Contour Cards • Silhouette Tutorial

Cutting files should be available at the online store on Tuesday 9/17/2013

Project Description: 
I have designed a series of all-occassion greeting cards using a design concept inspired by contour lines on a map. Combining that linear element with using papers in gradated colors creates a stunning card design that is easy to cut and assemble. The series includes a variety of themes but all have a strong graphic element and the distinctive contour lines created by stacking cut paper.  Most of the designs provided both a positive and negative shape both of which can be used resulting in two cards.

The first series I am releasing (and the ones used to create this tutorial) is the Sun, Star, Arrow series shown below.  This tutorial applies to all of the contour card designs. The process is the same. The shapes are different.

• Cutting File for Geometric Sun here.
• Cutting File for Arrow here.
• Cutting file for Triple Star here.

Here are the file images. Each image shows the two possible designs from the one file download plus little gray images that show the actual cut shapes and how many there are.

Contour Card -Geometric Sun

Contour Card - Arrow

Contour Card - Triple Stars

• These cards are sized to fit in standard computerized invitation sized envelopes (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") so you can quickly create beautiful cards to send or to group and give as gifts. A collection of these would be a perfect hostess gift or a thank you gift to a teacher. Or how about getting some Christmas gifts done. These would be perfect for the neighbor, or the surprise person.

Group 2:

The second group of designs is a puncutation series including the ampersand, question mark and dollar sign. 

• Cutting file for Ampersand Contour Card here.
• Cutting file for Dollar Sign Contour Card here.
• Cutting file for Question Mark Contour Card here.

Group 3:

The third group of designs continues with the puncutation series. I find these shapes beautifully graphic and so appropriate for many types of cards. It includes the exclamation point, the hashtag and the @ sign. 

• Cutting file for @ sign Contour Card here.
• Cutting file for Hashtag Contour Card here .
• Cutting file for Exclamation Point Contour Card here .

Note:

I am a new Silhouette Contributing Artist. Both my Silhouette files and this website are the beginning. Send along any suggestions, problems, ideas or photos as we learn to create together. I'd love to hear from you!  Marji Roy 

eMail: ashbeedesignemail@gmail.com
Tutorial assembled using Silhouette Software Release 2.7.18. This tutorial assumes you already know how to use the Silhouette and Silhouette software.

Supplies Needed:

• Template from Silhouette On-Line Store here (Coming soon).
• Sunburst file
• Arrow file
• Triple Star File
• Spray adhesive
• Silhouette Cameo or Portrait
• Card Stock - in many colors

Steps for completing the Contour Cards:

1. Download the cutting file for your Silhouette Cutting machine from the Silhouette Online Store (Link above).

2. Prepare the files:

• The downloaded Silhouette file for the Contour Stars Card looks like this. 

• Different designs have different numbers of layers. Some have 4, 5 or 6.

3. Separate the files. 

• Copy each layer and paste it into its own new file.
• Each layer must be cut from a different color of card stock.
• You can duplicate each file and paste it 4 times on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock and make 4 matching cards at once. This is a great time saver if you are making collections to give as gifts.

4. Cut the files.

• The settings will depend on the paper you use. I have been using card stock and cutting at a speed of 3, a depth of 33 and the blade set to 4.
• Cut each layer from a different color.
• Carefully separate the parts and stack them up. It is easy to flip things over and then they won't match as precisely so work with an organized approach.
• I also mark the back side and the top with just a pen dot, especially the circular designs like the radial sun. It helps from getting them mixed up if you accidentally drop them all on the floor.

5. Create the card backing.

• These designs are made to fit on a 1/2 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 card stock.
• Choose a background color and cut it in half the short way using a paper cutter.
• Crease the fold seam using a bone folding tool. 
• Fold in half. Make two.
• Below are all the parts from the arrow pattern. It will make two cards 

6. Set-up a spray adhesive location. 

• Here is mine:

• I work in my sunroom with all the doors open for good ventilation.
• I cover the table and floor with plastic ( I save old shower curtain liners for this purpose.)
• I set-up a recycled large cardboard box as my spray booth.
• I cut newspaper to use to spray on.
• I have an assembly area off to the side.

6. Assemble the cards. 

• I put the first two layers face down and spray the back side.

• I quickly and carefully position it on the white folded card and press. Alignment is important.

• Quickly add the second color carefully lining up the outside edges. They match perfectly. The center stagger is correct if you line up the outsides.

• Continue with each layer until all are in place.

• Then do the same with the negative shapes on another piece of folded card stock.
• You can be creative with these pieces. Here I staggered the arrows instead of placing them exactly on top of each other.

• I liked that dynamic better for this shape..

• Here are the two finished cards for the Arrow Contour Card File

• Here are the Stars Contour Card file completed:

• Here are examples of the Geometric Star file. For those I stacked the negative shapes directly on top and didn't stagger them.

• And I experimented with different color combinations.

Have fun with it!

