Kerri Bradford Studio » this and that

this+that: all hallows’ eve

Kerri — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:02:19 +0000

Wow. I haven’t made one of these kits since before last Christmas! I have to admit, it’s been kind of fun making a new one, even if they do take some time to do. :) I do love seeing it all come together and I was excited to create a brand new Halloween kit. The last Halloween kit was my very first This+That. I can’t believe it’s been two whole years! That’s just crazy to me.

So without further ado, here is the This+That: All Hallow’s Eve!

Price: $15

Okay, I have to admit, I think one of my favorite shapes is the creepy hand. I think there’s some fun to be had with that shape!

Here’s a few tips about the kit.

Carpe Noctem.
Adhere in this order: spider web, completed hat, ‘seize the night’, and ‘carpenoectem.’ I decided I wanted my hat to go a little more to the left, so I trimmed off just a tiny piece.

All Hallows’ Eve.
Adhere scarecrow and then title. Please note, the scarecrow and crow are two separate images in the regular files, but you can combine them if you want that look on a different page. Add three gems vertically to the upper-right corner.

Broom Parking.
If desired, wrap string around the bristle part instead of the provided shape. Adhere stick and tie string at top, if desired. Adhere title, broom, then label.

Wicked/Apple.
Even though I included the seeds on this apple in the cut file, they are teeeeeeeny tiny and I didn’t even use them on mine. But they are there if you want to use them on bigger projects.

Coffin.
Assemble top part of the coffin together: grey base, brown outline, and cross. Adhere that to black backing–just slightly off to give the appearance of the main part of the coffin. Tuck hand under the top coffin piece, making sure that it does not exceed the orange background space. Add ‘don’t open that door’ and staple at left edge.

Ghost/Fence.
Adhere fence to background. Tuck the wrist part of the hand behind the ‘ghost’ flashcard and adhere to page. Staple at left edge of flash card.

Witch.
Adhere moon so that it goes over the ‘starburst’ design in the upper-left corner. Adhere witch and bats as shown. Add a star gem.

Pumpkin/Cat.
Adhere black pumpkin outline to orange pumpkin piece and adhere to background. Adhere ‘eek’ in lower right corner, along the bottom edge. Adhere cat so that the back leg stands on the right part of the ‘k’.

BREAK IT DOWN

You can use this kit with many of the digital craft cutters out there, such as Silhouette, Pazzles and Cricut. Anything that can use an SVG/DXF/AIv8 file. If you are using Cricut, you’ll need to use something like Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) or Make The Cut (MTC). These programs allow you to use SVG files with your Cricut. However, Provo Craft has made it so these two programs cannot work with the Cricut anymore, so if you didn’t get either program purchased earlier in the year (like spring 2011), then you won’t be able to use it with Cricut.

And if you don’t have a digital craft cutter? No worries. You can create it digitally! There are PNG/JPG files in this kit as well. THIS POST has some great information on how to do that.

Distribution and Use of the File

I’ve had to use alternate file saving choices with my This & That kits. It comes as a link to a ZIP file, so unzip the file once you’ve saved it to your hard drive. If you are on a Mac, you can double-click the ZIP file and it will open automatically.

There are two specific directories containing all the files needed to create the TRAY project as shown using printouts for some pieces and your digital craft cutter for the other pieces. One directory is called “TRAY Print Files” and the other is called “TRAY Cut Files.”

Most of the printables are straight cuts, so they should be easy to work with.

Here’s what you get:

Two printable composite files in PNG format only. These composite filenames start with “tt” to indicate the “This & That” project.
Two composite files of the cuttable shapes. These composite filenames also start with “tt”.
Individual cuttable files named according to the descriptive style of shape for easier sorting. These files are made for all uses and are not sized and trimmed for the 7gypsies tray.
The same cuttable shapes as PNG files for all you digital crafters.

Due to file size issues, there are no individual files for the printable images (in the composite files), with the exception of a few of the more ‘important’ images. I thought it might be nice to have them larger than the print file in case you wanted to use them on a larger scale. Use the Crop tool in your photo editing software with the composite printable files if you want to use them individually. There are also reverse images of the Halloween labels so that you can print black text on a colored piece of cardstock, if so desired.

The two printable composite files look like this.

These files you print on your printer or take to your photo developer and trim using a paper trimmer or scissors as needed. Most of these are the background pieces for the slots of the 7gypsies tray.

They are saved as 8×10 files so you should be good to go if you are taking it to a photo developer.

The two cuttable composite files like this and may or may not be not in color.

