Halloween Projects

 

A couple of years ago, I found some great printable patterns for carving pumpkins on the Better Homes and Gardens website.  Many of these can also be easily adapted for paper cutting patterns.  You can find the patterns HERE on the BH&G site.  If you haven't carved a pumpkin yet these patterns could make you look like a pumpkin carving genius!

I made this sign from one of the patterns using the Silhouette software in 2012.  You can't make exactly the same project with Design Space because there is not an offset function in the program (this has been requested by many people for a future update).

You can use the same design to create a different project in Design Space.  The file that you download from Better Homes and Gardens is a PDF.  This is not a format that you can upload directly to Design Space.  I took a screen shot of the design and uploaded the PNG file from the screen shot to create a file for a card topper.

Here are the steps you can use to make a file for a card topper. Upload the PNG screenshot of the design using the Basic Upload option.

The image of the design shows the areas to be cut away for the pumpkin carving.  You are going to "carve" the same images from a piece of paper.  Use the "magic wand" and click on the outer area of the image to eliminate all of the background.

After you click on the background the pieces that need to be cut will remain.

You can click on the eyeball at the top right to see the red cutting lines.  This is a good way to check to be sure that the design you are uploading is correct.

You should not check the box for preserving the image - that is used for Print Then Cut projects and this is a plain design.  Make sure to title the file and add some tags so you will know the source of the image.

The image will come in sideways so you need to rotate it 90 degrees.  Then add a plain rectangle (use a free one from Craft Room Basics).  Size the rectangle to 5.5 inches wide by 4.25 inches tall for an A2 card.  Center the design in front of the rectangle, select both shapes and click "slice" to cut the design from the rectangle.

After slicing, you will have a rectangle with the design cut out.  When this is cut, it will be ready to place on an A2 card.

Be sure to cut the design from a bold color and place it on a card base that contrasts well so the design will be easy to see.

Here are a few other Halloween projects that you may have missed.  Click on the photo to go to the post about each project.

 

 

Are you ready for Halloween?  Our weather is definitely becoming more seasonal.  I hope that it will not be too cold for the Trick-or-Treaters on Friday night.


Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation

A Cricut Video about Print Then Cut with the Explore

sponsored post 

When I bought my Explore machine and started using Design Space, one of my favorite things about this new cutting system was the way images from the Cricut cartridges are shown in full color with all of their parts and pieces.  No more searching for all of the layers to make a complicated character or other multi-layered design.

The Print Then Cut capability that was just released allows you to take the Cricut cartridge images (or other images that you upload) and combine all of the layers into one printable layer by flattening the image.  With just a few clicks, you can choose the image, flatten it and then print it from the Design Space software.

 

The images are printed on your regular home printer on 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock or paper.  Cut Sensor Marks (the little "L" shaped lines you can see around the images above) are added when the images are printed.  Then you load this printed page into the Explore machine and click "go" to cut the images out perfectly!

Some of the images in the Cricut Image Library are already flattened and ready to print.  These images will have a small printer icon at the lower right corner of the image.

The newest feature of the Cricut Explore machine, allows you to choose an image (either one of your own or one of 50,000+ in the Cricut Design Space), flatten the image and then click 'Go' - it takes just a few second to go from choosing the image to printing and cutting it out.  I posted some step by step directions last month in THIS POST.

Cricut has provided many helpful videos about the Explore and all of the things it can do.  You can find them on the Official Cricut You Tube channel HERE.

This short instructional video (less than 4 minutes) shows you just how easy it is to print then cut images with the Explore.



You can use any image, including your own drawings or photographs.  Remember, if you can print it, you can cut it with the Cricut Explore machine.

There are some great sales on the Cricut site that end soon.  You can save 35% on supplies (mats, blades, vinyl and more) and 60% on Clearance items.  Twenty five best selling cartridges are 50% off and you can get free shipping on orders of $31 or more with the code HALLOWEEN31. 

If you have questions about printing then cutting, be sure to leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to help you with answers.

Happy Columbus Day!  I hope you are enjoying a long weekend.  It's a holiday for many people in our area - if you have today off will you be crafting or enjoying some nice fall weather?

Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation.

October Free Scrapinar (& winner of True Scrap 6 spot!)

 

If you love the idea and the look of art journaling but just haven't known where to start the October Free Scrapinar by Lain Ehmann from True Scrap is perfect for you.  Even if you are "unartistic," Lain will share techniques that will help you make great looking pages with a minimum of fuss.

