Birch Shadow Boxes available in SVG - Finally!

Birch Shadow Box Cutting files are now available at 3dcuts. com Store

My file generating the most requests has been one of the very first I designed for the Silhouette store. It was designed for a very specific long skinny wall in my laundry room. It is one of my favorites as well and I finally have transferred it to SVG, pdf and dxf formats.

It took a while because my designing skills have improved and I wanted to re-do all of the engineering of this project. The boxes fit together much more closely and I have added the cut numbers to help identifying layers and locations. It makes following the directions much easier.

The file can be purchased here:

http://www.3dcuts.com/shadow-boxes-nature-themes/birch-shadow-box-in-4-parts

You can check out the tutorial before you buy here:

http://www.3dcuts.com/tutorial-birch-tree-shadow-box-1

For those of you with no cutting machine - consider this file as one that can be completed by hand cutting. Just use the pdf files. I'd probably have the lines of the tree back come into a straight point but the rest is very easy cutting.

Calligraphic Word Mobiles - A New Idea

It has been a busy design week for me.  This was one of those ideas that came to me in the shower, and by mid morning I had my first completed project, and a new concept to boot.

And then, by the end of the week I had expanded it to a series of designs plus an eBook!  The beauty of this idea is that it works for any word or name. You take that name, make and interesting design with the letters in it, reflect it, weld it and cut 6, The end result is a stunning mobile appropriate for many uses.

Because Valentine's Day is approaching, I started with a couple of designs for the holiday, some with LED candles and some without.

And  one for the best celebration of all - Birthdays!

I knew the possibilities were endless, so instead of trying to create them all, I instead wrote an eBook for you so you can do it yourself! It is a 17 page, step-by-step guide with pictures showing you exactly how to use the Design Studio software for the Silhouette to design your own Calligraphic Word Mobiles! 

I have put together 3 bundles:

• eBook only with supporting files and Assembly instructions - $1.99
• Cutting Files Bundle - includes the Friend, Love, Kiss and Happy Birthday cutting files in SVG,PDF and DXF format. $2.99
• Complete Bundle includes the eBook plus all the cutting files for just $3.49

All are available here in my store. http://www.3dcuts.com/calligraphic-word-mobiles

I hope you will try some designs and share them. Send photos!

Happy crafting!

Christmas Card 2014 • A Snowy Village

I have been hand making my Christmas cards for a long time, long before I got my Silhouette Cameo. If you have time you might want to visit my other blog Ashbee Design and check out the post I did several years back showcasing three decades of handmade cards.

My Silhouette changed the nature of my cards and ideas that I had only dreamed about became a reality. I finished a design for 2014 this week and it is definitely something you need a cutting machine for, especially if you are planning to make 70!

This designed is constructed from one piece of 8.5 x 11 card stock folded into a 3d rectangle for display.  It can be folded flat to fit in a standard 6 x 9" pamphlet envelope for mailing. It is also sized so an LED tea light can be placed inside. The village takes on an inner glow.

The card can also be made entirely from white card stock. The LED has a much stronger effect in this application.

There is a complete tutorial for assembly of this card located in the tutorials area of this site here. 

Have you started your Christmas cards yet?

Advent Calendar Tree • A New Design

It is no secret I love a design with good graphic elements. Combine that with nifty paper engineering and I am a happy camper.  I am very please with my newest design - a variation on the classic Advent Calendar.

This tree standing 17" tall and is easily constructed of 15 green paper triangle shapes that slide together. Place a small red triangular box filled with a treasure into each space. Start the count down to Christmas on December 1st.

The design of this unit makes this an easy project to complete. I have an extensive on line tutorial here with easy-to-follow step by step instructions.

Use your own creativity and paper choices to modify this design. I have made two variations so far!

• The cutting file is available here at 3dcuts.com.
• The step-by-step tutorial is online here but also provided in PDF format in the download.

Happy Christmas crafting everyone!

New Buildings for Tea Light Village

Finally, Tea Light Village has expanded.  Today I added a Cape Cod style cottage with center chimney and a school house with cupola to the buildings.  I also designed a winter maple tree to add variety to the village.  All files are available over at the store here.

Add standard LED tea lights and watch the village glow warmly with holiday cheer.

These tiny buildings are a great way to introduce yourself to 3D files. They are simple to construct and come with complete instructions.  After you have created the first set for your home, make more. They make great gifts.

Happy crafting!

Halloween Prep • Haunted Ledge Village

The haunted series of Ledge Village buildings and accessories makes a perfect mantle, shelf or Ledge Halloween display. It is small and each part fits on 8.5 x 11" card stock. The mansion is about 6.5" tall and less than 1" deep. The cottage is about 4" tall. This series was first introduced last year on the Silhouette Online store with just the tower mansion, a tree, a bat and a tombstone. This year I have expanded on the series to include a haunted cottage with boarded up windows, a casket that opens to reveal the creepy skeletal remains of some long departed soul, a rickety fence with scary black cat, and a different haunted tree.  I keep adding trees to my groupings because they really spark up the Ledge Village displays.

View fullsize

I redesigned the mansion to include a few structural changes, more for ease of construction. I also did a better job with the spider web detail on the corner of the porch. I am especially please with the casket and skeleton cutting file.

The group of haunted files is available as one download for $3.99 here in my downloads store.

There are 4 step-by-step tutorials which you can review before purchase here. And you will find that construction of this project is quick and easy! It won't take from now to Halloween to complete!

Have fun making it and be sure to share photos with me.

Ledge Village • Group 1 • At Last!

I started designing Ledge Village over a year ago and it has seen great success on the Silhouette Store. It is the most requested set of files from Cricut people. I finally have had the time to start the transfer process and am introducing the first grouping of buildings and accessories for your crafting pleasure.  

The above video shows the grouping currently on display in my sunroom above the windows. In the group being released today, I have included cutting files for:

• Country Cottage
• Chapel
• Greek Revival Style Home
• Two-Story Home
• Maple Tree
• Fir Tree
• Evergreen bush
• Picket Fence
• Laundry

I chose this group because it is a great beginner set. The village includes many more buildings, some more complicated, and they will becoming available as well.  The digital download also includes pdf tutorials. If you'd like to get a glimpse of the construction process, all the tutorials are online here and you can view those before downloading. Files are available in SVG format for use with the Cricut Explore and Silhouette Design Studio plus other software programs.

Get started today! I am sure you can see the potential for a Christmas Village and you don't want to get behind on the holiday crafting rush!