Spring Umbrellas!
Spring is just a few days away, and though it is just March, I still have April showers on my mind. Blame Jenn Barrette and Mari Koegelenberg and their awesome new collaboration, Puddle Jumper for today’s umbrella treat project.
Supplies I used:
- Puddle Jumper digital scrapbook kit by Mari Koegelenberg and Jenn Barrette
- Perfect Pumpkin Template & Cutting Files by Kelleigh Ratzlaff
- Silhouette Cameo
- Silhouette Studio software
- long lollipop sticks
- large treat bags
- 22 Hershey Kisses
- Caribbean twine from The Twinery
- dry adhesive
I am happy to report that I have finally figured out how to work with digital patterned paper inside the Silhouette Studio software program! In the past I have clipped papers to template masks in Photoshop CS5 and then opened the document in Studio to finish printing and cutting. It is a simple process once you have the steps laid out for you.
Open your cutting file in Studio. I used the pumpkin lid dxf file for this project. I duplicated the outline and then shrunk both outlines down so I could get two onto one sheet of paper. Next, I opened the Windows Explorer file where my digital papers were. I selected the green polka dot paper and dragged it into my Studio program. I hovered my mouse over one outline until the paper filled the outline. I repeated that process for the rain drop paper, dragging it over to the other outline.
Sometimes when you add a patterned paper in this way, the pattern scale can end up either too large or too small. In order to adjust the pattern scale to your liking, open the Fill Pattern Window by clicking on the square icon filled with dots in the top right-hand toolbar.
This action opens up the Fill Pattern window on the right sidebar. At the very bottom is a link to Advanced Options. Click on that link.
This action opens another window that includes pan and scale options for your digital papers! There are also options to flip and rotate the pattern if you feel you want to do that with your paper. To increase the pattern scale, just increase the % in the input box or you can click the arrows (typing in the number is much faster). The largest increase possible is 500%.
To move the pattern around fussy-cut style, click on the Pan Pattern option.
You’ll notice a tiny circle appear with arrows inside. Put your cursor over the circle and then you can move the pattern around to your liking. Watch for tiling edges, as the Studio software repeats the pattern on its own if you are at the edge of the paper.
I added a word strip to the Studio document so I could tie it to the umbrella stick. I simply dragged the file to Studio like I did the digital paper. To obtain a cut line around the word strip, I used the Trace window by selecting Object > Trace. I clicked on the “Select Trace Area” option, and drew the trace box around the word strip. Then, I unchecked the High Pass Filter box, and increased the Threshold to 100% by typing into the input box.
My word strip became completely yellow, which is what I wanted. After that was done, I clicked the Trace Outer Edge option under Apply Trace Method, and voila! A red cut line now exists around my word strip.
I printed the blue paper on one side of my presentation paper, and then used the other side with the Print and Cut feature of the Studio software. After the document was printed and cut out, I started assembling my umbrellas. For the green polka dot paper, I overlapped one of the flaps to make a taller, fuller umbrella. I curved the edges out a little. I poked a small hole in the lid and added the lollipop stick.
For the other umbrella, I didn’t overlap the flaps at all. I curved the edges outward again, and added the lollipop stick.
Once the sticks were added, I placed the umbrellas into large treat bags and filled them with Hershey kisses. I tied the bags shut with twine, attaching the word art tag from the kit.
I just love how they turned out – and to think those were supposed to be pumpkin lids! I think these umbrellas would be really cute as baby or bridal shower favors or just a sweet little pick-me-up for a friend who may going through a rainy season in her life.
Other Articles by joana1n:
- Make Your Own Paper Tape! - March 25th, 2013
- Thanks a Latte Single-Serve Coffee Gift Box - February 18th, 2013
- Tootsie Box and a 3-D Santa Sticker - December 5th, 2012
- An Unlikely Advent Calendar - November 28th, 2012
- Gift Card Holder! - October 30th, 2012