**********

© 2013 Marji Roy, Ashbee Design

Ledge Village Library

Project Description: 

The Ledge Village is series of 3D buildings and accessories that can be combined in a mix and match fashion to build tiny villages on small ledges around your home.  The buildings are thin, with all detail on the front so they fit on small trim ledges. This tutorial is for the Town Library. It is to be used with the other Ledge Village files. It is shown here with trees and fences from the Greek Revival House and a park bench from the Store file.

Other files in the series include:

• 3D Fire Station • Tutorial
• 3D Store 2 and Park Bench • Tutorial
• 3D Dormer House • Tutorial
• 3D Train Station • Tutorial
• 3D Backyard Necessities - Outhouse and Swing • Tutorial
• 3D Store and Gazebo File • Tutorial
• 3D Barn File  • Tutorial
• 3D School House File  • Tutorial
• 3D Church File  • Tutorial
• 3D Cottage File • Tutorial
• 3D Two Story House File • Tutorial
• 3D Greek Revival House File • Tutorial

And there are more to come!


Here is a view of my growing ledge village......

Ledge Village Library Tutorial

Note:
I am a new Silhouette Contributing Artist. Both my Silhouette files and this website are the beginning. Send along any suggestions, problems, ideas or photos as we learn to create together. I'd love to hear from you!  Marji Roy 

eMail: ashbeedesignemail@gmail.com
Tutorial assembled using Silhouette Software Release 2.7.18. This tutorial assumes you already know how to use the Silhouette and Silhouette software.

Supplies Needed:

• Template from Silhouette On-Line Store here.
• Glue dots 3/16"
• Scotch Tape
• Silhouette Cameo or Portrait
• Card Stock 

Steps for completing the Library:

1. Download the cutting file for your Silhouette Cutting machine from the Silhouette Online Store here.

2. Prepare the files:

• The downloaded Silhouette file for the library looks like this. 

• It is laid out on a 12 x 18" mat and needs to be split into two separate files for cutting. Each file will fit on an 8.5 x 11" piece of card stock so it will work on both a Cameo and Portrait cutting machine.
• Copy the Library back and wings and paste it into a new file.

• Copy the Library Center and roofs plus the trim piece  and paste into a new file.

3. Cut the files.

• The settings will depend on the paper you use. I have been using white index card stock and cutting at a speed of 3, a depth of 33 and the blade set to 2.
• Carefully remove the cut files from the backing mat.
• Here are the parts for this project. 

4. Curl the pillars and fold the doors in.

• There are four fake pillars on the front of the library. Take a round object - I used a small Phillips head screw driver - and wrap each of the pillar areas around it. The goal is to curve them back toward the building. They will be the fronts of pillars and only curve back half way.

• It is also helpful to fold the doors in at this point because it is harder to do later.

5. Fold all the fold lines on the library center.

• Note each cut file has dotted lines. These are fold lines. 
• Fold all the dotted lines inward except the front portico area with pillars. That gets folded forward.

6. Glue the library center together.

• I like to use Glue Dots on the edges although other glue types are appropriate. 
• It is important to make square corners. 
• Start by gluing the bottom corners in place to form the base of the building. Do this on both lower corners of this piece.

• Use glue dots to glue up the side seam and glue together the roof peak.

• Glue together the other half of the peak.

• Fold up the portico with pillars. The roof flaps on this piece are glued on top of the roof in place. Back edges should line up leaving the pillars spaced out from the front just a little bit.

• The library center is a completed unit. 

7.  Glue the library back and wings together.

• First fold on all the fold lines.
• All fold lines go to the back EXCEPT the two flaps on the wings that are in the center. Those fold forward.

• Using glue dots, glue the two side walls to the floor in the bottom corners working to keep things square.

• Glue the side walls to the roofs. There are two tabs on each half that need to be glued to hold the roof in place.

• Next glue the back to the side walls and roof but look carefully. You will see two little notches in the top of the back wall. They are tiny.  That is a visual mark to show where the inside corner should line up. This is important so the center will fit in place.

• I used scotch tape to hold the inside flaps of the wings to the center back.

8. Combine the center with the wings.

• The center slides into the space between the two wings. Test it first and then add glue dots and glue it into place. It should be a close fit.

9. Add the decorative trim.

• The trim gets glued on along the front of the wing just below the roof line. It is then bent up, across the front of the portico, back to the other wing and across that as well. You can continue along the side walls if you want. I used regular glue (not dots) for this part.

9. Add the roof covers.

• There are two roof pieces. Start with the larger one. It covers the two wings. Glue it in place over the two wings. It should have over hangs on both ends and the front.
• There are two flaps which fold forward and get glued onto the top of the center portion.

• Next add the roof cover for the portico. It covers the flaps just glued down from the back roof.

• Put glue dots on the underside of the cover for the main peak and glue that into place.
• That completes the Ledge Village Library!

Place on the ledge with other buildings from Ledge Village.

• I use Blu Tak or a similar product to attach to the walls with a material that doesn't damage the wall and is easy to re-position.

**********

© 2013 Marji Roy, Ashbee Design