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Obsessed With You

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

I’m very excited to share my first project as a Design Team member for Marcy and Milly SVG Cut Files! This is a new Canadian company with an online store on Etsy. You can find their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MarcyMilly?ref=usf_2020. Before you shop, be sure to follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marcymillysvg and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marcymillysvg/. In coordination with their Grand Store Opening, they are currently running a 50% off sale, so be sure to follow them on one of these accounts to get the discount code before you shop!

I was attracted to the Obsessed With You cut file for more than one reason. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a slight obsession with my grandchildren, Maddie, Owen and Ben. These beautiful siblings have an extremely tight bond and the oldest two are also a little obsessed with taking care of their younger brother. So the obsession is mutual all around! We are so very lucky! Here’s a direct link to the Obsessed With You cut file: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/976615088/obsessed-with-you-svg-cut-file-digital?ref=shop_home_active_11.

The patterned papers, chipboard accents and enamel dots used in this project all came from Carta Bella’s Flower Garden collection. The first step in creating this page was to open the cut file and photo in the Silhouette software. This allowed me to play with the sizing of the photo and the cut file before the photo was printed or the cut file cut on the Silhouette. The title was cut with white cardstock and backed with coordinating papers from the Flower Garden collection. When this step was completed, I decided to pull in some colour and texture and made the decision to add the hand stitching to the solid letters. To achieve this, I used a paper piercer to make the stitching lines within each solid letter. A simple backstitch was used to stitch the letters using #776 DMC floss. To pull more pink into the layout and to provide a bit more dimension, I traced the solid heart in the word YOU onto coordinating pink patterned paper. I used the same pink paper to cut the small pink heart found in the word “with”. Both of these hearts were secured using pop dots. The following pictures provide a closeup of all these details.

I just love the colour combination of this paper collection. The black and white striped paper was perfect for creating a border on the top and bottom of the page. While I could simply have adhered the 12″ x 11″ aqua base paper on top of the striped paper, it would have resulted in using up the whole black and white page. The backside of this paper is lovely, and I know I could use it on another project, so I decided to cut 12″ strips of black and white paper and adhered it to the top and bottom of the aqua sheet to save on paper. Two coordinating sheets of patterned paper were used to mat the photo and helped to pull these colours through the entire page. At this stage, I centred and adhered the photo and title to the base page.

I wanted to find a way to pull more of the black and coordinating patterned papers into the layout. Creating the small cut-ins on both sides of the layout helped me achieve this. These small elements provide pops of colour and balance to the overall design. I love how the backside of the aqua paper provides a light flowery backdrop to the bold black and white flowers underneath. To achieve this look I used an Exacto Knife and cut a straight horizontal line 1 & 1/4″ from each edge. A bone folder and ruler were used to mark the folding lines and ensured a clean, straight line to fold the papers back. Small strips of the black and white flower paper were cut to fit in behind these openings. To complete the layout, the Love Grows Here sticker was added to the photo, the chipboard accent was “hung” from the title, and coordinating enamel dots were added to the page.

I hope I’ve encouraged you to try some of these techniques on your next layout. While you’re thinking of your next page, take some time to look through the lovely Marcy and Milly SVG Cut Files. I know you’ll find something special for your next project! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Explore

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

Our youngest grandson Ben is now 2 & 1/2. He is on the move from the time he opens his eyes in the morning until he closes them at night. He’s full of curiosity and loves to explore everything around him. Like many boys his age, his favourite things are cars, trucks, and airplanes. But nothing gets Ben more excited than Garbage Day! It is his favourite day of his week, and he can often hear the garbage truck coming from a few blocks away!! When I saw the Cut to You Pie Graph cut file, I knew it would be perfect to visually represent how my grandson spends his day. You can find the cut file here https://createdbygwen.com.au/product/pie-graph-cut-file/.

My first step in creating this layout was to resize the Pie Graph cut file and then cut it from white cardstock. I used the Little Dreamer Boy paper collection and chipboard accents from Echo Park to complete this layout. The star background is the backside of the Little Dude patterned paper. I then decided which coordinating papers I would use to backfill the pie graph, and cut those accordingly. These pieces were set aside at this stage. To add some texture and dimension to the page, I hand stitched each section of the pie graph in a coordinating colour using DMC floss. The specific colours used in this layout were 336, 522, 816, 921, and 932. To prepare the cut file for stitching I took a paper piercer and pierced holes approximately 1/4″ apart around each section of the cut file. A simple backstitch was used to complete the stitching. When all the stitching was completed the coordinating patterned papers were adhered to the back of the cut file to complete the pie graph. The completed cut file was then positioned and adhered to the background paper.

Once the cut file was completed and in place, the layout came together quite quickly. Two patterned papers were used to mat the photo. The coordinating elements on this layout came from the Little Dreamer Boy 12 x 12 Element Sticker sheet and the Chipboard Accents. The date was added with white Happy Life Thickers, by American Crafts. Here are some further closeups of the detail in this layout.

