Stepping up your stamping with PixScan

Hi everyone. It's Verity here from Pretty Little Button bringing you another project. For today's post, I'm showing you how you can step up your stamping with your PixScan mat. There are a lot of fun and interesting stamps out there that more than just regular stamping. I'm exploring how we can use our Pixscan mat with turnabout stamps to create depth and dimension. Most turnabout stamps don't come with a die - you stamp, turn 90 degrees and then stamp again in a different colour. But I wanted to take it on step further and foam mount the different layers for more interest. The Pixscan made it very easy to do, so read on how you can create a card like this too!

Card storage and organiser details: 

For details on how to set up your camera or phone with Pixscan (calibration), please see this post HERE. For the first layer of stamping with my turnabout stamp, I stamped this directly onto the card panel in my choose ink colour. Usually, with a turnabout stamp, you would the rotate your card panel 90 degrees and stamp directly onto the card panel in another colour. However, to step this up to give dimensional look, you need to stamp the remaining 3 layers separately on white card panels of the same size.  

Position these separate layer panels on to your PixScan mat, and load this up into your design space (again, refer to post above on how to do this). 

In order for you to cut out the stamps, you need to trace the images to generate a cut line. Use the trace tool draw around the area you wish to trace. 

Next, select solid fill and adjust the threshold so the shapes you wish to trace turn yellow. If you turn this too high, the whole area will turn yellow. Make sure you just adjust the level until only your stamp image is yellow. 

Next select trace. A red cut line will now outline you stamp images. You can either cut them out like this or add an offset around your image. 

To add the offset, select the cut line and open the offset window. Adjust the offset to your choosing - I went for 0.0675 however, I do wish I went for a small offset. 

Once you press enter you will now have two cut lines - the initial trace cut line and the offset cut line. Delete the trace cut line to avoid confusion when you send this to cut. 

When you have traced and offset all your design on your mat, send this to cut with your machine making sure you load up you Pixscan mat without moving stamped images on the mat. Remember to do a test cut before cutting the design out. 

Assembling the card:

When the machine has cut out your stamped images, do not discard the negative pieces. You need one of these to act as the turnabout template. Position one of these negatives over your initial stamp card panel, but rotate the design by 90 degrees. 

 Next, apply foam pads to one colour layer stamping and adhere through the negative parts of the die cut turnabout card panel. You can easily lift the negative card panel up and over the foam mounted pieces once complete.

Next, position the negative die cut turnabout panel on top of the foam mounted layer but again, rotate this 90 degrees, making sure it is centred.

Again, add next colour layer pieces through the negative pieces foam mounting these. You need to double foam mount this and for stability, you will need to add foam pads to areas where there is no raised layer to adhere to - see below. 

Again, you can easily lift the negative die cut panel, up over the foam mounted pieces once complete. 

 Repeat this process once more rotating the negative die cut panel 90 degrees for the last colour layer. This card panel was adhered to a 5.25" x 5.25 kraft card base, and a small heat embossed sentiment was added to the middle. 

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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Thank you cards with simple offset background - Metallic Sketch Pens

Hi everyone. It's Verity here from Pretty Little Button bringing you another project. As Christmas is over, you might be needing to send out a few Thank you cards, so I have a card that is very easy to make and uses your metallic sketch pens to create a simple offset background.  

Thank you cards with simple offset background details: 

To start, write your sentiment in your chosen font. I used Parisian solid font from the Silhouette store.  Next, using the offset tool and create multiple offsets at around 0.09.

Keep continuing the offset until your card panel is filled. You might find it easier to add a square representing the size of you card panel. 

Once you offset completely fill the square, you need to crop the offset to the square pane. You could leave it as is, you can cut the square panel out of all the offsets, but why waste the ink of you pens when you don't need too!

Highlight all the offsets - if you use your mouse to drag and highlight over the area, make sure you deselect the square the sentiment before the next step. With all the offsets highlighted, right click and select make a compound path. Now all the offsets are one item/ 'path'. These are not a group, and grouping these will not work in the next step. 

With the new 'path' of offsets and the square selected, use the modify panel and select crop. This will crop your 'path' of offsets to the square shape selected. Make sure you add a square panel around the edge of your design again, in order to cut the card panel out.

In your send panel, you may find it easier to cut/sketch your panel by line colour as you can set each line colour to the cut or sketch properties.

To assemble the cards, the panel was foam mounted onto a white card base. Behind the open window sentiment, gold or silver mirror card was added for a touch of glam. Lastly, colour corresponding sequins were added to finish the cards 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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FONTS USED:

PN Parisian solid by ScrapNfonts, Design ID#135791

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Thank you cards for your customers - Gold Scratch of sheets

Hi everyone. It's Verity here from Pretty Little Button bringing you another project. Today's project features the gold scratch-off sticker sheets. Gold scratch-off sticker sheets are just like the material you find on scratch cards from the post office. The material sits on top of the clear plastic adhesive sheet. Therefore, just cut your shape like you would a sticker, peel off of the adhesive back and stick down onto your project. Then your recipient will be able to scratch the gold material off the clear plastic to reveal your suprise. Now, I know a lot of people use their Silhouette machines to make objects to sell. But why not use your Silhouette machine to help with your business stationery as well? I don't sell items I make, but I wanted to do this post to help inspire you. These cards are a great way to interact with your customers, and reward repeat custom. They are so easy to make and easy to change the 'reward' to suit you. 

Thank you cards for your customers' details: 

To start, turn out your print and cut registration marks on and decide on how big you want the card to be. The cards I made are 2"x 3". I used the Just' a Little Thank You' design from the store (ID below), and positioned this towards the top of the box. To make sure this was centred. I used the transform panel and whilst selecting the box and text I aligned this horizontally in the centre.

Before adding any more text, it is best to work out and place your 'scratch-off' on your design. I kept it simple with a circle, and use the Width and Height options in the top toolbar to alter the size. Again, to make sure this was aligned centrally, I repeated the previous step.

Once I was happy with the design, I grouped the whole card together. Using the replicate window, I duplicated the card using the duplicate right option. I was able to fit three cards on the a4 sheet horizontally. 

To space these cards equally, move one card to the outer edge of the print and cut area. Selecting all three cards, selecting the horizontal spacing option in the transform window. 

You can then use the replicate the trio of cards with the replicate window selection duplicate down option. Once the panel is full, send to your print and load on to your cutting mat. 

Before cutting these out. make sure you either move the 'circle' lines for your scratch off shapes off the card panels or change the line colour off red. You can then cut by line colour of red as long as no other item in your card has a red line and only the outline. 

On a separate sheet, copy and paste the circle 'scratch-off' shape enough times for the number of cards you have cut. Apply the gold scratch-off sticker sheet on to your mat and load into your machine. Send the circles to cut, making sure you select the correct material from the menu and test-cut first!

Once cut, peel the material off the adhesive backing and stick onto your cards.

Thank you cards for your customers'  Photos:

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:

Just a little thank you phrase by Kolette Hall, Design ID #274553


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