I finally was able to pick up a Foil Quill here locally.
I'd pre-ordered from another company back in January, but they weren't able to secure all of their order and were still waiting for their first shipment.... so grateful they were willing to completely refund and I could go pick one up at one of the local craft stores.
I'm very impressed. My first samples were near perfect. Using cross-hatching or line fill and just adjusting it a bit will fill in most of the lettering.
Just a little more tweaking and I think the fill will be perfected on the lettering. In the meantime....
I found some really neat svg/png files to cut, but decided to use them as foiling patterns. Using the Foil Quill fine tip and no additional adjustments to the draw/pen settings in eCal 3 and cut using the eclips2.
I used Inktense watercolor pencils and a waterbrush to apply the color. Love the results and hope you do too. The background is an altered digi background (PhotoShop Elements) print of a "faux watercolor" piece I shared in this post
Thanks for stopping by. So looking forward to my next bit of creative time.... hoping you have some time carved out in your busy schedule too!
I first started making these cards in 2011. Over the years, I've changed them a bit - However, I really do like this new iteration -- and part of that is because I'm able to use the scans from some of my gel prints and have added a new feature to these very special personalized cards -- an EZ Sound Module from InviteByVoice.com. The module allows additional opportunities to personalize for the perfect final touch.
You'll need: EZ Sound Module (InviteByVoice.com) Print Shop® (or another editing program) Fonts (I used a few for this one, Noteworthy, Edwardian Script, Andrea, CK Emily Hand, Century Schoolbook, Calibri) Cardstock (8.5 x 11 for printables, 12 x 6 for card base) Digital scans (I used gel prints for mine) -or designer paper Scor-Tape Bone folder and score board Paper Trimmer
Printer Optional: Electronic Die Cutting machine (eclips 2 and eCal3 software) for inside sentiment
The set up for the card front is pretty easy in PrintShop®. Just create a Headline with the letter U. Adjust fill, shadow and stroke as desired. Create another headline with the word ARE, rotate to the left 90 degrees and adjust sizing as needed. Adjust fill, shadow, and stroke to match the U. Create a text box and begin typing in your descriptive words. Once you have your box filled, you can highlight individual words and change the font within the box. You can print 4 card fronts per 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of cardstock. I used white, but I have also used an offwhite and marbled vellum as well for the card base. Once printed, cut the cardstock, trimming to the size needed.
Next: Score the 12 x 5.5 piece of cardstock at 4 inches, 7 .5 inches, 8 inches and 11.5 inches along the long edge. Fold and crease with the bone folder along each line well.
Add sentiments, embellishments and personalize now. The "Thank you" sentiment was created, print and cut in eCal3. using the eclips2. The letters are filled using an original gel print pattern. I printed a 3.5 x 4.5 copy of my scanned gel print and added the thank you cut to that and trimmed it just a little bit more.
Following the manufacturer's instructions add your music to the EZ Sound Module and secure to the inside back piece with the button facing up by removing the release paper on the back of the module. The folds allow some "breathing" room for the module and the card will nearly fold flat when it is put together.
Apply some double stick tape on the last 1/2 fold and line up the edge with the first fold at the 4 inch mark and secure.
I'm using a free ringtone download snippet of Bette Midler's The Wind Beneath My Wings. TIP: You can move the play button and place exactly where you need it for best access to fit the card size.
Thanks for stopping by today. Hoping you're set aside a few hours for some creative time this week. We'll catch up with you again soon!
My first projects for the new year are a couple of cards... This interactive peek a boo card using Lettering Delights Bee Knees was fun and easy to accomplish.
Jennifer McGuire's card was the inspiration. I just translated it into a cut file using her measurements. Placing the images directly to the mat and resizing them allowed me to place and center them on the pieces cut pieces. One thought I have now, is just to place them directly on the card stock rather than have two additional cut pieces, however, I'll keep this file as is for the time being.
P2C (Print 2 Cut) using eCal and the eclips makes for a very easy completion.
Hoping your new year is filled with lots of inspiration and joy! Happy Crafting! More to come in a couple of days....