Be careful for the teeny tiny pieces, like the hat buckle and the broom ‘string’. Also, you’ll notice I enclosed the spider in a square. It’s there strictly for weeding purposes. Since the legs can be delicate, I thought it best not to try and remove the shape from the entire sheet of cardstock, but rather, have it’s only little corner of the world to work with.

Because every program and every configuration may be different when bringing in the cut files, if you group them together, the Cut 1 file is 7.24″ wide and the Cut 2 files is 7.58″ wide.

Here’s a few more project tips:

Use a photo paper or presentation paper to print your printables at home. I like using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (Matte or Lustre) or Epson Premium Presentation Paper (Matte). Or, take it to your local photo devleoper.
The printable background pieces can only fit into the square for which it was designed.
If you are using another machine besides the Cameo, try double cutting your images by copying and pasting the image on top of itself in your cutting software. That way you can be assured of a clean cut, especially on the small images. Another nifty trick is to use vinyl. It cuts nicely, plus you don’t need adhesive.
If this is your first time working with a This & That kit, HERE is some information on the magnets I use so that I can easily swap out the pieces all year long.

Where to find the tray.

While there are many places you can purchase the tray, you can find it on the 7gypsies website HERE or on Two Peas In a Bucket HERE. I purchased mine from Archivers. Note: I’ve discovered that all printer tray’s are not created equally, so you may have to trim a fraction off here or there. I usually set the back piece in its square first just to see if I’ll need to trim anything off.

Where to find the easel.

I get many of my home decor items at a local place called Rod Works and they sell online now too! You can find them HERE.

If you’re not a fan of doing the tray or getting the printales to use in other projects, but still want the shapes, you can get the ‘Shapes Only’ version as well.

Price: $10

And now, on a completely unrelated note, it’s this guy’s birthday today.

Shhh . . . he turns the big 5-0 today! He looks pretty darn good for his old age. ;)

Happy birthday darlin’! Love you!

This photo was taken down in the Jerusalem movie set. Most of those stones were ones he made–they aren’t real stones. Kind-a cool eh?

And on an even more unrelated note, it’s really weird when I’m listening to something and writing something and they are the same words–and they aren’t common words. I think the weirdest one of them all just happened as I was typing the sentence on Jerusalem. The song ‘Let The River Run’ by Carly Simon just came on and her opening lyrics were playing as I was writing it….they say ‘Let the river run, let all the dreamers wake the nation. Come, the new Jerusalem.’ Really???

I know. It’s freaky really. :)

it is time.

Kerri — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 10:00:48 +0000

I think one of the biggest questions I get is,

‘Are you going to make more This+That kits?’

That’s always such a loaded question. I mean, I don’t want to go to all the work (not the designing part) of making one for my tray and not use it again the next year. I love bringing out the next month knowing that I don’t have to make it again. And there are other This+That subjects that I have on my list to create as well, but I have no idea where the time goes.

So, as that taste of September started wafting my way a week or so ago, the urge to create a new Halloween kit was just itchin’ at me! I couldn’t put the thoughts away. And when something like that happens, I know I just have to roll with it. While I do love the original Halloween kit–it was my very first This+That kit two years ago–I felt like it would be fun to update it in color and shapes. I’ve seen the original for two years and now I’m thinkin’, let’s do some more fun things for this Halloween!

I’ve been giving you tiny little teases over the past week or so,
and now today I bring you a larger sneak peek–and the announcement of–the new . . .

This+That: All Hallows’ Eve

Price: $15

ETA: This is now available and can be purchased HERE and HERE for the ‘ShapesOonly’ kit.

this+that: christmas past

Kerri — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:26:28 +0000

Before we get started, if you are here looking for the freebie and a fun little ‘last minute gift’ idea,
please scroll down until you see the words “This Week’s Extravaganza” in big green letters.

And now . . . This+That: Christmas Past!

Comes in SVG/STUDIO/DXF/AIv8/PNG
Price: $15

Here’s a few tips about the kit:

Ornament
Adhere red polka dot to same-size cream background. Adhere that ensemble to the slightly larger ornament. Adhere ornament top, wrap ribbon around ornament and adhere to background.

Noel
Adhere music to background. Wrap string over left edge and top-right corners. Secure lightly to back to hold in place while adhering NOEL. Layer light red sleigh piece with darker red sleigh piece. Play with the placement of the sleigh with the runner before securing it all down.

List For Santa
Adhere ‘List For’ on top line of notebook paper and ‘santa’ on second line. Add ribbon tied to paperclip and adhere to background. Adhere ‘cookies wrapper’ one space below ‘santa’ (see image). Wrap ribbon around ensemble.

Christmas Tree
Make sure you use your paper piercer to help poke out the smaller ‘radius’ areas.

