I'm running my Craft Robo and KNK Studio GE on my iMAC!

I did it!!!

 I've got my iMAC, with my Parallels Program which allows you to run Microsoft windows within a window of the MAC machine. I've installed my Silhouette/Craft Robo and it works - and I've installed my KNK Studio GE 8 and it also works with my cute little dongle!

This is pretty revolutionary - the fact that I can create and cut on my iMAC instead of a PC is pretty darned awesome!  Especially with this huuuge beautiful screen ;)  I've attached some pics and encourage anyone who has any questions to give me a shout!

and my cut flowers ...

I did it, I did it..... IIIIIIIIIII did it!!!  

I'm doin' the happy dance - thank youu Sandy :)

Have a wonnnnderful day!

· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) Live with integrity.... -:¦:-
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Create with passion!
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* -:¦:- NikkiNix

http://prettylittlethingstocut.blogspot.com

Cruising for Valentines Day & making Pretty Bows

Today we're cruising the Caribbean Sea and enjoying Valentines Day!

How cute are these :)

And here is an awesome bow-tying tutorial by Dawn McVey that works EVERY single time!


But I wouldn't be having this much fun and not remember you sooo....

... While I'm cruising the Caribbean Sea in February, I'd like to celebrate my 1st Pretty Little Things blogoversary with all of you wonderful and inspiring people who've become part of my daily life by thanking my BBFF's with some BLOG CANDY!!! See this post for details and I'll absolutely ship anywhere in the world!

· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- -:¦:-

¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) Live with integrity.... -:¦:-

((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Create with passion!

-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* -:¦:- NikkiNix

FREE Inkscape Tutorials

Hey folkes, did you know that Inkscape is a FREE graphics program which can be downloaded at http://www.inkscape.org/

Also, Aussie Wendy has made some awesome free videos you can watch to get you started designing on inkscape including: Making Welded Words in Inkscape, Making Mats for Titles in Inkscape, Deleting Nodes in Inkscape, Exporting DXF in Inkscape to GSD in Robomaster and Changing Color cut lines in Robomaster. Click their logo below to take you to the videos page:

FREE FILES - got your attention didn't I :)

CHEERS! If you are a new cutter owner and I really hope my blog is useful to you :)

When I first got my Cutter, I scoured the web for free files that I could play with and soon got frustrated because whatever project I was working on would take forever becasue I knew *exaclty what I wanted* and either had to buy it or find it for free online. Well, when searching for just the right cutter file, I encountered version issues, file type issues and incredulously I found a lot of great files and ideas and collected what I thought was a lot of free files - yippieee!! Like candy to a craft-addict!!!

Then, I had to figure out a filing system, and then I just got frustrated when the file I wanted to use needed just a little tweek here or there and one that could not be accomplished after I cut it. I was ready to cry at my Valntines Day attempt, I swear I wanted to throw my machine out the window!

I realized my creative brain was much too big for the software that came with the Silhouette. I broke down soon after and collected my pennies and invested in the greatest program - the KNK Studie GE software and WOW! Once I started playing with it and going over the tutorials that came with the purchase, and those free on iloveKNK.com and the fantastic user manual that came with - my juices were flowing.

So I was recently cleaning up a bit of old stuff because I am so loving my program that I dont really use GSD files anymore... I came accross my list of gold - which I have included below. I hope it helps some of you newbies, it sure helped me at the time but WOW... now, I don't BUY files - I create them in a blink of an eye!!

I'll even admit, I own a QuicKutz Silhouette and spent some money buying GSD Files and NOW... HA! I coudl create and cut those same files in just a few minutes - thanks to the KNK Studio GE Software.

Good luck, and happy cutting!!!


