Cut It Up April: Be You

Hello!  Today I am on the Paper Issues blog  along with some Paper Issues teammates, and we are showing you several ways to use the new free cut file: Be You.  I transformed the ampersand into a stitching cut file and this post is all about walking you through the super simple steps!

I wanted to supersize the Be You ampersand and do some hand stitching--I am pretty happy with the results!  Here's the how to on getting perfect needle circle holes to stitch...

1. Once you have your cut file the size you want on your mat, select the text (A) icon.

2.  Select Times New Roman font.

3.  Set the font size to 36.0

4.  Increase the character spacing to 200% if you want longer length stitches as I used in the ampersand.

5.  Start typing periods in the text box.  (if any of the settings reverted back to default, highlight the periods in the text box at this point and select the above settings).

6.  Move the green circle toggle button in the text box so that it snaps onto the cut file line of the ampersand or cut file you are using.  This will adhere the periods over the cut line.  Continue typing periods until the entire shape is covered with the periods (stitching holes).

 7.  After the shape is covered with stitching holes, click on the mat near the shape to select the shape, this will remove the green text box.
8.  Go to the Silhouette cut settings and select NO CUT.  This will instruct your machine to only cut the stitching holes and not the original cut file outline.
9.  If you'd like the original cut file for the inside of the stitching area, reload your mat and cut the shape again with whatever patterned paper you'd like by cutting with the normal cut settings.
Here's what the perfectly round stitching holes look like:

Here's with the stitching completed with several colors of thread/floss and the Pink Paislee Oh My Heart paper number 8 inside with a bit of mixed media.  Have I mentioned how gorgeous this paper is??!!  I love that it looks like it was painted and there's no mess involved!

Close ups of the final project with added ephemera from Oh My Heart and Fancy Free.  A few puffy stickers and enamel dots for added dimension! The Oh My Heart  6x6 paper pad works so well for layering under the photo.

One last picture to show the popped up parts of the florals, photo, and title.

Thanks so much for taking a look at the process I use to transform a cut file into a stitching file by using the Cameo to punch the holes for me.  

I hope you'll try one of the PI free files this month and tag Paper Issues or me so I can check out your awesome projects!  

If you use this tutorial to help you convert a cut file, let me know!  I can't wait to see what cool ideas you have!

You have until May 2nd to post your Cut It Up entries into the Facebook Friends and Fans April Challenge folder.  Winners of the monthly gift cards will be announced May 3rd.

As always, if you are a fan of the products I've used here, go to Paper Issues online store to save 20% off with code: Stacie

Cut It Up March

This month is all about lucky stars!  Check out the PI Blog for the inspiration for Starry background.

I was inspired to create this background after looking at my stars loading into my Starbucks app.  Creative vibes can strike even when all you have is coffee on the brain!

I went with Shimelle's Little By Little collection to add to the starry vibe!  I love when I can create a messy mixed media background for my nighttime sky and build the layers above it.  The title has openings making it perfect for papers or mixed media to peek through.

I originally thought of cutting the file into rectangles and having parts of the file be near the right and left edges.  In the end, I went with the triangles to bring out the pointy star design and help accentuate my photo.  Messy packaging technique and splatters added to the mixed media layers of colors added over the gesso.

I used some of the single stars included in the title cut file section, to pop up with foam adhesive and layered puffy stickers above that.  The Little By Little foam phrase Thickers include many stars which are perfect for using in the title or scattered over the cut file.  I added teal stitching over the cut file border to add texture and color.

My journaling totally went wonky over the gesso and bumpy surface on the cardstock/mixed media.  I am ok with it not being my fanciest writing.  It is a quick message to my son telling him how he was the ultimate snuggle bug of all of his siblings.

Head over to the Paper Issues free files section to get this month's file and download the others you need.  I like to cut the files in bulk, so when I get the chance to scrap things are all ready for me!

Tag Paper Issues on social media so we can send some love your way.  I love seeing your creative uses for the cut files.  Link your PI cut file projects to the Cut It Up Facebook album.  It is fun to see how you are able to use these free cut files.  Try making a card, pocket page or layout, super size one star and stitch around it.  Use the offset button to create a border around a single star.