Church on a Snowy Hill
Adhere white solid church behind brown background. Adhere snow piece on top of brown background. Adhere to background and add the extra trees as shown.

Let It Snow
Create a dimensional ‘button’ by using a .75″ circle punch to cut four more cardstock circles. (You can also use the punch to cut out the button image.) Adhere all pieces together. Adhere in this order: snowflake, ’snow’, ‘let it’, button.

Peppermint Candy
Adhere in this order: cream ‘wrapper’, cream circle center, red twisty candy. Note: the extra cream circle center isn’t absolutely necessary, but it gives the piece more dimension.

Reindeer
Adhere reindeer card with reindeer on top. Staple on upper-right side, if desired.

Normally I create two posts with all this information, but due to all our fun activities this week, I’m combining it all into one.

BREAK IT DOWN

You can use this kit with many of the digital craft cutters out there, such as Silhouette, Pazzles and Cricut. Anything that can use an SVG/STUDIO/DXF/AIv8 file. If you are using Cricut, you’ll need to use something like Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) or Make The Cut (MTC). These programs allow you to use SVG files with your Cricut. However, Provo Craft has made it so these two programs cannot work with the Cricut anymore, so if you didn’t get either program purchased earlier in the year (like spring 2011), then you won’t be able to use it with Cricut.

And if you don’t have a digital craft cutter? No worries. You can create it digitally! There are PNG/JPG files in this kit as well. THIS POST has some great information on how to do that.

Distribution and Use of the File

I’ve have to use alternate file saving choices with my This & That kits due to my current method of distribution so I can still email the files once you’ve purchased the kit. It comes as a link to a ZIP file, so use something like WinZip or StuffIt to extract/open the zipped file once you’ve saved it to your hard drive. If you are on a Mac, you can double-click the ZIP file and it will open automatically.

I need to keep the file size down by NOT including the printable items as Print & Cuts for Silhouette. But most of the printables are straight cuts, so they should be easy to work with.

Here’s what you get:

Two printable composite files in PNG format only. These composite filenames start with “tt” to indicate the “This & That” project.
Two composite files of the cuttable shapes. These composite filenames also start with “tt”.
Individual cuttable files named according to the descriptive style of shape for easier sorting. These files are made for all uses and are not sized and trimmed for the 7gypsies tray.
The same cuttable shapes as PNG files for all you digital crafters.

The two printable composite files look like this.

These files you print on your printer and trim using a paper trimmer or scissors as needed. Most of these are the background pieces for the slots of the 7gypsies tray.

I’m confessing something here. Don’t you just sometimes go, “Why didn’t I do it this way in the first place?” Rather than specifying the usual sizes of these two images–like I’ve done with a year’s worth of kits– because they varied in size, I actually saved them AS an 8×10 so there should be no question and no problem when taking it to a developer.

Wa-ha??

Just want to do a big ol’ DUH right now. Sometimes, the ol’ brain just gets in the same routine and then finally it has an ‘aha’ moment. Wished it would have been sooner. ;)

The two cuttable composite files like this, but not in color.

These are the files you’ll use with your cutter (Silhouette, Cricut, Wishblade, Pazzles, etc.) to cut your cardstock pieces and layer with the pieces above in your 7gypsies tray.

All these pieces–which are sized and trimmed for the tray–are separated into the appropriate cardstock colors. This is how you will see the two files when you pull them up into your cutting software (no color though). All you need to do is Ungroup/Break the image and/or move the unneeded shapes out of the cutting area and cut.

Some of the other software programs, like MTC or SCAL, may adjust the size of the image when importing. If this occurs, resize it proportionally.

The tt_christmaspast_cut1 file is 7.32″ wide and the tt_christmaspast_cut2 file is 7.36″ wide.

Here’s a few more project tips:

Use a photo paper or presentation paper to print your printables at home. I like using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (Matte or Lustre) or Epson Premium Presentation Paper (Matte). Or, take it to your local photo devleoper.
The printable background pieces can only fit into the square for which it was designed.
Double cut your images by copying and pasting the image on top of itself in your cutting software. That way you can be assured of a clean cut, especially on the small images. Another nifty trick is to use vinyl. It cuts nicely, plus you don’t need adhesive.
If this is your first time working with a This & That kit, HERE is some information on the magnets I use so that I can easily swap out the pieces all year long.

Where to find the tray.

I think that’s it for the This+That for today!

This Week’s Extravaganza!

Okay, so let’s get right to it and show you what else our darling Miss Laura made!

