Silhouette Savvy Series – Back to Basics

 

Hello everyone!

How is your Summer going?   We hope you are relaxing and enjoying the  wonderful weather.   Today’s tutorial is a bit of a  refresher / learning on a few basics on the Silhouette Software basics. The new updates to the Silhouette Software have made it easier to import and design cut files in their platform.

 

 

Just in case you missed any of the commands, here is small list of them:

To import cut files into the Silhouette Library

• Import and open the zipfile containing the cut file
• open your Silhouette Software, and set it on the Library tab ( you can easily create a new  file by right clicking  your mouse on the library file, under your user name account)
• open your recently unzipped cut file (you will have three images to chose from)
• click on the image that does not have a watermark on it, and use your mouse to drag it to the Silhouette library.   The software will automatically make a copy of the cut file in their library

To trace cut files in the Silhouette Software

• Open the cut file you want to use in the Silhouette Design window
• click on the Trace menu in the Design window (fifth image on the right hand side pannel)
• select trace an image on the menu
• use your mouse to select the are of the cut file you want to use
• on the trace menu click on “trace”,  the red lines will show behind the cut file once you have properly traced it.
• If there are part of another image you do not want to use, then highlight the entire image, right click on the mouse, and chose “release path” on the menu.   Delete all the unwanted lines  in the cut file, and then highlight all the image you want to cut (make sure you highlight all the little details inside the cut), right click on the mouse and select “create compound path”
• send to the Silhouette software to cut.

 

Once you have seen the video, you will realize how easy you can import and trace a cut file in the SIlhouette Software.  The one that was used for the tutorial comes from the Let Sunshine in and it  is featured in this Traveler’s Notebook along with  Doodlebug Designs’ Hello Collection.

 

As always please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions related to this tutorial.  I will be more than happy to walk you through the steps.

Take care,

 

Doodlebug Design – Hello Collection kit, Chit chat die cuts, cardstock stickers

Pinkfresh Studio – The Mix 1 collection – Gold shapes foam stickers

Simple Stories – Hello Summer Collection – Cardstock Stickers, collection kit

Webster’s Pages – Traveler’s Notebook insert

 

Let The Sunshine in Cut file

 

 

 

 

Creative Team Weekly Digest

 

Hi there!

Another week is just finishing. Time to relax, and recharge before Monday comes by.   It is amazing how fast time is running, we are headed to the middle of Summer (here in Canada) and finally the weather has cooled off a  bit, and we are enjoying beautiful Summer days.  How about a bit of inspiration for the weekend, maybe this will be your starting point for a new project!

This week, we asked the Nerd Girls to showcase out free cut files in their projects, and we are floored by what each of them shared on social media.  First up is Mari.

 

Mari chose the Stellar Shapes cut file to create this gorgeous page about her daughter and soon -to-be Son-in-law.

 

Mari used a bit of Distress Oxides to create the soft mixed media behind each of the shapes.  The colors in the background bring the detail of the cut outs, and match all the embellishments from Pebbles’ Patio Party collection.

 

 

The soft background contrasts and complements the picture beautifully.   The well placed cut outs just frame the picture nicely.  SUch a beautiful layout, Mari!

Next is Gisele and a gorgeous double page layout

Gisele chose the Together Hearts cut filel to create the two pages of her layout.   She backed each of the hearts with papers from Simple Stories’ “Hello Summer” collection, and framed each of ther grand-nieces pictures with the cut out.

 

Gisele used papers from the Hello Summer collection to form the background of the layout, as well as to layer the pictures of her grand-nieces.  She added lots of details using the stickers that come included in the collection, as well as some puffy hearts from Pinkfresh Studio.

 

 

She also combined some fussy cut florals from the Hello Summer collection withe chipboard stickers from Crate Paper’s Wild Heart collection, and stickers from Photoplay’s Stuck on You collection.   Such a beautiful and very colorful double page, Gisele.