I’m very pleased with how this page turned out. It will be put in a frame for Ben to hang in his room. I know he’ll love looking at the vehicles on the page – especially the garbage truck! I hope I’ve brought a smile to your face today, thanks for stopping by. Until next time, stay safe, stay well and Happy Scrapping!

Never Grow Up

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

We have been blessed with beautiful spring weather for the last couple of weeks. It’s such a relief to be able to get out and enjoy the outdoors – especially since we’re under our third “Stay at Home” order. Our youngest grandson Ben is now two and a half. Every day is a new day of discoveries for him. He loves being outdoors and he and his siblings have a wonderful treehouse in their backyard. My daughter managed to get Ben to slow down long enough to capture this beautiful photo of him in the upper level of their treehouse.

The perfect cut file to complement this picture was the Tree House cut file from Peartree Cutfiles. You can find it here https://www.peartreecutfiles.co.uk/product/tree-house/

While it does take some time and patience to back this large cut file, it was worth all the effort. I used patterned papers for the background and the tree trunk from Shimelle’s Never Grow Up paper line. I also used a Copic marker to colour the rope ladder found to the left of the tree trunk. When I’m working on a cut file this large, I use the fill option in the Silhouette Studio software to map out the colours first. This ensures I don’t miss any of the pieces as I cut the backing, and also speeds things up overall.

I wanted this cut file to take centre stage on the layout, so I kept the embellishments to a minimum. The Never Grow Up title, get OUTSIDE banner, snail and vellum ant all came from a coordinating ephemera package from the Never Grow Up line. I adhered some fun foam to the back of the Never Grow Up title, to provide a bit of dimension and texture to the layout. The two little layered butterflies belong to the Flower Wild Free collection by Prima Marketing Inc. The date was added using Doodlebug Design Inc‘s, my type stickers.

Thanks for stopping in today, I hope I’ve inspired you to get outside to enjoy the spring weather! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Tower Explosion Box

~ dddesignz ~ 3 Comments

Explosion Boxes are all the rage in the crafting industry right now. Our granddaughter recently celebrated a milestone birthday – her 10th – and I wanted to make something extra special to help her celebrate during these challenging times. Maddie was lucky enough to have had a kids birthday party last year, but COVID has changed our world and how we celebrate at present. She has been completing school this year online, so she’s also missing the direct connection with her friends. She recently told me that when she has kids her age, and they tell her they’re bored, she’ll reply “You don’t know what bored is – because you didn’t live through COVID!” Wise words from someone just turning 10!

I did some researching into explosion boxes and came across this beautiful Tower Explosion Box by Les Pensées en Papier – SVG designs. There is a helpful YouTube video tutorial to help you assemble the project, and you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NKimnjlEvE. While I initially hesitated to purchase the cut file due to the price, I felt it was more than fair when I downloaded the files and instructions to complete. There are total of 36 svg cut files to complete the project, and the download includes cut files for both the Silhouette and Cricut, a supply list and download instructions. I used a Silhouette to complete the project. The YouTube video will guide you through the construction of the tower and all the flowers as seen in the project.

To complete this project I used 12 sheets of 12″ x 12″ black Precision Cardstock from American Crafts, the It’s Your Birthday paper collection pack from Echo Park Paper Co., and 2 sheets of 12″ x 12″ coordinating cardstock to create the flowers. The paper pack includes twelve double-sided papers and a full coordinating element sticker sheet. I used eleven of the patterned papers and approximately 3/4’s of the sticker sheet to decorate the project. I did substitute the use of a glue gun in this project and opted to use Glossy Accents by Ranger Ink to construct and attach the flowers seen in this project. It has always been my go-to heavy bond glue and worked perfectly to hold all these pieces in place.

Once completed, the tower explosion box folds up neatly into the largest box or bottom layer of the project. The next two pictures show you the full tower folded down into itself, and a top view of the lid adorned with 3 of the beautiful flowers included in the cut file.

The following pictures show the first “explosion” when the largest lid is removed from the box. As you can see, it reveals another box and lid.

The next two pictures show the 2nd explosion with the 2nd box lid in place and removed. Once the lid is removed, it reveals a surprise interior – 4 more boxes!

At this stage, you simply reach inside the towering stack and pull the remaining boxes up by grasping the smallest box with the flower on top. As you do so, you reveal 4 more layers of boxes. There are built-in paper extenders (which you can’t see once the project is completed) that allow you to twist each level slightly to rest on the level before. This helps fan out the layers for a pretty presentation. The smallest box at the top remains intact.

The smallest closed box at the top of the tower provided an excellent opportunity to sneak in a special gift for Maddie. I had a small pair of earrings to give her for her special birthday. I dug into my paper crafting stash and came up with the small shopping bag seen in the pictures below. It was the perfect size to fit within the small box.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos of this project. I highly recommend this project, it was fun to make, fun to give, and loved by my granddaughter! Thanks for joining me, stay safe, well and Happy Scrapping!