Hello Crafters!
I recently uploaded an image to Facebook, of a sympathy card that I have made, and was asked by a number of people "how did I make it?".
So, I thought it was time that I get back to blogging.
Below, I have laid out step-by-step instructions of how to download a SVG file, and use it on the Scan N Cut to make a card.
The cutting file that I used was from the Bird's Cards website - a brilliant resource of cutting files.
*Thank you, Bird, for allowing me to use the file for our Scan n Cut group meeting.
In the search bar, on the right hand side, I typed "Lily" and pressed search. From the results I chose the post from 8th January 2013 by clicking on the name of the post which is "Calla Lily".
In the post there is a link below both the images that says Calla Lily Digital Cutting File by Bird . Click on this to download the file to your computer.
You will have to unzip the file, and upload the SVG to your machine either by wifi, or via a memory stick to transfer to the machine.
Load the file onto your screen.
This image was too large for my needs so I had to reduce the size.
You need to reduce all the pieces at the same time, to be able to make things work.
Click "OK" to get to the main screen.
On the main screen click the "workspace" button, as shown by my handy-purple-pointing-tool.
From the workspace screen choose the "select" button.
From the select screen choose the "select all" button,
this will highlight all the individual parts, each with its own red box.
Deselect the outline piece by clicking on it. This will remove the red box around the outline piece, and leave only the boxes around the jigsaw parts.
Click "OK" to take you back to the workspace screen.
On the workspace screen click the "Group" button to join up all the parts to one red box.
Drag the outline piece over the top of the grouped parts.
Then we need to group everything together, so that when we change the size, everything is re-sized at the same time.
So, choose the "select" button again,
then choose "select all", followed by selecting "OK".
Then on the workspace screen use the "Group" button so there is only one red box on the screen.
Now, everything can be resized. Click on the "Resize" button.
Using the plus and minus boxes change the height to 145mm. As long as this button (in the image below) on the bottom with 2 arrows and a diagonal line is highlighted (not dark), the height and width will adjust at the same rate as each other. Don't panic if your width is not the same as mine this will depend on how close you over lap the images, it is not important. Press "OK" to set it on the screen.
The pieces now need to be separated, again, ready for cutting.
Click on the "Group" button to undo the last "Group" that was done, and this will separate the outline piece so it can be moved away.
Click on the grouped pieces and again select the "Group" button to separate the pieces.
As the plan for this image is to cut all pieces in white, there is no worry about spreading them around the screen to cut pieces in different colours. Separate them out on the screen ready for cutting.
As I am going to cut 3 flowers I need to save this re-sized cutting file onto my machine. To do this click "OK", and on the next screen click "save".
This next screen wants to know where you want to save the file, on the machine or on a USB stick - I will select the machine, you choose which ever one you want to.
The machine will then let you know the file number that it has been saved as.
Click "OK" and it takes you back to the layout screen. Click "OK" which will send you to the 'Cut or Draw' screen to cut the pieces.
Don't forget to include a test cut first to make sure the pressure and blade settings are correct.
Then, cut everything out.
Once cut, I used alcohol markers to colour the outline piece in a light green, a dark green for the stem, and a yellow for the centre of the flower. I cut all 3 flowers from a single piece of A4 sized card.
Assemble the flowers as in the diagram on the Bird webpage.
For the background to mount the flowers you need to cut an oval shape (BA-A059 on the machine shapes), change the width to 155mm - as above, as long as the button with 2 arrows and a diagonal line is highlighted, then the height and width adjust equally, to give you a height of 116mm, this size does not have to be exact. Cut an oval out of white card.
I was not sure about the shadow that the white-on-white card alone was going to give me, so I cut another oval, the same size, out of funky foam/craft foam. I used green for this card, and found it gave me a green 'glow' to my shadow. Then I also cut an outline shape for the 3 flowers out of the funky foam.
Mount the flowers and oval onto the foam. You might like to cut the foam slightly larger to give an outline, but I just liked the 'glow' that I got.
To get more height, I then used foam tape, a single layer on the oval, a single layer on the first flower, 2 on the second flower and 3 on the third one. It is necessary to make sure that the foam tape on the flowers is positioned so it does not sit on the flower underneath.
You can mount the flowers onto the oval first then attach the oval to the card, or mount the oval and then arrange the flowers on top. It's up to you.
You can add a sentiment, or not, depending on your taste.