[ Shapes | oddsANDends. From Lori | Ribbon Cards (SVGs on Lori's site. Also in Silhouette store.) ]

I think this is such an adorable idea! Laura, did you say you were sending those buttons to me? ;)

Okay, here’s what Laura really has to say:

I have a few best friends that are scrapbookers, and I like to give them a small gift at Christmas. When I saw Lori’s 4 Ribbon Cards, I had the fun idea to make some ”embellishments cards”, that I could hang on a metal ring. I cut the ribbon cards from white cardstock, and embossed them with my Cuttlebug. I adhered two card, back to back, to make them a bit more sturdy. I dug out some pretty embellishments, in coordinating colors, and added them to the cards. Brads, buttons, ribbons, and bakers twine worked really well. I cut the “Bits & Pieces” from Kerri’s Odds And Ends kit, and adhered it to the front of one of the ribbon cards. I think this makes a cute little gift, that my friends can then put to use on their projects.

And now for that ever-so fun free thing that keeps happenin’ this week!

~~You can download it for free–today only–HERE.~~

This is no longer available as a freebie, but you’ll be able to get it in a kit at the end of the week! :)

Don’t forget to enter the contest in Monday’s post (below).
And check out all the goodness on Lori’s blog….some really cute stuff from Carolyn!

Here’s all the details:

this+that: autumn . . . break it down

Kerri — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:28:27 +0000

Before I get into the “break it down”, I thought I’d pop up the ‘Just Shapes’ version
for those who are interested in this version of the kit.

Comes in SVG/STUDIO/DXF/AIv8/PNG

Price: $10

k, now for the break it down….

Price: $15

How To Use The Kit

You can use this kit with many of the digital craft cutters out there, such as Silhouette, Pazzles and Cricut. Anything that can use an SVG/DXF/AIv8 file. If you are using Cricut, you’ll need to use something like older versions of Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) or Make The Cut (MTC). These programs allow you to use SVG files with your Cricut. However, Provo Craft has made it so these two programs cannot work with the Cricut, so if you didn’t get either program purchased earlier in the year (like spring 2011), then you won’t be able to use it with Cricut.

And if you don’t have a digital craft cutter? No worries. You can create it digitally! There are PNG/JPG files in this kit as well. THIS POST has some great information on how to do that.

Distribution and Use of the File

I’ve have to use alternate file saving choices with my This & That kits due to my current method of distribution so I can still email the files once you’ve purchased the kit. You will receive one email with one attachment. It comes in a ZIP file, so use something like WinZip or StuffIt to extract/open the zipped file once you’ve saved it to your hard drive. If you are on a Mac, you can double-click the ZIP file and it will open automatically.

I need to keep the file size down by NOT including the printable items as Print & Cuts for Silhouette. But most of the printables are straight cuts, so they should be easy to work with.

Here’s what you get:

Two printable composite files in PNG format only. These composite filenames start with “tt” to indicate the “This & That” project.
Two composite files of the cuttable shapes. These composite filenames also start with “tt”.
Individual cuttable files named according to the descriptive style of shape for easier sorting. These files are made for all uses and are not sized and trimmed for the 7gypsies tray.
The same cuttable shapes as PNG files (no JPGs) for all you digital crafters.

Due to file size issues, there are no individual files for the printable images (in the composite files), with the exception of receipt and scale face. I thought it might be nice to have them larger than the print file in case you wanted to use them on a larger scale. Use the Crop tool in your photo editing software with the composite printable files if you want to use them individually.

The two printable composite files look like this.

These files you print on your printer and trim using a paper trimmer or scissors as needed. Most of these are the background pieces for the slots of the 7gypsies tray.

The files are both under 8×10, so if you’d like to take them to a photo developer, you can do that. Make sure they do not size the image to fit in the 8×10 area–it needs to be left as is. If you need to confirm the size, the first file is 7.67″ wide and the second file is 7.83″ wide.

The two cuttable composite files like this, but not in color.

These are the files you’ll use with your cutter (Silhouette, Cricut, Wishblade, Pazzles, etc.) to cut your cardstock pieces and layer with the pieces above in your 7gypsies tray.

Some of the other software programs, like MTC or SCAL, may adjust the size of the image when importing. If this occurs, resize it proportionally. The first file has a width of 7.37″and the second file has a width of 7.81″.

Here’s a few more project tips (also refer to the previous post for ‘how to’ tips):

Use a photo paper or presentation paper to print your printables at home. I like using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (Matte or Lustre) or Epson Premium Presentation Paper (Matte). Or, take it to your local photo devleoper.
The printable background pieces can only fit into the square for which it was designed.
Double cut your images by copying and pasting the image on top of itself in your cutting software. That way you can be assured of a clean cut, especially on the small images. Another nifty trick is to use vinyl. It cuts nicely, plus you don’t need adhesive.
If this is your first time working with a This & That kit, HERE is some information on the magnets I use so that I can easily swap out the pieces all year long.

Where to find the tray.

this+that: autumn

Kerri — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:42:50 +0000

I’m feeling like autumn is on its way! Finally our temps are back to where they should be–low 80s vs. the abnormal mid + upper 90s of last week or so. Ugh. I’m enjoying having the windows open, a little less AC, having to pull the sheet up during the night because of the slight chill….ahhhh….

All signs autumn is coming.

And here’s another! ;)

this+that: school . . . break it down

Kerri — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:07:00 +0000

First, I just wanted to say we had a wonderful weekend spending time with so many family members at our family reunion up on the family farm. Many items were removed from the old houses to disperse amongst all the family members. We got some really cool things and saw many cool things.

This, however, was the highlight of my findings:

That’s my mom with her daddy (my grandpa). This is one of the sweetest photos I’ve ever seen. Most photos I see are the kids, or group shots, or “so-n-so” standing in front of “this or that”. Not too many interaction/candid photos from back in 1938 (or 39?). Love this.

Anyway, lots of fun this weekend. Lots of memories. Good times.

. . . . . . . . .

Now, to the This & That: School kit. Let’s break it on down.

How To Use The Kit

You can use this kit with many of the digital craft cutters out there, such as Silhouette, Pazzles and Cricut. Anything that can use an SVG/DXF/AIv8 file. If you are using Cricut, you’ll need to use something like older versions of Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) or Make The Cut (MTC). These programs allow you to use SVG files with your Cricut. However, Provo Craft has made it so these two programs cannot work with the Cricut, so if you didn’t get either program purchased earlier in the year (like April/May 2011), then you won’t be able to use it with Cricut.

And if you don’t have a digital craft cutter? No worries. You can create it digitally! There are PNG/JPG files in this kit as well. THIS POST has some great information on how to do that.

Distribution and Use of the File

I need to keep the file size down by NOT including the printable items as Print & Cuts for Silhouette. But most of the printables are straight cuts, so they should be easy to work with.

Here’s what you get:

Two printable composite files in PNG format only. These composite filenames start with “tt” to indicate the “This & That” project.
Two composite files of the cuttable shapes. These composite filenames also start with “tt”.
Individual cuttable files named according to the descriptive style of shape for easier sorting. These files are made for all uses and are not sized and trimmed for the 7gypsies tray.
The same cuttable shapes as PNG files (no JPGs) for all you digital crafters.

Due to file size issues, there are no individual files for the printable images (in the composite files), with the exception of the clock, ruler, report card, library card, and flashcards. I thought it might be nice to have them larger than the print file in case you wanted to use them on a larger scale. Use the Crop tool in your photo editing software with the composite printable files if you want to use them individually.

The two printable composite files look like this.

These files you print on your printer and trim using a paper trimmer or scissors as needed. Most of these are the background pieces for the slots of the 7gypsies tray.

Additionally, in the TRAY Print Files directory, there is the single clock image sized respectively for the kit. If, however, you need to confirm its size, it is 2.6”

The two cuttable composite files like this, but not in color.

These are the files you’ll use with your cutter (Silhouette, Cricut, Wishblade, Pazzles, etc.) to cut your cardstock pieces and layer with the pieces above in your 7gypsies tray.

Some of the other software programs, like MTC or SCAL, may adjust the size of the image when importing. If this occurs, resize it proportionally. The first file has a width of 7.52″and the second file has a width of 7.58″.

Here’s a few more project tips (also refer to the previous post for ‘how to’ tips):

Use a photo paper or presentation paper to print your printables at home. I like using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (Matte or Lustre) or Epson Premium Presentation Paper (Matte). Or, take it to your local photo devleoper.
The printable background pieces can only fit into the square for which it was designed.
Double cut your images by copying and pasting the image on top of itself in your cutting software. That way you can be assured of a clean cut, especially on the small images. Another nifty trick is to use vinyl. It cuts nicely, plus you don’t need adhesive.
If this is your first time working with a This & That kit, HERE is some information on the magnets I use so that I can easily swap out the pieces all year long.

Where to find the tray.

. . . . . . . . .

Now if you wanted just the shapes? This is for you! :)

And by the way?

I can’t believe it’s August already!

this+that: school

Kerri — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:51:00 +0000

It’s here! It’s here! Sorry it took me a couple days longer . . . that darned internet threw me for a loop! But I am back up and all is well and right in this world. :)

So, in the spirit of trying to create a school kit that would appeal to everyone–regardless of school-aged child, I used a lot more cards and words and such.

