Sew Dang Cute Crafts

Hugs & Kisses Valentine w/FREE Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn’t love a holiday that is heavy on the chocolate?

Speaking of chocolate, that’s exactly what I used as the inspiration for my Valentine project today.

I made this fun printable, which you can download HERE.

I went simple and used a Ziploc bag, filling it with Hershey’s hugs and kisses chocolates.

I printed it off on cardstock, but wish I had printed it on photo paper. I think it would have looked better.

The printable is 3” x 6.5”. I cut my paper a little bigger (more like 5”) so I could fold it over to cover the top of the bag. I gave the back of the paper a quick coating of spray adhesive and stuck it on.

Then just like that, I have a cute Valentine that will brighten anybody’s day!

Silhouette Tutorial: {Valentine Tic-Tac-Toe}

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Recently I received an email from Erica. She is a school teacher and found this darling FREE Valentine Tic-Tac-Toe printable from Shindig Parties TO GO! that she wanted to use in her class.

The only problem is she didn’t want to cut out 28 of these with scissors.

She saw the tutorials on tracing HERE and HERE and wondered if there was any way to use the Silhouette for this job!

Yup, you can!

I asked Shindig Parties if it was ok if I used their printable and images in a tutorial for all of you, and they happily gave me permission (THANK YOU)!

STEP ONE: After downloading the pdf file, convert all the pages to jpeg files as explained in this tutorial HERE. For the purposes of this tutorial, I am only going to show the first page of the download (the Tic-Tac-Toe page), but it’s the same technique for the cupcake topper and wrappers as well.

STEP TWO: Open your jpeg file in Adobe PhotoShop. I had to use PhotoShop to get this particular printable to work.

When I tried just opening it in Silhouette and tracing, the best I could get was this.

Maybe it’s all the different colors or the polka dots, but I just couldn’t get the entire image selected.

So I turned to PhotoShop.

First we need to make the image editable. See in your layers palette at the bottom right. There is only one layer and it is called Background. Notice the picture of the lock next to it. That means we can’t edit the background, which we need to.

So double click “Background” and it will bring up a box that lets you change the name of the layer. I just left mine “Layer 0” and hit ok. Now the lock is gone and we can edit that layer.

STEP THREE: With the magic wand tool (shortcut keyboard command “W”), select all the white space in the page. I only had to click once and it selected all the white. You’ll be able to tell if it’s all selected if it looks like this.

Hit your delete button on the keyboard. It should delete all that white space, then hit Ctrl+D to deselect everything (get rid of the dotted lines).

STEP FOUR: Let’s black everything out. Create a new layer. You can do this a couple of ways, but each way has the same result.

1. Go to Layer in your menu bar, then new, then layer (Shift + Ctrl +N).

2. In your layers palette, click the new layer button (the paper with a corner curled up).

Make sure your forefront color is black and select your paint bucket tool.

Make sure your new layer is selected in your layers palette, then click anywhere on your image and it will paint that entire layer black.

STEP FIVE: Merge layers. Make sure your Move Tool is selected (the main arrow button at the top of the toolbar – keyboard shortcut V). In your layers palette, click on the line right between the two layers while holding down the Alt key. It will change your mouse arrow to a weird little circle with a side arrow.

It will also merge your layers. See how Layer 1 is pointing down to Layer 0?

So now your picture looks like this.

STEP SIX: Save your picture as a jpeg file. You can now open it in Silhouette and trace it to get all the cut lines. Refer to the post HERE for tracing instructions. I had to really increase my high pass filter to get the hearts completely yellow.

Go ahead and click trace. Select the black shape and delete it so just the trace lines are showing.

Go ahead and copy (Ctrl + C), then open up the Valentine’s Tic-Tac-Toe page, and paste (Ctrl +V). Move the cut lines over the image.

STEP SEVEN: Now you are ready to print and cut. Refer to this post HERE for instructions on that.

Once it’s printed, send it through the Silhouette to cut.

Success!

A perfect cut!!!

And ready for the little ones to enjoy.

I know that seems like a pretty complex tutorial. It’s actually pretty fast, I just explained every step in detail so it seems like a lot.

You can do it, I promise!!!

Please let me know if you have any questions and thanks for reading!

Personalizing the Valentine’s Chair Backers

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Two years ago I made these fun Valentine’s Chair Backers for my kids.

It’s been fun for my husband and I to fill them up with little goodies and toys for my munchkins to discover Valentine’s Day morning!

Well I had another kid last year, so I figured I better make another one.

I’m in the process of that.

Hopefully, I can crank it out before next Tuesday.

In the meantime, I did

add some personal touches to the bags – their names.

Using my Silhouette, I quickly cut some heat transfer and ironed it on.

Font is CK Primary.

Do you guys do any fun Valentine’s Day traditions with your kids?

Silhouette Tutorial: {Using pdf Files}

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

We talked about using images before and importing your own for the Silhouette. Some of you asked if you can use a pdf file to do this.

A pdf file can be used in Adobe software programs. Adobe offers a free program called Adobe Acrobat Reader which allows you to open and view these pdf files. However, you can’t open the pdf files in the Silhouette software.

But guess what?! You can still use pdf files!!!

Here are two different ways I found to make it work.

1. Using the Paint program. Most Microsoft computers come with the free program Paint. It’s been on every computer I’ve ever had and I never installed a thing, so I think it’s a default program. I’m not sure about Mac, but I’m sure there’s an equivalent.

STEP ONE: Open the pdf file you want to use. In my example I am using this darling Easter Yard Signs Sketch.

It’s a free download from Our Lake Life which they used for these cute PB Knockoff Easter Signs.

Thank you so much Maria for letting me use this file and your images!

By default, the pdf file will open in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

STEP TWO: Click on View and select Page Display and Single Page.

Now we can see each entire page individually.

STEP THREE: On your keyboard hit Fn and Prt Sc (Function Print Screen). The Fn button is usually located at the bottom left of your keyboard next to the Ctrl button. The Prt Sc button is usually located at the top right of your keyboard next to the delete button. On my keyboard, the Prt Sc is shared with Ins.

What you have just done is copied whatever is showing on your computer screen.