Tutorials and Tools
http://02af4c4.netsolstores.com/MachinecomparisonsTSI.htm
http://new.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
http://www.iloveknk.com/
http://scrapbooking.arnolds.net.au/forum/viewforum.phpf=4&sid=f43ec12b09c3248c2c091352550ffa09 (tutorials)
http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/50/
http://www.batchconverter.com/image-converter.html (change file types by group)
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F2Fcrafty.actifforum.com%2F&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Free GSD & KNK Files & For files sale
http://www.4shared.com/dir/15995478/45b64a0a/KNK_Files_by_Nikki.html
http://www.4shared.com/dir/12150434/f3b662f5/GSD_Files_by_Nikki.html
http://www.fam-bjork.se/monicas-hobbysida/
http://www.quillingpatch.com/category/freebie-friday/
http://02af4c4.netsolstores.com/index.asp?ageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=7
http://www.littlebit.com/cutter/cutter_files_index.html
http://02af4c4.netsolstores.com/index.aspPageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=7 http://creations.110mb.com/whatsnew.htm
http://www.timeforcrafting.co.uk/templates.html
http://www.collectedmemories.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/cmStore.woa/wa/page?key=morefreediecuts
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/hme/k_5/shapebook/toc.html
http://www.bosskutdesigns.com/
http://www.letsbescrappy.com/cutter_files/cutter_files.htm
I know there are more out there, you might also look for websites that have pdf files you can convert, or jpgs too.

A resource for GSD Junkies
CRAFTY, le Craft Robo
Davesangel
Dianas Designs
Great Scrappin Designs
Hinkeltje fotografie & scrapbooking
I Love Craft Robo
Jayrewcraft - GSD Downloads
JennieBean Crafts
Kreations By Katie
Looking Out
Monique
MyDieCuts.com
Mydiecuts
Paperthreads
Serialpurrs
Signmax.us
Sussann's Blog - Cutter Files
The latest by Mary
The Scrapbook Lady - GSD Downloads
Time for crafting
Ukscrappers - Craft Robo
Visual Designs By Chris
Wishblade Files
Wishblade GSD Files
Wishblade
http://www.scrapmag.info/crafty/index.php (French site - all free)
http://www.duckysdesigns.com/KNK/Freebies/freebies.html
http://wordpress.com/tag/free-gsd/
http://papercuttingfun.com/wishblade/
http://www.paperthreads.com/forum/index.php
http://aussiescrapsource.typepad.com/aussie_scrap_source/quickutz/index.html (Free .GSD)
http://www.paperthreads.com/ (mostly for sale) (message board for sharing)
http://scrapbooking.arnolds.net.au/forum/index.php
http://ukscrappers.co.uk/ (go to the Craft Robo part of the Forum)
http://www.designsbyduchess.com/dsphotography/wishblade/wishblade.htm http://www.thewishbladingwell.com/
http://greatscrappindesigns.com/store/Default.asp
http://www.thescrapbooklady.co.uk/catalog/gsddownload.php
http://www.jersgirl.com/temps.html (jpg templates) Matching QK &

TTF Fonts:
http://www.scrapbook.com/blogs/19078/view/3115.html
http://www.publicfont.com/category/quickutz.php
http://mamawslegacy.wordpress.com/ (blog; free files almost daily)
http://mamawslegacy.com/cut/cut.html (free cutting files)
http://mamwawslegacy.cuttersmarket.com/ (cutting files; files in gallery)
http://www.letsbescrappy.blogspot.com/ (inexpensive for sale)
http://www.visualdesignsbychris.com/store/home.php
http://www.digitalcraftcutters.com/id67.html

Ideas for creating:
http://www.letteringdelights.com/
http://www.deltaphiscrappa.com/DayCrop28.html
http://www.estiloweddings.com/CUPCAKE-WRAPPERS/cart.php?m=product_list&c=97

Tips & Tricks: complete cutting control at your fingertips

Check out my all time MUST-HAVE tool, for what someone once called xacto knife surgery for those cuts that don't quite go all the way through.


Enjoy!!

From panic to passion!!

Okay I must be loosing it! I tried cutting something simple the other day (3 letters for a monogram) and had to change the blade cap for the paper - I did. Then I went to cut and it started making this horrible sound and since the whole house was asleep I couldn't investigate, I powered off. Finally I now have a moment to try again and the noise is still there. Note, there are no pending print/cut jobs and I powered down and unplugged all cables before restarting, and my Silhouette is only 4 mos old! When I power up... the "carriage" (to use the old typewriter-term) wants to move left but it's as far left as it can go so the terrible sound is the motor trying to move it left. ACK! Whaaa'doo'eye'dooo? HELP!