Save 20% with my code; Stacie at Paper Issues.

See you all online next weekend for the Spring Crop March 17-19th.

Cut It Up February

It's a new Cut It Up Saturday at Paper Issues!  I think you will find lots of ideas and be inspired from the design team on the PI blog today!
  Go to the Paper Issues store and download this free background Heart Tracks file and it includes titles, too!

For my take with this fun cut file, I used Pink Paislee's Oh My Heart by Paige Evans.  It has so many bright fun colors that I tied into my background.

I used the cut file as a stencil to watercolor my background.  It wasn't perfect, but that is part of the imperfect look of mixed media!  You just go with it!

I love the copper foil that this collection has!  The ephemera pieces and stickers were perfect for this page of my son and I after I had presented my thesis and was approved for graduate school graduation.  Books, clipboard, phone, hearts and 'mom life' pieces worked into this design easily!

I double cut the title words in white and black cardstock to offset them slightly and add dimension to the words against a colorful background.

I skipped spaces in the background watercoloring to add the layer of white hearts and stitching.

I loved the little saying from Dear Lizzy's new Lovely Day collection "make the days count".  I started grad school before I was pregnant with my littlest, so this was a total culmination to have us both in this picture.  It was such a big moment to be done with the stress of grad school and to have more time to play and spend time with my Ry!

The Oh My Heart chipboard books were so on point with this LO topic!  Enamel dots, messy threads, and splatters of India ink show a few of my faves to add to my pages.

I hope you are inspired to download this cut file and play along with Cut It Up for February.  You have through March 5th to play along and post your projects in the challenge thread at PIFF on Facebook.

Just as a reminder use any of the 100+ cut files that are free in the Paper Issues store on a new project and post them in Cut It Up for a chance at a Paper Issues giftcard!  Tag Paper Issues on social media so we can send you some love when you use exclusive PI cut files!

Save 20% off of all the things you need and can't live without in the Paper Issues store. 

Use code: Stacie

Cut It Up January

It is another round of Cut It Up for Paper Issues!  I hope you have been playing around with your cutting machines and that you are ready for some new cut files to try out!

This month we have the New Year's theme going on!  It also is perfect for album title pages, a year in review page, New Year's Eve parties, a family photo, or supersize the snowflakes or heart to create a totally different vibe!
I used the 2016 to document our family photo session from October.  It is always our mission to capture the colors of the season and hope to get one to work for our Christmas cards.

I used Hazelwood and it worked so well to pop up the cut file frame up and off the background with foam dots and add the patterned paper, floral stickers,and I fussy cut out a few more florals to add more depth.

A few close ups of the gorgeous Hazelwood:

 Those swoon worthy gold and mint foam Thickers!!  I love them!  See the cutest Hazelwood heart stamp?!  You need those adorable alpha stamps and icons!  I love the pops of coral with this collection and had the perfect thread color to coordinate.

All of the gold in the Hazelwood collection works so well with my golden fall photos from October.

Here's another LO I made this month using the Cut It Up January cut file title.  I hand stitched the title and popped it up with foam dots. It made this countdown come to life!  Loved the bright fun collection from Simple Stories.  Also, check out the cutest flair from PI's Cassie!

Thanks for checking out the cut files in action up close.  I hope you'll play along and link up your projects to PI's Facebook album.  You have through Feb 5th to play along for a chance a winning PI giftcard.

As always, save 20% on all items that you must have in the Paper Issues store.  Download those favorite cut files!

Cut It Up December

Today it's Cut It Up Saturday, and we are inspiring you on the Paper Issues blog with a fabulous new free cut file "Snowballs" to try out this month!

I love that you can put paper or photos behind the messy circle openings or you can add layers on top of the solid circles.

I started with white on white and then cut it out in black as I was set on using the watercolor circles paper from Simple Stories new collection #Whatever.

I used my circle cutters to cut circles for the tops of all of the solid circles.  I then gessoed the background in the circles that are open. 

 I added watercolor to match the other circle splotches of paint.