Get ready to tackle Mixed Media with paint, sprays, inks, stencils, stamps, collage and more! This Scrapinar is on October 14th - that's Tuesday - and it is free but you must register in advance to attend.  There will be a replay available for a few days if the time does not work for you but you have to register HERE to get the link for the replay sent to you by email.

 

 Lain just announced the winners of the free spots for True Scrap 6.

The winner from my blog is...

 
Congratulations!  Be sure to email support@layoutaday.com by midnight on Sunday, October 12, 2014 to claim your spot!

You can see all of the winners on the True Scrap 6 page HERE.

If you weren't chosen as a winner, you still have a chance to save $20 on the registration fee.  Just use the code "HERO" and sign up HERE by Monday, October 13th.  

I am really looking forward to True Scrap 6 and I hope to "see" lots of you in the chat room!

It's a long weekend for lots of people - are you doing something exciting?  We are headed to the annual Octoberfest celebration hosted by friends here in town.  I hope you have something fun planned too!

Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation.

Win a Spot for True Scrap 6!

 

0. True Scrap 6 is less than two weeks away.  I'm going - do you want to join me?  I've attended True Scrap several times and I always learn a lot and have a lot of fun!
1. 
   
2. Would you like to hang out with eight inspiring and talented scrapbooking instructors without leaving home? At True Scrap 6, you can experience the best in online education - everything is LIVE so you don't lose that feeling of community and excitement that comes with an in-person event.  You can join in from the comfort of home with all of your supplies close at hand - no need to pack and travel to learn from these great instructors! 
3.  
4. True Scrap 6 is hosted by producer Lain Ehmann and features classes from:
5. 
   • Noell Hyman
   • Nichol Magouirk
   • Tracy Banks
   • Donna Salazar
   • Jen Gallacher
   • Layle Koncar
   • Kelli Crowe
   • Katrina Kennedy
6. 
   
7. It's all streamed live and it's all recorded so you can revisit your favorite classes again and again.  It's really the best of both worlds - you can sit back and enjoy the sessions knowing that you will be able to rerun them at your convenience.
8.  
9. So here's the BIG NEWS!
10.  
11. I'm giving away one spot in this one-of-a-kind event. Here's what you need to do:
    
1. Visit  www.truescrap.com and watch the short video at the top of the page.
   
2. Return here and leave a comment below by midnight, October 9, about which class you're most excited about.
   
3. Check back on 10/10 to see if you won! 
   
   
And here's something for EVERYONE.  Not sure you'll be lucky enough to win a spot? No worries - you can use coupon code “HERO” at checkout to save 20% off the regular registration rate. Just head over to www.truescrap.com and get yourself signed up! (Coupon expires 10/13). 

About True Scrap: True Scrap blends the best of on-demand, web-based learning with the excitement and energy of a live, in-person event. True Scrap events have delighted thousands of ecstatic students over the past three years. Produced by Lain Ehmann with previous instructors ranging from Heidi Swapp to Shimelle Laine, True Scrap events are sure to inspire, entertain, and educate. Find out more at www.truescrap.com. 

Rules and guidelines:
One entry per person, please. Contest closes to entries on Thursday, 10/9 at midnight Pacific. Winners will be chosen by random drawing on Friday, 10/10 and will be posted on Truescrap.com, and spots must be claimed by Sunday, October 12. If you have already purchased a spot and subsequently win a spot, you may transfer your prize to another person or receive a credit from your original purchase towards a future True Scrap event. No cash refunds will be given.

Scrapbooking Superhero Lain Ehmann!

I am really looking forward to this event and I hope to see lots of you in the chat room!

Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation.

Choosing Images for Print Then Cut with the Cricut Explore

Now that the Print Then Cut feature is available for the Cricut Explore, many people are asking which type of files to use for their projects to take full advantage of the printed images.

When you choose one of the images from the Cricut Imagine cartridges (which were designed to be printed and cut) you will see many designs with shading and fine details, like this pirate ship from the Buccaneer cartridge.

Multi-layered images like the characters on the Cricut licensed Disney cartridges can be flattened for Print Then Cut (see the blog post HERE)  They will have many layers but each layer will be a single color without shading since these were designed to be cut and assembled.