Last is Nathalie with a light take on this week’s focus.

Nathalie used the Let The Sunshine In cut file to create a large focused title/background for her page.     She used Vicki Boutin’s Art Crayons to create a soft mixed media look for this page, using the colors of Simple Stories’s  “Hello Summer” collection as inspiration.

 

She backed the cut out with papers from the Hello Summer collection.  A bit of foam adhesive creates that soft shadow in the page and behind the cut-out.

 

 

So many fun elements and beautiful florals  in the Hello Summer collection!  Nathalie combined both to create clusters around the picture and layout.  Beautiful work, Nathalie

Well that is all for us this week.  We hope that you are inspired to visit the Scrapbook Nerd online store and download a few of our free cut files, and also check all the new collections arriving at the store.

Til next time.

 

Free Cut File | TIME TO SHINE

Hi there!

We hope you had a fabulous Canada Day! ( July 1st is Canada Day, and since we are a proudly Canadian store, we hope you got to celebrate our country), and to celebrate (and because it is the beginning of the month)  we are releasing a new cut file,  Time To Shine. Our friends at The Cut Shoppe have designed this fun and summer filled cut file for us, and now it is available to download for free in the store.

Isn’t the cut file so much fun and filled with possibilities.   Well, then let’s see how some of our Creative Team has used the cut file in their projects.  First up is Nathalie.

Hi there!

Oh, the glorious days of summer are well spent at the pool!  well, at least my littles love to come over and spent their days at our pool, so the new Time to Shine cut file is perfect to document these precious memories.

I chose to use the large title in the cut file to express the sentiment of the page.  I made sure to enlarge the title so that it covers a large portion of this page, thus become the focal point of this page.

A few Distress Oxides and a stencil, the watery background was created on Marshmallow Cardstock from Bazzil.  While this dried, the title was backed with papers from the Poolside collection from Fancy Pants Designs.

To add dimension on the page, the title was attached with some foam adhesive, then it was all about embellishing the page!    The Poolside collection is filled with lots of die cuts and ephemera pieces that are perfect to document those pool memories, so it was a breeze to create clusters on the page.

This page was so much fun to create, but now I will pass it onto Joy so she can show you how she was inspired to use the cut file in one of her projects.

This card was fun & easy to create. Joy loves using Distress Oxide Inks to make blended backgrounds for cards. Inks used; Peacock Feathers, Fossilized Amber, and Worn Lipstick.

Joy then simply cut the Flamingo and the Sun tab from the Time To Shine cut file with black cardstock for some high contrast with her ink choices. The bold black on those colours looks awesome.  Joy typed out the sentiment on some white cardstock using her vintage typewriter and then glued all the pieces to the background.

This card is so fun and just screams summer. 🙂

Now Nathalie is back with you with a bit more inspiration using the Time to Shine cut file.  This time, I chose to show you how the designs can be used in a different format such as a Traveler’s Notebook.

 

For this spread, the ice cream cone of the design was cut so that it fits within the limits of a page of the TN.   The shape was then backed with papers from Doodlebug designs Cream & Sugar and So Punny collections.

 

 

To make the details of the cut-out pop, a piece of paper from Fancy Pants Joy Parade collection.  I chose to add the title of the page right onto the cut out using a combination of stickers and die cuts from both Doodlebug collections, and Pinkfresh Studio’s The Mix 2

 

 

In order to balance the spread, I chose to layer pieces from the Chit Chat ephemera pack from the So PUnny collection from Doodlebug, and use some of the papers to back the picture.   To ground the picture, I added a strip of the Fancy Pants design and a few more details from Paige Evans Stickers tablet.

 

I love how this turned out, and now it is your turn to put the cut file to work in a project of your choice.  Remember to tag @scrapbooknerdca whenever you are sharing projects created with the digital cut files on social media,  We would love to see what you do with the cut files.