STEP FOUR: Open the Paint program and hit Ctrl, V or you can go to Edit and select Paste.

You should now have something like this.

Select the dotted rectangle button located just under the word Edit. This is going to allow us to crop our image. Go ahead and select your image.

You can faintly see the dotted lines around my bunny page.

STEP FIVE: Go up to Image in the menu bar and select crop.

Now we’ve got our image, so let’s save it as a jpeg file.

Go up to File in the menu bar and choose Save As…

Then go ahead and name it whatever you would like and make sure the type is JPEG.

Now our file is ready to use in the Silhouette software. Go ahead and repeat for the remaining pages of the pdf file if desired.

2. Using Adobe PhotoShop or Elements. The second way to turn a pdf file into a jpeg image is with Adobe PhotoShop or Elements. This is not a free program, but one I highly recommend investing in. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE PhotoShop and use it daily!

I have CS3, but the directions I use can be used with any PhotoShop or Elements version.

STEP ONE: Open your pdf file. Go to File, Open and select the pdf file from wherever you have it saved.

I was asked to import the images, so I clicked ok and was brought to this point.

STEP TWO: Save as a jpeg file. Go to File, select Save As…, then go ahead and name the file whatever you want. Make sure you change the format to JPEG, then click save.

All done! Now you have the jpeg file that can be opened in the Silhouette software. Repeat with the remaining three pages.

So now if you wanted to make Maria’s adorable Easter Yard Signs, you can trace your newly created jpeg files in the Silhouette software, cut out your stencil with the Silhouette machine, and whip them up in no time!

Any questions, please let me know!

A Couple of Valentine’s Things

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:24:00 +0000

1. The winner of the Quincee’s Boutique giveaway was emailed and has already claimed her prize. I also mentioned on Facebook that Liz. G. was the winner.

If you didn’t win, you are still in luck.

You can get this Valentine’s Basket for only $40!

Basket Includes:

* $45 Gift Certificate to Quincee’s Boutique

* Pair of earrings

* Box of Chocolates

* Additional candy

No, that is not a typo – yes, you get more than $60 worth of stuff for only $40!!!!

Call 801-692-1417 to preorder.

They will ship this!!!!

I think I might just order one for myself – I know I can find $45 worth of stuff I want to buy, and I’ll get it for only $40 (plus I’ll also score some earrings and chocolate ).

Seriously, this is a win-win situation!

2. I’m sharing a fun Valentine with FREE printable over at Design, Dining, and Diapers as part of Taryn’s 14 Days of LOVE. I’d love it if you popped over to check it out!

Thanks for dropping by today. Hope to see you tomorrow. I’ll be sharing another Silhouette tutorial.

Royal Design Studio Stencil GIVEAWAY!!! ENDED

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Are you guys like me and love stencils?

I’ve worked with several and my very favorite ones are by Royal Design Studio. They are such fabulous quality and make your stenciling project so much easier!

I’ve used two different stencils from them and have loved the results both times!

Some of my favorites include:

Endless Moorish Circle

Zebra Stripes

Houndstooth

So many great stencils!

One of you lucky readers is going to win a $50 shopping spree to Royal Design Studio!!!

(Free shipping within the continental U.S.)

Here’s how to enter:

(please leave a separate comment per entry)

* Visit the Royal Design Studio website and browse around. Then come back here and tell me your favorite stencil.

* Like Royal Design Studio on Facebook. (Be sure to tell them I sent you)

* Follow Royal Design Studio on Twitter.

* Follow Royal Design Studio on Pinterest.

* Like Sew Dang Cute Crafts on Facebook.

Giveaway runs until Friday, February 10th @ 8 pm MST.

**Note: Giveaways are possible on Sew Dang Cute Crafts because of my awesome readers/followers. Therefore, if you would like to be eligible to win, I ask that you are follower of this site. Please also have an email listed either on your profile or in your comment(s) so I can contact you should you win.***

Thanks and good luck!

Silhouette Tutorial: {Getting Fonts/Images the EXACT size you want}

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Next tutorial to answer some of your questions is in regards to EXACT sizing.

A lot of times when you are making something, you want it to be an EXACT measurement.

For example, maybe you are making some vinyl and you want the letters to be EXACTLY 2” tall.

Let’s open up Silhouette and type up something. Refer to this post to see how to type and resize.

See how my vertical measurement says it is 2.000”?

Guess what? It is 2” tall, but that measurement is taken from the highest point of the type to the lowest point.

So for words like “Tamarynn”, where there is a capital “T” that makes a higher point than the rest of the letters, and a “y” that makes a lower point than the rest of the letters, the rest of the letters aren’t 2”.

An easy way to get the rest of the letters sized to 2” is by using the grid.

Click on the blue grid button at the top right of the toolbar. Under options, check the box that says “show grid”.

Each line represents 0.5”. So if we line up our letters along one of the lines, we can see that most of the letters are barely over 1”.

Let’s resize.

Now that those letters are exactly 2”, my vertical measurement is 3.715” and my horizontal is 17.070”.

So if you have various high and low points in your image/type, a great way to help you with sizing is by using the grid!

Hope that clears up some questions for you guys! Please let me know if you have any additional questions/concerns.

Silhouette Tutorial: {Tracing Your Own Images to Cut}

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:42:00 +0000

You guys are awesome! I’ve been getting lots of emails asking questions about the Silhouette.

It’s been great because it lets me know what you guys want to learn about. I’ve put together three different tutorials in relation to some of your questions and I’m hoping to get them all up in the next couple of days.

The one today is going to address tracing a little bit more.

Refer to this post to get some background about how to import your own images to use in the Silhouette program and trace them.

A problem many of you were having with tracing, was getting the double cut line.

For example, cute Ashlyn emailed me the picture she wanted to cut – this mask.

She saved it as a .jpg file and opened it up in Silhouette and proceeded to trace it and got this:

See the double cut lines?

This is probably how your picture looked before you hit trace.

Here’s how to fix the double cut lines.

Once you have your trace area selected, we need to play around with the settings until the exact image that we want cut is yellow. (When the black part is showing, the program is going to trace around the black part as well).

You can see that I had to increase my high pass filter, low pass filter, threshold, and scale.

