Izbzee

2024 - 3 Fall Tags Challenge - #1

I've been looking forward to creating some tags again.  The example below was inspired by a Pinterest find -- 

what I used:
Kraft card stock (base and lace)
The tag shape was designed in SCAL 6
Lace is a design from Designs by Miss Mandee
pumpkin png is from Polkadoodles' Autumn Bundle
decorative paper is a buy from Etsy - HappyFoxSupply shop
fonts were from Creative Fabrica
Distress inks
emory board
twine
Nuvo Drops

While setting up this tag, I decided to use P2C on the tag instead of the foil quill and also printed the rectangle and pumpkin.  Make your print following the directions given in your software program.  Cut all shapes using the software directions for best results.  

I did cut two tag shapes, glued them back to back for more stability.  Humidity was up a bit and so I didn't get an absolutely clean cut -- however, adding some additional distress along the edges helped with that a bit on both the tag and lace.  Adding inking and swiping the mini pads across the face of both the tag and lace.

Ink the edge of the decorative paper rectangle.  Attach the lace to the bottom edge of the decorative paper piece.  Adhere to the tag.  Add some twine and pop up the pumpkin placing as desired on the tag. Add a twine hanger to finish.   

3 Tags of Fall - Tag 3

It's the last day of the 3 Tags of Fall reveal on our FB page.  It's been a fun couple of days to see what the other makers have created and while our numbers are few, we know that there are others creating, but not posting.  

For my last tag, I created this Pinterest inspired BOO tag using SCAL 6 and cut with the Skycut.  I filled the letters with some paper from Lori Whitlock's digital  I Love Halloween collection from Echo Park.  


The tag base was created in SCAL 6.  It has been inked and the sentiment (Avenir and Ballegand fonts) is foiled with black foil.  Using the Magic Moon Font, I've used the Pattern option to fill each of the letters.  Follow the print 2 cut directions for your software and machine.  I've added foam behind the printed letters which have been lightly inked with Black Soot (distress ink) and there are two shadow layers beneath the top layer.  The bottom is a blackout shadow cut in black paper.  The middle layer is a burnt orange color and is glued directly to the bottom blackout layer.  I've added a small wiggle eye as the period of the exclamation mark for a little more dimension and interest.  



Materials:
AC Cardstock
Printer
Distress Ink, blending tool
Foil Quill (standard nib)
Black Foil (Spellbinders)
Bearly Art Glue
Black foam tape
Wiggle Eye

trying a few new "to me" things

When I purchased the Skycut C24 a couple of years ago, I also purchased the embossing and etching tools.  I don't use them often, but a current project required use of the etching tool.  I was a bit wary and also glad that the acrylic blanks were fairly inexpensive, so ruining a couple wouldn't cause lots of worry.  

Here's the "test" result using a the Premium Monogram Font I found at Creative Fabrica.  

The steps to achieve this are pretty easy to do using SCAL and the Skycut.  
I chose an old grungy mat.  Not a lot of tackiness but using some redline tape  provided the tack needed to keep the 3 inch blank in place during the etching process.  In SCAL, I placed the image on the mat and set the X and Y to the bottom right corner at 11.00 inches.  Set the image to draw.  Hide the blank shape (the circle).  

As with most images, you may need to use line fill to complete the etching and fill in the shapes using the line fill option in the effects dropdown menu.  

Prepare the mat:  I placed the tape vertically on the mat so the tape was straddling the 11 inch mark on the right side of the mat and then straddling the 8 inch mark.  The strips were just a little more than 3 inches in length.  These strips held quite well for several etched pieced.  

Insert the etching tool into the holder.  Make sure that you have the mat and the post-it note stack (10 count) to set the height of the tool.  If you don't do that, the tool will drag across the blank and leave a few extra scratches that you really don't want!  Remove the protective sheets from both sides of the blank and center the blank between the two strips of tape.  Making sure that the blank doesn't extend beyond either 11 inch line on the mat.  Press the blank to the tape and to the mat to make sure it won't slide during the etching process.

Load the mat, and make sure that you have the tool centered at the bottom right corner in portrait orientation.  My Draw settings for this particular project was force 20, speed 6.   Click on Cut, Click on Draw -- and let the magic begin.  This etching took about 25 minutes.  Remember, I slowed down the speed a bit.  

Once the process has completed, remove the mat and carefully, remove the blank.  Wipe away the "sand," and clean carefully. 

Again, this is a test image and not the final version, I'm really happy with the outcome and plan on using the etching option for several other projects!  

Have a great day... thanks for dropping by and I hope you've carved out some creative time in the very near future.  