Until next time,

Nathalie

New Free Cutfile – Pretty Petals

Hello there!

It is time for a new free cut file! YAY!!!

Our friends at the Cut Shoppe have created the Pretty Petals cut file just in time for Spring. The florals in this design are fun, and so easy to combine to document your  memories, at any time or season of the year.

I took advantage of the floral designs in the cut file to create a cascade of flowers in my layout that celebrates Sister Love.

 

Using the Silhouette Software, the floral motifs were sized to be at the largest 2.5 in.  Once the florals and the leaf pair were sized, a few extra leaves from the Fall Faves cut file  were also added to the file, and all cut from white textured cardstock.

 

 

All the flowers were backed using papers from Pink Paislee’s Pick Me Up collection,  however not the entire cut out was glued to the paper.  Instead glue was just added to the center of the cut out, so that the  petals of the flowers will lift, thus creating movement in the page.

 

 

The two flower design were backed with the same papers, so that they could be evenly spread on the page.

 

 

To back the leaves, a combination of papers from the Pick Me Up and Turn The Page collections were used – all leaves were backed with a diferent shade of green paper-.   The leaves cut outs wre glued fully to the paper, unlike the flower ones.

 

 

Before adding the flowers to the paper, a bit of mixed media was added using some white acrylic paint, and Jane Davenport’s Mermaid markers.  Once the background was dried, the picture was propped on some fun foam.

 

 

The flowers were then glued to the page to form  a cascade (half moon) around the picture.  Foam adhesive and strong glue were used so that there is dimension and movement in the page.  Since there is so much detail added to the page, just a few extra embellishments were necessary.   These chipboard pieces, sequins and stickers all come from Paige Evans’ Pick Me Up collection.

 

 

To complete this page, a title was created using a combination of chipboard stickersm and small alpha stickers wre used.  A few drops of gold ink, and journal lines complete this page.

 

 

The floral design and color in this page are the perfect way to celebrate sister love at its best.  Now it is your turn to put the cut file to work in a project of your own.  Stop by Scrapbook Nerd to get a free download of the file.

Remember to tag the store #scrapbooknerdca wheneever  you share your finished project on social media,  We would love to see your take on this file.  Have Fun!!!

 

 

Pink Paislee – Turn the Page collection – 12×12 paper pad

Pink Paislee – Pick Me Up collectioon – 6×6 paper pad, 12×12 paper pad, Chipboard stickers, Cardstock Stickers, Haberdashery set, Happy Life alpha set

Jane Davenport – Mermaid Markers

Heidi Swapp – Color shine in Gold Lame

 

New Free Cut File – Shattered Glass

 

Hello friends and fans!!

It is the beginning of a new month, which means time for a new cut file release!   YAY!!!

This month, our friends over at the Cut Shoppe  have created a super fun cut file,
“Shattered Glass”. This cut file is so fun and versatile, you will want to use it for your next
project.

Some of our creative team members have been playing with this cut file, and you are going to see how versatile it can be in the next projects.  First up is Nathalie.

 

She used the Silhouette Software to create the background for her scrapbook page by welding a polygon and the cut file.  The blank space in the middle of the background now becomes the perfect place to add her picture.

 

 

 

She used the colors and papers in Vicki Boutin’s All The Good Things collection to back some of the cut out empty spaces, and to create a bit of mixed media where the picture would be placed.  Then embellished the page with the coordinating add-ons from the All The Good Things collection from American Crafts.

 

 

Now before you run to the store for your free download, let’s take a look at what Joy created with this cut file:

Joy was inspired to create some masculine cards with this cut file. After cutting the file at approximately 8.5″x11″ she used it like a stencil with some Distress Inks. 

One of the perks of cutting paper stencils is that you can use the cut for a project when you’re doing with the inking. If you use the stencil with paint the paint will dry and create a protective layer on your paper stencil and make it more durable to use again and again. 

