scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 12, 2024 17:26:26 GMT
I know there aren’t that many Heartfelt Creations fans here, and most who loved their designs may be older and prefer stamps & dies, but Heartfelt Creations has started offering digital designs that can be used by both digi scrappers, as well as traditional scrappers who like print & cut files.
They have started with 3 fully colored collections: Garden Lily, Ornate Peacock, and Feathery Florals. They include the fully colored papers and elements. I did not have any of the stamps, dies, or papers from these three collections, so I’m happy that I now have the digital versions.
For those who prefer to color their own, they are offering some digital stamps that are black & white for some of their other past collections. Again, these can be cut out with the electronic cutters, then colored the way you want with markers, colored pencils, whatever.
I have been playing around with printing and cutting a variety of the digital items. I use a Silhouette Cameo 3, along with my regular printer, but Emma Lou, who does a lot of their video tutorials, uses a Cricut Maker and a wide printer. I haven’t tried using my Scan-N-Cut yet, since I can do the cutting with my Silhouette. The cut lines are included already. They don’t show when printing, but they do show up and cut in the Silhouette software. They also don’t show in Photoshop, so they can be used by digital scrapbookers.
I have a lot of their papers, stamps, and dies, but I love having digital options, too. They are far less expensive than the traditional stamps, dies, and papers were, and I’ll never run out of the “papers,” since I can print more, and they don’t take up any physical space.
I may eventually get a large format printer, to print 12x12 papers, but I’ll need to save up first. I love the idea of being able to print 12x12 papers.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 11, 2024 21:36:42 GMT
I use Lineco glue, which I get from Amazon, and empty glue bottles with a fine tip and really good pin closure cap that I get from Karen Burniston. It works really well for me.
I still use tape for larger surfaces, but for smaller items being glued, I use the glue bottle filled with Lineco glue. I keep a damp paper towel in the bottom of a cup, and keep the bottle unstopped/uncapped, upside down on the damp paper towel while working on a project. Once I’m done, I put the pin/cap on and put the glue away. I just dampen the paper towel before I start crafting the next time.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 11, 2024 0:11:10 GMT
grammadee, those little sport gnomes are super cute and creative! I can understand why you can’t resist giving them what they want.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 4, 2024 19:38:00 GMT
I don’t know if it is completely obsolete. Since Silhouette now has the Portrait in that size, and the Silhouette SD is so outdated, I am guessing that it may not work with newer versions of the Silhouette software. And if you wanted to purchase newer files, they would probably need the newer software to cut.
Can you use the designs with Cricut software? If you pay a small additional cost to get the SVG version of the files, yes, you can. Silhouette does play nicely with others by offering SVG versions. However, if any of the files have been discontinued, the SVG version wouldn’t be available.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 4, 2024 5:26:26 GMT
MichyM, I prefer the multi-colored background for the bunny, but I think it’s because the blue behind the white bunny makes him stand out more. All of your critter cards are very cute, and your floral cards are lovely. The last card has a bit of a Scandinavian feel to it, for some reason, and it also turned out great!
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 1, 2024 22:17:54 GMT
We have always used Windows computers, but when DD went to college, they used Apple computers. She preferred them……at first. Eventually, she decided thwt she preferred Windows based computers. I have an iPad, which I love using for some things, but I overall, I prefer my Windows computer.
Fun fact: computers usually have to be replaced about every 5 years or so. They become obsolete, even if they still work fine. Technology advances so fast that most people will want to upgrade by that time, anyway.
I recommend that you get whatever computer and brand has the features you prefer.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 1, 2024 22:05:47 GMT
Even Jennifer McGuire could not sell me on this months kit. Okay, you made me laugh. And you made me go look. I agree. I love Spellbinders overall, but I don’t love everything they offer.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 1, 2024 0:48:31 GMT
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 30, 2024 19:45:04 GMT
Perhaps you can try Karen Burniston’s tip: when crafting, have a short glass tumbler or deep bowl with a slightly damp paper towel in the bottom. NOT wet, just barely damp. In between moments of using the glue, turn it upside down so the tip is in the paper towel. That keeps it from drying out. Then when you finish using it, put the pin in.
