorite projects!!!

One of my favorite projects is this layout I made about my visit to St. Lucia.  This was one of the first projects I put up on my blog.  Here is the original post if you are interested in seeing the materials used.  We are also supposed to mention one thing we are thankful for.  I am very thankful for my family and friends who are there for me no matter what.  I love you guys!!!

I also want to share some exciting news!  I received the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award from Kaitlin at Cupcakes and Cards.  Thank you Kaitlin!!! She is so so so sweet and she is super talented!  I was amazed when I saw her cupcakes and read that she is only 16 years old!  Make sure to check out her blog.  She is just getting started and I am sure she would love some new followers.

Here are the rules for the award :
1) Send a thank you to the person who nominated you and include their link.
2) To accept this award,  answer 7 random facts about yourself.
3) Pass the award on to at least 8 other awesome blog buddies.

Here are my 7 random facts:
1)  I work full-time as a Financial Analyst at a Fortune 500 company.
2)  I love sleeping in - I have been known to sleep in until 1 pm on the weekend.  :)
3)  I saw Super 8 and XMEN:  First Class this past weekend!  Both were terrific, but XMEN was AWESOME!!!
4)  I love Pottery Barn!!!
5)  I love the Cookie Monster!!!
6)  I really want a new die-cutting machine that can cut intricate designs better than my Cricut - I am looking at the E-craft, Silhouette, and the Black Cat Lynx.
7)  Roller coasters rock!!!

I am passing this award on to the first 8 people that comment on this post!  Those that leave comments are the sweetest crafters.  I so appreciate you (you know who you are, you probably commented on some one's blog today)!  ;)                

"Follow Your Dreams" Grad Card!

My niece recently graduated from high school!  Congrats Liz!!!  This is the card I made for her.  The background is made up of layered flowers which I cut using my Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot (SVG by Images by Heather M) and then sprayed with glimmer mist.  I plan to do another project using this layering technique and will show it off soon!  Also, I used SCAL to print the digital stamp I used (created by Elegant Word Art by Bethany).  I have started a tutorial on how to do this, and I will share it with you sometime this week!  

I also cut two different label SVGs.  The intricate label SVG (behind the sentiment) is by Shery K Designs and the other label/frame SVG is by Bird's Cards.

I am entering this card into the following challenges/link-ups:
Fun with Color Challenge at Whimsical Wednesday
Sentimental Sunday Challenge - Sparkly or Summer
Paper Dolls Link-up #3 - PD Color Theme

I hope you are having a wonderful week so far!  Please let me know what you think - I love your comments!              

Melanie                                                                                               

'Shipwreck' Layout

Hi everyone!!!  Oh, how I have missed blogging!  I was in Las Vegas and then California to visit family and since I have been back, I have been busy trying to catch up from being away.  Now that things are a little less crazy, I am back to bloggy fun and sharing projects!!!  Yay!  Since I haven't been able to craft in the last couple weeks, I thought I would share this fun layout I made a few months ago (before I was bloggin').

We had so much fun snorkeling over a shipwreck off the coast of Barbados and I love that our friends had an underwater camera!!!  I loved making the underwater scene on this layout too!  :)

Materials Used:
Fish - SVG by Raindrop Echo Designs, pearl stickers for the eyes
Shipwreck Title - Font by Kevin and Amanda Free Scrapbooking Fonts
Tall Seedweed and Treasure Chest - 'Life Is A Beach' Cricut Cartridge
Gold - SVG by SVGShop
Stickers by Jolee & EK Success
Fish paper by Me & My Big Ideas

I am entering this layout in the latest Getting Scrappy Challenge at Amanda's Crafts and More. 

Have a wonderful week!  I will be sharing a new SCAL tutorial soon!!!