You know, I really have to hand it to my Yahoo Group friends, they just make life so very much easier! And Sandy McCauley simply makes me want to HUG my machine!! They confirmed I am not losing it!! (and also that it's not human error, my baby is BROKEN!!

PANIC!!!

Holey smokes! I am about to cut 145 monograms for wedding invitations - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

... and that I should contact the QuickKutz Customer Support, so I did, through their website and in less than 24 hours The Silhouette Support Team said: "Thank you for alerting us to your concern. It sounds as though the Silhouette's blade holder is off track. To get the tool back on track you can manually move the device back and forth several times. This should cause the belt to get back on track. Please try this and let us know if you have any problems. "

... and it worked!

So, off I went to use the Passions Conflict Rob font I fell in love with thanks to Nancy which is no longer a free font, so for those of you who want it, try Aquarelle.

So with a PASSION font, I created these thank yous for each and every one of you who always see to it that I loooove my cutter (especially Sandy!)!!

Tip & Tricks: Colour Detector

This is a neat program that allows you to find an exact colour match, not only using Craft Robo type software but ANY software! This is great when editing photographs even :)

Download it HERE

Silhouette Training manual

This is awesome!!

... and about time too...

here's a link to a decent training manual

for the Silhouette!!

I've stuck these pics on my wall for reference, it used to baffle my little brain ...

Tips & Tricks: Vectorizing to get the KFC effect

First of all, I am very grateful to all of you who have offered condolences and support about my wish to create a KFC Logo-type silhouette as noted in my two posts below. Apparently, I am software challenged at the moment but still have been offered some great information like... the Funtime Delux software in fact has the capability to do this and so does Photoshop apparently.

Here's a great place to start, click on the images below:

...and a tutorial online... lookie here:

Tips & Tricks: Turtle surgery (reviving crappy cuts)

Siiigh... so on our cruise we also visited the Turtle Farm in the Cayman Islands. I found this wonderful dingbat font called Keya's Turtles and fell in love with one of them and proceeded to cut out a turtle in my perfect-colour green paper... and it didn't cut all the way through. Siigh... then I tried again, and again and then had to get creative with the green papers, or rather what was left of the green papers... and FINALLY I gave up and I got out my chalks and chalked the darned turtle after performing a tedious exacto-knife-surgery to cut the outside edge to FREE the turtle from it's almost-cut. So, here's a tip on reviving crappy cuts ;)

Anywhoo... still not very good at selecting paper types and thus blades yet - but at least I am cutting, right :)

I think he's cute!

My Valentines card was a real flop!

Siiiigh... I'm still a little irritated at my machine, and more irritated that it is user error! So, I had my file ready for Valentines, went to the store and bought all the same "type" of paper in the colours I'd need for the card and was all excited at my first big project.

(GASP! Using whole 12X12 sheets, cutting to 8.5x11 to feed through the cutter!!!) I was really spoiled with my QK revolution because I became a TRUE BONAFIED SCRAPper... key word being scraps!! I was able to use up such small pieces by placing them right over the die cut and wow, I could use up a sheet of paper until there was nothing left of it! I really miss that. I miss scrapping too... this has taken up so much time int he learning and experimenting with it :(

... back to the drama!

So, I send the base card to cut and used some advice I got and copied and pasted the exact image 3 times and woudl you believe even though it test cut OKAY!!! The darned card cut what I designed but not all the way through... AGAINNN!!! Grrr how frustrating. No amount of "exacto surgery" could help what I had left to still cut so I was so so soooo disappointed. I honestly don't know what the heck happened :P Needless to say I did not continue and waste even more paper - but packed up the lil one, went to Walmart and spent $5 on a freakin card!!! Grrrr! A nice val card for hubby mind you and CHEAPER than the paper I just bought but so so soooooo disappointing!