The 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge has come to an end. Over 60 tags were shared on the eclips/eCal FB page. I hope you've taken a few minutes to browse the album and take a peek at all the creative shares over the last 12 days. If not, the album on the page is always available for viewing by members of the group.
Details regarding all the tags I created for the challenge are in the links below.
Have you been watching the FB page? Lots of wonderful reveals this week. We have some amazing makers!
Today, I'd like to share my 8th tag.
another base of tea stained paper, a little bit of stenciling using a doily cut over the print2cut printed tag. The altered heart shape from the basic shapes library is filled with a digital paper pattern and also used the print2cut print feature in eCal. I wet the back of the paper very lightly and scrunched the paper a bit for a little more texture. Lightly inked the edges and added the stitching with a black ultra-fine Sharpie. Wrap the heart with some twine and add a silver heart and glue in place. Spritz with a bit of mica for a little more shine. My photo doesn't show it well.
You'll need: tea-stained paper (1 8.5 x 11 sheet) Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3 digital paper lacy doily (SVG Cuts) Printer Sharpie unbleached chesecloth twine ink blending tool Mica (Mixed Media Supplies) in water - to spritz and add a little bit of shine.
Yesterday's tags by the rest of the #eclipsecalmakers were awesome! Did you check them out? If not, take a peek here.
Today's tag is dimensional and has a bit of a prim look.
The star is found in the basic shapes library of ecal -- and using the nodes tool, I altered the shape a bit. Fill the shape with a pattern using some digital paper. To add some dimension, you can add some paths and set to score. When you've printed and cut the shape, you can fold along the scored lines. I added a small box under the center of star and glued that to the tag. Wrap the tag with some loosely woven material. Add a button and some twine to finish.
You'll need: Cardstock (1 sheet 8.5 x 11 inch) Sizzix eclips2 and software eCal3 ink blending tool Mica (Mixed Media Supplies) Printer hot glue
This tag uses the Print2Cut Print and Print2Cut Cut features in the software. Scoring is a breeze with solid lines and the kiss cut feature.
Today marks the half way point in our #eclipsecalmaker 12 Tags of Christmas. I hope this will become an annual event. It's been so much fun! Check out what our other gals are creating on the Facebook page.
Such a simple tag. This one uses a tea stained sheet of white paper. Once again, use the Print2Cut Print feature in eCal3 (and in previous versions) for the sentiment. I used pattern fill for the stocking (from the Basic Shapes library) on the right. The stocking on the left is colored using the eBrush and Spectrum Noir marker. Color the holly and heart using markers. Add a couple of pop dots to add a little more dimension and tie a bit of twine around the cheesecloth.
You'll need: Tea -Stained cardstock *(1 8.5 x 11 inch sheet) Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3 software mica (Mixed Media Supplies) eBrush (SN adapter) Spectrum Noir markers Digital paper Blending tool ink Glue/adhesive Glossy Accents Unbleached cheesecloth, twine Tea bags, water, ground cinnamon, water, foam brush
*Tea-staining your own cardstock is easy. I use about 2/3 cup of boiling water and 3 regular size teabags and an 1/8 tsp of ground cinnamon for a little deeper color (and it smells good, too). Let steep and cool a bit. You can dip the paper, but I prefer to use a foam brush and sweep across the paper. After that has partially dried, I add a few drips and while the drips are still sort of "puddled" I use a lid or the bottom of the mug to create some additional markings. Let dry. If necessary, using a dry iron (no steam), press the paper to flatten. You can also sprinkle with a little bit of water and wrinkle the paper. Just be careful not to tear it. Because I was doing some print to cut, I wanted a smooth paper for this one. If you want to wrinkle your paper, consider scanning and printing. You can add some additional depth and texture with ink and a blending tool or the eBrush and markers.
Hope you'll drop back again tomorrow! Happy Crafting!
With Christmas just around the corner, this #eclipsecalmaker 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge is getting things off on the right footing!