Karen sells a glue bottle and tip with a cap that has a built in pin. I use that exclusively now, although I use Lineco glue (another recommendation from Karen Burniston). Really thick glues don’t do as well with Karen’s glue tip. I don’t have experience with the Bearly Arts glue, but at least putting your glue bottle upside down in the paper towel should keep your glue from drying out.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 30, 2024 17:19:50 GMT
The flower cart and envelope box cards were both based on samples that I saw at the Scrappy Boy booth at convention, although I embellished the flower cart with dies from the Scrappy Tails 3D Flower Shop add-on set.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 30, 2024 17:19:11 GMT
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 30, 2024 17:17:13 GMT
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 30, 2024 17:15:03 GMT
Let’s use this thread to share our card creations through the entire year! I hope everyone will continue to share. And that those who have not shared, might consider it <hint, hint>. I get a ton of inspiration from photos of other people's cards!
I love seeing everyone’s cards, but I have not been very good about sharing mine. My style is all over the place, and my cards vary from very simple to very showy. I guess I feel like if I show my best work, that it will seem like I am trying to show off, and that isn’t really my intent, but I don’t like to show the cards that I’m less thrilled with, either. I have decided to just group my cards by month, the good and not so good, and show them all, starting with January. However, I am still having issues with links, tagging, etc. (weird things happen, and not just the image), so I will try to put each in a separate post. Most of my cards are not for anyone specific. I like to keep a stash of cards, so that I can pull something appropriate, add a note, sign it, and mail it on short notice. However, the two shaker cards in the January batch are for medical personnel who have helped my husband the most.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 29, 2024 21:05:43 GMT
Although now I'm starting to wonder if the folks having issues with tagging or linking are having issues only in Quick Reply mode. Maybe try moving over into Reply mode when it happens and see if it works better? On my iPad, I have to use Reply to tag or link. There are no options to do that in Quick Reply. The issues have only been a recent thing, though, which is why I wondered if something had changed.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 29, 2024 15:10:05 GMT
Are you doing this via chat or email? It sounds like you contacted them via email.
Their email support is absolutely horrible. You can wait sometimes for days to get a response, and they give you some copied and pasted answer from their website that isn’t applicable, and you have to go back and forth, and it takes forever. I have never gotten decent help via email. I have even been ignored and gotten no additional responses if I tell them that I already tried their “solution.” And for the record, I did remain polite every time. I wasn’t rude. I don’t swear. But whoever handles their email seems to be incompetent, so I no longer bother with emailing their customer service.
To do chat, you may have to wait, sitting by your computer for awhile, but I just have a project handy to work on during the wait, and I keep glancing at my screen to see if I am still in the queue or have gotten a response. There is a chime when they come on, I think, but I don’t always hear it because my hearing isn’t the best.
Even when the Chat wait looks like 45 minutes or more, I don’t think it has ever taken as long as the expected time. People get tired of waiting and quit, which gets me in sooner than later. One time the chat wait was supposedly two hours. I didn’t have to be anywhere, so I worked on a project while waiting. I think that I actually got help in about 30 minutes. It was much shorter than the posted wait time.
I always get decent support via chat. Always. And even if my chat conversation with them takes awhile, they wait while I try their suggestions, and pay attention to what results that I report. In every case, my issue has been resolved right away, with the chat support help sometimes going higher up to someone more knowledgeable if necessary.
I have never had a good experience with their email support, and I have never had a bad experience with Chat. It’s been awhile, so that may have changed, but hopefully Chat can help.
Before you even try that, though, I would go back and make sure that you didn’t make a typo when you updated your card. One wrong character or number in any part of it might give you that message, and a mistake might not be super obvious.