The 'glow' I talk about is difficult to photograph, so you might have to create the card for yourself to see what I mean.
I hope this explanation has helped you with using a downloaded file. If it has, give me a like on Facebook, and let me know your ideas in the comments section.
Enjoy!
Helen x
*Thank you, Bird, for allowing me to use the file for our Scan n Cut group meeting.
In the search bar, on the right hand side, I typed "Lily" and pressed search. From the results I chose the post from 8th January 2013 by clicking on the name of the post which is "Calla Lily".
In the post there is a link below both the images that says Calla Lily Digital Cutting File by Bird . Click on this to download the file to your computer.
You will have to unzip the file, and upload the SVG to your machine either by wifi, or via a memory stick to transfer to the machine.
Load the file onto your screen.
This image was too large for my needs so I had to reduce the size.
You need to reduce all the pieces at the same time, to be able to make things work.
Click "OK" to get to the main screen.
On the main screen click the "workspace" button, as shown by my handy-purple-pointing-tool.
From the workspace screen choose the "select" button.
From the select screen choose the "select all" button,
this will highlight all the individual parts, each with its own red box.
Deselect the outline piece by clicking on it. This will remove the red box around the outline piece, and leave only the boxes around the jigsaw parts.
Click "OK" to take you back to the workspace screen.
On the workspace screen click the "Group" button to join up all the parts to one red box.
Drag the outline piece over the top of the grouped parts.
Then we need to group everything together, so that when we change the size, everything is re-sized at the same time.
So, choose the "select" button again,
then choose "select all", followed by selecting "OK".
Then on the workspace screen use the "Group" button so there is only one red box on the screen.
Now, everything can be resized. Click on the "Resize" button.
Using the plus and minus boxes change the height to 145mm. As long as this button (in the image below) on the bottom with 2 arrows and a diagonal line is highlighted (not dark), the height and width will adjust at the same rate as each other. Don't panic if your width is not the same as mine this will depend on how close you over lap the images, it is not important. Press "OK" to set it on the screen.
The pieces now need to be separated, again, ready for cutting.
Click on the "Group" button to undo the last "Group" that was done, and this will separate the outline piece so it can be moved away.
As the plan for this image is to cut all pieces in white, there is no worry about spreading them around the screen to cut pieces in different colours. Separate them out on the screen ready for cutting.
As I am going to cut 3 flowers I need to save this re-sized cutting file onto my machine. To do this click "OK", and on the next screen click "save".
This next screen wants to know where you want to save the file, on the machine or on a USB stick - I will select the machine, you choose which ever one you want to.
The machine will then let you know the file number that it has been saved as.
Click "OK" and it takes you back to the layout screen. Click "OK" which will send you to the 'Cut or Draw' screen to cut the pieces.
Don't forget to include a test cut first to make sure the pressure and blade settings are correct.
Then, cut everything out.
Once cut, I used alcohol markers to colour the outline piece in a light green, a dark green for the stem, and a yellow for the centre of the flower. I cut all 3 flowers from a single piece of A4 sized card.
Assemble the flowers as in the diagram on the Bird webpage.
For the background to mount the flowers you need to cut an oval shape (BA-A059 on the machine shapes), change the width to 155mm - as above, as long as the button with 2 arrows and a diagonal line is highlighted, then the height and width adjust equally, to give you a height of 116mm, this size does not have to be exact. Cut an oval out of white card.
I was not sure about the shadow that the white-on-white card alone was going to give me, so I cut another oval, the same size, out of funky foam/craft foam. I used green for this card, and found it gave me a green 'glow' to my shadow. Then I also cut an outline shape for the 3 flowers out of the funky foam.
Mount the flowers and oval onto the foam. You might like to cut the foam slightly larger to give an outline, but I just liked the 'glow' that I got.
To get more height, I then used foam tape, a single layer on the oval, a single layer on the first flower, 2 on the second flower and 3 on the third one. It is necessary to make sure that the foam tape on the flowers is positioned so it does not sit on the flower underneath.
You can mount the flowers onto the oval first then attach the oval to the card, or mount the oval and then arrange the flowers on top. It's up to you.
You can add a sentiment, or not, depending on your taste.
The 'glow' I talk about is difficult to photograph, so you might have to create the card for yourself to see what I mean.
I hope this explanation has helped you with using a downloaded file. If it has, give me a like on Facebook, and let me know your ideas in the comments section.
Enjoy!
Helen x