After the paint dried, I added India ink to create a similar pattern as the paper.  I started out making splatters and then realized  I wanted it more controlled and added the spots with the end of the brush where I wanted them.

I added foam adhesive behind the cut file it helps as the background was wavy due to the mixed media.  

 Embellishments- tone on tone enamel dots from my stash, Dear Lizzy Saturday Thickers, and stickers from this Simple Stories mini collection.  

I love the modern feel to this design and how simple it was to all come together!

Here's my fave smile sticker from the Simple Stories collection.

Have a great weekend! 

 I hope your December is filled with fun traditions 

and that you take some time to create beautiful projects!

Grab this free cut file in the Paper Issues shop and find lots of other things you need!

You have until January 6th to play along with this challenge and post your creation in our PI Facebook group!

Save 20% in the Paper Issues store with code: Stacie

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Cut It Up November

It's a new Cut It Up Challenge for the month of November at Paper Issues. Danielle created this awesome Triangle Puzzle. I used Fancy Pants Golden Days for my project.

This collection worked well with this photo of my parents with all of their grandchildren.  The special detail was we had these photos taken on their actual anniversary and the photo shoot was their gift.

I used the busy floral Forever With You print for the triangles and decided to keep the rest of the background clean.  Often I add watercolors or gelatos, but this helped keep the focus on the photo on center stage.

I stitched with gold thread around the cut file and then placed the photo and stitched into the cut file.

I used several of the puffy stickers.  I love that the angle/arrow stickers fit perfectly in the angles of the cut file.

I love the flair that is part of the collection.  It has sweet sentiments and images that make it all coordinate.  I fussy cut some of the florals and layered them.

I can't wait to see what you make with the free cut file.

Don't forget the Fall Crop is going on in the PIFF Facebook group  Nov 11-13 and we need you to get scrappy with us!  Complete one challenge or all of them!  The more you scrap the more chances for prizes.  See you there!

There's a special 30% store code: CROPSHOP  Shop for it all!  (code ends 11-13)  If you are too late,  the code: Stacie gets you 20% off at Paper issues.

Paper Issues October Cut It Up

Today we are up on the Paper Issues blog with October's new Cut It Up Saturday.  Danielle created this fun free cut file that you can find in the Paper Issues store in the free files.  Here's my take using Dear Lizzy Saturday from American Crafts.

I used the Silhouette offset to use the sketch pens.  I then left the mat in the Silhouette and added the blade to cut it out.  I added lots of Dear Lizzy papers to back the spaces.  I added stitching around the pie chart circles (made from the triangular Metro paper!!) I love the arrows on the border Manhattan paper by Dear Lizzy as it replicates the arrows from the cut file.

I loved these pictures of my son exploring the tunnels at the park when he was one. The sun hit the pictures just right to get the sun flare action!  I added Dear Lizzy Hello Thickers for the title, hearts, arrows and a sprinkling of enamel dots.

This is a close up of the sketch pen detailing.  It is fun to have it stand out a bit especially when adding so many colors and patterns. 

Thank you for checking out the process and close ups of this page!

Save 20% with code: Stacie in the Paper Issues store.  I hope you will cut this out and play along all month long!

Paper Issues: Cut It Up Saturday

It's time for September's Cut It Up challenge at Paper Issues.  I love this new free cut file offered at the Paper Issues store.  Here's my layout using the chevron banners and Crate Paper's Cool Kid.

I added some of the Cool Kid 6x6 papers directly behind the Cool Kid Awesome background paper and other chevrons I popped up using foam pop dots to add dimension.

I added lots of layers to the photo and puffy Thickers from the Cool Kid collection.  I also sprinkled puffy stars and chipboard pieces throughout the layout.  I like to place them tone-on-tone to make it interesting, but not distracting as there is so much pattern going on throughout the background!

Check out the rest of the design team's creative takes on using the cut file from Danielle.  I love that it can be used as a stencil for mixed media, a large background or that you can personalize it by changing it up to work for your photos!

Get out your cutting machine or print and cut this out by hand!  It's a great one to try out this month.