Today's tag is called Christmas Peace and it has a surprise - it lights up with the help of the Chibitronic LED.
You'll need: Sizzix eclips 2 and eCal software (I'm using eCal3) White 110lb cardstock (Neenah) Digital paper Printed Vellum Chibitronic LED, copper tape, battery (as per manufacturer's direction) Scor Tape sequins (optional) Glue
Using basic shapes (triangle and a rectangle) create a tree. Copy it two additional times. Adjust sizes as desired. The tag is found in the basic shapes library (mine is oversized and measures 3.5 inches x 6.5 inches). Then place one of the trees in the desired spot on the tag to cut out. Cut 2.
Using the pattern option in the color palette, fill the other two trees with digital paper as desired and set the two trees to print2cut print. Use the preview option to make sure that all of the pieces will cut as desired -- if not, then create a shadow set at 0.00 and change the color to none and the stroke to none. to the trees you have set with the print2cut print command. The shadow should be set to print2cut cut.
NOTE: Your print2cut print layer should have the stroke set to none. If your machine is calibrated correctly, you should be spot on with your cuts and no white will show around the cut edges.
I cut a rectangle of vellum to put under the tag with the cutout. Adhere in place. If desired, add the LED and battery. Mine is pressure sensitive and will light when a slight amount of pressure is applied to the left tree.
Glue a second tag to the back for more stability and to hide the LED circuit.
Add a bit of ribbon to decorate and create a hanger if desired.
Thanks for dropping by... stay tuned, Tag 2 will post tomorrow!
"There is beauty all around When there's love at home." *
I purchased some wood shaped houses a while back and I decided I would use them for this last post of May.
You'll need: Wood Houses in graduated sizes (Fun Stampers Journey) Digital Journal Pages (Mixed Media Supplies) Doily stencil Digital photo editing program (Photo Shop Elements) Digital cutting machine and software (Sizzix eclips2, eCal2) American Typewriter (light) Font Souffle Polymer Clay (Gold) Modeling Paste Acrylic Medium (or Gel Medium) Gesso Digital paper (This & That Collection from Echo Park) Foam brush (1 inch) Glossy Accents or Hot Glue Gun Craft knife Scissors Xyron X with permanent adhesive Sandpaper eBrush, TB adapter Tombow markers Ink
Prep your wood. Apply a thin coat of Gesso and let dry.
This piece has an oops! I started out doing a transfer and it didn't work out as planned -- so this piece has been sanded and a second light coat of Gesso was added.
Open your photo editing program and open the journal pages you want to use. I created a new file and set the size to the same size as the largest house. Copy and paste a small portion of the desired journal page into the new file as a new layer. Using the Type Tool, create your text. Adjust size if needed. Repeat for the other two houses adjusting the size of the base layer.
Print the papers for the houses on copy paper. Print the digital paper from the Echo Park collection on cardstock (110 lb).
Using the acrylic medium, apply a thin coat to the wood and burnish the journal page prints to the houses. Trim with the craft knife as needed. Let dry.
Using the stencil and the modeling paste stencil on the largest house as desired. You can repeat on the other houses if you'd like. Let the modeling paste dry thoroughly.
With the eBrush, lightly spray some color around the edges of the houses. You'll get some color on the modeling paste, but that is fine.
Using the cutting machine, cut the lettering using American Typewriter as desired. My lettering is just a bit over 1 in high. Apply adhesive to the back of the lettering by using the Xyron X and permanent adhesive. Apply to the houses.
Soften the clay according to manufacturer's direction. Use a texture plate and add a little texture to the clay. Cut in to the heart shape using a cutter or a template. Bake according to the manufacturer's direction. Let cool. Attach the heart using some Glossy Accents or hot glue gun.
Cut some strips from the digital paper. Measure and trim as needed. Using the ink or the eBrush, add a little color along each of the edges to soften the colors just a bit. Using some double stick tape, or glue, apply the "roof" to each house.
*(Love at Home, Text and music: John Hugh McNaughton
Thanks for stopping by today. Have oodles of fun in your creative endeavors!
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