Or their website may just have issues. In which case, I encourage you to try their Chat.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 28, 2024 4:32:52 GMT
So that is what happened. I cannot quick quote either. I hate that. Yep, that is the only issue I've had lately. So I just did this. Is it a Mac issue? Or an across the board Apple issue, since I am using an iPad.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 27, 2024 19:50:57 GMT
I am definitely an impulse buyer. Is it FOMO? Maybe. But it’s sometimes more a matter of do I want to wait to get this, or is it something I will use now? I really like Queen & Co. products, but sometimes if you miss the release, you won’t be able to get it for two months. If I’m not sure that I love it, then I wait to see what others do with it. Will they come up with a use or idea that doesn’t occur to me? If the latter, I wait. If I am excited about the product and think that I will use it now, I try to get it the night of release.
However, at convention, I definitely had some FOMO and gave into some impulse buying, since I did NOT know if I would be able to get the items later. For example, I bought some extremely cool background dies at Tall Mouse in the past. When I have used either of them on a card that I posted online, I always get asked, “Where did you get that background die?” The company that designed and made those two dies no longer sells either one. They have new background dies, but the old ones were better IMO. I’m really glad that I got them when I did. And of course, at Convention last Friday, I definitely bought some dies because I knew I might not be able to get them later.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 27, 2024 16:53:11 GMT
Thanks for all who responded. So it appears to be just on my end. So odd. And it’s only been recently.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 27, 2024 15:02:12 GMT
I used to be able to put links at the end of a post. Not anymore. Same thing when trying to direct a response to a specific person.
Also, when I try to get around this and add a link to elsewhere on the internet, then type text before the link, whatever I have typed is added to the link. It doesn’t matter how many spaces I add, or how I try to get around it.
It used to be easy to put in links later in the post, or to include someone’s name with the @ symbol later in the post. Has anyone else had issues with this?
I’m using an iPad. It’s relatively new, but these issues only started recently, long after I got my iPad.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 27, 2024 14:10:16 GMT
Cut First, Stamp Second is the easiest way to line up rubber stamps. I start by stamping first on a post-it-note, then use my die to cut the shape from a piece of plain card stock. Remove the die cut and set it aside, and use the “waste” or outline piece that was left over after die cutting it. Position the outline piece over the stamped image until it is centered the way you want. Tape it into place. Now fit the die cut you want to stamp back into the outline piece, ink your stamp, and stamp onto the die cut. You should get a perfect or near perfect stamp. I hope that makes sense. I did a blog post awhile ago that explains and shows the process better. Click on the link at the start of my post to see the full explanation and photos. This is awesome and I usually do this, but the thing is that most of my red rubber stamps don't have dies...they are just loose sentiments in a set. I haven't ever seen Unity sentiments with dies. This also works for stamping on shaped die cuts, such as banners, rectangles, ovals, etc. I use this method for stamping a sentiment onto a banner all the time. However, it only works if your rubber stamp is NOT mounted on a wood block, and you use a stamp platform. If you are trying to stamp directly on a card or layout, you can place a post-it-note on your layout page where you want to stamp, to make sure you have your stamp placed correctly and straight. Once you like the position, remove the post-it-note, then stamp directly on your page or card. I buy post-it-notes in a good sized pack at Costco and keep them in my craft room, because I use them a lot when stamping. You need a stamp platform big enough to handle at least 1/4 of a 12x12 page, and you may have to position the stamp sideways or upside down on the platform. I use the TH stamp platform most of the time, since it works for both the unmounted red rubber stamps, and the clear stamps. I also have the stamp platform that Stampin’ Up offered for awhile. If any of your rubber stamps are on wood blocks, though, you might try the Stamp-a-ma-jig. I removed all of my rubber stamps from their wood blocks and converted them to peel and stick stamps by painting Aleene’s Tack-It-Over-and-Over on the back of each stamp. They are so much easier to use with a stamp platform than when they were mounted on wood. I had a lot of wood mounted rubber stamps prior to moving halfway across the country in 1996. I had to either get the weight down or get rid of a lot of stamps. I decided to get the weight down, and I removed all of them from their wood blocks. I just did about ten at a time till they were all done. I use my rubber stamps so much more than when they were on wood blocks, and I get better results. I always had trouble stamping straight when they were still on wood blocks. The wood mounted stamps weren’t always mounted perfectly straight on the blocks, which made it even more challenging for stamping. Stamping with rubber stamps, even if you use a clear block, can be difficult to get straight. I have a huge collection of both rubber and clear stamps. Most of my rubber stamps don’t have matching dies because I started stamping when I was a young mom, and matching dies for stamps didn’t exist back then. Converting them so I could use them with my stamp platform made it so much easier to stamp straight, as well as stamping exactly where I want. HTH
