The Cut Shoppe: Crazy Hair Day

Hello! Michelle back with you again and today I am showcasing the super fun background cut file Quirky Quads from The Cut Shoppe!

Recently I have been playing around with more mixed media, spray inks to be more exact, and when I went searching through the cut files I was looking specifically for something that would allow for the color from my inks to peak through. The Quirky Quads cut file, which is avaialbe in both and 12x12 and 8.5x11, was just perfect!

For my layout I didn't need the entire background, so I cut just a few rows out to layer underneath the photos. To adhere the quads to the cardstock I used just a little bit of glue and then machine stitched through them.

Wishing you the best day!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: The Sweet Life

Hello! Today I want to share a new layout featuring the A Way with Words cut file set from The Cut Shoppe.

This cut file set has to be one of my faves for the simple reason that I love cursive writing. This set mimics a natural written alphabet and it is just plain pretty.  When I sat down with these two pictures of my daughter a lady bug, I thought this cut file would be a good compliment to this sweet story. Here is what I did:

When cutting out words and phrases that are in a thinner font, I find it almost imperative to cut it out of a bold or dark color. Something light could have definitely gotten lost on this busy layout, but since I chose a black polka dot paper the title is able to stand out.

I really had a lot of fun putting this layout together. I went and pulled out some "older" papers and mixed them with some newer embellishments. I so enjoyed this that I am going to double up my efforts to use more of my stash. 

Wishing you all a great day!

The Cut Shoppe: These Days

It's confession time:  I totally stink at coming up with titles. Honestly, I am awful at it. So you can bet when The Cut Shoppe comes out with a new set of titles, I am all over it! Today I want to share a new layout featuring the Daily Grind cut file set from The Cut Shoppe which includes some fun and creative titles!

Most of the time when I am using a title cut from my Silhouette, I like to adhere it with pop dots. My reason for this is that since I almost always cut the titles from patterned paper, the added dimension provided by the pop dots helps to create more definition which makes my title easier to read. This time though, I tried something different. Instead of using pop dots on each word, I only did one word and slightly layered it over the second word.  This is what it looks like:

I really liked the difference between the two words and thought that it added a nice bit of interest. It also placed a little more emphasis on the "these," which quite acurately reflect my thought regarding this particular picture and time. Time is moving at lightening speed with this guy and boy am I soaking in "these" last few years with him at home. 

Here's a look at the completed project:

Next time you are working with a title or phrase, try varying the dimension and see what you can come up with. I can imagine all sorts of possibilities! 

Wishing you a great day!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Yes

Good morning! Today I am excited to share my latest layout featuring an oldie but goodie cut file--the Pie Hearts Cut File--which is probably my most favorite and most used cut file from The Cut Shoppe!

What makes this my most used cut file, is that it makes a good embellishment.  Whenever I  feel like a project needs a simple and classic embellishment to help make a focal point, this set of hearts almost always comes to mind. They are also super versatile. I can enlarge one and back with patterned paper to make an impact or I can use them in a smaller sizes to move the eye around the page like I did in this layout:

Now, the only challenge I have when using these hearts is adhering them. If I want them flat on my page--no problem--however, I usually want at least one popping off the page and this requires some sort of foam adhesive. Most of the time I only have foam squares available, which are too big. What I do though is simply cut them up with my scissors into small strips to layer underneith the thin lines of the hearts as you can see here, in this photo.

How about you--Do you have any special method for making your cut files dimensional or do you roll like me and alter foam squares??  Whatever gets the job done, right? Wishing you a happy day!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Take Note

Hello! On this last day of April I want to to share a new layout featuring one of the recent releases from The Cut Shoppe! Since its appearance in the store, I have been eyeing the beautiful floral garlands from the Spring Fling cut file and they instantly came to mind when I was considering how to scrap a super sweet picture of my youngest daughter and her daddy.

When I see a circular shape, like the garlands, I immediately think of "framing."  This could mean framing a title or in my case, framing the picture.

By using the garland to frame this sweet picture, I am bringing the attention straight to where I want it.