If you have digital scrapping kits, the embellishments are usually done in PNG format and you can upload and print then cut them with the Explore (see this blog post for more details on how to do this).  These images are often very detailed however, you can not make changes to them easily since they are already flattened.

When you purchase files from non-Cricut sites that offer various file formats, you might not be sure which format is the best to use for your project.  Sometimes you buy a design that includes many file formats including both SVG and PNG.  Other sites, such as Lettering Delights, sell cutting formats like SVG separately from the JPEG and PNG files that are normally used for digital craft projects.

Lettering Delights sells images as Graphics or Cut Sets.  Here is an example of the Ice Princess Graphics Bundle.  The alphabet letters are filled with a design and there are small details within the images.

This is the Ice Princess Cut Bundle.  The letters are solid and the images are separated into cuttable layers without as many details.

When you import these images into Design Space they look like this.  The PNG is already flattened and has more details in the hair, on the clothing and shows the feet within the shoes (looking at this reminds me of the "Spot the Differences" quizzes from some children's magazines!).  There are 23 individual pieces that make up the SVG version of the princess.  While the two are very similar, the demands of cutting require that some of the details be eliminated.

After flattening the SVG version and printing the images to cut they look like this.  The mouth and eyes are slightly bigger on the SVG version of the princess and her hair is in front of the skirt of her dress which does not have a top layer.

There are similar differences between these two versions of the other princess.  While they are small changes, they do alter the look of the character.

Here are the two princesses in the SVG version, flattened to print then cut.

These are the PNG versions which are already flattened when you import them into Design Space.

Both the PNG and the SVG versions cut equally well with my Explore.  I usually buy both versions and probably will continue to do so since they are generally quite inexpensive (and even less expensive if you use a coupon code at Lettering Delights - the current code is FiveForMe to save $5 when you spend $10 or more).  I am an affiliate for Lettering Delights.

This photo shows the difference for the Alphabets - in SVG format, just the shape will be cut but in the Graphic PNG file you see the snowy paper pattern in the image of each letter.  You also could choose to import the PNG without preserving the original image in the shape and cut it from printed or solid paper.

You can easily combine the Lettering Delights and other PNG files with the Cricut shapes and images.  I made this label with the Cricut Craftroom Basics free image set, the Lettering Delights alphabet and snowflakes from a variety of Cricut cartridges.  Everything was flattened together and printed then cut as one image.

I hope this explanation helps you when choosing files to print then cut - please leave any questions in the comments and I will be glad to help with answers.

Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation.

Halloween Paper Crafting Kit with lessons from Craftsy

Jillibean Soup Halloween Kit from Craftsy 
(sponsored post)

Halloween is just around the corner - are you busy making decorations?  If you are looking for some new projects to make and would like to have video lessons included, you might want to try one of Craftsy’s NEW paper crafting kits.  I just found out about these and I think it is a great idea, especially if your crafting time is limited.  Sometimes the hardest thing about preparing to make something is choosing the papers and embellishments to use - these classes with kits solve that problem!
 
You can order a "frightfully fun" kit and learn how to create several Halloween decor projects with exclusive video lessons to help you step by step. Paper crafts expert Ronda Palazzari will show you how to use Jillibean Soup's paper pads, black glitter beanboard alphas and festive embellishments to create a witch’s hat, pumpkin centerpieces and even a spooky banner!

These are the Jillibean Soup products that are included in the kit -

Jillibean Soup Owloween Stew and Witches Brew 6”x6” mini paper pads

Jillibean Soup Owloween Stew Pea Pods Die Cuts

Jillibean Soup Owloween Beanboard Alphas in Black Glitter

Jillibean Soup Owloween Enamel Stars in Orange

Jillibean Soup Owloween Multi Dot Paper Tape

3 HD video lessons led by expert Ronda Palazzari

You can find all of the details on the Craftsy site HERE.  The Kit and lesson bundle are on sale for 40% off - just $15.59 instead of the regular price of $25.00

Be sure to register on the Craftsy site so you will find out about all of their special offers. You can also try some of the free mini classes once you are registered.  Click HERE to see the free classes that are available.

I have been very busy with some "non-crafty" things that have kept me away from blogging.  I do have a lot of projects to share coming soon.  Here is a little peek at one of the things I have been working on...can you tell which of these printed then cut princesses was made with an SVG file and which was made with a PNG file?

Subscribe to Capadia Designs if you would like to have new posts delivered directly to your email. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in affiliate programs for products that I use or can recommend without reservation.