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You are welcome to copy any of my designs, as long as you do not take credit for them yourself. I am very happy for you to sell them. If I have used anyone else's design, I always try to give credit where it is due. If I have missed anything, please let me know and I will put things right.


This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

WOYWW - 127 It arrived!!!

 Wait for it,  I will tell you in a minute.  Meanwhile, here is my desk at the moment - not too messy for me.  You can actually see some desk, but only 'cos I had a major tidy up again yesterday.  I went through all my Christmas bits, gathering together all the bits I cut out two years ago.  some of them I just looked at in horror and threw them in the recycling bag.  Others you can see.  On top and to the side of the cutter are four toppers I created, by printing onto gold paper, then reversing the image and printing it on to acetate.  I sprayed the gold paper with glitter.  when it is dry, you marry up the paper and the acetate images exactly and glue them together round the edges.  This makes the images really strong with much more of a look and feel of stained glass.  I usually mount them, either in a triple fold window card or straight on to plain card with a frame cut and placed over the top of the edges to keep things looking tidy. 

There are lots of other bits and pieces around, such as my Fiskars scissors, my finger blade, computer duster (can of spray air), water bottle for me, pots with lengths of pretty ribbon.  You can also see a tube of silicone glue, which I found lurking in the bottom of my glue box.  I normally use the Pinflair glue these days, and I had forgotten how strongly the normal silicone smells.  Never mind, it will soon be gone.

You can also probably see something shiny and red, yet more stuff I started and have not finished.  These three topper use a similar technique to the gold ones above.  They are clip art images, printed on card and then flipped and printed on the acetate.  The two images are married up carefully, glued together and then I mounted them on holographic wrapping paper, then on to card to give strength.  I did spray the back of the acetate with glitter again to make them really sparkle.  These two sets of toppers will be mounted later today on plain cards with a peel off sentiment.

Thank you to all those who liked my baking desk last week.  I have not abandoned the baking this week and I may post another recipe later this week, once I have tried it out in this cooker.  Watch this space!  So many of you said you were going to have a go at the cheese scones.  If you did, please let me know how you got on - good or bad.  Just as an extra, we had one left from the last batch, which had gone a little solid and not really as good to eat.  I happened to have the grill on for our sausage, so I stuffed the scone underneath for a few seconds on each side, and it really revived it, both in flavour and texture.

Now, this is what I have been waiting for - my lovely brand new Silhouette Cameo.  Not a very good picture of it.  If I get time later I may get another picture and post that instead.  I have had a Silhouette for some time, but I have a feeling that this one had been abused before it came to me.  sometimes it worked but it would often just chew things up.  Big simple shapes were no problem but the more intricate stuff did not really work as well as it should.  So I have been yearning to replace it for ages, and my very lovely and very, very kind husband said I could have the new Cameo, which has only just come out.  When I ordered it (from a company working through EBay), I was frustrated to be told that it was out of stock, but then they promised that it would be sent during the first week of November.  That was only one week to wait.  Sure enough, it arrived just when it was promised.  The postman was killing himself laughing at me, when I flew to the door to grab my huge parcel from him.  He knew I was a very happy bunny.

It is a fantastic bit of kit, and well supported by Silhouette.  They have been constantly updating the software for all the Silhouette machines, so the version I already had was more up to date than the one in the box.  All I needed to do was to exchange the power and USB leads and I was away.  If you succumb and upgrade to this gorgeous machine, do not try to use the connectors for your old machine - it does not work properly.

Once set up and connected to your computer, it acts like a printer, but cutting rather than printing.  You can still use the Silhouette pens and the other pen adaptors in place of the blade to draw.  I can now cut quite intricate shapes with no problems.  It will cut a full 12x12 piece of paper or card.  All the other things it will do can be better found on other web sites and YouTube videos.  Suffice it to say, I am ecstatic to be able to use all the designs I already have. 

The real benefit of the Silhouette over other die cutting machines is that you are not limited by the imagination of others.  You can design and save your own ideas, either onto your computer or onto a SD card.  You can cut your own fonts, using any font on your computer, any style, any size.  You can set it to cut your own decoupage designs.  You can cut all your own backing shapes for your toppers.  You can buy loads of designs for $0.99 from the main Silhouette site and there is a free design to download each week.  The limit of your use is just your imagination.

As you can gather, I am so chuffed to get this for an early Christmas pressie.  I shall use it this afternoon to cut the frames for those gold toppers, plain or with swirls - not decided yet.  While I am doing that, You should go and wander round more of the desks on display at Julia's place.  by the way, well done to Debbie for getting herself on this week with no help from me.  Go, gilr, have fun.  Hope to visit as many as possible of you this week.

29 comments:

l00pyscraftcreations said...

Oh wow so glad it arrived!! I know Graphtec were wondering whether it would arrive and clear customs before the NEC lol.
how heavy can you cut on it?
and thank you you have just given me some ideas for the Christmas fair, I'm going to borrow your MCS acetate design, but I'm going to try backing it onto some double sided adhesive and gilding the back!!
Ta hun, no I havent tried the scones yet, going shopping on Friday, Costco, so ingredients and Ottlite are on the list!!

The Crafty Elf said...

Well Maggie I'm not going to lie. If I ever was speed reading, it was today! I couldn't wait to see what "arrived". I'm going to check this out for sure because I own the original Cricut and it only cuts 6 X 12 which I find very limiting! Did you post about anything else today??? LOL

Elizabeth said...

Hi Maggie, love the cards you've made with the acetate - the colours are really vibrant. Where have I been, I have never heard of the Silhouette machine until now. It looks as though you are going to have many happy hours working with your new one. Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment and have a great week. Elizabeth x #76

Di said...

