Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Chalkboard Vinyl Decor

Hello, Friends!   I have a project today that was really simple to put together.   I used an old picture frame to create this fun and usable chalkboard for my granddaughter.
  • Inspiration for this Project
  • Old Picture Frame
  • Chalkboard Vinyl
  • Square1 Repositionable 
  • Digi Stamp - from Beary Wishes
  • Image found online

Chalkboard Recipe:
  • Frame with glass - found in my back closet (dusty and unused)
  • Chalkboard Vinyl - lay vinyl under the glass from the frame and cut around.  Peel backing off vinyl and apply to top of glass.  Reassemble the frame.
  • "RACHEL" = cut at 2" using Cooper STD font.  Text was color filled prior to cutting.  I used Square1 to print and cut the letters.  Place text where you want on chalkboard vinyl.


  • Cookie Monster = image found using online search.  Trace within Silhouette software.   I sized my Cookie Monster at 2.75" and used Square1 again for printing and cutting.  



  • Cupcake = image is a digi stamp from Beary Wishes.  I sized the cupcake at 3".  Square1 was used to print and cut.  I love Square1 because it lets me move my image soooo easily.  Stickles was later added to the hearts and ribbon on the cupcake.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!  Comments are welcomed and appreciated!

~ Marilyn

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Snoopy Dance

Hello, Friends!  I'm sending you happy thoughts to cheer you!  Hope you're having a great day and year so far.  My tip today is this:  Using sketches are a great way to make a card.


  • Image:  Traced and Scanned from internet
  • Designer Paper:  From Silhouette
  • Sentiment:  CardzTV "Heartfelt Wishes" stamp set
  • Sketch:  OWH #206



A2 sized card = 5.5" x 4.25"
Card Recipe:

  • Mat 1 (brown / white polka dots) = 5.25" x 4".  Black edge added using offset feature in Silhouette.
  • Mat 2 (black border) = 1.75" x 4.75"
  • Mat 3 (brown / white polka dots border) = 1.5" x 4.5"
  • Mat 4 (gold border) = 1.25" x 4.25"



  • Circle Border = 3".  Black pen used to create faux stitching.
  • Snoopy = image scanned, traced and cut within Silhouette using an online image.  I used two Snoopy images (one on top of other) to create a chipboard effect.  Snoopy is 4" in height.


Inside of Card
Inside of Card:

  • Mat 1 (black) = 5" x 3.75"
  • Mat 2 (brown / white polka dots) = 4.75" x 3.5"
  • Mat 3 (white) = 4.5" x 3.25"
  • Snoopy with Woodstock = image from internet.  Sized at 1.25" in height.
Thank you for visiting today!  Comments are welcomed and appreciated!

~ Marilyn

Sunday, January 19, 2014

You're the Star That Guides My Day

Hello, Friends!  My card today was made using a digi stamp from Bugaboo.  I used digital patterns purchased in the Silhouette store to create my background paper.




A2 sized card = 5.5" x 4.25"
Card Recipe:

  • Mat 1 (blue stars) = 5.5" x 4.25"
  • Mat 2 (solid blue) = 4.5" x 3.75".  Black outline created using the offset feature in Silhouette.
  • Mat 3 (blue star border)  = .75" x 4.5".  Black out line created using the offset feature in Silhouette.


Girl Sleeping on Moon is a digi stamp from Bugaboo

  • Stars on border = created from digi stamp and enlarged to .4" in height.
  • Sentiment = typed onto the background paper within Silhouette.
  • Girl Sleeping on Moon = digi stamp from Bugaboo (link above).  I used the Silhouette software to trace and cut for my card.  Sized at 2.93" in height and colored using colored pencils.


Inside of Card
Inside of Card:

  • Mat 1 (blue stars) = 5" x 3.75".
  • Mat 2 (solid blue) = 4.75" x 3.5".  Black border created using the offset feature in Silhouette.
  • Mat 3 (white) = 4.5" x 3.25".


Thank you for visiting my blog today.  Comments are welcomed and appreciated!

~ Marilyn

Friday, January 17, 2014

Over the Hill Layout

Hello, Friends.  You may remember that my sister-in-law recently celebrated her 60th birthday.  I created this single page layout in remembrance of the fun time we had at her party.  My tip:  Incorporate fun elements for your photo mats.  On my layout, I used clouds for the photo mats.


  • Designer Paper:  K&Company "Ancestry" 12"x12" pack
  • Train Image:  A Day For Daisies :  Choo Choo Train




  • "Happy Birthday, Cindy" = Font = Arial 



  • Train = images from A Day For Daisies.  Image sized at 2" in height.  
  • Hills = 4" Circle cut in half.
  • Smoke from Train = cloud images purchased from Silhouette store.



  • "Over the Hill" = Font = Arial.   Text welded to half circle before cutting.



  • Cloud Photo Mats = image purchased through Silhouette store.  Sized at 4" height.

  • Thank you for visiting my blog today!  Comments are welcomed and appreciated!


~ Marilyn

Friday, January 10, 2014

Grinch Scrapbook Layout

Hello Friends!  The stomach bug "Grinch" tried to steal our Christmas this year.  We had to celebrate a week late while it made it's way around some the members of our family.

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! 
 What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! 

I found these cute Grinch cuts from Scrappy Dew and decided to incorporate them into a scrapbook layout.

