SVGs

Textures

The challenge for the week was to create something with “texture.” There are so many ideas and my cupboards and drawers are full of some wonderful options.

For this tag, I chose to use some oldies but goodies from my stash – sadly, many things are no longer available.

The tag shape was created using two shapes from the SCAL 6 Library and joining them together with the Union command in SCAL 6. Some X’s were added for a little interest on the left side – and were cut not scored during the cutting process by the Skycut. Applied the border embossing folder to the top edge of the tag base. Ink the edges with the distress ink. Add the eyelet.

Cut and emboss the patterned paper piece with a folder, scruff up the edges a bit, ink the edges and glue to the base. Add ribbon and thread and secure in place.

Cut and crimp the strip, ink the edges and glue in place

Cut the backing piece for the frame, stamp and heat emboss the sentiment. Ink the piece leaving the center uninked. Secure in the frame and using brads, secure the frame to the tag base. If desired a backing can be added to the base to hide the brad prongs

Patterned paper – an old 6 x 6 pad (retired long ago)
ivory cardstock
Fiskar crimping tool
border embossing folder – Anna Griffin (Poppy, retired)
Embossing folder – Fun Stampers Journey (retired)
heart shaped eyelet – Eyelets Etc. (retired)
ribbons (stash)
thread (stash)
heat embossing powder -rose
embossing ink – Versa Mark
metal frame – Stampin’ Up! (retired)
hugs stamp – Honey Bee Stamps (Pickup Lines)
distress ink – Ranger (Old Paper)


Hoping your creative time has been productive this week. Thanks for stopping by.

Tower Double Pinwheel card

This was a fun one to create. I basically followed the directions from Crystal Best’s YouTube video for this one. I chose some junk journal images I found on Creative Fabrica (loved the dimension on the images) and a couple of other files also from CF (lined vintage background images and Pastel Ombre images.)*

The finished tower is actually quite sturdy and there are quite a few options on how you use your images of choice on each of the “wings.”

I did turn the smaller layers sideways in my cutting file — my bad, but that’s an easy fix for future makes. This design would also make for a fun mini album or mini journal in a larger album. I made this one in the A2 size (4.25 x 5.50 inches). However, Crystal also has directions for a 5 x 7 design in the same video as shared above which would also be perfect for using some cherished photographs or other small artwork.

A couple of things I really like about the SCAL 6 software (basic or pro) is the option to fill shapes with images using the Pattern command or using a mask option in the software to fussy cut an image. And the Skycut C24 cuts spot on when using the Print 2 Cut option in the software when the calibration has been set. Even better is that regardless of updates to the software, you don’t need to recalibrate the camera/laser. The cutter is a fabulous machine. If the pricing is out of your budget, Skycut is also making a few other machines under different brands (SOLO by Starcraft, Juliet and Romeo by Siser). I’ve heard great things about them all and they can also use the SCAL software as well as the proprietary software sold with the machine.

*I have used affiliate links for all of the Creative Fabrica files I used in this project. If you choose to purchase the files, I will receive a small amount from the sale. Additional costs are not added to your purchase to cover that. AND a huge Thanks for using the links!

Final day of 3 the Spring Tags Reveal

Day3: This was a fun tag to create for the final day of the reveal. All of the foundational pieces were designed in SCAL 6. The digital paper used for the awning of the cart is from NitWit Collection’s Porch Swing Fat Quarter Collection. Print then Cut was so easy and I really like the look. I doubled up that piece and the under piece was colored with some brush watercolor markers in a slightly darker colored pink.

The cart is a pretty fun process and the front wheel is on a mini spinner and that adds a little surprise after using some watercolor maker brushes to add some color and depth. The digital flower strip is from an element in the ephemera collection in Carta Bella’s Spring Market files. I resized the image a bit to fit in the cart. I added some baby’s breath as well. The hot glue almost looks like water in the wells that hold the stems.

Foam tape
Bearly Art Glue
Mini Spinner
Baby’s breath

All but the floral strip were cut using the SCAL 6 software and Skycut C24.

Enjoy a creative day! Take care and have some fun!

3 Spring Tags – it’s a reveal!

For the last 5 or so years, one of the Facebook groups I belong to has been celebrating the arrival of Spring with a Spring Tag Reveal. This year is no exception — in years past, we’ve done anywhere from 3 to 5 tags… this year, we’re doing 3.

