Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric

Hello, it's Verity here from Pretty Little Button. Good to see you back over on the blog. Due to plans this week, I'm doing another back to basics post for new Silhouetters! This post focuses on how to convert or adjust cut files from imperial to metric. You might find it's ok to use imperial for some projects, but when it comes to papercraft projects it can often be easier to use metric as our paper sizes are different from the US. This post shows you a simple way to convert a layered die cut card from imperial sizing to metric with just a few simple clicks within the software.

Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric process: 

Located a design in the design store and add you this to your design mat. Up on the top toolbar, you will find a diagonal arrow with the width and height measurements of your layer when selected. 

As you can see this is currently set to US card sizes: 5.5" x 4.25". However, UK cards usually measure around 103mm by 147mm, and sometimes doing the conversion into imperial isn't too easy.  So instead, we can simply change the measuring units within the software from inches to mm.  

To do this, select the settings icon - the little cog down in the right-hand bottom of your screen. This will bring up the preferences window. 

In the 'General' tab within this window, you will find the 'unit of measurement' section. When you click the drop-down menu, you will find a variety of units of measurements to choose from. Simple choosing the measurement your fill is best suited for you. For this project, I used millimetre measurement. 

Now in the object measurement window when you press the diagonal arrow up in the top toolbar you can adjust the size of your objects by inputting your mm measurement. Make sure you adjust all the layers within the cut file to the same size to ensure the ratio of the layers is still correct.  

You can easily check the layers still overlay correctly by using the transform centre option. Whilst selecting all three layers, open the transform window from the right toolbar. In the first tab, select the right centre option. This centre option centres all items with one another. The left option centres your objects to the page 

As you can see the items all overlay one another in the new sizing without any distortion to the overall design of the cut file. 

Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric photos:

The three layers were cut out using navy, light blue and white cardstock and adhered together with liquid adhesive. 

The layered die cut was adhered to a UK A6 white card base. To finish the card off, a layered 'Happy' die cut was added to the front along with a heat embossed sentiment. 

The 'Happy' was covered with glossy accents for some shine and finished off with a few black Nuvo drops. 

I created a second card only using the top layer of the cut file. This was die cut 3 times and adhered together for dimension. Before adhere this down, I ink blended onto a white card panel using Chipped Saphire, Blue Print Sketch and Tumbled glass for a radiating look.

A layered die cut sentiment was adhered to the front with a white offset shadow and heat embossed sentiment. A few soft blue Nuvo drops were added to finish the card off.  

If this has inspired you to try this out, please post below. I would love to see it!

Until next time,

Verity




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DESIGNS USED:

A2 STACKING CARD BASE BURST by Lori Whitlock, design ID#165913

PRODUCTS USED:
   

Wood effect jigsaw birthday card

Hello everyone! Today I am making this lovely jigsaw card using the Silhouette Wood Effect vinyl and some card stock that I already had. Its a great card for any of the men in your life as we know they are all really hard to craft for :)

Materials 

• Wood effect vinyl. I used all three colours listed on the website. 
• Dark brown card stock two A4 sheets
• Teal card stock one A4 sheet
• Design store file 89926
• Design store file 22504

Step one

The first thing that I did was open both files in Silhouette Studio and resize them. I wanted them to fit onto a A5 size card so I resized the back ground jigsaw file to 19x16cms so that it would fit onto an A5 card. I then cut the jigsaw design in the dark and medium coloured vinyl. I wanted used two colours of vinyl so that I can alternate the colours in the jigsaw pattern. I used the cut settings for the 'Wood effect vinyl' in the 'send' menu.

Step two

For the 'happy birthday' part of the card I used three pieces from file 89926. To do this I selected the file and then 'ungrouped' all of the elements. I chose the happy birthday circle and the two scalloped circle to back the happy birthday sentiment. I enlarged these to 9.8cm for the sentiment and 10.5cm and 11cms for the two scalloped circles. The sentiment I cut from the lightest vinyl using the same settings and I cut the circles from the dark brown and teal coloured card stock. I also cut an 20cmx13.8cm card out of the teal to assemble the design on.