The best way to figure out your settings is just play around with them, moving them up and down until your whole image is yellow.

Then we can hit trace.

Move your image out of the way and you can see that the trace was successful!

Hope that helps some of you guys out with tracing your own images!

If you guys have more questions, please feel free to ask. As long as I know how to answer, I am happy to do so!

{Giveaway}: $50 Gift Card to Quincee’s Boutique ENDED

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Today’s giveaway holds a special place in my heart. It is seriously my very favorite store in the world and if I had unlimited funds, I would buy EVERYTHING!

A couple of months ago, I shared with you THE.CUTEST.BOUTIQUE.EVER. Refer to this post to see what I’m talking about.

I absolutely ADORE this boutique! It is my go-to place for clothes now. Need proof?

Or how about this cute little number I picked up last week. Just in at the store, which means they still have some. The dress also comes in cream.

Want to see what’s at the top of my wish list? These coral skinnies! LOVE!!!

Colored skinnies are all the rage right now and Quincee’s carries them in all sorts of colors.

They also have plum, blue, red, hot pink, and are getting turquoise this week.

(I totally have that first outfit. Hi my name is Tam and I’m addicted to Quincee’s!)

They seriously carry the CUTEST stuff!

Here’s another outfit I just got (which means it’s new and they still have a few). I can’t wait to wear it this weekend when I go out!

Another hot item is this gorgeous dress in both purple and taupe. Only a few left of these beauties!

What I really love about this boutique is they only order an item once. So you don’t see everyone else wearing it all over. It’s unique and you get to strut your stuff while everyone admires your cute outfit!

However, that means that if you see something that you like, you better snatch it up, because if you wait it will be gone before you know it!

They are very reasonably priced and the quality of clothing is amazing! Plus I just love those girls. They are so sweet and are great to work with.

They are located in American Fork, Utah, but THEY SHIP EVERYWHERE for only $5!!!

You can order is either phone or email.

(801) 692 – 1417 Quinceesboutique@gmail.com

The best way to see what they have (other than going in to the store) is by subscribing to their Facebook page. They post photos daily of their inventory (and trust me…they sell out fast so you don’t want to miss their posts)!

Today one of you lucky Sew Dang Cute Crafts readers is going to win a $50 Gift Certificate to Quincee’s Boutique.

Here’s how to enter:

(one comment per entry please)

* Tell me why you want to win or what you would like to buy with the gift card.

* Like Quincee’s Boutique on Facebook (Make sure to tell them I sent you)!

* Like Sew Dang Cute Crafts on Facebook

Giveaway runs until Sunday, February 5th @ 8 pm MST.

Thanks and good luck!

Ever Wanted Your Own Tailor?

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wished you could have your clothes personally tailored for you? I know I certainly have.

Just think how cool it would be to just tell someone your measurements, then they would make the clothes exactly for you.

That is precisely what eShakti can do for you, if you so desire.

They sell ready-made clothing, or you can customize it.

They’ve been featured in Glamour magazine so you know they’re awesome.

When I was asked to choose something to review, I was sorely tempted by this Eternal Sunshine Dress.

However, I have never owned a long skirt. Mostly because I’m short (5’2”), so whenever I have tried on long skirts, they are too long.

I’ve always wanted a long skirt, so I decided to have the lace paneled skirt customized for me.

I filled in my measurements when I ordered, and it fits perfectly!

Finally a long skirt that I won’t trip over or have to hem!!!!

This skirt is so incredibly comfortable. Not to mention the pretty cream color and beautiful lace. It was so fun to wear and I couldn’t be happier with it!

I was extremely pleased with eShakti and I would encourage anyone to give them a try.

If you want extra savings, hurry now! Today is the last day you can save 20% and get free shipping!

Feel free to check them out on Facebook as well.

Lucky Clover Specimen Art

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:50:00 +0000

I’ve always liked specimen art pieces, but I’ve never made one of my own. When I received the nesting clover die from Lifestyle Crafts as part of their new Spring 2012 Core Collection, I decided to finally make my own specimen art – the Lucky Clover Specimen Art.

The nesting clover die has a variety of sizes.

I chose the very smallest and cut out 49 clovers from a variety of papers. I had a 12”x12” frame, and I used a white 12”x12” piece of cardstock as the background.

It worked out that each clover is spaced 1.5” from each other, so first I marked on the paper every 1.5”.

Next I stuck a dimensional glue dot on each of my pencil markings.

Then it was as simple as placing a paper clover on each of the 49 glue dots to finish it off.

Tada!

This is just one of many dies in the Spring 2012 Core Collection! Go check out the rest and remember you can save 20% by using code SEWDANGCUTE!

Adding Even More Character To a Room With a Stencil

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Next up in Jessica’s room makeover was the stencil.

*If you aren’t quite up to speed with us yet, be sure to check out the original room and the paint we are working with.*

I love the dimension and extra somethin’-somethin’ that a stencil can give to a room. It can add that extra “wow factor” that really makes the room!

Jessica and I turned to Royal Design Studio for the stencil, and had so many fantastic options to choose from. In the end, we chose the Tailfeather Allover stencil.

Isn’t it so pretty?!

Guess where that is.

The closet!

I told you we had big plans for it and this is just the tip of the iceberg!!!

Seriously, you are going to DIE when you see what’s going to happen to this space!

This stencil is light and airy. Sophisticated and carefree. It’s perfect for the ambiance of the room.

Let’s take another step back to see that beautiful stencil with the painted walls.

Remember the before?

Aren’t you just loving how it’s all coming together?

If you still are skeptical – trust my vision. The best is yet to come.

I’ve heard from many of you that you would LOVE a stencil in your room, but are scared to try because you think it will be too hard.

Well I’m going to show you just how easy working with a stencil is. (Seriously, we did this closet in about 1.5 hours and most of that was prep stuff and washing the stencil periodically).

Tip #1 - Use spray adhesive AND painter’s tape for the stencil. Lightly spray the back of the stencil and stick it to the wall (or whatever surface you are painting).

