Time to Start Christmas Cards for 2020

Some of us are early crafters and others are the last minute variety. I aim for both by getting my design files out early in the fall so you can have time to create. Today I uploaded a new zig zag card. It folds flat for mailing or storage but expands for display. Here is Zig Zag Presents - my Christmas Card for 2020.

This design is so easy to customize. For the above example I used scrapbook paper from my stash and for the next example I used a color coordinated package of Christmas card stock from Michael’s.

The beauty of this design is its versatility. Use other colors for birthday cars!

Get the cutting files here for $2.99. Download includes an envelope file as well.

View the assembly tutorial with video here.

Tea Light Village 2020 Additions

Tea Light Village is one of the earliest projects designed by me. Creating buildings like this was the reason I purchased my first Silhouette cutting machine. Tea Light Village continues to be one of my favorite projects and each fall I introduce some new buildings to expand the village. 2020 is no different  ( I take that back! 2020 is a very different year!) in that I am again introducing some new additions for your tea light village. They are available in SVG, PDF, DXF and PNG for use on any cutting machine. Download here.

I decided to travel to the coast for inspiration and have added a classic lighthouse with keeper’s cottage attached. And to continue in the same theme I am also introducing a cute little lobster shack with outdoor picnic tables. There are even mini lobster pot buoys hanging on the side.

Both are easy to make and I have uploaded step-by-step tutorials to walk you through the process.

I also wanted to display my village on a mantle this year and realized the hexagon bases were just a little too deep for the optimal layout. I had to add additional base units that are five sided.  These pent bases next perfectly with the hex bases so if you want to mix and match, you can.

As the village grows it gets harder to photograph. Video has become a needed tool. Helps get you into the Christmas crafting spirit.

• Download the cutting files here.

• View the assembly tutorials here.

Fall is just around the corner!

Fall is here - at least for crafters!

It is still August and hot but time to be working on autumn projects. I have just uploaded five new designs for my stacked shadow box series designed for fall.  When I started these back on Valentine’s Day and had in my mind several files for other calendar events. Little did I realize how many I would design and I still haven’t completed one year of events! All of these are designed for the same 8” x 8” purchased shadow box.  You can just swap out the designs as the months slide by! 

First is a pair of stylized leaves decked out in fall colors.

There is also the classic golden sunflower. Yes, that is a recurring theme in my designs.

I did some variations in preparation for the two Halloween designs. And I experimented with some new techniques.

• Download the files here. Cost is $1.99 per file.

• View any tutorial for these files here.

Each download contains the cutting files for the Stacked Shadow Box design. It can be added to your purchased shadow box frame (8” x 8”) to create an elegant wall decor piece. There are good options available at both Amazon and Michael’s. Watch the Michael’s sales - they are often BOGO! This download includes the cutting files in SVG, PDF, DXF, and PNG formats for use with either the Silhouette (DE required for svg, dxf for basic) or the Cricut Explore or newer. PDF directions for all assembly techniques and links to online tutorials are included here https://3dcuts.com/stacked-shadow-boxes-tutorial . There is a link to a video tutorial. The download is a zip file.

Christmas is next!!!!

Easy Rider Shadow Box Series

David and I are loving our e-bikes and spend hours on beautiful days exploring the hilly and forested terrain of Connecticut. I have been thinking about shadow boxes that feature the experience of riding but not just e-bikes - any type of bike and from that idea grew my new Easy Rider Shadow box series. 

My first design was created from tracing photographs of David and myself on our e-bikes. We took the photos and I imported them into Illustrator. I traced the outlines carefully and used that tracing to create the silhouettes. Even though they lack detail the clearly look like us. I used a print and cut technique to get the spokes on the bicycles but this was convoluted and difficult. In the final design I went for simplified wheels to avoid the need for print and cut techniques.

I then continued with this concept to make a file that allowed the crafter to insert any of 4 different riders into the scene.  The download comes with a male cyclist, a female cyclist, a singly guy on a motorcycle and a couple on a motorcycle all cruising through the mountains. 

The download includes all four riders and and the individual layer 1 needed for each. You can easily swap in the rider you want to make. 

The file is designed to go in a 12 x 12” shadow box ( I use the Studio Decor two pack from Michaels- Watch for sales). If you have a smaller 8 x8 or 9x9 shadow box you can mount it without the mat for a different effect. I preferred the space with the broad mat in the larger frame.

• The download file is here. It is $4.59 for all four files together.

• The online tutorial is here complete with a video showing the easy assembly process.

Summer! Yes!!!