Here’s a few tips about the kit:

Note: Before printing your printables, add a letter for your family name in whatever font you want to the solid black circle. Be sure to use a white letter to really make it pop.

Study Hard.

The red background is a shape I cut from cardstock just so you will have that placement piece already cut for you. If you are creating this digitally, use a rectangle that is 4.1875″ x 2.5″.

Adhere transparency Clock just slightly to the right on the green ledger background. Let the bottom hang over about 1/4″. The clock is not in the composite printing file because it didn’t fit. So I included it as its own shape in both the TRAY Print Files directory. as well as in the PNG directory.
Adhere Report Card to green ledger piece as shown.
Place black Star Tab over the ensemble so far and adhere it to the red background.
Adhere “study hard” at bottom, letting the why extend past the bottom just a fraction. Trim the clock and the “y”.
Adhere the corresponding word phrases as shown. Staple the “Figure It Out”, if desired.

Class.Pencil.Backpack…

Highlight or shade the cut lines in the red and yellow books.

School Zone.

Adhere “school” definition to bottom of green background. Adhere “School Zone” as shown.

ABC.
The apple has a tiny dark brown cardstock piece for the stem. Since it’s so tiny and there is only one brown piece in the entire kit, I did not include it in the composite cut files. Instead, I just cut a tiny little piece from a scrap piece of brown cardstock. The piece, however, is in the single-image cut file.

READ Bingo Card.

Layer the grey open circle–”tag ring”–shape over the letter circle.

Education.

Add brads at both ends of ruler.

Time For School.

The clock layers in this order: black silhouette background, white face background, red ring + numbers. Add brad to center or use the little circle found in the black shapes.

ABCDEFG.

Adhere ABCDEFG shape to blue grid background. Adhere the left side of the red word strip and the School Lunch ticket to the ABC background, leaving the right side unattached so you can add the paperclip tied with ribbon.

Airplane Flashcard.

Place paperclip in its position and adhere flashcard to yellow ledger background. I chose to just add adhesive to the top and right sides so that I’d have wiggle room with the paperclip.
Adhere the three red stars as shown.
Use a 1/8″ hole punch to punch a hole at the center end of the paperclip to string the ribbon through.
String blue ribbon through hole and around backside of ensemble. Add a couple Mini Glue Dots at the left end of the ribbon (from where it comes out of the hole) so that it stays in place as you tie a knot in the ribbon on the right end.

Pencil/Write.

Chalk over cut lines to help add dimension.
Adhere tan pencil piece to the back of the yellow pencil. Place the tan piece so that the straight edges of both the tan piece and yellow pencil align. The angled part of the tan piece will start at the end of the yellow pencil….if that makes sense. :)
Wrap a string around the pencil several times on the left side of the pencil ensemble.
Adhere red eraser a fraction from the edge of the green grid background.
Adhere pencil ensemble so that it is flush with the red eraser piece.
Adhere grey “metal” piece over the seem of the two pieces.
Adhere black pencil point at the end of the tan piece.

Adhere red eraser a fraction from the edge of the green grid background.

Homework.

Rough up the edge of the ripped paper for added dimension.

Schoolhouse.

Adhere in this order to black school silhouette: red piece / white side pieces, windows and doors / both grey roof pieces / white roof top and belfry, making sure the top aligns flush with grey piece / bell.

Library.

One of the unfortunate things about making things at such a small scale is that you lose some clarity when you do white text on black. If I were to try and make the text stronger or bigger, then it won’t look as good when you use it at a larger scale. It’s one of those ‘what’s the lesser of two evils’ moments.

Add the black “library” circle to the back of the red tab, fold over vintage-style library card and secure. Adhere ensemble to green grid background. Add words as shown and staple, if desired.

Learn Flashcard.

Adhere to blue alphabet background almost at the left edge and slightly below center so that the star won’t cover up the word “pencil” once adhered. Adhere star and mon-fri pieces. Add yellow arrow over its corresponding place in the title.

One last note. Use a real pencil with the Learn word. I actually had to make a special trip to Staples just to buy me some real pencils to break off and sharpen all the way down. The things we do . . . ;)

I think that’s it for now.

Preorders go out later tonight!

and the rest of ‘just shapes’

Kerri — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:02:00 +0000

As promised today . . . here are the ‘Just Shapes’ from Halloween, Gratitude, Winter and Freedom This & That kits. Remember, these are the same shapes that are in the full This & That kits. I’ve just compiled the shapes only into a kit for those who don’t want the printables or that don’t want to do the tray project.