*Note: The picture below is from a different stencil that I used in another room. The action is the same, I just forgot to take a picture of spraying the stencil this time*

Spray adhesive usually works by itself before you get any paint on the stencil, but after it has a little bit of paint on it, I found you had to use a piece of painter’s tape here and there to keep it completely in place.

Tip #2: Roll off the majority of the paint. Now that the stencil is in place we can get some paint on our brush. I should also mention that using a good brush is another tip. This is one time when it’s worth it to spend the extra $$ and get a good brush.

Anyway, back to getting paint on your brush. Go ahead and roll it in your tray and roll most of it off.

THEN…..

Have a towel that you never want to use again nearby and roll most of the paint off again.

By the time you’ve done this you will have hardly any paint on that brush.

This little trick is what I found prevents bleeding. You really don’t need very much paint at all.

Once you’re to this point, go ahead and roll the brush over the stencil. Keep rolling until you have the area covered (you may need to go back for more paint, but I found that I could cover the entire stencil with one dip in the paint).

Then here’s the best part. You only need to do one coat (depending on the paint you use)!!!

Remove the stencil and step back to admire your handiwork.

Tip #3: Use Registration Marks. All of the stencils by Royal Design Studio have registration marks that make it a breeze to line up your stencil and seamlessly continue your design. This stencil had little triangles at each of the four corners, so when I first stuck the stencil up on the wall I used a pencil and traced each of those triangles on the wall. Then when I went back to continue the stencil, I simply lined up the triangles on the wall with the triangles on the stencil and kept on going. Since we didn’t use very much paint, it dried in a few minutes so we could start our second stencil fairly quickly.

Tip #4: Clean Your Stencil. After a few uses, the paint builds up on the stencil, which can make it easier for the paint to bleed. I’m probably too nit-picky about this, but I wanted it to look the best it could so every 3 uses I would rinse the stencil off in the tub. The paint comes right off with water and only takes a few minutes. Dry the stencil off with a clean towel and you are ready to continue.

So now we got most of the closet painted. However, look closely at the top. There was just a little bit of a gap that we needed to fill in.

Fortunately, the stencils by Royal Design Studio are sturdy and flexible. They bend enough that you can tackle things like corners or the tops of closets. We sprayed about 5” of the bottom of the stencil and stuck it on the wall by lining up the registration marks. Since there about 3/4 of the stencil wasn’t stuck to the wall, but was bending over away from it, Jessica held the top of the stencil for me so the weight of it wouldn’t pull the lower part away from the wall, and we were able to get the entire space stenciled.

Any guesses what’s coming next? Hopefully, I’ll be able to tackle it this weekend and post about it soon.

If this got you really excited to try a stencil, just wait until next week and I *might* be able to help you out with that. {Giveaway hint, hint}.

If you just can’t wait until then, go check out Royal Design Studio and pick out the perfect stencil for you.

And because RDS loves you guys so much, you can save 10% by using code SEW10.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Paint: A Simple Way to Make a Big Difference in a Room

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:25:00 +0000

One of the best ways to change a room is by painting it. Something about changing the color can do so much. It can add light and life to a room. If you missed all the before pictures of Jessica’s room that we are giving a drastic makeover, check it out HERE.

Jessica wanted a beach-themed room. She wanted to drastically lighten up the existing room. It was too dark. We needed a room where she could walk in, relax, and escape. So we turned to Dutch Boy paint. With hundreds of colors, we had plenty of options, but in the end we chose Allegheny Green.

It is EXACTLY what Jessica was looking for. In fact, the whole night
we were painting she kept saying “I love this color” over and over. It’s so much prettier in person.

So the color is perfect, let me tell you what else Jessica and I LOVED about this paint.

1. The lid of the paint can.

It has a lid that screws on and off so it is super easy to open and close.

2. The handle of the paint can.

Whoever designed this paint can knew what they were doing. This handle makes it SOOOO much easier to pour the paint. Which also leads me to #3…

3. The spout of the paint can.

Genius! Pure genius! So easy to pour and much less mess. I’m tellin’ ya, this paint can is fabulous!

Now to the paint itself.

4. It eliminates odors. Using Arm & Hammer odor eliminating technology, it masks up any household odors leaving the room smelling fresh and clean. I also noticed that it is a very mild paint smell, so it doesn’t overwhelm you at all when you walk in the room.

(Personally I love the smell of paint so it wouldn’t have bothered me if it did, but it’s not strong….just sayin’).

5. Great application. It went on so smoothly and had great coverage!

The white we used was a different brand (which shall not be mentioned because it was being cursed at for it’s terrible coverage and uneven application). The two paints do not even compare. The Allegheny Green was FAR SUPERIOR (and they did not pay me to say that…that is our absolute honest opinion).

At the end of it, Jessica was asking me “Where do you get this paint? Because I would definitely use it from now on”. Seriously, those were her words. I’ve used other paints that I am perfectly happy with, but the real deal breaker is the paint can. SOOOOO NICE!

So in case any of you are wondering the same thing, go HERE and enter your zip code to find a Dutch Boy retailer.

Do you want to see how else we used this paint?

Good. Stick around and I’ll be back (hopefully tomorrow) to share with you the next step in this room makeover!

Jessica’s Room Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Hey everyone! I know haven’t posted in about a week and let’s face it, I’ve been a sporadic blogger the past couple of months. Lots of reasons for that. One is I’ve been taking a much-needed step back and enjoying time with my family. I may get into that more in a couple of weeks, but now is not the time.

Another reason I’ve been MIA is that I’ve been helping my BFF IRL (gotta love acronyms) do a room makeover in her house. It’s coming along beautifully and I’m so excited to share it with you guys! You are going to love it (at least I hope you will).

Many of you have mentioned that the thought of a complete room makeover overwhelms you. A lot of you have also mentioned that you love step-by-step basic tutorials, so this room is going to be brought to you step-by-step. That way you’ll see that if I can do it…anyone can do it.

Come on in with me to the room we’re working with…

First wall you see when you walk in the room is this

bookshelf wall.

If you turn to the left you will see the window wall.

Continue turning to your left and you will see the bed wall.

I want to take you back to when you first walked through the door. See the little wall that sticks out?

That my friends is a closet.

Yeah, that’s my two-year old’s head in the bottom of the picture.