It’s looking like Shabby Chic will be my theme for this season’s tags. I used a couple of digital collections in my stash and some inspiration from Pinterest. I did purchase a file for today’s tag from Etsy and resized 2 of the pieces to form my tag.

DAY1: Layered looks are always fun! Digital paper selections are from the Porch Swing Fat Quarter Collection from Nit Wit Collections provided the patterns for this layered tag. The edges of each layer is inked with Oatmeal Cookie from FSJ (retired) and some foam tape was used to pop the top layer of the tag up. Bearly Art glue was used to adhere the bottom two layers of this tag together. Cotton crochet thread was used for the hanger.


Looking forward to sharing the next two tags over the next two days. Hoping you’re carving out some creative time on a regular basis. Have some fun!

a Spring decor idea

While this project isn’t quite finished, it’s pretty close to being there. Pinterest inspired. I used several files for this one. The tulips used are from Sammydenny.de. The file is a pdf file and needs some work to create a cutting file. The lines on the pdf are really light in the printout I made. The leaves are from the Parrot Tulip file from Maison Gregoria (on Creative Fabrica) and the rabbit silhouette is from Creative Fabrica.

The sign is a file I created using Blender and Pepakura – I cut the hello in paper and vinyl. The vinyl is an overlay on white paper and gives it a little more stability. Super simple and all pieces are cut using the SCAL 6 software and Skycut C24.

I used some wrapped wire as a wreath form.

Ultimately, I want to place this in a shadowbox to call this project complete.

***I have used some affiliate links in this post. Please note that using the links will not cost you anything extra if you choose to purchase any of the files from Creative Fabrica.

I did a thing….

I saw the spinning cube design on Instagram – no svg for it, just some measurements and a short video to do the construction (@gayatriscrafts) and I made one. This is my test version to see if I could get that cube to spin! AND…. I did it! I’m really happy that it worked and I think I can tweak the svg file I created a bit more to make this thing a little sturdier (and use a smaller stack of magnets or a stronger one).

This is a show stopper in that the cube is connected to the base by a bit of clear thread (nylon – like fishing line), but not to the arm. The magnets in the arm and cube have enough strength to keep the cube suspended and allow it to spin. I think the grandkids will like this one a lot!

*I did create an SVG file to cut this one using SCAL — it’s for my personal use only and will not be shared or sold.

I do need to make a few tweaks to my file before I cut another however as the end of the arm needs a little more finishing. I used foam core instead of cardboard as fill for the post and arm. It is sturdy, but the post needs another brace to keep it from leaning towards the cube – if you’re a bit of a perfectionist or have a bit of OCD. We were able to get the cube to spin and stay in place overnight without falling – but the post was leaning in a few degrees toward the cube more than it was when we started our “experiment” with the cube just hanging there.

It’s a fun project and I look forward to making another soon.

where’s the cuckoo?

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around our place… thus the cuckoo title. Me thinks the cuckoo flew the coop! Oh well, on with the make. I’ve gotten out of the habit of late taking pictures of the progress, so we’ll just have a couple.

I did add a sound module from Invite By Voice to this make from Emma Parrish – you can find her shop on Etsy — and it’s really kind of fun to listen to when you open the box and look through the flaps and pockets. I didn’t follow her design exactly, but pretty closely. The audio was a find on Pixabay… yep, they have audio files and video files too!

TIP: You do need to pre-print the backs of each sheet before cutting. I did have to do a little redraw on a few shapes for a clean cut in SCAL — the jpgs just didn’t trace well – and that is a drawback to SCAL on some things especially if there are light lines on the image. I chose not to do the preprint on the back, but did print a separate sheet and cut the shapes. It worked well and gave my box a little more stability in the base and on the side walls.

That birdhouse in the center of the base does stand on it’s own. I changed out the flowers in the kit and used a flower punch. You do need at least 2 layers on the flower for extra strength at the base of the post. While you can’t see it in the picture, there is a Nuvo drop center in the flower for a little extra detail. Each of the images in the pockets are provided in the kit. And there were a few extras left over.

Even on selecting BEST for printing, the colors are a bit muted and vintage looking. I like that. The design is well thought out. She has lots of printable designs in her shop.

I wonder if the cuckoo will find it’s way home again?

where’s the cuckoo?

Additional materials:
AC and Encore cardstock (textured white)
Printer
Bearly Art glue – fine tip applicator
bone folder
foam tape
Sound module (light activated) from Invite By Voice
mp3 audio file (freebie from Pixabay)
Distress Ink (Old Paper)
blending tool

Hoping you’ve got some creative time inked in on your agenda for the coming week. Have some fun and nurture your heart along the way.

they fold flat for mailing!

