Balzer Designs

ScanNCut DX: Halloween Lantern

Today I've got an epic Halloween project tutorial for you! The video is literally packed with information on how to build your own cut files in CanvasWorkspace for Mac. We are building four files: a jack o'lantern, bats, spider webs, and Halloween text.

Then we use the roll feeder and the ScanNCut DX to cut out the four designs from a single roll of Brother vinyl. Throw some Christmas lights and/or LED candles inside the lantern and you've got Halloween magic that lasts year after year!

Watch the video for the how-to:

SUPPLIES:

• Brother Vinyl: https://amzn.to/2MMdksG
• Transfer Sheet: https://amzn.to/2MM4riY
• Roll Feeder: https://amzn.to/2ZvLabf
• ScanNCut DX: https://amzn.to/2ZEMepy
• Hook Tool: https://amzn.to/2NBBMwx
• Scraper Tool: https://amzn.to/2MJV4jC
• Brayer: https://amzn.to/2ZBGzAg
• Lantern (the exact one I used is no longer available, but this one is close): https://amzn.to/2MK3B63

Thanks for stopping by!

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P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut.  It is a machine that I love and use.  All projects and opinions are my own.

Product Registration: https://www.brother-usa.com/registermybrother/
Brother Customer Support: https://www.brother-usa.com/support/

ScanNCut DX: Clean Your Scanner Glass

Hello!  Let's talk about cleaning the scanner glass on your ScanNCut DX.  The scanning feature is one of the most powerful and unique features that ScanNCut has to offer.  Occasionally, you may notice a line or a dot or a missing section in your scans. 

What's up with that?  Well, it's nothing to worry about.  It just means that you need to clean that scanner glass.  And in this video, I show you how to do it:

Super easy, right?  And once I cleaned the scanner, here is what I made with the scan of that simple drawing:

I turned the drawing into a stencil...

...and then used the stencil to make lots of pretty prints!

My ScanNCut is a stencil making beast -- easily one of my favorite features of the machine.

Thanks for stopping by!

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P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut.  It is a machine that I love and use.  All projects and opinions are my own.

Product Registration: https://www.brother-usa.com/registermybrother/
Brother Customer Support: https://www.brother-usa.com/support/

ScanNCut: Fall Home Banner

Today is the first day of Fall!  I figured that it might be the perfect time to share this Fall-themed project:

This super fun ScanNCut banner incorporates some basic sewing on no-ravel materials like cork fabric and felt.

No-ravel materials make this project quick and easy because they require absolutely no finishing!

The best part is that this entire project uses built-in designs from the ScanNCut DX225!  If you haven't taken the time to explore what's already built into your machine, I hope that you will.

Watch the video for the how-to:

Here are the basics:

1. Choose banner shape.
2. Load a mat with cork fabric on it.
3. Cut the shape from cork fabric.
4. Choose a font.
5. Resize the text.
6. Load a mat with four colors of stiff felt on it.
7. Cut letters from felt.
8. Tack felt letters to cork fabric banners with a glue stick.

9. Sew fabric letters to cork fabric banners.
10. Cut small strips from excess cork fabric.
11. Use the strips to create loops for the banner pieces.  Stitch the loops in place.
12. Choose one of the rolled flower designs.
13. Cut it from patterned paper.
14. Roll the flower.
15. Fold the base along the perforation line.
16. Release the rolled flower and glue to base.

17. Choose a leaf design.
18. Scan in felt scraps and place designs so they fit on the scraps.
19. If you have extra room on your scraps, keep adding various leaf designs.
20. Cut leaves and other embellishments from felt.
21. Glue felt embellishments to the back of each paper flower.
22. String a ribbon through the cork fabric banners, leaving enough room for the paper flowers.
23. Glue each flower/embellishment combo onto the ribbon between banners and at the two ends.
24. Hang in your home and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!  Thanks for stopping by!

(Also, because I know someone will ask, I took the photos of the finished banner at my Mom's house in her beautiful dining room!)

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P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut.  It is a machine that I love and use.  All projects and opinions are my own.

Product Registration: https://www.brother-usa.com/registermybrother/
Brother Customer Support: https://www.brother-usa.com/support/

PanPastels on the Gelatin Plate

Birgit Koopsen is hosting a month-long gelatin-printing party on her instagram.  Several days ago I watched a video she shared on using PanPastels on the Gelli Plate.  I immediately went tearing through my studio to grab the supplies I needed and began to experiment.  I shared a video of my first experiment on instagram earlier this week (if you can't see the video, click on the title of this blog post):

Here are my two favorite prints from that video:

But you know meI had to keep going because I looooooove to experiment!  So I decided to see if I could make the technique work on black paper with black paint.

The answer, is a resounding, yes!!

And now, I've put together a quick tutorial video for you -- answering a lot of the questions I got on instagram and providing all of the little details to make you successful -- and the video includes a super fun technique at the end, that doesn't involve stencils at all:

Here are some of the prints from the video:

Supplies:

• PanPastels
• Sofft Tools
• Gelatin Plate
• Brayer
• Fluid Acrylics
• Black Watercolor Paper
• Baby Oil
• Spring Medallion Stencil
• Fantastical Stencil
• Faithful Tree Stencil

I hope you'll try using PanPastel for monoprinting.  It's truly addictive!

Thanks for stopping by!

NEW: ScanNCut DX Disney Machine!

I'm super excited to share that Brother has released an extremely limited Disney ScanNCut DX!  This machine is the DX you've come to know and love (AutoBlade, whisper quiet, 3mm cutting, etc.) with some awesome Disney extras!  I take you through all of it in this unboxing video, but here are the basics:

• The machine comes loaded with exclusive Disney designs.
• Cutting designs include rhinestone designs -- built right into the machine!  This is the only ScanNCut that doesn't require you to go through CanvasWorkspace in order to cut rhinestone designs.  You can cut the built-in rhinestone designs quickly and easily, especially because...
• The machine comes with a mini-version of the Rhinestone Starter Kit!
• The machine comes with a ton of accessories, including the brand new Tool Kit! 

(If you already have a DX, you can purchase the Tool Kit separately.)

Watch the video for more:

Here is the starter project that I made in the video (instructions and even the paper to make it come in the box):

The Disney ScanNCut DX is sold exclusively through the Brother Dealer network.  You can find your local dealer by inputting your zip code here.

Thanks for stopping by!

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P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut.  It is a machine that I love and use.  All projects and opinions are my own.

Product Registration: https://www.brother-usa.com/registermybrother/
Brother Customer Support: https://www.brother-usa.com/support/