Joy created a big enough panel to make two cards from this one piece of cardstock.

Joy used a fine black marker to create a sketchy look on the stenciled paper to give the pattern a bit of pop and because she was going to use black cardstock on each of the cards.
These cards are fun and slightly snarky will used for her husbands birthday week.

Letting the background do most of the work Joy kept the sentiments simple and she did not use much to embellish the cards fronts.  

Head over to the shop to download you FREE Shattered Glass cut file today.

Now it is your turn to use the cut file on a project of your own.  Remember to tag us #scrapbooknerdca when you share one of your pages using one of our cut files.  We love to see how you use them on your projects.

Stop by the store to pick up a free download copy of this and many cut files. Thanks for stopping by.

Materials Used:

Vicki Boutin’s 12×12 and 7×10  All The Good Things Collection paper pads,   

Vicki Boutin  –  All The Good Things Alphas and word foam thickers

Vicki Boutin –  Finishing embellishments, watercolor stickers, cardstock stickers, frames ephemera, icons ephemera

Tim Holtz Distress Ink & Oxide Inks

Tonic Studios Mini Blender Brushes

 

Valentine Cut Files

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

Today it is a day to celebrate love and friendship!  We are so grateful to have you as part of our friendly crafty community that we also want to celebrate with you this day.   So we are releasing two new free cut files that are all about love and those special loved ones.

Click on the cut file images below to download yours today!

 

Our friends over at The Cut Shoppe have created these lovely cut files, exclusively for Scrapbook Nerd, and we love how versatile they can be when creating all those special projects.  Here are just a few samples of what some of our DT has created using the cut files:

Joy’s layout combines a few of her favourite things; paint, stamping, gold splatter, and some of her own pattern paper. Joy likes to use old scrapbooking paper and gives a new life with acrylic paint, stencils and other mediums. She used that paper behind the LOVE word for a graffiti look.
Using the Luck Stars dies from My Favorite Things Joy die cut the stars from some POW gold glitter paper. When cutting this paper you will need to use a shim as it does have a thin plastic backing on it. The stamping on this layout uses an old Hero Arts Music background stamp.
Joy used Gold Heidi Swapp Gold Lame and some coordinating Dina Wakley Blackberry paint for the splatter on this page.

 

Nathalie used the Crazy Love to document a selfie gone wrong on her page:

 

She welded the “XO” image a few times to create her background, and then used Pebbles’s Forever My Always collection to back the cut-out, and add some small details to the page.

 

She added a bit of hand stitching to each of the hearts inside the “O”s and then brought a bit more of that sparkle to the page using some Vicki Boutin Gold Glaze and an Echo Park (Beach Towel) stencil to the background.

This page is filled with small details, that complement that sweet picture of Nathalie’s baby stealing a kiss from dad!.

 

We hope that the free cut files and the samples our DT have provided inspire you to create a special project about or for your loved ones.   Remember to tag/link Scrapbook Nerd whenever you use this project and share it on social media;  we would love to see what you create with these files.

Stop by the Scrapbook Nerd store to pick your free copy of these files, and to check all the new goodies that are arriving daily at the store’s shelves!

Have a Wonderful Valentine’s Day!

 

Joy’s supply list;
White cardstock
Pattern paper both a & b sides – Be yourself Basic Grey
Heidi Swapp – Gold Color Shine
POW Glitter Paper – Gold
My Favourite Things – Lucky Stars die
Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint – Ocean, Sky & Blackberry

Nathalie’s supply list;
Pebbles Always My Forever collection
Vicki Boutin Gold Glaze
Caroline Gold Foil Foam Thickers
Beach Towel stencil

Creative Team Weekly Digest

 

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today bringing you a bit of inspiration courtesy of the amazing Scrapbook Nerd Design team.