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 26, 2024 15:31:43 GMT
i gave up on expos when they moved from large convention hall venues to practically the elk's lodge 40 miles outside of the city. as manufacturers ceased to exist, vendor lists shrunk. the last expo i went to, basic grey was there selling off tons of their paper packs. i haven't been to one since. I don’t blame you if it was as dismal as it sounds. The ones I’ve been to since they started up again have been small, but not as bad as you describe, although I did have at least a 40 minute drive to get to them. I was never a Basic Grey fan, but I do like Echo Park, and they were at this one. They were selling what I presume were older Echo Park paper pads, embellishments, and other items at a discount. I found items at their booth that I didn’t have and that would work well for my Disney and Harry Potter World trips. For those who always buy the latest and greatest immediately, that booth might be a let down, but not for me, especially since the items were a great price. I went mostly because Tall Mouse was going to be one of the vendors, so everything else was a bonus. In the past, a lot of the big conventions had multiple small, start up vendors who offered page kits, designed by themselves. They were cute, but weren’t anything that I couldn’t make myself. They made the convention look more full, but their booths never got much traffic. I didn’t see any of those at this one. There were other vendors, too, that I usually ignored at the bigger conventions. However, I also didn’t see all of the popular vendors that I have bought from in the past, either. In spite of the small size and how relatively few the vendors were, though, I was really happy that I went.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 26, 2024 5:54:00 GMT
Cut First, Stamp Second is the easiest way to line up rubber stamps. I start by stamping first on a post-it-note, then use my die to cut the shape from a piece of plain card stock. Remove the die cut and set it aside, and use the “waste” or outline piece that was left over after die cutting it. Position the outline piece over the stamped image until it is centered the way you want. Tape it into place. Now fit the die cut you want to stamp back into the outline piece, ink your stamp, and stamp onto the die cut. You should get a perfect or near perfect stamp. I hope that makes sense. I did a blog post awhile ago that explains and shows the process better. Click on the link at the start of my post to see the full explanation and photos.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 25, 2024 15:48:05 GMT
I also went to the Expo this weekend scrapnnana ! My 2 friends & I went on Friday. We spent around 2 1/2 hours there and we just shopped. No classes or crops. Last year we did a class and ended up spending most of the day there. My friend got a text right after we left she won a door prize and since we live in the same city as the Expo she went back up there and claimed it ($20 GC to Teslar booth). We did the Spellbinders make & take and got to make a card using the Betterpress and wax seals which was fun. I haven't used either of those products before so I was curious about them. We all managed to find things to spend our money on but it was a lot less than in previous years for sure. I like Tall Mouse as well so I was glad to see they are still in the convention lineup! I agree that Brass & Bliss and Scrappy Boy had some amazing cards. I really loved Scrappy Boy's themes. They had some great pop culture themes like Golden Girls, Wednesday, Madonna, Friends, Marvel....just lots of unique ideas. Years ago this Expo was held at the Gaylord & when it was there we would stay the night and do the crop & classes but of course it was much bigger then (pre-Covid). Now the Expo has moved to the city I live in so we don't spend the night and we don't do the crop either. I think we have been spoiled by our twice yearly retreat in having 2 tables to use for cropping so we see the small space at the convention crops and end up not doing it there. I've been going to conventions and Expos for a long time and like others, I have even been when Lisa Bearnson was teaching classes (my mom & I took a class from her). I did see the Great American Scrapbook Convention has moved from Arlington to Denton this year and I'm torn about going. That is a much further drive for us so my friends and I are not sure if we're going this year - especially since we will likely only shop. I went to GASC when it was in Arlington last year, and the year before. It’s a 45 minute drive for me, but Denton is much closer, so that will be easier for me to get to. After moving here, I have always had about a 30 to 45 minute drive to get to any convention, depending on the convention. When we lived near DC, I went with friends, and the convention was only about 10 to 15 minutes from us, so I got pretty spoiled. If I had to get a hotel, I wouldn’t go. I’d rather spend the hotel cost on scrapping supplies. I hope you had a nice time with your friends, and got some great things, even though the convention was smaller. Yesterday was my DH’s birthday, and I used a die set that I bought from the Scrappy Boy booth to make his card. He loved it!
