SCAL Punches Like Stampin Up

This is my entry for Wacky Wednesday #11 with www.Rubberneckerblog.typepad.com. The challenge was to use some sort of stitching or virtual stitching.

I like to use my sewing machine for these cards because I use watercolors a lot and they don't tend to want to stay flat enough for adhesives. It's a functional thing for me.

It takes a lot of work to get the machine ready for cardstock--once I have to use it for hemming, it is a real risk as to whether the stock will get hung in it or not. I usually have to adjust the tension to light, than really let up on the pressure that holds the cloth or paper in place as well.

I used a light blue thread on top, and a tan thread underneath...just happened to be what was in the machine. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, just what I happen to have in the machine at the time.

I used an old card because I didn't have one big enough for my scene in my "cards" stock. I never liked the design on the front of this card, so I covered it with my own! (It was from a "card making" kit...blek...can't believe I bought it!)

SUPPLIES

Stamps:
Barn--SU "On the Farm"
Girl--SU "Friendships Grow"
Dog--"Loads of Love" accessories
Friend--foam stamp set from Big Lots
Trees: ebay seller (11 trees for $9, you can't beat that!)
Flower Grove: "Loads of Love"

Tools: Flower punches (MM), sticker jewels from Oriental Tradition Scrapbooking Mail-Order Magazine. Ribbon from fabric counter.

Techniques: Watercolor with Loew Watercolors, Stampin Up Marker Inks, Watercolor Pen, Cricut with SCAL for "friend" inked cutout.

Triumps: I was especially proud of the "Friend" cutout because I've admired the SU matching punches and stamps, but hated to invest more in punches when I have the Cricut. I recently found three sets of Cricut markers (yes, you can put markers in the Cricut instead of the blade), for $15...for all three sets on ebay. I've wanted to try them, but NOT for the $15 a package my Wal*Mart was charging. So, I jumped at this, and started racking my brain for how to use them.

I've just never understood why you'd want to use the markers that if you could print on your printer...now, I do!) You can cut out an image far too complex for cutting, then cut around it using the shadow feature with the SCAL computer software! I'm envisioning all sorts of bliss with this with all the "fonts" available with dingbats. I have an infinite number of ideas churning in my head.

If you have these things, let me just say that the KEY to this process is to hit "load paper" instead of "unload paper" EVERY TIME you switch between blade and marker--DON'T unload the paper!

I just took the marker out of the Cricut, inked my "friend" stamp with it, and it's all Matchy SU Matchy. So very cool.

SCAL (short for "Sure Cuts a Lot") is very much worth having using to use with your Cricut because you can use any font on your system without having to buy the Cricut cartridges (you DO have the one that comes with it because that installs your driver software to be able to hook your Cricut to your computer.) While you do have to use your computer with it, I don't plan to haul my Cricut around, so works great!