But anyway, back to the closet.

You are not going to believe what I’ve done to this thing. It’s by far my favorite part of the whole room and I think it’s going to blow your mind when I reveal what we did with this space. It’s awesome!

I hope you will all follow along as this room comes together, and who knows, maybe it will give you the courage to tackle that room you’ve been wanting to makeover!

Silhouette Tutorial: How to Cut and Apply Vinyl

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I am overwhelmed by the response to the Silhouette tutorials. You guys are so sweet. Thank you for all your kind emails and comments!

One of the requests I’ve had from many of you is a tutorial on vinyl, so that’s what we are going to learn today. If you saw my “I love you because…” wall last week, then you’ve seen the vinyl I’m going to be making.

STEP ONE: Open up Silhouette and let’s get our page set up.
Click on the “Page settings” button in the top right hand of the toolbar. It’s the red and black rectangles one. My roll of vinyl is only 9” wide, so I need to change the height of my page to 9”. Then I want my quote to be about 2 feet long, so I’m going to change the width of my page to 24”.

Just so you know, the CAMEO can cut up to 12” wide and 10 feet long!

STEP TWO: Click on the text tool, located on the left toolbar (it’s the one that is a letter “A”).

You should see a text style settings on the right side of your screen. Choose which font you want. I selected CAC Shishoni Brush.

Then go ahead and type.

Obviously that is not 24” long, so I need to resize it. Click on the Select tool (arrow at the top of the left toolbar). Now you should be able to see a box with some drag points around your words.

Notice right now it is only 5.595 inches long. I’m going to click and drag on one of the corner boxes until my words are about 24” long. I don’t need it exact, so 22.965 is just fine for me. If you do need it exactly 24”, adjust your page width higher (refer to STEP ONE) so you can drag your words a little more to make them bigger.

You can now move it around to wherever you want on the page, then you are set to cut.

STEP THREE: Send to Silhouette. Click on the button just to the right of the print button that looks like a printer with a paper with a red letter “A” on it.

My settings are already set up for vinyl, but if they weren’t I would click on “Change Settings” and be brought to here.

Choose your media (in this case it’s Silhouette Vinyl).

Note: It says to set my blade to “1”. I have found that every machine is slightly different, so the best way to figure out if that’s the right setting for your machine is to do a TEST CUT. If you click on that, it will just do a little cut at the top of whatever you are cutting (page, vinyl, whatever). For my machine, the “1” mostly cuts all the way through, but I would run into a few snags where it hadn’t. So for vinyl, I set my blade to “2” and I haven’t had a problem since.

Once you have your cut settings where they need to be, click on “Send to Silhouette”. Make sure your Silhouette is turned on and hooked up to your computer and it will have you load your media.

With vinyl you do not need the cutting mat. Once it’s loaded, you will click on “Cut Page”. Then sit back and let the Silhouette work it’s magic. Unload the media and you will have something like this.

Peel away the vinyl you don’t need. You might need to use an Xacto knife or something similar to get the parts inside letters like “e” and “o”.

Cut a piece of transfer tape that will cover your vinyl.

Peel away the transfer tape from it’s backing.

Apply the transfer tape to your vinyl piece. Smooth it out and make sure it’s on really well. I like to rub a popsicle stick or credit card over it to make sure the vinyl is really stuck to it.

Peel away the transfer tape with the vinyl now on it.

Then stick your vinyl where you want it. This is where I use the popsicle stick or credit card again to make sure the vinyl sticks to the wall.

Peel away the transfer tape.

And you are now done!

Let me know if you have any questions and also if you have any other requests for Silhouette tutorials!

Thanks and have a great day!

And the Winner of the Cinnamon Roll Cookoff Is…

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:54:00 +0000

In reference to my quest for the BEST cinnamon rolls recipe, I made over 200 cinnamon rolls in the space of 4 days, and my family (and friends) all agreed that the our favorite recipe is…

Pioneer Woman’s

These rolls are melt-in-your-mouth yummy! And really easy to make.

Usually for breads you need a fancy mixer (i.e. KitchenAid, Bosch, etc.). For these rolls you don’t!

You just need a stovetop and a big saucepan.

I tried this one a couple of ways.
I did it by making the dough late one night, then sticking it in the fridge overnight to make hot cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Then another day I made the dough and immediately made them into rolls. Either way works, which I love. That way I can make up the dough the night before to save time! The dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days, so this is a recipe that can definitely fit in your schedule.

These rolls don’t use eggs like most of the other recipes, so that’s another ingredient you don’t have to worry about.

Another thing I like about these rolls is the filling. It uses melted butter and sugar, while others used brown sugar and softened butter. I found the melted butter and sugar to blend flavors better with the dough, and it wasn’t as overpowering.

This recipe also makes A LOT of rolls (about 4 dozen). So I decided to experiment with the icing. The recipe calls for a maple icing that also uses coffee. I don’t drink coffee so I just used a little more milk.

Now I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when it came to this icing. I’m not a big maple fan, and I wasn’t sure about mixing that flavor with cinnamon rolls. BUT I was pleasantly surprised. The recipe uses coffee in it, but I don't drink coffee so I just added a little bit more milk. The maple flavoring *might* be my favorite icing. It was my 5-year old’s favorite as well. The maple seems to perfectly compliment the cinnamon rolls and if you want these for breakfast, then the maple flavoring really seems to fit the bill for that occasion.

I also tried Pioneer Woman’s cream cheese frosting.

This was my husband’s favorite. He absolutely LOVED the rolls with the cream cheese frosting! Personally, I thought it made the rolls too rich, but I was the only one who felt that way.

My 6-year old also really liked the cream cheese frosting. It was her close 2nd. But her favorite was actually the basic powdered sugar, vanilla, milk frosting in Our Best Bites everyday cinnamon rolls.

This is the other one that *might* be my favorite. I couldn’t decide between this one and the maple. Both are absolutely delicious!

I also decided to experiment some more and modified Pioneer Woman’s recipe to make Orange Rolls (recipe in her book).

I actually preferred them the next day (reheated of course since rolls must be eaten warm in my opinion).