Using a circular shape is also an invitation to layer--pairing together the diecut floral garland with pretty papers is always a favorite technique.

To see me more inspiration from The Cut Shoppe, make sure and stop by the blog!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Happy Moments

Hello!  Today I am super excited to share my new layout with you featuring the I'll Fly Away cut file from The Cut Shoppe:

I would argue that this is indeed, the loveliest cut file ever! Seriously, it's gorgeous. Spring always brings out the butterflies from my supplies and this cut file is one I know I will use again and again. Take a look at my first project made with the I'll Fly Away cut file:

Going into this project, I knew I wanted to move the butterflies off center, to make it look like they were flying off of the page. To back the butterflies, I had pulled out several pieces of patterned papers in a variety of spring colors, but then I laid my eyes on the gorgeous sheet of black floral patterned paper from Maggie Holme's Bloom collection and I knew it was the perfect choice. I will have to admit though, I had a hard time cutting that paper down--it is definitely one of those papers that are almost too perfect to cut up! I am sure glad I did though!

Most of the time, putting together a layout for me is about telling a story, but I will have to admit that this time is was all about the butterflies! Wishing you a super day and looking forward to seeing how you all use this beautiful cut file!

The Cut Shoppe: Happy Story

Hello! This past weekend it was my turn on the The Cut Shoppe blog and now I want to share my layout that features the new Happy Clouds cut file here with you!

When I went to work on my layout, my intial idea was to back the fun clouds with a variety of patterned paper AND to place everything on top of a colorful background (as opposed to my usual white or neutral color.) Well, I went as far as going with a bolder peachy pink grid background, but could not commit to also backing the clouds with patterned paper. My reason for abandoning this idea was that I already had so much color going on and I felt uncomfortable adding any more. Lately I find myself really pulling to a more simple style of scrapbooking and keeping the clouds as is fell more in line with this approach.

Since I was not going to use additional color to make the clouds pop off the page, I adhered them with pop dots to give them that extra bit of dimension my layout needed.  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Hooray

Hello! Today I want to share with you my latest layout using some of the new cut files from The Cut Shoppe!

Scrapbooking my teenager can be a little tricky sometimes--he's definitely no longer in the cute little boy stage and I struggle a little when it comes to finding both products and designs that are more reflective of his present age. When the Boys Rule cut file was released, I was so happy to have some super cool designs to use for layouts about my son. The set is definitely versatile and I love that the motifs aren't too age specific.

Here is what I did:

One technique that I haven't really done too much with is backing my cut files with patterned paper and that was something I wanted to try with this layout. I used three circles, backed them with a bright yellow patterned paper, and placed them around the layout in a classic triangle configuration-one by the photo, one by the title, and one by the journaling. The fun cut files move the eye around to all the important elements on my page.

As I was finishing this layout, I thought of another way I could use these on page and I am already itching to get this idea down on paper! Love it when inspiration comes so quickly :).  Now, if I can just get this guy to stop being so busy and let me take some more pictures!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Love Is All You Need

Happy Valentine's Day! In honor of this fun and sweet day, I decided to create a layout focusing on our family's littlest members--Mr. Cuddles and Squeakers! Our two little guys certainly have a place in their hearts for their humans, but the love they have for each other is beyond compare. To help tell this story I used one of The Cut Shoppe's most recent releases-Love Struck.

For my 6x8 layout, I chose to use the "Love is All You Need" title:

These two guys are seriously the cutest! Whenever they are apart they make all sorts of noises and search everywhere for each other.

Wishing you all the loveliest of days!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Feel the Love Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my stop on The Cut Shoppe's Feel the Love Blog Hop!

The Cut Shoppe is starting off this Valentine's Day Weekend with a fun blog hop full of heartfelt inspiration from the Design Team! In celebration of this lovely holiday, The Cut Shoppe is holding 2 giveaways, giving away a free cut file on The Cut Shoppe Blog, and we also have a discount code for you! That's a whole lot of love going on!

For my project, I chose the love themed Feel the Love cut file and put it to work on an layout documenting my daughter, the artist!