 

 

Valentine Tiered Tray take 2

Last year, I created this one.

 

I wanted a few new things in 2023... so this was the result!

I even cut the fabric for the mini hearts using the Skycut and SCAL 5 pro!  That was a fun and very successful project, though my stitching small stuff like that wasn't as "perfect" as I would have liked.  But it was fun and very enjoyable seeing how the skycut managed the fabric.  I used Jacquard's cotton fabric.  It's already pre-treated and can be run through the rear tray of my inkjet printer with ease.  

You'll find all the details for creating the hearts and other items for this year's tray on The Artistry.  

 

2022 Holiday Tag Reveal - Tag 2

Our Facebook group is having so much fun -- and if you haven't taken a look at the tags that were posted yesterday, you might want to stop by and take a peek.  You'll find the group here.  Today's Tag #2 has a couple of steps  1)Print and cut the tag filling a concave rectangle shape (rectangle and oval -- back minus front) with a little buffalo plaid from a collection I found at Creative Fabrica.  Make sure that shape is set to print only. Center the shape over the tag shape and line up with the bottom of the tag.    Foil the sentiment using a single line font or a font with a narrow line.  The standard foil quill point works well.  

Since the tag is printed on white cardstock, I inked the plaid edges with some Black Licorice ink, leaving the remainder of the tag without any inking.  

The snowflake has an added shadow which will be cut.  The snowflake is set to draw and foiled.  Once the foiling is complete, cut the shadow layer and pop up with a bit of foam tape.  Add a length of ribbon to finish off the tag.  The SCAL software and Skycut are perfect companions for creating holiday tags again this year...  

Thanks for stopping by!  Hoping your holiday crafting is going well.  

Stack of cards

The number of this November/Thanksgiving stack of cards continues to grow as T has decided he wants to share a few as well.  Do I mind?  Of course not! 

Pinterest inspired, but with a slightly different take, this card is cut on the Skycut using SCAL 5 Pro and shapes from the Library and a few different techniques I thought I'd like to try.  Lots of enjoyable "play" time.  

I used the back minus front command in SCAL to create the leaf cuts  (I now have nearly a hundred white leaves ready to color to use in a future large shaker project).   I used two separate sentiments created using fonts and the p2c option offered in SCAL.  (Both fonts are from Creative Fabrica) for this stack of cards.

It was fun adding the score lines for the leaf cuts using a shadow cut as a panel behind the card front face.  

The panel was colored using distress inks.  Once the panel was adhered to the back of the card face, I flecked some gold shimmer on the card face and the shadow layer.   Once dry, the card face and panel were adhered to the larger panel and then to the card base.  

These are pretty quick to assemble once the stock was printed, cut and pieces colored.  This month's stack jumped from 12 to 20.  I've already figured in that we'll be adding this number to the our Christmas card list as I begin that process next month. 

Hoping you will be enjoying some creative time in the next few days if not sooner.  Enjoy and thanks again for dropping by.   

dimensional butterfly

We haven't seen too many butterflies this year... but the ones we have seen around have been beautiful. 

I had so much fun creating this dimensional project for The Artistry, using fabric, paper, stencils and paint, distress inks and some inkjet printed fabric and cardstock!  The butterfly pattern was an Etsy purchase, but the remaining files used were from Creative Fabrica.  I even upcycled a needlework frame I've had for ages!  You'll find the details here.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Hoping you have some creative time lined out this week.  Enjoy it!  Nurture your heart along the way too.  

 

 

Mixed Media Scroll book

It's been a while since I've done much with mixed media, but this was a fun project and definitely something I'll be doing again.  

Way back when, I remember as a child building a cardboard TV with a scroll and filling the paper on the scroll with pictures.  And we'd have our own fun evening switching out the scrolls and laughing at our art.  Now, as an adult, it's a fun way to use digital images for backgrounds and the base for some mixed media painting and texture.  

You'll find all the details for this project, once again, on The Artistry!  I'm up for doing this project again and likely, sooner rather than later.  For a peek at all of my projects on The Artistry at Creative Fabrica, you can find them here.  

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll find some creative inspiration today!  

Framed Spring Themed Trio

I loved how this trio of framed projects came together.  I used a couple of techniques from a previous project (Farm Fresh) to pull it all together.  

You'll find additional details for each framed project at The Artistry - it's posted here. 

 

  

Baseball tiered tray decor

Despite the fact that Spring Training is currently in lock out, baseball is still on the minds of those that love the sport in out family.  It was fun creating these pieces to share the spirit of the game with them.  

You'll find all the details for creating most of these pieces on The Artistry.  Click here.  
And there's a free file associated with this project -- so be sure to pick that up.