I recently participated in Cloth Paper Scissors "Road Test" section, where they ask artists to make something with a particular product. They sent me a roll of red Kraft-Tex.
I had experimented with Kraft-Tex a few times before. It's a fascinating product. It's paper, but you can wash it and sew it like fabric. It has some similarities to leather in appearance. It doesn't tear and it takes paint easily. A lot of people use it for bags and journal covers.
If you know me, you know that I always want to do something different. I wanted to make something that took advantage of all of Kraft-Tex's unusual qualities. After sitting and thinking for a while, I decided to make a decorative bowl -- creating the bowl shape by stitching.
I used my Dramatic Floral stencil to create a pattern inside the bowl, but I left the outside plain.
I love the way it turned out! You can find step-by-step instructions as well as other artist's experiments with Kraft-Tex in the current (and final) issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine!
In the one-day class we will be making the first three projects:
A paper lamp:
A card with drawing and an envelope:
A notebook with layered vinyl:
A tote bag featuring scanned handwriting:
A no-sew fabric pillow cover with a design created by you:
And a stamped gift box:
Not only will you walk away with an amazing collection of finished projects, but each project is designed to teach you ScanNCut skills -- from blade depth to scanning to on screen editing, I will cover it all.
2018 marks my FIVE-YEAR anniversary with the ScanNCut. Over time, people have asked me how I got started with the ScanNCut?
Through a series of happy accidents, back in 2013, I ended up at a focus group for a yet-to-be-released product called the ScanNCut. The folks at Brother pretty much pointed us at the machines and let us play. I was blown away. It was so easy to create cut files from my drawings! I could create custom stencils with just a scan and some cutting! I was also unhappy with some things and I stood up and said them. A lot of them. And then the most shocking thing happened, they called me and wanted to know more. It's one of the things that I really appreciate about Brother -- as a company. They are always interested in feedback and making their products better and more user friendly with every iteration.
Over the years, I've made cards...
Home Decor:
Creative Patchwork:
Silicone Stamps:
3-D Objects:
Stickers:
Stencils:
Decorations:
Cookie Stenciling:
Easter Eggs:
Candle "Holders":
Baby Gifts:
Scrapbook Pages:
T-Shirts:
Pencil Cases:
Foam Stamps:
Flowers (that's felt):
And even an umbrella:
Believe it or not, these are just a few of the hundreds of projects I've made with my ScanNCut over the years. I hope that you've enjoyed learning about your ScanNCut as I've learned and explored with my own! While it's true that I get paid to create videos and share posts about the ScanNCut, it is a machine that I love and use. I can hardly imagine my crafty life without my ScanNCut! One of the reasons that I've been able to spend five years talking about my love for the ScanNCut is because that love is genuine and true. I look forward to sharing more ScanNCut projects and ideas and techniques in the coming years too!
I will be on HSN tomorrow (11/6/18) with the ScanNCut DX and the PTouch Embellish at 7am and 6pm EST!
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.
I had the great pleasure of teaching a two-day ScanNCut class focused on using the ScanNCut as a tool for making art tools.
It was a great group of people from all over the country -- Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, Vermont, California, and Texas.
And we had so much fun making stamps, screens, stencils, masks, and more!
I even made screenprinted cookies for the students, using a screen I cut with my ScanNCut!
Don't worry, a tutorial for the screenprinted cookies is coming!
AND, I'm so pleased to share that I will be teaching two different in-person ScanNCut classes for Sewing Machines Plus in California in December. I'll share a bit more of an in-depth look at those classes next week, but here are the links if you're curious:
Put on some black clothes and this cat mask made from felt and you're ready to go! Watch the video for the how to:
I used two different kinds of felt to make the mask: acrylic craft felt for the mask base and stiff felt for all of the decorative elements. The one negative about cutting acrylic craft felt is that it really messes up your mat. It takes a long time to clean all of that fuzz off of the mat and I hate cleaning. The stiff felt, on the other hand, leaves behind almost no residue. I do share my mat cleaning tips in the video, but if I were to do the project again, I would probably use stiff felt for the base so that I wouldn't have to take the time to clean the mat.
Use a brayer to strongly adhere the felt to the mat.
Use the metal spatula to help pull the felt pieces off of the mat.
To get the most out of your mats, clean the felt fuzz off of the High Tack Fabric Support Sheet right away using an alcohol free, fragrance free baby wipe & the metal spatula.
This is a fun and easy project with great results!
I hope you give it a try!
Also, if you're not a costume person and you just want to decorate, there are some super cute new cut files for sale on CanvasWorkspace.
I used the treat box cut file (upper right in the image above and larger below)...
...but added my own flair with some glitter...
...and a few bats (one of the built-in cut files in the DX225):
You're supposed to put candy inside the box, but I thought the shadow was too cool to do that:
I love that it's so easy to add your own personal touch to any of the cut files you purchase -- choose your own colors, add elements, take away elements. No one says that you have to create the item as intended. Add your own flair!
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.
Please note that some links on this blog contain affiliate links and I receive a small percentage of those sales. Rest assured, I never recommend a product that I don't believe in. :)