While these were perfectly scrumptious, we liked the cinnamon rolls better. However, they were a nice change of pace over the weekend.

Like how my daughter ate the middle out of the cinnamon roll?

It reminds me of those “How do you eat your Reese’s commercials?”

Well those are my results. Did any of you try any or all of the recipes?

Window Treatment for Odd-Shaped Windows

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:46:00 +0000

This post has been a long time coming. As in many of you asked for it 5 months ago when I posted about Ryker’s nursery – the window treatment, specifically the fabric covering the odd-shaped part of the window.

I would have posted it all those months ago, but you see the window treatment isn’t done yet. I still need to add blackout drapes like I did in my other son’s room.

However, life just hasn’t been in my control lately and the drapes haven’t been a top priority, so they still aren’t done.

So why post now you ask? Well over the last couple of weeks, I’ve received about a dozen more emails asking me how I did that fabric up in that window, so I figured I better just buck up and write this post with the window as it is.

DISCLAIMER: When I first made this fabric covering, it was with pink gingham for my girls’ room about 3 years ago. Back when I had no idea about things like seam allowances and just knew how to thread my sewing machine and press down on the pedal to make the machine stitch.

Fast forward to summer of 2010. The girls moved out of this room and it was becoming the nursery for my son. The pink gingham had to go, but I wanted to reuse the velcro and blackout fabric (because I’m ~~cheap~~ frugal like that).

Wait….velcro and blackout fabric??? Ok, now let’s explain the tutorial.

STEP ONE: I got a piece of butcher paper (any large piece of paper will do), and traced the shape of my window. Then I cut the piece out to use as my pattern piece.

STEP TWO: Pin the pattern piece to your desired fabric and some blackout fabric, then cut 1/2” around the pattern piece of both fabrics. (Remember how I didn’t know about seam allowances in 2009? I didn’t allow the extra 1/2” and just cut the fabric out the exact same size as my butcher paper pattern piece, which is why it doesn’t fit exactly in the window.)

STEP THREE: Get some adhesive velcro and stick one of the sides to the window frame. I chose the soft side of the velcro. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I did. Place your pieces all around the window frame. I used about 14 pieces for my window.

STEP FOUR: If you are smarter than Tam of 2009 you will NOT use the other side of the adhesive velcro, but will get some regular velcro for this next part. However, Tam of 2009 was very new to DIY stuff and she used the adhesive stuff for this next part. Sew the other side of the velcro pieces (mine were the rough sides now) to the blackout fabric, making sure they line up with all the pieces on the window frame.

Don’t pay attention to the brown fabric and topstitching. I’m trying to do this tutorial post-project done. Your fabric and blackout fabric should not be sewn together yet. Also don’t pay attention to all the yucky yellow parts around the velcro where the sun discolored my blackout fabric over the past 3 years where the glue was (another reason not to use the adhesive velcro on the fabric).

If you used the adhesive velcro like I did, you have now just gunked up your sewing machine with glue. See….not too smart of me, huh?

And if you are thinking, why even sew the velcro if it’s adhesive?

Because the blackout fabric and fabric will be too heavy for the velcro to hold on it’s own and your velcro will come off the fabric and the fabric will fall down. (Do I know this from experience?…yes I do).

STEP FIVE: Sew the blackout fabric and your fabric RST (right sides together), using a 1/2” seam allowance. This will be the side with the velcro on it for the blackout fabric. Leave about a 6-10” opening in the bottom. Clip the corners, being sure not to cut through the stitching, and turn the entire thing inside out through the opening. Iron the entire piece flat, then topstitch around the whole thing with a 1/4” seam. This will close up the opening and keep the two fabrics together better.

STEP SIX: Hang it up in your window!

This is what it looks like from the outside.

Doesn’t look too bad, if you ask me. Much better than tinfoil anyway, and so much better spending a fortune on a custom-made blind, right?

Now that sun won’t be glaring through the window every morning right in my baby’s eyes!

I hope that helps all of you guys out that were wondering about this! Please let me know if you have any questions.

For Those of You Using Express Scripts

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I wanted to pass on some information about Express Scripts and Walgreen's because I know of lot of you may be affected by their recent contract negotiations. As of January 1, 2012 Walgreens is no longer part of Express Scripts' pharmacy provider network.

Express Scripts is essentially a middle man between pharmacies providing the health care service and employers and health plans who pay for the medications. Unfortunately, the two companies could not reach an agreement and ended their contract. For more on those details, you can see the press article Walgreens and Express Script.

This is affecting many people.

Many of these people have a relationship with their Walgreens pharmacist and are now having to go elsewhere. Some people are having to pay more and drive further to get their prescriptions refilled, which isn't making them very happy.

To try to make things easier for those who use Express Scripts, Walgreens is working on "making this transition as smooth as possible and is doing all it can to help patients continue using Walgreens when possible, or take care of them as they are forced to leave Walgreens in order to use their in-network coverage."

"It is important to know that only patients with certain prescription insurance plans managed by Express Scripts are affected, so it is best to check with your local Walgreens pharmacist or the back of your prescription insurance card to find out for sure if you're impacted."

One thing Walgreens is doing to help patients, is offering a special promotion in January on annual memberships for Walgreens Prescription Savings Club.

For $10 a year, a family membership covers everyone in your immediate family, including a spouse, dependents 22 and younger, and pets. Individuals may join for $5.

With membership you will receive discount prices and savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications, flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizer, and diabetic supplies. Plus you'll receive bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

If you would like to support Walgreens and stay updated on this situation, follow along with Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook.

My Quest for the BEST Cinnamon Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:07:00 +0000

For some reason, lately I have been on a mission to find the absolute best cinnamon rolls recipe. I reached out to you guys on Facebook and many of you had the same suggestions.

Pioneer Woman’s

Paula Deen’s

Cinnabon Clone on All Recipes

Our Best Bites

Some of you also mentioned you had your own family recipes that are amazing!

(Thanks Betsy for sending it to me)

This weekend I’m going to try out one or two or all of the recipes and see which one I like best.

How about you? Want to try these out with me?

Once you make them, I would love to hear how they turned out and what you think. Come back here and tell me.

If you already have made them, let me know in the comments which one you prefer.