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 25, 2024 15:30:40 GMT
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 24, 2024 20:30:14 GMT
I started scrapbooking in 1996. I scrapbooked regularly until we moved halfway across the country in 2016. I still scrapbooked after getting settled, but not as much, and I started doing more card making in 2019. I am trying to get back to scrapbooking, since I have Disney/Harry Potter World trips that I want to get scrapbooked.
What I bought at the convention this weekend was geared toward getting those trips in the album, but also for card making.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 24, 2024 19:48:34 GMT
scrapnnana love your cheerful card. Is the sentiment printed or stamped? Thank you. The sentiment was stamped.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 24, 2024 4:46:40 GMT
I opted for the single card version, since I wanted to use scraps. I’ll be giving this card to my DH. The glass of lemonade is one of the Doodlebug cut files that I turned into a print & cut. It shows up better against the banner in real life than it looks in this photo.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 23, 2024 17:22:05 GMT
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 23, 2024 16:42:17 GMT
Thanks, azcrafty . I posted the info on the main board. I think it fits better there. It’s titled “Making your own ephemera.”
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,105
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 23, 2024 16:35:16 GMT
In a thread on the Stamping/Card Making Board, the increasing cost of Doodlebug ephemera packs was mentioned. One alternative to buying ephemera packs is to print and cut your own ephemera with an electronic cutter, if you have one. This post is about how you can turn “cut only” files into “print and cut” designs, which opens up more options, especially if a Designer you like only offers cutting files. All designs in the Silhouette store are half off right now, but Doodlebug only has 2 print and cut designs. Their designs tend to have a lot of tiny pieces and layers, which can be a pain to glue, especially if you have arthritis or are making multiple cards or layouts. I was pretty sure that you could turn regular cutting files into print & cut designs, and that I had done it, so I went looking for the video that I had used to learn the process, and found it:
Turning Cut Files to Print & CutIt’s actually fairly easy. Here is a page of mostly Doodlebug designs that I converted a couple of days ago, from cutting files to print and cut files: I even adapted a couple of the designs. I reversed the ice cream truck for the second cut, and I shrunk the glasses of lemonade and added them to the second lemonade stand. I chose to print & cut designs that I liked and could use as ephemera for cards or for a layout, and I sized them exactly the size that would be most useful to me. The video that I linked is for Silhouette, but I have read that cut files can also be turned into print & cut with a Cricut, so there is probably a tutorial out there for how to do it if you have a Cricut. However, Silhouette also sells SVG versions of most of their designs, so you should be able to cut Silhouette designs on whatever cutter you have. Right now, Silhouette has ALL their designs on sale for 50% off. If you have a Scan-N-Cut, you can also use the free Silhouette software to print any Silhouette print & cut designs, then just use the SNC to cut them without even opening the SNC software. You print & cut only the designs you like and want to use, so there is no waste. You can also bling up any ephemera you print & cut by adding a touch of Wink of Stella, etc. For those who have a Silhouette and a subscription, the files are really inexpensive right now. If you don’t have a subscription, the subs are on sale, as well as credit boost. If you have a Cricut sub, you should be able to do the same with their designs. One of the advantages of using an electronic cutter is making exactly what you want for a more affordable price than if you were to buy something similar. No shipping costs. No waiting for your order to arrive. I know not everyone loves or uses their electronic cutter as much as I love and use mine, but if you already have one, I hope this helps you to get more use out of it and hopefully save a bit of money, too.
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