A set of thank you note cards is always a useful gift, especially a set suitable for a child to give, but even better if they can embellish the cards themselves. Fortunately this week's FREE design of the Week is a printable thank you card. I made a gift box including a set of cards, and envelopes and a sheet of stickers that can be used to decorate the cards.
In this post I will show you how to quickly make a batch of cards, the presentation box and a full
tutorial on how to make the set of stickers from pattered paper using your scanner and PixScan™ mat.
MATERIALS USED:
Patterned Papers
Heavy-weight Plain Coloured Cardstock (for box & card bases)
Double Sided Adhesive Sheets
White Vinyl
Transfer Paper
Vellum
Envelopes
Paper Adhesive
Vellum Adhesive
THE CARDS
Now if you are in a tearing hurry you can just print off the cards with registration marks, one to a sheet of A4 cardstock and cut them out with your Silhouette. The pieces are customisable so you could fill the card background with any colour or even a pattern and change the colour of the lettering to suit.
However, my printer won't take heavy-weight cardstock and I prefer a more layered look to my cards (but without too much additional effort). I decided to make a set of four cards using these parts:
- White card base
- Patterned paper front
- Vellum panel
- Sentiment in white vinyl
The file contains the card base, and the pattered panel is made by using the knife tool to cut the card base along the centre fold line.
The vellum panel is made by reducing the size of the pattered panel using one of the corner drag handles.
I decided to cut the sentiment from white vinyl, but it needed a little editing first.
When I turned on the cut settings, I could see that the letters were separate from each other and needed welding before sending to cut. The flourishes were single lines, so to make them into cuttable shapes, I created an offset for each of a similar thickness to the lettering. Firstly I reduced the line width (beige part) to zero, and then created an offset for each of 0.03", removing the original lines.
Once all the pieces were cut, assembly was straight forward, with each printed panel aligned to a card front, and the vellum panel applied on top (small pieces of double-sided adhesive tape were hidden behind the loops on the letters to secure the vellum). The vinyl sentiments were weeded using the hook tool and then the sentiment transferred to the velum with transfer paper.
THE BOX
The box was simply cut, folded and assembled, with the decorative panels added, cut from patterned paper.
THE STICKERS
To make the stickers I used pattered paper, the PixScan™ Mat and (my new discovery) double sided adhesive sheets. The PixScan™ feature allows printed images to be used which have not originated from the Silhouette Studio® software. The PixScan™ mat provides cut lines at the image’s actual size (or with a margin if an offset border is required). The use of the double sided sticker sheet, adhered to the printed images prior to cutting, transforms those images into stickers!
The images from the printed paper can be imported into the software using a camera or a scanner. I always use my scanner, part of my regular all-in-one office printer as my phone has a rubbish camera.
These are the steps involved.
STEP 1:
Remove either the white or the yellow layer from a double sided sheet. It is easier to remove the yellow layer, but if you leave the yellow one on, it is easier to remove the stickers later. Smooth your patterned paper onto the sticker sheet. N.B. These pics show the yellow layer removed.
STEP 2:
Place the two papers onto the PixScan™ mat ensuring that the whole sheet is within the mat’s cutting area shown by the black line border on the mat.
STEP 3:
Click on the PixScan™ Icon in the Silhouette Studio® software. Select 'Import from Scanner'.
Place the image on the PixScan™ mat face down onto the scanner.
STEP 4:
Select your scanner from the drop-down list and click Import PixScan™ Image. It is likely that
the PixScan™ mat will be larger than the scanner. If so, you can scan in two passes and the software will knit the images together properly. If you find this confusing, watch Brian from Graphtec GB's video Silhouette Studio® - PixScan with a Scanner. I find that I sometimes need to scan several times, alternating the orientation of the mat each time, until both are read in.
Once the whole image is displayed on your computer screen you can create the cut lines. Open the Trace Window, click Trace Area and drag the trace box around around the images. Then untick the High Pass Filter and drag the threshold slider until the individual images are JUST filled entirely with yellow and click Trace Outer Edge. Just slightly more than in the picture below.
If you'd like a white border around your images create a small offset around the images and delete the original cut lines. Delete any unwanted cut lines by releasing the compound path and selecting any stray cut lines or dots and delete.
STEP 7:
Once you are happy with the cut lines feed the PixScan™ mat, with papers attached, into your cutter. Set cut settings appropriate to your pattered paper and sticker paper mix (a test cut is advisable).
Once cut, you'll be able to place a selection of the stickers onto a piece of the the waste sticker backing paper cut to fit inside the box lid. Add a few extra to the lid front.
Now you'll have a great gift for a child, or if you change up the designs make a kit for a friend. Whichever your preference, I hope you have fun with your PixScan™ mat and make a whole host of stickers - do share your makes!
DESIGNS USED:
FREE Design of the Week
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PRODUCTS USED:
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Such a handy idea and I love the cupcake stickers!
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