These Pinterest inspired cards were so fun to make and the last projects for January 2026 that I can publish at the moment! 🙂 Just waiting for a few more things to get to their recipients.

The base for this hexagon shaped box card is adapted from the Valentine Gnome Box Card from Simply Crafty SVGs. I trimmed off the top edge of the base and the extensions on the insert risers. Easy to accomplish in the SCAL software using the knife. Close the path once you’ve completed the slice and removed the unwanted piece. Make sure you re-group any pieces with score lines.

The “realistic” chip and avocado images are a find on freepik.com. They come with a white background – if you want a transparent background you can opt for the premium version and pay for a subscription to the site. HOWEVER, you can eliminate the white using the Paint app in Windows. Choose layers, hide the white. A white background will still show. Then choose the icon for removing the background. The white should disappear, leaving a transparent background behind the chip. I used the eraser and removed the shadow under the chip for a cleaner image. Save As a png and then you can import the file into SCAL. The cut is pretty clean. No TRACE needed since your image is a png. There are lots of other software/app options as well that will remove the background from the image. The above is what I used for this project. The edges of the cut chip images were inked with some yellow orange ink for some added “powdered cheese.” The process is basically the same for the avocado if you choose to add it.

The labels are found in the SCAL library. No shadow layer was added. The fonts used are from the fonts folder on Windows — and were set to print only in the SCAL software after they were sized and centered in the label.

AC Cardstock, Bazzil, Sabor and an old two tone green (source unknown) sheets were used to create the box and inserts. I did use the Tiny Bubbles embossing folder (Provo Craft – retired) to add some texture to the Holy Guacamole box panels. Added a little ink to add some additional interest.

Other materials:
bone folder
Bearly Art Precision glue
printer
Skycut C24
SCAL 6 Pro

The card when folded flat will fit into an A2 invitation envelope.

Hoping you have some creative time carved out in the coming week! Enjoy every moment! Nurture your creative spirit and heart as well.

scrapbooking – restart!

It’s been a long dry spell since I put a scrapbook page together. Nearly 10 years since I’ve created a page for one of the albums.

The heart shape in this layered title was the piece that I really needed to figure out since there didn’t seem to be a way to make the squiggly line in SCAL using techniques I was familiar with. I decided to try my hand creating something in Procreate and it worked! I was able to save the image I created as a png with a transparent background and trace it in SCAL to use as a cut file.

The letters are adapted from the Cookie font I found on Creative Fabrica. I cut all the shapes using the using the Skycut C24 using the SCAL 6 Pro software. I used some Kraft and white cardstock. Coloring in the shapes with Ohuhu markers and some additional inkpads for depth and texture. The font used is Cookie from Creative Fabrica.

The journaling sheet is a pullout from the pocket created by the cover photo. There’s enough room for several 4×6 inch prints to be tucked in there.

That’s it for the this post — I hope you have set aside some time for some creative endeavors today, tomorrow or in the near future. Nurture your soul!

waiting for Spring…

I’m really liking this design. It was a Facebook freebie from Cheryl’s Whimsical Inklings. The SVG was designed for use with a laser but was easy to adapt for use with paper. Just 3 lines had to be reset for cutting and a little resizing.

There are 2 or 3 layers for each cut to add stability since this sign is designed as a hanger. The top layer for the kraft colored base is embossed using a Craftwell 8.5×11 embossing folder. Sadly, Craftwell has closed shop and the folder is no longer available.

The frame was cut in a medium green paper and then inked with a Forest Green ink to add a little more dimension and depth of color. I used a paint pen for the splatters.

All of the other pieces of this design are 3 layers of stacked white cardstock, color added with inks from pads I have in my stash and additional details were added with the paint pen.

I really like how this turned out and while I’ve used some of Cheryl’s clipart on other projects through the years, I really do see how many of her laser cut files could transition into paper designs very easily with just a few clicks of the mouse using SCAL.

SideNote: Hop on over to KadoodleBug Designs as they have translated lots of the Whimsical Inking clipart files into SVGs for consumers.

TOOLS and MATERIALS:
SCAL 6 Pro
Skycut C24
AC cardstock
Encore cardstock
Woodgrain embossing folder (retired)
Big Shot Pro
Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue
FSJ Ink pads
Blender tools