Or if you have your own, I would LOVE for you to share it with me!!!!

Together we will all discover the BEST cinnamon roll recipe, right?!

24-Frame Photo Collage

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:31:00 +0000

My husband has been bugging me for ages to put up something on our dining room wall – preferably pictures, and he would like them to be past photos (meaning not of our kids at their current ages).

If you follow me on Facebook, then you know last week I was working on going through 6 years of photos to make this same 24-frame photo collage that Char of Crap I’ve Made created several years ago.

Do you know how hard it is to narrow down thousands of pictures to only 24?

Trust me….it’s tough.

But the hubs and I managed to get it done and tada!

Every single one of these photos stirs so much emotion in me – whether it makes my heart melt or laugh out loud, they each have special meaning.

I love the life and

color it adds to my family and dining room areas.

Like Char, I grabbed 24 of these frames at IKEA and taped them together with duct tape. They come in packages of 2 for $3.99, so it works out to be about $2/frame. Not too shabby if you ask me.

I wasn’t sure how to hang it, so I dropped by and looked how Char did it. (Big advantage of living across the street).

She used these Picture Hanging System things from Lowes.

They have a level in them and come in a variety of sizes, so they are perfect!

I used two of them. First you mount the part with the level to the wall.

Then you mount the other part to the frame.

And it hangs like so…

LOVE!

Let’s just take a closer look at those cute kids.

They definitely keep me on my toes, but man I sure do love them!

"I Love You Because..." Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. My kids always enjoy our Thankful Tree that we do in November, so along those same lines, I thought it would be fun to do an "I Love You Because..." wall in February.

My girls and I did started this while my boys were napping. We wrote down why we loved each member of our family. While I'm hoping this will generate all sorts of warm, fuzzy feelings, I have to say that my almost 5-year old is cracking me up with her answers.

For her sister and brother:

For Mom and Dad:

She cracks us up all the time! And if you could hear her say these things in her unbelievably high-pitched voice, I'm sure you would be rolling on the floor with us.

We decided to write our answers on hearts, and thanks to Lifestyle Crafts and their newest line Sweetheart, we cut out a bunch of hearts in no time at all. We laid a bunch of the dies on the cutting platform, covered them with paper, then rolled them through the Epic Letterpress (dies also work with Cuttlebug and Big Shot).

We used the Nesting Hearts, Nesting Eyelet Hearts, and Nesting Doily Hearts dies.

Then look how cute the baking and cake dies are!

You can see the rest of the Sweetheart line HERE.

And as always...you can grab these and any other Lifestyle Crafts products for 20% off with code "SEWDANGCUTE"!

Do you have any fun traditions you do in February to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Using Your Silhouette to Make Stencils

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:22:00 +0000

Giveaway winners are announced on Facebook and sent an email by me so I can keep the blog clear for projects and such, but per request I'm going to let you all know that the winner of the Silhouette CAMEO is Shanda Bear and she has already contacted me to claim her prize. Congratulations Shanda!

However, if you did not win you can still grab a CAMEO and a fabric ink starter kit for a discounted price of $299 with code DANGCUTE. Today and tomorrow are the last days for the promotion, and we’ve been told that there are only a limited supply of machines.

If you already have a machine, you can use the same discount code (DANGCUTE) to get 20% off all fabric ink supplies.

In case you missed the tutorial on how to use those, you can see how I made some t-shirts with the fabric ink HERE.

I had such a great response from you guys with the Silhouette “How To” week, that I decided I’m going to try to post more Silhouette tutorials for you guys. They’ll be more step-by-step than this project today (sorry I made this a couple of months ago and didn’t take as many pictures along the way)

Last year I saw this frame and wreath that Amy of The Idea Room did and immediately fell in love.

I decided my hallway needed just that, so I went about making my own.

I started out with
this frame that I picked up at my local thrift store for $8.

I removed the picture inside and the metal clip thingys that held it in place. I painted the frame with white spraypaint and sanded it a bit to distress.

I wanted to add the patterned glass etching to the frame, but didn’t want to spend the money to buy a stencil. Enter my handy, dandy Silhouette. Using vinyl, I cut out several pieces of the design I wanted, then applied the vinyl to the back side of the glass.

If you look closely, you can see where I overlapped vinyl pieces so the stencil covered the glass completely.

Then I took some Krylon Matte Finish and sprayed the whole thing.

Once it dried, I removed the vinyl and voila!

The wreath is hanging from a knob I picked up at Hobby Lobby.

For the wreath, I followed these instructions by Design Sponge.

Mine was made infinitely easier and faster thanks to my Accuquilt GO!Baby Cutter and circle die cut. I had to cut out over (300) 3” felt circles, and the GO!Baby made that SOOO simple.

I love how light and airy it is!

So pretty!

My Resolutions–Please No Laughing or Judging

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:30:00 +0000

***Only a few more hours to enter the Silhouette CAMEO giveaway. Go HERE to enter. Winner will be announced on Facebook, so make sure you are a fan so you don’t miss it!***

In 2012 there are a couple of things I really want to do.

1. Run a Marathon

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a jock. Exercise is so many things to me – hobby, stress relief, “me” time, etc. One of the things I’m going to do this year is run a marathon. It might come as a shock to some of you that I’ve never done this. I’ve run a couple of half marathons, and I did complete an IRONMAN 70.3 in the summer of 2009, but I’ve never actually run a marathon by itself. As much as I would like to do another IRONMAN, I just don’t have the time to train for it at this stage in my life. Even though it will be tough, I do feel like I could fit in the running training. Especially, since I have this to help me.

Run Less Run Faster is a book that I recently got and I am loving it. It has training programs where you only run 3 times a week. It focuses on the QUALITY not QUANTITY of running. It’s completely personalized for your own fitness level and goals. I’m going to start out with the 12-week training program for the 5K. Which means I am going to be running the Running of the Leopards 5K on March 24, 2012.

I’ll tweak my training a bit around the beginning of February so I can start my 18-week training program for the Utah Valley Half Marathon on June 9, 2012. Then that leaves me 21 weeks to get ready for the St. George Marathon on October 6, 2012.