Step three

After I had cut all of the pieces out I weeded the vinyl and was then ready to assemble the card. I pealed of the vinyl jigsaw pieces and stuck them onto the teal card alternating the colours of the jigsaw pieces for added interest. I then stuck the sentiment on the teal circle and then mounted the teal circle onto the dark brown one. The sentiment piece was then stuck onto the main card. I finished off the card by mounting it all onto an A5 card made from dark brown card stock.

Thank you for reading the blog. I'd love to read any comments you have below! 

Helen x

 

Easy wipeable magnetic shopping list + bonus Dingbat fridge magnets

Hi everyone. It's Verity here from Pretty Little Button bring you another project. Hope you're week is off to a good start. This is a quick and easy project for you using the Printable Magnetic Sheets from Silhouette. I wanted to create a wipeable shopping list to stick on my fridge, therefore when I run out of an item and I can write it on the list. Then I wont forget what I need when I make a list for my big shop. What's more, I have also included turning some dingbats into decorative fridge magnets. I didn't want all that magnetic sheet to go to waste!

Wipeable Magnetic Shopping list details:

To start off, you will need to add your registration marks to your design area. Also, the magnetic paper measures at 11 x 8.5 so select 'letter' from the size in page setup. Next simply draw out your 'shopping list'. I used a curved oblong shape and then replicated a dotted line to fill the page. I deleted every other one, just to give myself enough room to write. 

For the title, I used a lovely Swift Arrow font which adds arrows to the end of you words via glyphs. It is so easy to do, select the glyph tab on the font box. Then scroll down and select the glyph of your choosing - make sure your cursor is visible in your text box for it to be added.

I set the lines for the shopping list all to a lovely grey and added a thickness of 1, so my dotted lines would print. As I mentioned earlier, waste not want not, so I decided to create some mini decorative circle magnets an inch and half in diameter. For the maroon coloured magnets, I used the gorgeous Sweet Mia font and enlarged the words until they filled the circle. 

For the navy magnets, I wanted to use the fun dingbats by SG Baking Dingbats font. Dingbatas are fun to use and can be accessed just like a glyph - from the glyph tab. Janet has a great post of Dingbats here. For a little added decoration, I added a simple white inner offset circle. 

When you are happy to print your designs out, do so on an inkjet printer - it will not work on laser, and make sure your registration lines are in your printable area. When cutting the circle magnets, ensure the words and dingbats are set to 'no-cut' 

Now I, unfortunately had a little error with my print out - my printer decided to add a few streaks and printed my registration marks up too high up the page. I thought, I can live with the streaks, but my cameo did not like my registration marks. I always have to do manual registration with my machine, and if the area is well lit, I have no problem. However, my machine was having none of it. Whats great about this team, is if you can't find a solution, somebody else will and Janet came to the rescue! Janet suggested moving the sheet down on my carrier mat, to roughly the position it should be, see below. 

Well, it worked and still got great cut lines! As I only had this one sheet, I couldn't re-do, so it was great that it worked! To finish the shopping list off, you need to make the surface wipeable. This is very simple as you just need to lay a sheet of acetate over the top. Cut a piece of acetate down to the same size as your shopping list cut out, and adhere with double sided tape. To cover up your adhesive, cut out a frame the same size as your list. The inner offset tool makes this a doddle. After I had assembled mine, I decided I wanted a white dotted frame, which I could have done with Silhouette Sketch Pens, or the Silhouette Pen Holder. However, I decided this once I had it up on my fridge and drew it on by hand. So, before you cut your frame, think if there is anything else you could add with your other media. 

(Apologies for not photographing these in use on my fridge, my lighting in my kitchen is awful!)

I hope you enjoyed this post and inspires you to create a wipeable magnetic shopping list for your fridge!

Until next time,

Verity

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FONTS USED:

Swift Arrow Font - Rivka Wilkins, Design ID #151175
Sweet Mia Script font - Skyla Design, Design ID #229372
SG Baking Dingbats Font - Sophie Gallo, Design ID #237238

PRODUCTS USED: