Life is like a swinging vine

Hello all and a belated happy new year!

My (only) new year resolution this year is to sort out my craftroom and pick up where I left off before I was out of action with my ankle injury (over a year ago now - where does the time go?).  A by-product of that is that you will hopefully be hearing from me a lot more often on here.  Obviously it's difficult to post to a crafting blog when you've done no crafting!

One thing I have been doing more of during my hiatus is digi-crafting and today I'm posting a journal page I made with CraftArtist software for a challenge on the Daisytrail forum.  The brief was to use bright colours and at least 2 shapes on your art journal page.  These colours are certainly bright compared to my usual palette!  I used a range of squares and circles as my shapes.

I must say, I really enjoy using CraftArtist.  Photoshop is great, and it can produce stunning results in skilled hands, but as a paper-crafter, it feels like a different animal, creative but not "crafting" if you know what I mean.  Using CraftArtist allows me to be creative and it actually feels to me like a digital form of crafting, though the tools are different I still feel like I'm doing something related to what I'd do with papers, card and inks.  Among it's tools are punches, stencils, stamps and scissors, things that we as crafters instantly understand how to use and it means the learning curve is far less steep than something like Photoshop.

CraftArtist can be bought from the "shopping" section of the Daisytrail site (link above).  It's usually £24.99 (a steal for what it can do compared to other, much more expensive programs), but it's often on special offer for £4.99 so it's worth keeping an eye out for that.  In the meantime, why not download the free demo version and try it out for yourself?  There are scores of tutorials on youtube to help you get started too!

(Note - I am not being paid or sponsored for this, I bought CraftArtist with my own money and I genuinely love it!)

Freebie Cutting Files - Holiday Ornaments

Thanks go to Erma for contacting me and requesting that I make these fun ornament cutting files available again.  These tree baubles are perfect for cards and scrapbooking pages, Christmas cards or even to decorate a gift card envelope! I've cut mine in cream, red and green, but you can use whatever cardstock suits your project! Why not cut them extra large and use them to decorate a wall or window?

As a special bonus, I'm also including the files needed to make the bauble shaped holiday card below! (apart from the sentiment, which was stamped)

These files may not be uploaded to a group, forum or website for sale or redistribution, or shared among individuals. They are expressly for the personal use of each person that downloads them from this blog.

There are 5 files in this collection, and I have put them into a zip file to make downloading easier. After saving it, open in the usual way, and drag the template out onto your desktop or wherever you wish to save them.

There are 2 versions of each template, SVG or DXF, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting them to work with whichever cutting machine you own.

Simply click on the appropriate button below to download the file!

Freebie Cutting Files - Filmstrips

I've started to make my files available from my blog again and am adding a new set as regularly as I can. Check out the "Cutting Files" tab at the top of the page to see which ones are available for download.

This week's freebie is these two film strip die-cuts, perfect for scrapping those movie night photos or using as a fun frame!

Please remember you are only allowed to download these files for your own use and can not share them or distribute them to others in any form. I spend a great deal of time creating my designs, please respect the terms under which they are shared.

Don't forget, if you have any requests, pass them on! I can't promise, but I will take suggestions into account when planning future templates.

These files may not be uploaded to a group, forum or website for sale or redistribution, or shared among individuals. They are expressly for the personal use of each person that downloads them from this blog.

There are 2 files and I have put them into a zip file to make downloading easier. After saving it, open in the usual way, and drag the files out onto your desktop or wherever you wish to save them.

There are 2 versions:

• An SVG version which can be imported into the Sure Cuts a Lot, Ecal or Make the Cut program and then cut out on any of the machines supported by SCAL, Ecal and Make the Cut.
• A DXF version which is Craft Robo friendly, and ready to be imported into your Robomaster software (I'm not a Robo user, so if there are any problems with this, please let me know!)

Simply click on the appropriate button below to download the file!

Files © dan99crafter@gmail.com 2015

Freebie - Scalloped circles cutting files!

Today's templates should be very useful for both scrappers and cardmakers - 3 different scalloped circles!!

Cut them out in any size you like, in the cardstock of your choice! Use them to embellish scrapbooking pages and greetings cards!! Why not make them into funky journalling tags or to highlight a stamped image. Add dimension by fixing to your page or card with foam squares! Thread ribbons or fibres through the perforated edges - the possiblilities are endless!

Please remember you are only allowed to download these files for your own use and can not share them or distribute them to others in any form.   If you know of others who might find the files useful, by all means send them here to get them themselves!  I spend a great deal of time creating my designs, please respect the terms under which they are shared.  

There are 2 versions of each template:

Files © dan99crafter@gmail.com 2015

Freebie - Slide Mounts and File Tabs

Thanks go to Angela today for requesting this set of slide mounts and file tabs.  As ever, these are available in SVG and DXF formats, ready to cut with your digital cutting machines.

Please remember you are only allowed to download this file for your own use and can not share it or distribute it to others in any form.   If you know of others who might find the files useful, by all means send them here to get them themselves!  I spend a great deal of time creating my designs, please respect the terms under which they are shared. 

There are 2 versions of each template:

Files © dan99crafter@gmail.com 2015

Freebie - Accordion/Recipe Wallet

Today's freebie from the vaults is this handy recipe or photo wallet, which conveniently cuts from a single piece of 12x12 paper! It comes in either SVG or DXF format, ready to cut with your digital cutting machines.  Thanks to Noura for suggesting it!

Perfectly sized for 5x3 recipe cards or photos, I've included a separate file containing tabbed dividers so that if it's used for recipes you can separate them into appetizers, entrees, etc, plus a bookplate so that you can put a label of your choice on the front flap.

I've even included a PDF file with recipe cards you can print and cut out!  The base can be left flat, but I have also included fold guides so that the bottom can be accordion folded too - the choice is yours!

Please remember you are only allowed to download this file for your own use and can not share it or distribute it to others in any form. I spend a great deal of time creating my designs, please respect the terms under which they are shared.

There are 2 versions of each template:

Files © dan99crafter@gmail.com 2015

Freebie - Square Gift Box

Following from a request from a reader, I thought I'd offer this versatile square gift box as todays freebie :)  This shallow gift box with snugly fitting lid comes in either SVG or DXF format, ready to cut with your digital cutting machines.

I originally designed the box at 5 1/2 inches square, to fit a set of note cards I'd made, but I've included a sizing chart below, which shows the width and height (in inches) to cut the box and lid to make a range of box sizes.  Remember, this is a square box, so the two shapes you cut should be square in proportion.  For example, for a 3x3 box, the base should be 5.2 x 5.2 and the lid should be 4.77 x 4.77. 

Box size	Base w/h	Lid w/h
3 x 3	5.2	4.77
3.5 x 3.5	6.04	5.54
4 x 4	6.9	6.3
4.5 x 4.5	7.76	7.06
5 x 5	8.62	7.85
5.5 x 5.5	9.5	8.625
6 x 6	10.34	9.38
6.5 x 6.5	11.22	10.14

Please remember you are only allowed to download this file for your own use and can not share it or distribute it to others in any form. The files will be permanently available here, so by all means send your friends here to download them themselves.

These files may not be uploaded to a group, forum or website for sale or redistribution, or shared among individuals. They are expressly for the personal use of each person that downloads them from this blog.

There are a few files and I have put them into a zip file to make downloading easier. After saving it, open in the usual way, and drag the files out onto your desktop or wherever you wish to save it.

There are 2 versions of each template:

Files © dan99crafter@gmail.com 2015

Freebie - Cogs and Spinners

A bumper pack of cogs, gears and spinners to use with your digital cutting machines is what's on offer today!  Obviously great for guys/boys projects, be they cards or scrapbook pages. I think these would look really cool cut from acetate too, giving a nice bit of shine to a project or for using as a mask :)  There are two versions, SVG or DFX, depending on which works best with your machine.

As ever, please don't pass these files around.  They will be permanently free here so please direct others to come here to download them.  Notice the tab at the top of this page?  "Cutting Files" will take you to the full list of files which will grow over time.

The files are available as SVG and DXF, which can be used with most digital cutters.

Enjoy!

Season's Greetings!

My Christmas decorations have gone up a little late this year, apologies!  Yuletide felicitations and may merriment abound for all of you! :)

Freebie - Scalloped shapes

A bumper pack of scalloped shapes to use with your digital cutting machines is what's on offer today!  Not just the shapes shown above, this pack also contains a scalloped rectangle, library card and gift box.  There are two versions, SVG or DFX, depending on which works best with your machine.

As ever, please don't pass these files around.  They will be permanently free here so please direct others to come here to download them.  Notice the tab at the top of this page?  "Cutting Files" will take you to the full list of files which will grow over time.

The files are available as SVG and DXF, which can be used with most digital cutters.

Enjoy!