First up is Gisele with a sweet and colorful layout about her grand-nieces.   She is a master at combining colors and designs in one page.  For this page, she is using Photoplay Paper’s “I Love Gymnastics” collection along with a few embellishments from Amy Tangerine, Bella Blvd, and JIllibean Soup.

The colors of this page are the perfect background for the picture of her adorable girls.

 

Next up is Mari with this gorgeous card. She created this Valentine’s card using Yupo paper and Ranger Alcohol Inks; these products are so much fun and so easy to work with. Using the Alcohol Blending Solution, Alcohol Inks and a straw, Mari created the rainbow of colors on the card front. She used a die to cut the card front out. She added the silver glitter die cut using the MFT Mandala Die. Some hearts were cut from glitter paper using a heart punch from her stash. The card front was added to an A2 white card base. A sentiment was added to the inside using the Hero Arts “You Are Loved Messages” stamp set.

This card is truly a work of art.

Be sure to watch Mari’s process video to see how she created her beautiful card.

 

Joy created a few projects using one of this month’s free cut files (LOVE SONG) .   First she used one of the cut file’s images to create this simple layered tag.

 

She then used some of the other cut file images to create this rather masculine card ( just in time for Valentine’s Day!).  Thanks Joy for sharing your projects with us.

 

 

Finally, Nathalie’s Tuesday Tutorial was a new entry to the Silhouette Savvy Series.   Her focus was on showing how easy it could be to create a one-of-a-kind background by simply welding some of the cut file images together.

She then proceeded to show us  how she put the layout together by combining some homemade marbke paper with the beautiful Simple Stories “Romance” collection.

That is all for this week!  AWESOME work ladies!!!

See you all very soon!

 

Reveal Day – A New Cut file!

Today’s the day!
Say hello to our newest cut file, Love Story. This month’s cut file is perfect for everyday moments and for your special valentine. This fun new FREE cut file was designed by Ashley Horton from over at The Cut Shoppe.

You can download your copy by clicking on the image below.

Joy created a few projects with Love Story, first a simple gift tag.
The heart was cut twice so there would be a front and back side so she could hide the red pattern paper she used to fill in and highlight the LOVE. The heart on the back plain so a message can be written.

Next, Joy created a card with her husband in mind but this sentiment would be great for anyone or any current favourite. Joy used Dylusions Lond Blue spray ink on some watercolour paper to create the background for this card. Once the spray was dry, she flicked some of the spray ink for a splattered look. A simple cork heart finished off this masculine valentine.

The sweetheart die-cut was added to the inside of the card for a fun sentiment.

 

Next up, Nathalie created a beautiful layout by combining two of the shapes from the Love Story cut file. You can see how Nathalie welded the two cut files here in a Silhouette Savvy tutorial.

Isn’t that watercolour paper beautiful?
Nathalie also created that unique paper using Yupo paper and some
Prima Marketing Confections watercolour pans.

Thank you for stopping by the SN blog today, we hope you love using the new Love Story cut file. You can download your copy here from the SN shop.

Happy crafting!

New Year, New Cut File

Happy New Year everyone!

We hope you all had a fabulous holiday season. We’re looking forward to sharing another great year with you.

Let’s start off 2018 with a new Free cut file from The Cut Shoppe!

Joy created a title page for her new Project Life album with the new
In With The New cut file. This page is all about the gold. 😀
Joy started by flicking Heidi Swapp Gold Lame Color Shine all over some black cardstock using a heavier hand around the outside edges.

Joy cut the file twice, once with textured white cardstock and the second with some Gold POW glitter paper. The inside cut of the letters with gold POW paper was glued inside the white outline cut.

The words inside the 2018 was backed with plain black cardstock before the cut file was glued down.

Joy finished off her title page with a simple white border using a Signo White Gel Pen.

Head over to the SN shop to download your In With The New cut file.
Don’t forget we would love to see what you make with the SN Exclusive cut files so join in with us on our Facebook Friends page and share your projects.

Thank you for stopping by today, see you next time.