Pencil-outline Cutting with Scan n Cut

Some images and especially sentiments can be challenging for the SnC. This particular stamp set has a lot of feathery little areas and broken lines. Here's one way to cut images like this.

  

1. Draw around the image with a pencil:
 
2. Scan to Direct Cut, using the Black/White setting. Frame the scanned image with the arrows.
 
3. Click on the double circle tool (offset??). Adjust the border to a negative number. I used -0.02 and -0.03. By using a negative border, the image should cut INSIDE the pencil line so you don't have to erase it.
 
4. Cut the image - erase any stray pencil lines that are left. Here are the results from the three images I tried. With a -0.03 border, the pencil line is removed when the image is cut.
 

Other methods involve tracing the outline on an acetate sheet, but this pencil-outline method is quick and easy.

Valentines and Mermaids

Wow! It's been a REALLY long time since I've updated this page. I guess it's about time.

My January class is this Saturday. I was so excited to order the new FSJ Magical Unicorn set immediately when the Bloom This Way mini came out on January 1st! My granddaughter loves unicorns, so this set will get plenty of use, and I had lots of great ideas for a card to make for January's class. Then it was BACK-ORDERED!!! :-(   I figured I'd better come up with an alternative (good thing I did!) in case it didn't come in time.  So....unicorns are magic and so are mermaids! I used a previous Bloom Box set, Mermaid Kisses. It's still available, but only while supplies last. (I'm thinking about bringing the unicorn along Saturday - so folks can choose whether they want a mermaid or a unicorn.) Both sets have matching dies available.
  

And, since we're at the end of January, Valentine's Day is coming up, so a treat box is also on the agenda. I got the idea for this one right off the Funs Stampers Journey blog. It's fun to make, and a great way to package up some cookies or Valentine candy. Now I just need to bake and frost some cookies to take along for snacks.