Anyway, until we meet again, this is a pic of the unfinished Valentines pop-up that I attempted to create myself. The pop-up is a bit of a problem because I can't alter the outline so the "tabs" are dashed cut instead of a complete cut so lil Taz still separates from the card. I can't tell you enough, despite the new 5.1 version with it's welding, etc - I can't wait for the KNK Studio that I plan to purchase from Sandy at http://www.iloveknk.com/. That woman is just a cutter's angel I tell you. She gets it! She's designed it, cut it, got the Tshirt, wrote the manual and advises on software! WOAHHH!!!! She's my hero and I am buying the program that she endorses, and going to take advantage of the video tutorials she offers with the purchase and from her website. I seriously am salivating and cannot wait!

Speaking of cutter angels, my Guru-cutter friend, Cyndiana Jones flew in to save me when my cuts 'looked like a sugar-loaded 2 year old with a machete made the cutz' hahahaa! I was able to clean my no-sticky-enough cutting mat thanks to her :) Check her out at:

Cynful Designs, For A Little Bit of EveryBling! Silhouette Certified by QuicKutz, 07/21/2008

https://cynfuldesigns.3dcartstores.com/

http://www.cynfuldesigns.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpecialtyPapers/

Examples and Project/Item photos below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8134592@N05/collections/72157608190810771/

Have a great day and I promise when I figure out the Taz card I'll share it with you so stay tuned ;)

Slooowly but surely...

... like a dinasaur, am getting this software to work and boyyyy is it ever painstaking! I have started a few .GSD files where I have pretty much had to trace the whole darned thing because the "get utline/trace" function SUCKS!! Anyhow, I haven't test cut these yet cause my eyes are dry and I am grumpy but I've uploaded them to my little download site, so BE WARNED, I haven't cut any of them, I'm just practicing!!! Any help you could offer owuld be muuuuch appreciated :) HELP!

• Bandaid - not as cute as I'd hoped
• Bazooples - I deleted a biiiig huge thingy that had a bunch of stuff attached, I wrecked the darned thing after tracing it for ovver an hour!! Here's the mess anyway :(
• Buck toothed Bunny - she's cute :)
• Ganesh - I've noticed that a lot of logos for businesses would make good cutting files cause they are clean and simple!
• Heart Card - Surely useful, I like to mat the background so the complimenting colour comes through. It was really sexy cut in black with a hot pink background on the inside peeking out :)

Remember I haven't cut any of these, so let me know how it goes :)

My first file swap!

OMG! What have I done?? I have put myself on the list for the Feb File swap in the easywishbladers Yahoo group! ACK! What the heck am I gonna do??? I have some ideas since the theme is love related, but it's not the traditional hearts and roses type thing. So here's my problem... I have IDEAS in my head that I can't get onto the computer screen with my darend Silhouette software... so do I take out my black sharpee marker sketch my darned idea and scan it and then hope to high heaven the darned "trace outline" thingy works this time? GRRR - btw the keyboard tastes like crap LOL!!!!

Does anyone have any suggestions about what software is the easiest to work in? Free or otherwise - guidance needed desperately asap please.

Santa brought me a Quickutz Silhouette for Christmas!!

... and, I am so in love with it... the possibilities are endless!!

The only problem is that I am obsessed with collecting GSD files *because* I find the Silhouette software is alllmost useless! It's pretty darned frustrating, but thankfully my little creative mind hasn't stopped imagining what I could cut and what I could do with this pretty fabulous invention!

There are so many supportive people I have found online that thankfully I haven't give up yet. BUT - I am yet to be able to get my "get outline" function to do anything of value, so this week, I will call QK Customer Support beacuse the person who answered my email-question was also, not much help at all! So, with a continued positive attitude, I look forward to many great cuts with this great little machine!

P.S. For the record, anything I share with you is for your persopanl use only and where I have altered images, I will give as much credit as I can; you should do the same - thanks in advance!

Join me on Facebook in these groups: Quickutz Creative Doo Dahs, let's REVOLUTIONize how we create with Quickutz and Creative GSD Pattern Swaps