Oh my gosh Maggie - laughing here in Spain as I was hanging onto the Crafty Elf's shirt tails 'speed reading' longing to see what you got! Wow, and double wow! It sounds fabulous. Enjoy, and you might be getting some questions from me about your new 'baby' - lucky lady! Di xx

Anonymous said...

I can see that you are so happy with your new machine lucky lucky you, you will have to show one of your projects next week. I am going to have a look on You tube as I haven't seen one of these working before. Laura

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I made your cheese scones and G3's reaction was 'More please'!!! They were really yummy though I must roll the dough a bit thicker next time. They went really well with the leek and potato soup I made when my mate came for lunch yesterday - in fact, they're moreish!!
Like the sparkly red backgrounds on your Christmas cards btw, sparklier the better!!
Hugs, LLJ #42 xx

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Marg- yes he does read a few of them, yours included- that will worry you, lol!I have not yet got round to making any, thats a project for Friday, I think. Thats the plan, anyway.Speak soon, Shaz

Linda Simpson said...

Well Maggie I am really happy that you have got your new Cameo. Enjoy, I have the baby one so at the moment I am learning my way around this.

Hugs
Linda xxx

Unknown said...

I like the stained glass pieces you have created. I must look into a Cameo as it sound interesting. So many machines out there and I appreciate the info.
Happy WOYWW
Carol

JoZart Designs said...

Wow! you sound busy and I really love the stained glass cards idea.
I was interested in the Cameo... great report for it.
Thanks for your kind message,
Love JoZarty x

Marjo said...

Have fun with your new toy! Thanks for the peek and sharing. Hope you are having a wonderful WOYWW.

xoxo Marjo

Hettie said...

You are one lucky LUCKY girl! I would love one but I could not get rid of my trusty friend. We have been through alot!
Love the cards tonight!

Hazel said...

Enjoy the Silhouette and hope you get your unfinished things finished soon, although I expect you'll be tempted to leave them to play with your new toy! (Hazel WOYWW #89)

Anonymous said...

Lol, the "happy" is in every word of this post and I had to speed read too to see what your new item was!! But then I went back up and read the whole post! Lovely Christmas cards/toppers and enjoy your new toy.

Hugs
Brenda

Electra said...

I love your "stained glass" pieces!

Angie said...

I love your red cards ...xmas says sparkle.
Will take pictures next time I bake the cookies ...i have 2 versions ...one using butter ...the other soft Stork....both yummy but so different in texture. When I am 100% happy I'll send you both. xx

bohemiannie! art said...

Lucky you! Have fun!

Morti said...

I <3 my Silhouette, and I'm V envious that you have the Cameo! WTG you!

Twiglet said...

Well that sounds like a very clever machine and a very clever operator too!! have fun. x jo

Shoshi said...

How exciting getting a lovely new machine, Maggie! and those stained glass effect cards are amazing. A very clever idea.

Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog. Since I posted about the doily stencil I've done some more with it, and really liked the inky doily so I've cut it up and stuck it on some cards! there's definitely a future in this doily technique!! I'll be posting some photos once the cards are done.

Happy WOYWW, Shoshi #67

Spyder said...

ohooo what a nice posty you have!!Mine leave a package under a bush,I didn't see it for three days!! (It was only computer inks for hubby's work computer but still, it could've stayed there for months, as we hardly ever use the front door! Weird, isn't it, poor Policeman drawing, stays up in the attic for about thirty odd years and then suddenly he's famous, well, sort of! He's in my store now! I'd forgotten all about him, and was hoping to find the 'man in the bath'...only to find, I'd drawn him in a bath shaped like a boat, still, some one might like him! Have a great week, happy woyww!
((Lyn)) #66

Neet said...

Oh I am so out of touch with things - thanks for the update on the Cameo. Glad you are so excited with it and enjoying it. Lovely "C" cards you have made and what a fab idea. Hugs, Neet #11

Franka Benjaminsen said...

This is a very long story and a lot to see. Love all the Christmas cards with this acetate technique. The colours are so bright.
And I can understand you're very happy with your new arrival. I have a Silhouette by myself, but doesn't work enough with it. But when I let cut him... it's perfect. So enjoy your new tool, right on time before Christmas.
Bye, Franka

Anonymous said...

Really pleased to see your early Christmas present arrived ... am sure you will have already put it to good use! I do so wish I could get more use from my Wishblade other than to just cut out words I have welded ... for a long time now it has just been a very expensive dust-gatherer. Enjoy your Cameo!!! D x

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Wow Maggie! I can tell how thrilled you are to own this machine. I have a friend who told me about them years ago, but then the Sizzex came out and she forgot all about this one. It sounds awesome. I have some of that background holograph, but it is actually a gift box that I cut up. Now I know what to do with it! Happy belated WOYWW from # 4.

Julia Dunnit said...

Early presents and stained glass style cards - yo're really in the thick of it now Maggie! Really enjoyed reading about your pleasure in the Cameo...you should share this post with the people at Silhouette.

okienurse said...

Congrats on your early present! I hear that they are awesome to own! Love all the other projects you showed us today. I am so not ready for Christmas! Sorry I am so late getting around but DH left for China yesterday and I had to spend the past week getting him ready to go. Have a great week. Thanks for sharing. Vickie #56

Angela Toucan said...

have fun playing with your new toy

ShazInOzCardsCalligraphy said...

Hi again Maggie so glad it has arrived and you will have marvellous fun playing with it! blessings, Shaz in OZ.x