HELLO THERE!

Well hello my cuttin' friends! Yes, I know I have not posted anything in a year, but  I am back and ready to start all over.

This time, I am going to do things a little differently. I am going to make simple video tutorials to help crafters learn more about digital cutters and cut files. I plan to start out really basic and break the information up in small manageable chunks. 

I know most of you already know quite a bit about this. It would really help me out if you could follow along with the short simple videos to let me know if I left any thing out and check my facts. Since I do not have all the different types of cutting machines, it would help to have contacts that could tell me about the specific functions on the various brands.

In return I will be offering free cut files for you. :) 

You can download the "hello" caption and shadow cut files here; Hello Hello CUWC 

Thanks for your support. Hope to "talk" to you later. LOL

Shamrocks

Hello cutting gals (& guys if that applies)


I have a couple of shamrocks to share. 

They are a little different. Here is how they go together.

You can download them here: shamrocks CUWC

Please remember these are for personal use only. They are not to be sold or used for profit. You are free to use them for challenges. I would appreciate a link back here if you post a project on the web where you have used them.

You are also free to use them for non-profit fund raisers.

I also wanted to let everyone know that the Paper Playtime blog is starting a die cut challenge the first Monday of every month.

You can use any die cut machine! Yeah!

I know it might be too late to enter this month, but please go by their blog and show some support for including all of us Cutters. :)

Here is a link to their current die cut challenge.

Paper Playtime's Delicious Die Cuts Challenge #69 

New Paper Lines for Cutters

Hey cuttin' friends. I am so excited that some of the commercial crafting companies are starting to develop products that are geared towards digital cutting machines. I just watched a video from CHA Winter 2012 where  Megan Elizabeth has designed a paper that is customized for electronic die cutting machines. It is called Paper Layers. The idea is that there are several blocks of coordinating colors on one 12 by 12 scrapbook paper. This would make it easier to cut out different layers and embellishments. Instead of trying to find 9 different colors of paper and then trimming and positioning them on your mat, you could just use one sheet of paper where they have done the work for you.


For example, if I were to cut this schoolhouse image I cut place the cuts in the colored squares.

You can check it out by going to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IueO6KiD7Ak&feature=colike

Bazzill paper has also considered digital cutters. They are coming out with 12 by 24 inch paper. That will be great for long projects and will be easier to use when we need to make several cuts with the same colored card stock. They are also coming out with 110 pound card stock for us card makers which will also be good for our 3D paper crafts.


You can watch that video here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jevm9YSfo14&feature=autoplay&list=PL702B309B82A10D6A&lf=BFp&playnext=6

Loving eyes

I was playing around with my heart files and came up with these cute little heart shaped glasses.

Now, I am not the best stamper, bu that is ok because kids won't care. They will just think they are fun!

I embossed these images with some fun hot pink embossing powder. A word of caution though, you will want to stay away from using glitter or even glittery embossing powers since kids will have these near their eyes.


I made mine from cardstock. You could easily cut plain cardstock and add a layer of patterned paper over it.


Here is how I put them together. You can add plastic to the center if you wish.

You can download the cut files and the PDF printable file that you could print out and cut by hand. Whatever you do, just have fun.

Heart Glasses CUWC

Note: The "adult" size should fit most of us that are older. The "child" size may need to be

re-sized. I do not have a small child any more to try them out on. I used my best guess.

I would love to hear feedback on whether or not the "child" file should be re-sized and measurements. Thanks!

Silhouette Design Studio or MTC

If anyone is trying to decide between MTC and the Silhouette Design Studio, Under the Cherry Tree has a blog post that you may want to check out...

http://underacherrytree.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-make-cut-mtc-vs-silhouette-designer.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UnderACherryTree+%28Under+A+Cherry+Tree%29

If you have compared these programs yourself or know of any other sites/ posts that compares them, please leave a comment and share with the rest of the class :)

Stamp2Cut from Tim Holtz

I have decided to start posting content that electric cutter users will find interesting. There are a lot of changes going on right now involving cutters and SVG's. I will try to highlight some of these situations so we can all keep up with them.

I might even through in a free cut file every now and then...LOL

Anyone have a Sizzix E-clips? Tim Holtz just made a video about his new cartridges that go along with his stamps the line is called Stamp2cut. He is introducing it at CHA and it should start shipping in March.

 I know, I am disappointed that is a cartridge based system. Look at it this way, if Tim Holtz is starting to include electric cutters in his craft line, then other companies are sure to follow suit in the future.

You can take a look at his blog post here and see the video:

http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/cha-winter-2012sizzix-stamp2cut.html

Or you can just go straight to the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLxmMkHv-wk&context=C31a2dc4ADOEgsToPDskI60psF2M2etjPJYFGYKhWg

Sizzix is also offering a version of SCAL to work with the Eclips. It is called ECAL.

You can find out more info here:

http://www.sizzix.com/ecal

I made some heart charms over a year ago and have never used them.

You can download them here.

Gingerbread man challenge

Well bloggers, It is sad to say this, but this will be the last cut file challenge for CUWC. We will still have a Show and Tell next week, but this will be the last challenge. Unfortunately, it is a lot of work and we are not having very many participants. Over 1000 files have been downloaded but we have just had a handful of people actually play along. I want to thank all of you who supported us. I have appreciated each and every project and comment. I have learned a lot and enjoyed this blog while it lasted. I will eternally cherish the design team members who went along on this journey with me. You ladies ROCK!


I hope to join up with the DT ladies soon for a blog hop. I will also be giving away cut files on my blog from time to time.


Well, if we have to go out, let's go out with a bang. The challenge this week is to use this gingerbread file on a project of your choice. 

You can email me at papercompulsions@gmail.com to request the file.

Here is what the awesome DT members prepared for us.

The extra gingerbread man accessories will be available on my Etsy store.

Gail

Jean

Cheryl

Rhonda

(coming soon)

(I messed up and deleted it my mistake.)

Jani (me)

I would love to see what you create with this file. Just remember to include a link, our name, and  post it up by next Tuesday.