2. Give Up French Fries

I shared this with you guys on Facebook and I know it might seem like a strange resolution. It’s not that I eat French fries a lot, but whenever I do, I feel sick afterwards. They just don’t digest well. I want to eat healthier, because when I do I feel better, my workouts are better (performance, energy, etc.), I sleep better. The benefits go on and on. Something that is going to help me with my goal to eat better is this cookbook.

I’m so excited to dig in and start trying these recipes. (Hopefully I can lose the last bit of my baby weight as well).

3. Finish my daughters’ shared bedroom and my son’s sports room.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you know that last April I started making something with 21 charm packs.

What did I start making? Twin-sized puff quilts for both of my daughters. I haven’t worked on them in 9 months. I got a little burnt out, had a baby, yada-yada-yada… This is the state I left them in.

Quilt #1

Quilt #2

Must.Finish.Those.

They’ll look so good in their room, which is really close to being done.

Then there is my 2-yr old son’s room.

I’ve got this awesome Play Ball fabric from Riley Blake Designs, that I need to figure out a quilt with.

I’m getting that done this year, too!

Well those are just a few of mine. I’ve got a couple more, but they are a little more personal.

Follow along with me this year as I make them happen.

Plus I’ve got lots more in store for 2012!

What are some of your New Year’s resolutions? I’d love to hear!

Top 10 in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:08:00 +0000

***If you are looking for the Silhouette CAMEO giveaway, go HERE***

2011 has been such a great year for me and my family. As far as my opinion goes, the best thing I made this year was this little guy.

He was the perfect addition to our family, and 6 months later we are more in love with him than ever.

As far as creative juices go, you guys had some clear favorites. So let’s get to those.

TOP 10 of 2011

10. Rainbow Birthday Cake

This was a fun one to make for my daughter, and she absolutely loved it!

9. Summer Activity Board

We had a great time doing all these things together as a family this summer. My kids loved looking at the board and picking what to do.

8. Reading Treat Box

I’m glad you guys liked this one, because it was one of my favorite things I made this year as well. It has helped motivate my daughter to read every day. In fact, she doesn’t ever miss because she really wants to get her treat for the day!

7. Family Motto Sign

I love that my family finally has a family motto displayed in our home. So much thought went into this and there are so many principles and lessons we can teach our children through this short, simple motto.

6. Spider Cider Jars

I was a little surprised at the reaction to this one. It was one of those last minute “I’ve got to have this up tomorrow” projects. Even Tori Spelling liked it. LOL!

5. Ryker’s Nursery

This has become one of my favorite rooms in the house (even though it’s not quite done yet). Hopefully, I can get it finished in 2012. The green furniture is definitely my favorite refinishing project I’ve ever done, and the diaper stacker is still one of my most popular posts (it was in 2010 otherwise it would have easily been in the top 10 this year).

4. Moorish Trellis Stenciled Rug

Stencils were such a big thing this year, as well painting rugs, so it’s no big surprise that putting the two together would be a hit. This was one of those projects that was just plain fun to do and I absolutely loved the end result!

3. Recovering an Ironing Board

This one was part of my new and improved laundry room, which was also in the top 10, but I decided to combine them. It’s one of the few rooms in my house that is done!

2. The CHRIST Book

I am so grateful for the response to this. With over 20,000 downloads in the last month alone, I hope many of you were able to bring CHRIST back into your holiday season.

1. The Guest Bedroom

This was a clear winner for the year. Several projects in this room (including the Styrofoam Wall Art, Duvet Cover, and No Sew Fabric Cornice) were also in the top 10, so once again I combined them.

Of course yellow being my favorite color, means this room has a very special place in my heart. Also pretty much everything in this room is DIY, so I have a great feeling of pride and satisfaction when I walk in there.

Well that’s it. Were your favorites in there? Please feel free to check out all my projects and tutorials for more.

Thank you so much for making 2011 great and sharing it with me. I am so grateful to each of you – for your kind comments, pins, emails, etc. I truly have the best readers.

Thanks again and I am really looking forwards to 2012!!!

Linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Someday Crafts

Silhouette Tutorial: Making T-Shirts with Fabric Ink

noreply@blogger.com (Tam @ Sew Dang Cute) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:08:00 +0000

Don’t forget to enter to win a Silhouette CAMEO!!!

Giveaway HERE.

One of the most fun things to do with a Silhouette is make t-shirts. Some of the things I’ve used are heat transfer material, iron-on vinyl, rhinestones, or fabric paint and a freezer paper stencil.

Well I got my hands on a fabric ink starter kit, and guess what?! I used it to make more t-shirts!!!

So let’s continue with our week of Silhouette tutorials
with how to use the fabric ink, shall we?

I got the shirts at Target for $4.99 each, then everything else (including the shape) came in the starter kit.

You can use whatever shape you want, but the starter kit comes with 10 shapes already. I liked the scroll shape, so I went ahead and sized it to fit my shirts then printed it off on the stencil vinyl, which is also included in the kit. I printed two since I needed one for each shirt.

Next you need to peel out the design to make the stencil.

Take a piece of transfer tape (from the starter kit) and press it on top of your stencil.

Remove the backing from the vinyl.

Stick entire thing onto shirt in desired location.

Remove the transfer tape.

Place a piece of cardboard or cardstock in the shirt so the ink doesn’t bleed through.

Now we can start painting. You can use either the sponge or foam brush. I liked the sponge. Dab it in some paint and go to town. Seriously, it’s easy enough that I let my girls do their own.

Let the ink dry. It took about 2 hours for ours.

Once the ink is dry, iron it to set the ink.

Then you are done!

I have to say that I was really impressed with the fabric ink. It looks natural on the shirt (like screen printing).

It’s sold in a lot of different colors, but you can buy just the magenta, cyan, and yellow and make all these different colors by mixing.

I’m definitely going to buy those 3 colors!!!

If you want to as well, all fabric ink supplies are 20% off December 29 – January 5 with code DANGCUTE.

Then remember that you can get the fabric ink starter kit and the CAMEO for only

$299 with the same discount code DANGCUTE!!!

Add both machine and starter kit to your cart, then at checkout use the discount code.

If you have any questions, please let me know!