  • Images:  ScrappyDew "Grinch 2013"
  • Designer Paper:  K&Company "Ancestry" 12"x12" pack
  • Other:  Baker's Twine, Stickles, Liquid Pearls

Layout Recipe:
  • Ornaments:  I enlarged the ornament that Cindy Lou is holding to about 6".  A couple of the ornaments are flipped.  Tops are accented with silver Stickles.   These will be my photo mats. 
  • Baker's Twine:  I glued a string of Baker's Twine along both pages giving some movement for the eye to follow.  Bows were made from Baker's Twine and glued on as well.

  • Header:  "Where are you Christmas" came with the ScrappyDew set.  Letters are accented with Stickles.  Sized at 1" in height.

  • Grinch:  Instead of using all the different cuts that come with this set, I opted to use their example image and created a cut and print image.  Stickles has been added to fur and belt buckle.  Image mounted on foam tape.  Sized at 5" in height.

  • Max Dog = Example image was traced and made into a cut and print.  Antlers have Liquid Pearls added.  Image mounted with foam tape and is 3" in height.

  • Cindy Lou = Example image was traced and made into a cut and print.  Stickles added to hair bow, ornament top and bottom of Cindy's outfit.  Image mounted with form tape and is 3.5" in height.
  • Christmas Tree = Example image was traced and made into a cut and print.  Stickles added to star, ornaments, packages and Grinch's fur.  Image mounted with foam tape and is 6.5" in height.
  • Border on bottom = cut at 2" from scrap paper.  Brown trim cut at 1/4" and is also scrap paper.

I hope you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! 

~ Marilyn





Sunday, January 5, 2014

Reflections of Winter

Hello Friends!  Winter seems to really have a hold on many parts of our country. . .  brrrr!  So the current challenge at Scrapbook Blessings Club is perfect timing for staying indoors and creating a winter card using the "reflections" technique.

  • Technique:  Reflections (example video from Dawn)
  • Image and Sentiment:  Digi stamp from DoodlePantry "Snowman Cheer"
  • Embossing:  Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" folder
  • Other:  Glitter pen

A2 sized card = 5.5" x 4.25"
Image from  DoodlePantry
Card Recipe:
  • Mat 1 (blue with black offset) = 5.25" x 4".  Mat embossed with Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" folder.
  • Mat 2 (darker blue) = 4.16" x 3".  Mat mounted with foam tape.
  • Mat 3 (light blue with snowman) = 2" x 2.8". 
  • Mat 4 (darker blue with reflective snowman) = 2" x 2.8".  Both Mat 3 and Mat 4 are the same blue color.  Mat 4 has transparency set at 50%.
  • Brown Land = brown color-filled oval 2.8" x 0.21".

  • Snowman = digi from DoodlePantry.  Image sized at 1.5" x 1.63".  Top of hat highlighted with glitter pen.
  • Reflective Snowman = digi from DoodlePantry.  Image sized at 1.5" x 1.63".  Image flipped vertically.  Transparency set at 57% for snowman.  I had to go over the branch arms lightly with a brown colored pencil.
  • Sentiment = from DoodlePantry.  Sized at 1.095" x 0.715".

Inside of Card
Inside of Card:
  • Mat 1 (dark blue) = 5" x 3.75".
  • Mat 2 (light blue) = 4.75" x 3.5"
  • Mat 3 (white) = 4.5" x 3.25"
  • Sentiment = from DoodlePantry.  Sized at 1.510" x 0.705".

Thank you for visiting my blog today.  As always, comments are welcomed and appreciated!

~ Marilyn


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Grumpy Hello-Kitty

Hello, friends!  Marilyn, here with a review of a product made by Square1.  The Square1 folks have a Print-Cut-Iron material that I was just itching to show you.  So, here we go.  But, first my tip:  Don't be afraid to try new things.  I see so many crafters get something new and then are afraid to try it.  Honestly, it won't eat you!  LOL!  Go for it!

My sister-in-law, Cindy is turning 60 on New Year's Eve.  Her husband (my brother) is planning a great party for her and I knew I needed to get something "special" for her.  So, I found a funny Grumpy Hello-Kitty image and thought it would be super fun on some PJ's. 

Here is the top that I created.  I'll go to out and purchase some bottoms to go with it.

PJ top created using Square1 Printable Iron-On

Here is the supply list to create this PJ top:
  • Shirt:  I purchased a soft long-sleeved shirt from Walmart.  Wash and dry before applying the iron-on fabric
  • Square1 Iron-On:  comes in a package of 3 sheets 8.5" x 11".  Purchase here
  • Printer:  I have an HP OfficeJet 7210
  • Iron:  use a dry iron (no steam) pre-heated to Cotton setting
  • Silhouette:  to cut your design
Step 1:
  • Wash and dry your shirt. 
  • Pre-heat iron on Cotton setting.  NO steam.

Step 2:
  • Design what you're going to put on the shirt.  I found this Grumpy Hello-Kitty image that someone else used on the front of their niece's t-shirt.  In the Silhouette software, trace outer edge. 
  • ** FYI - If you want a copy of my *.studio design, let me know and I'll email it to you.  Leave me your email address in comments section below ** 

Step 3:
  • Print your design on the Square1 Iron-on Material. 

Step 4:
  • Set print setting on your Silhouette.  Here is a picture of my print settings for the Square1 Iron-On.


Step 5:
  • Cut image on your Silhouette.  Cuts like butter.

Step 6:
  • Do some minor weeding.  All I needed to weed was around some of the letters.

Step 7:
  • Iron.  You'll want to lift and press.  Don't move the iron around in side-to-side motions.  I held the iron in place for 60 seconds, then lifted and placed in another location until all areas were ironed-on.

And that's it!  Super easy and super fun, too!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and product review.  Go out and try something new!  But, leave me some blog love first!

~ Marilyn - Marilyn's Crafts