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Thursday, June 10, 2010

Rose-topped Scalloped Favor Box


I have seen these done with punches, but I wanted a cut file for my Cricut. I made a few changes to the actual flower parts to make it easier to put together. I designed the rose leaves, and added it to the top of my Scalloped Favor Box, which is just the right size for some mints or wrapped chocolates, or even a Tim Bit, which is what my daughter had for her wedding favors.

I love this little rose. it is so real looking. I chalked the edges of some of the petals to give it depth, but it looks just as pretty without doing that. The box is a 1½" cube, and the rose measures 7/8" across and 5/8" high - tiny! It takes about 3-5 minutes to form the flower, using a pencil and some hot glue (I suggest low temp - trust me on this), so this would definitely be doable on a large scale for wedding or shower favor boxes.

The svg for the box with flower is $5.00 USD. Upon notification from Paypal of funds received, I will email you the svg's for both the scalloped Favor Box and the Rose with Leaves, as well as the scut2 file, and a sheet of directions with a picture of the finished rose-topped box. Please use the Donate button to order, and leave a note telling me which file it is that you want.

Thanks for your support - it means so much to me!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Love (that) Bug!

Sideways view of window "glass".

I'm really getting into this car-card thing. Loved doing the 1955 Ford pickup, but this VW Bug topped that. It was so much fun to design. It was requested by someone on the Yahoo SCALHints group. My little sis has a bug, so this card will be going to her for her birthday, although I'll have to put a Gerber daisy in the window in order to make it really hers.  The sentiment could say, "You're not old...you're a classic." Or my personal favorite, "Some things just get better with age. Happy Birthday!" The card fits in a standard A2 envelope with room to spare on the sides. Hope you like it.

The file actually has another piece to it that I decided not to use since I was using a rather busy print. It is the part that the actual engine hood sits on (what do you call it, car people?) I would use it if I were cutting from a solid color paper, and chalk the edges. I did chalk the edges of the engine hood, to give it some definition. My car has an acrylic rear windshield, which I cut on my Cricut. It was part of some packaging for a string of deck lights, and it cut beautifully.

The designing of this file took quite a while, as you can imagine. The svg file, plus the scut2 file, along with directions for assembly are included in the price of $5.00 USD. Please use the Donate button for ordering, and leave a note in the comments box telling me which file it is that you want. Upon notification from Paypal of funds received, I will email you the svg, the scut2 file, and the instructions for making the card. Thanks you for your interest!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Ethan's Quiet Book


Near completion! Yeah!!! The letters each hide somewhere on their page, and are attached with Velcro so that they can be used on the last page to practice spelling the little one's name and/or stored in the little pocket. The peanut in the elephant's mouth is on a string so that he can be "fed". The tent, of course, unzips; the fire hose winds around the carrier; the worm in the apple can be pulled part-way out, and the eggs can be removed from the nest and "cracked" open to reveal two birdies and the letter 'N'.

My kids actually got me my Cricut for my birthday last year thinking I could cut felt with it, and thus it would help me with my busy book designs, which I would love to grow into a business - they're so much fun to do. Now, with SCAL, I would have a blast making up patterns for cuts. If anyone has experience cutting felt or fabrics with their Cricut and would like to leave me some advice, I'm all for it!

Quiet Books - Busy Books - Pop-up Books - Just Plain FUN!

The little Scotty dog pictured here was made from a free pattern offered by Jenny B, an extremely talented children's book illustrator, at one of my all-time favorite blogs:

http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/ 


I don't know if there are many of us out there, but I, for one, am wishing that the Cricut could cut felt. Thick, fuzzy, felt. I am in the process of working on two quiet books - one for my granddaughter(s), and one for a little fella named Ethan. Now, I only have one granddaughter - the beautiful little Juliette pictured here -


and I started out making this quiet book only for her, when she was just 6 months old (I know my discipline level - I was aiming to give it to her for her 3rd birthday.) A year later, although I haven't worked on it steadily, I have put in enough hours to know that it will stay at Grammie's house for all of Grammie's little girlies to play with when they come over. It is a labor of love, and a lot of work. Now, granted this particular quiet book is on rather a grand scale. It will be a doll house when it's finished, with doors that connect rooms (pages) together, and cupboards that open, an armoire in which the little outfits can hang when not in use, as well as seating for two & a doggy & toys for the little mistress of the house to play with. It is, for all intents and purposes, a pop-up book in felt. I loved pop-ups so much as a kid that I still try to get one for at least one of my kids for Christmas every year, just so I can indulge in it's pages. (Robert Sabuda, you are my hero!) I digress.

It is my plan to post my progress on this book, as well as Ethan's book, so that I will have some impetus to get it done. Ethan's book is nearly finished. In fact, today is his first birthday, and while he is still too small to play with it, I will attempt to get it to his mama within the week in honor of his birthday. Oh, yeah, I also intend to make one for all of Grammies little fellas, too. When they come along.

Disclaimer: The characters in this book are fictional and are not based on any actual persons, although the dolly's hair, eyes and complexion bear a striking resemblance to my own (especially the hair, unfortunately)!

On to the pix. These are only layouts so far - none of the pages have been sewn (or backgrounds ironed - oops!).

The doll can be slipped into both the bed and the big pink chair.

The dolls can be slipped into the chairs behind the table. The light fixture is an homage to my love of contemporary design, I had a traditional chandelier, but it just got lost on the "wallpaper". All my rooms need baseboard - I see that, now. More to come.