[Comes in SVG/STUDIO/AIv8/DXF/PNG]
Price: $10

[Comes in SVG/GSD/DXF/PNG]
Price: $10

[Comes in SVG/GSD/DXF/PNG]

Price: $10

[Comes in SVG/GSD/DXF/PNG]
Price: $10

Tune in tomorrow for a Friday Freebie! :)

this+that: freedom . . . break it down

Kerri — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:45:00 +0000

Price: $15

How To Use The Kit

You can use this kit with many of the digital craft cutters out there, such as Silhouette, Pazzles and Cricut. Anything that can use an SVG/DXF/AIv8 file. If you are using Cricut, you’ll need to use something like older versions of Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) or Make The Cut (MTC). These programs allow you to use SVG files with your Cricut. However, Provo Craft has made it so these two programs cannot work with the Cricut, so if you didn’t get either program purchased before a couple months ago (like April/May 2011), then you won’t be able to use it with Cricut.

And if you don’t have a digital craft cutter? No worries. You can create it digitally! There are PNG/JPG files in this kit as well. THIS POST has some great information on how to do that.

Distribution and Use of the File

I need to keep the file size down by NOT including the printable items as Print & Cuts for Silhouette. But most of the printables are straight cuts, so they should be easy to work with.

Here’s what you get:

Two printable composite files in PNG format only. These composite filenames start with “tt” to indicate the “This & That” project.
Two composite files of the cuttable shapes. These composite filenames also start with “tt”.
Individual cuttable files named according to the descriptive style of shape for easier sorting. These files are made for all uses and are not sized and trimmed for the 7gypsies tray.
The same cuttable shapes as PNG files (no JPGs) for all you digital crafters.

Due to file size issues, there are no individual files for the printable images (in the composite files). I thought it might be nice to have them larger than the print file in case you wanted to use them on a larger scale. Use the Crop tool in your photo editing software with the composite printable files if you want to use them individually.

The two printable composite files look like this.

These files you print on your printer and trim using a paper trimmer or scissors as needed. Most of these are the background pieces for the slots of the 7gypsies tray.

The two cuttable composite files like this, but not in color.

These are the files you’ll use with your cutter (Silhouette, Cricut, Wishblade, Pazzles, etc.) to cut your cardstock pieces and layer with the pieces above in your 7gypsies tray.

Some of the other software programs, like MTC or SCAL, may adjust the size of the image when importing. If this occurs, resize it proportionally. The first file has a width of 7.5″and the second file has a width of 7.52″.

Here’s a few more project tips (also refer to yesterday’s post for ‘how to’ tips):

Use a photo paper or presentation paper to print your printables at home. I like using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (Matte or Lustre) or Epson Premium Presentation Paper (Matte). Or, take it to your local photo devleoper.
The printable background pieces can only fit into the square for which it was designed.
Double cut your images by copying and pasting the image on top of itself in your cutting software. That way you can be assured of a clean cut, especially on the small images. Another nifty trick is to use vinyl. It cuts nicely, plus you don’t need adhesive.
If this is your first time working with a This & That kit, HERE is some information on the magnets I use so that I can easily swap out the pieces all year long.

Where to find the tray.

Tomorrow I will post the ‘Just Shapes’ version of this kit along with the very first three kits.

this+that: freedom

Kerri — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Did you ever just have one of those days? Why is it my ‘days’ are always when I’m trying to get one of these kits done? I swear, I can never have a ‘smooth sailing’ this&that kit process. Why is that???

Today’s adventure began when I needed a couple of inks so I could print out my printables. Needed light magenta and wanted yellow. Only had light magenta. After coming home with half a purchase, only then did I realize that I only had one full sheet of photo paper left.

What???

So I had to break up the one printable sheet to print on 4×6 photo paper.

And that’s just how the day started. . . . Let’s just say I thought I’d be done at noon. ;)

Oh well. All is well now. The kit is done and here for your viewing pleasure. And I want to retake these in a better light too . . .

So, I have to start off by saying something about the banana seat bike. For the past week or two (and it may have something to do with the trend of bikes I’ve been doing in these warm-weather kits), I’ve been thinking about that red and white bike I used to own.

I’m actually admitting to doing something very dorky as a child. That’s just how I roll.

I remember being 7 years old riding that bike (ohhhh, how I loved that bike!) and singing in my carefree way the commercial “Yum, yum, Bumblebee, Bumblebee Tuna….”

(Does that date me or what???)

I mean, seriously, how can you not like this commercial? How can you notfeel so carefree and want to eat tuna? (Sorry, wish I could find a better quality version)

Ohhhhh, the good ol’ days. When life was just a matter of what simple toy to play with, ‘should I wear the mustard paisley pants today’, and making sure you stayed ‘in the lines’.