How have you been managing with Covid in your life? It has definitely put me behind in my design projects. Generally by July I am working a Christmas but here I am introducing 4 summer themed shadow boxes.  I spent  most of March and all of April, May and June providing housing, schooling and childcare for two of my grandchildren and very little time was leftover for designing.  I did have a wonderful time and I miss them now that they have moved back to the city. I am squeezing in some projects because they may well be back here in the fall. But for now - let’s get some crafting done! 

Today I uploaded to the store 4 new designs for the stacked shadow box series. I am still loving this project and I do want to have designs for every month of the year. You can then purchase one frame and swap out designs as the seasons change. I had designs for Valentines Day through Graduation and Independence Day completed before the pandemic struck. I want summer designs in the calendar series as well.

This shell design is a two for one project. The above shadow box is made from the scraps leftover from the following one.

I completed both but be fore warned. The simple upper version takes about 1/3 the time to assemble as the second one.

I also designed a Nautilus Shadow Box to complete the summer shell series. I just love the geometric beauty of a Nautilus shell. It is so perfect for this design concept.

IN a more vibrant vein I also design a sun and butterfly stacked shadow box. With these I was aiming toward a stronger graphic design element an emphasized that with the addition of the black accent. Any of these I would love to see in different color combinations.

These files are all available in my store here. They are priced at $1.99 each. There are online assemble tutorials here.

Introducing Deer at Moonrise - yet another shadow box.

I have explored the theme of grazing deer in a number of different shadow boxes but I kept getting requests to bring the theme to the square purchased shadow box format. It was a great winter project and so I set out to make another illuminated shadow box but I had a few ideas I wanted to explore. First I wanted to add some subtle color. I love the illuminated shadow boxes when they are lit up but I find them rather dull when not illuminated. So I wanted to add a little more color.

I also had experimented with using straws as spacers awhile ago. It didn’t go well but I was sure I could develop a quicker assembly technique than the zig zag side supports  I used for my other illuminated boxes. With those challenges in mind I started designing.

The beauty of designing is that you may end up somewhere you weren’t planning to go and that is what happened with this shadow box.

It is a deer scene and it does use the purchased wooden frame for longevity. But it is no longer illuminated. I discovered once I added some limited color plus a gradated sky the addition of LED fairy lights was over kill. So I left them out. I was very excited by the flat design on my computer screen. I proceeded to split the design into layers for cutting and decided to again make an attempt with straw spacers. Sizing of the layers is easier with this technique.

After cutting all the layers and adhering the color parts I started stacking. And I didn’t try to second guess it. I added Scor Tape to the straws and glued them into the stack. That was the key. It worked beautifully, quickly and strongly. I am thrilled with this new construction technique and will be using on more shadow boxes in the future. I am collecting ideas in my Pinterest folders for the next shadow box theme. Where will I go???

Variations of the stacked hearts wall decor

I just love it when my cutting file inspires creativity in others and I try to share those photos when they come my way.  Here are a couple variations of my Stacked Heart Shadow Box that have showed up on facebook in the last couple of days.

Yesterday this photo appeared in a post on the Silhouette Card Making & Paper Crafts Facebook group. Rhonda Garden finished hers and left out the back white layer showing the hearts.

Cathy Detherage was one of the first to get an image of her adapation up on the Cricut Maker / Cricut Explore with Lorrie Nunemaker Facebook page. She alternated colors. Her photo is small and I hope to get a better one but I didn’t even consider this paper combination. I thought it would difficult to look out. I was totally wrong!

Valentines 2020

I design something each year for Valentines day and I am especially proud of this year’s designs.  I started working with the concept of nesting hearts. As I worked I discovered hearts don’t nest well. You lose the shape quickly so I instead switched to proportional shrinks. I like what was happening and developed these three files for Valentine crafters to use.

First I design the wall decor piece. I especially love the elegance of the all white design although I have made it in all red. Someone just posted a picture on facebook of their interpretation alternating red and white. How about silver? It was designed to fit in a standard 8 x 8” shadow box although be careful. My 8 x 8” shadow box really measure 9 x 9”. Measure the inside of your shadow box before cutting. It is easy to adjust this file to match whatever square option you have.

Save the heart cutouts from the wall decor project. With those you will set to move right into the Stacked Hearts Valentine Card v1 (red). I just adhered the heart cutouts into stacks and applied them to the front of a card. The download includes a “Be My Valentine” cut out sentiment for the inside and a custom envelope cutting file as well.

For the 2nd card - Stacked Heart Valentine card v2 (white) I cut the files for the wall decor piece in a smaller scale to fit on a 5 x 5 card. This download also includes the sentiment and the envelope.

All three files are available as a download from the store and all have online tutorials including videos.

• Get the cutting files here for $2.99 for all three projects.

• View the tutorial for the wall decor here.

• View the tutorial for Stacked Valentine Card v1 red here.

• View the tutorial for Stacked Valentine Card v2 white  here.