Often times I find myself looking for a bigger element to stand out as the "main" embellishment and thought the heart would work just perfectly.

I really liked how the heart brings the attention straight to my smiling daughter and her work of art.

Now earlier, I mentioned 2 giveaways and here are the details: 

GIVEAWAY #1:  Each Designer participating in the Hop, is giving away one Cut File.  Make sure you visit each Blog and leave a comment for the chance to win.  Winners will be announced on the Designer's Blog on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, so make sure you check back on their Blogs to see if you're a Winner!  

GIVEAWAY #2:  You can win 14 of your favorite cut files, just by commenting throughout the Hop.  Leave a comment on each Blog, starting with The Cut Shoppe Blog, for the chance to win.  One Winner will be chosen from all of the Blog comments, and announced on The Cut Shoppe Blog on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th.  The Winner will be able to choose 14 cut file sets from The Cut Shoppe Etsy store! 

**For my stop on the Hop, I am giving away the Feel the Love cut file, so make sure and leave me a comment telling me who your valentine is!

Here is a list of the designers (with links!) participating in today's fun:

The Cut Shoppe

Katrina Hunt

Amy Madern

Allie Stewart

Jennifer Haggerty

Missy Whidden

Michelle Wedertz<---You are here.

Laura Mooney

Madeline Fox

Finally, here is the discount code that you can use on your purchase from The Cut Shoppe:

Wishing you the sweetest of days!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Happy Birthday

Hello! Today I want to share a new layout featuring two new cut files from The Cut Shoppe! One of my favorite subjects to document are the birthdays of my children and I did just that using both the Snap To It and Party On cut files:

My son turned 15 in December (I am not really quite sure how that is even possible???) and I wanted to use both a camera and the "happy birthday" and I chose to cut both out of the same piece of black patterned paper. Here is how my layout turned out:

Most of the time, I either cut my shapes and phrases out of white cardstock or patterned paper. When choosing patterned paper I have to make sure the pattern doesn't distort what I am cutting. I had intially chosen a more "solid" camera and the result was a camera that really didn't look like a camera! My solution, since I was super set on this piece of patterned paper, was to choose a camera that had thinner lines that way I saw less of the pattern and more of the outline of the camera. Here is a closeup of the camera which I adhered with pop dots to make it's outline even more pronounce:

Looking forward to seeing how you use these cut files on your own pages!

Hello Life

Hello! Today I am sharing my first layout of 2016 for The Cut Shoppe! For this project, I went with the Say Anything cut file to create a title for a page about my kiddo's and I.

This is a file I had been saving to use for the just the right project. I really loved the three different options for titles and the fun mixed type. 

When I purchased a die cutting machine two years ago, I had really hoped that it would help me use up all the paper scraps I keep or at least put a small dent in them! And I am happy to say that this layout is a perfect example of me doing just that! All the patterned paper in the layout, include the navy paper that I cut the "Hello Life" title out of came from my lovely stash of paper leftovers.

Wishing you a great day!

Michelle

The Cut Shoppe: Snow Day

Hello! Michelle here with you today to share a new layout where I used both the new Frosty Flakes and Bits and Baubles cut files that recently became available in The Cut Shoppe.

When beginning my project, I first cut the Frosty Flakes cut file out of white cardstock with the intention of layering it over a matching white background. This is one of my go to techniques because it adds interest in a simple way. However, as I was playing around with placement, I decided I really liked it as a layering element and thought it would be super fun to have all the snow flakes peaking out from behind my photo. With that decision made, here is what I created:

My daughter's neutral colored photo really opened up the gates for picking a color combination to use. I ended up using patterned paper from the very pretty Hello, Love Collection from Crate Paper as well as the Goldie Collection from Seven Paper. The floral paper was by far my favorite and I ended up layering it underneath the snowflake.

I chose to cut the "Snow Day" title out of a black patterned paper to create some contrast against the lighter colors. 

Don't forget, The Cut Shoppe is passing on the savings to you all month long with a discount to save 31% off your purchase:

Wishing you a happy holiday!

Michelle