Simple times.

Enough reminiscing. I guess we should get back to the task at hand, eh?

Here’s a few tips about the kit:

Uncle Sam Hat.

Tie a ribbon on paperclip and attach to tan flourish and sunburst piece. Adhere to bottom of the red cardstock triangle, leaving a little spot to add a paper clip.

Layer in this order: blue hat background, white hat background, red stripes, white band background, blue star band. Assemble and adhere the band before putting it on the hat. It really fits one way–including the stars should be facing upright.

Adhere hat under paper clip and add a couple of rhinestones as shown.

FOR CREATING DIGITALLY. If you you are putting this together as a digital version, add a red rectangle (1.6875 x .51) to the top of the tan section piece. The complete rectangle will be 1.6875 x 2.5.

Firecracker.

Adhere red stripe firecracker piece to white backing. Adhere white “burst” to the red firecracker piece. Adhere to background.

Rooster / Banner.

Adhere blue banner piece to white banner piece, making sure all the sections line up evenly. Adhere to red banner piece. Adhere blue half circle to top of banner. Adhere ensemble to tan background.

Adhere “usa”, “land of the free” and rooster in that order. Add star or circle gem to end of “land of the free”.

Star / Sunburst.

Adhere sunburst to white/red distressed background. Adhere dark blue star to light blue star background. Tie string or something shiny around the star and adhere to background.

Vertical Flag.

Adhere components to red/white distressed background in this order: red flag stripes, blue square, ”old glory” label over seam of flag, and white primitive star in the center of remaining blue space. Staple star as shown.

The Matchbox.

Okay, this is the tricky one. :) If you fold it just right, you really only need adhesive at the very last step because it all folds into each other. The hard part is explaining how to do this, but let’s give it a whirl.

Fold every scored piece towards the center. You won’t need to do anything with it, we’re just making sure that everything has been folded. The texture will be on the outside and the smooth will be on the inside.

Fold the two long sides so that the outermost section has been folded over the next section and then it stands upright to make the edge of the box. Repeat for the other side.

Now, if you’ll look at one of the ends, you’ll see four little square sections as well as the top end rectangle sections. With those two long sides already folded, more or less match up the four little squares and fold the top rectangle section over the four little squares. While this can hold, it might be best to eventually add a little adhesive to make sure it’s stays secure.

Repeat for other end.

Once you are sure you have it all down right, secure the two rectangle ends inside the box.

For the Outer Box, fold along all score lines. I liked to ensure it’s proper shape by wrapping it around the inside box before adhering the two flaps together. Make sure it slides in and out too.

Okay, so depending on whether or not you have little wanna-be pyros in the house you can choose–or not choose–to put matches in it. Since I believe my kids to be “adults” (although it’s still up for debate way too often), I went ahead and put some in there. If anyone pilfers them during this month to light the barbecue or fireworks, they are dead.

I also cut off about 1/4″ of the matches to fit in the box.

America.

Fold banner so that end pieces tuck under the main section and adhere to tan background. Adhere light blue primitive star to center. Adhere “america” title on top.

Barbecue.Parade.Sparklers.

Punch 5 extra circles with your 1″ circle punch and adhere under each icon piece for added dimension, if you’d like. i like. :)

Bang.

I found the best way to do this was to put the adhesive on the back and then wrap the string around a few times. Then I put it down on the background before tying it in a knot–kind of picking up any slack.

You could also punch holes into the background on each side of the word and string it through there.

Bike With Banners.

Adhere all but the top part of the handle bars of the bike down so that you can tuck the banner under it when the time comes. Wrap and adhere the two banners around toothpicks. Adhere the banners to the background over the bike, but under the handlebars–as shown. There will be a little excess toothpick hanging over on the light blue banner–trim with scissors.

Ticket and Highway Sign.

Adhere in this order: highway sign, “04″, ticket, and blue arrow. Add staples over arrow. Add star or round gems above the ticket.

Stars & Stripes.

Make sure the “p” in “stripes” aligns with the edge of the background. Same with the ampersand (&) edge.

GIFT IDEAS

The matchbox would make a cute add-on gift for someone . . . like to put along with bbq tools, or as a thank you for an invite to a bbq, a little gift package of fireworks . . . anything really.

And the Philadelphia would make a cute bag topper. Maybe fill the bag with licorice and top it off with a fold-over piece of cardstock with that label on it. Maybe a bag of sparklers. Possibilities are endless.

I think those two items are my faves of the kit.

Preorders will go out later on tonight.