Thursday, May 27, 2010

It's a Soft Pencil Customer/Design Team Blog Hop!!!

Yep, another Anniversary Blog Hop, for your entertainment and inspiration! Yay! Everyone needs ideas and inspiration. So, onward. If you wish to follow along with the blog-hop, the order and starting point can be found on the Soft Pencil Blog, which you can find here. If you are following along in the right order you should be arriving here from Betty's blog.

Now, we Design Team members were asked to use one of the new images this week called "Michu and the Big Flowers". It is super cute!!!! I got a new set of Spellbinder's dies a few weeks ago for Mother's day, and it is called "Label's Six", so I am finally putting them to use! Love, Love, Love them!!! Awesome Mother's Day gift! I printed my image out, to what looked like a good size for a standard size card, but then noticed that the largest die in the set was going to cut off one of my flower petals in the image. Oops! No worries though, I remembered a tutorial that I saw once (sorry I forget who and where), that would solve this problem. So, I put together a short photo tutorial for you. First notice the taller flower petals curled up just a bit. Then scroll down for the instructions.


What I did was to cut out the part of the image that was going to be effected by the die-cut with my x-acto knife. Yes, I know, tedious, but I studied Architecture in college so I am used to and enjoy detailed and tedious work.

Notice in this next photo, the flower petals are cut and can be lifted up.


So, in the next photo below, I laid my die-cut onto the image where I wanted it, taped it down with blue painters tape (removes easily and doesn't damage). This way the die-cut doesn't shift while moving through the die-cut machine. Then simply lift the cut portions of the image over the edge of the die-cut. In this case it doesn't overlap by very much, but there are times, when a digi or stamped image can overlap by more.


Well, as you remember from the finished project photo above, all of the flower petals were cut and curled up. Well, I got on a roll and thought it would be fun to trim around all of the petals and curl them up just a bit. The center of the flower is anchored down with a small piece of Extra Tacky tape (find it at Stampin Up or Michael's), as cutting all of the petals left it hanging by a thread of card stock. That is all on the mini tutorial, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me from the link on my sidebar.

Now, as some of you may recall, on the first blog hop I chose to make a couple of cards with two animals from the "Animal's Collection". I made two cards, one with Michu the cat, and one with the Bunny, and if you browse my older soft pencil posts, you will see one made with Ratiny. Today, I decided to make one with the Giraffe. I thought it would make a great birthday card for a 2-4 year old child, they always seem to like zoo animals. So, here is what I came up with:



I really need to finish up this post as it is getting late, so if you have any questions about this second card as well, please feel free to email me.

Next on the blog hop is Soft Pencil DT Coordinator Kerry, who's blog can be found right here.


Until Next time.................. Blessings, Lisa

25 comments:

Jenn Borjeson said...

Very cute.

Elizabeth P said...

Your cards are soooo sweet Lisa!!! I love the soft colours you used!

ileana said...

Hi Lisa! so cute!! I love how gave dimension to the flowers by cutting around them!

Lisa Foster said...

These are both fabulous! Thanks for sharing how you did the flowers! Awesome!
Hugs,
Lisa

Cindy Jenkins said...

GREAT idea about cutting around the flower!!! Never thought of that!! I can see TONS of possibilities with that technique!! Thanks!!!

Heather D. said...

WOW! you've got patience! LOL Awesome card! I LOVE how the flower pops out - very cute!

Dragonlady said...

Hi Lisa

Great cards, love the idea with the flower.

Hugs Ali x

marsha said...

So cute! Love your technique!
Hugs, Marsha

Rhonda Miller said...

Wow, these are cute cards. TFS.

Betty J Schaub said...

beautiful! I love the nestie you used too! Gotta get that one!

Michelle said...

oh these are great cards, Lisa. Very cool how you did the flower - and the giraffe is adorable!

Kerry said...

Super cute, love the pop-up flowers! Thanks for sharing with us a great technique. Got to try it out.

Tink said...

BEAUTIFUL!! Thanks for showing how you cut the flower!!

Larissa said...

Gorgeous cards Lisa! Love what you did with the flower on the first card! So awesome.

Hugs,
Larissa

Joyce said...

Thank you for the tutorial, I wondered how that was accomplished. Your card is beautiful, with lovely colouring.

Anonymous said...

Lisa -- love how you popped up the flower!! Blessings and Hugs!!

Lori said...

Love the detailed directions

Pauline said...

Hi Lisa! I love your clean and simple designs - CAS is often so more effective... and never detracts from the image ... your colours are just gorgeous, and the flower 'lifting' is a real treat - thank you for sharing how you did it! Your creations are a delight to see!
hugs from Oz,
Pauline

Tawsha Wilson Photography~One Fine Day said...

cute card! Like the popped flower:0)

Anonymous said...

Cute cards!

Audrey Ernst (hippieaud) said...

WONDERFUL work Lisa! LOVE all the coloring work on the images. GREAT idea cutting the flowers out on the Michu image:)

michele hileman said...

Awesome. I just love love it

Karen said...

Very cute card. Thanks for sharing your technique for the flowers!

DQ said...

Love both cards, TFS

Cat said...

Lisa, your cards are so pretty and elegant! Love the soft colors! Great tutorial too! Hugs