1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Hello.  A Message Board Friend asked for help in making .svg files of Dr. Seuss' One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.  She is in turn helping a friend who is decorating her nursery with Dr. Seuss.  She had found several other Dr. Seuss images as .svg files already, but hadn't found the fish.  I told her I would be happy to help.

 I found a coloring book page online and used that to create the images.  There are two layers to most images, the base layer which is black and then the top layer which is the color of the fish.  A couple (the red fish and blue fish) also have white eyes as another layer to cut.  All of them have a few small pieces that aren't part of the "whole".   They could have been taken into Inkscape and edited some of the nodes so that the top was just one piece.  I just didn't have the time to do that.

These files are no longer available sorry.  Thanks for your understanding.

Halloween - Frankenstein Head .svg file to share

Here is an .svg file of a Frankenstein head. This is one of the images that I found in the scroll saw magazine that I thought would make a cute cricut die cut! I again scanned the image into my computer from the "pattern" provided in the magazine and saved it in an appropriate format like .jpeg, .tiff, or gif. I then imported it into Inkscape and converted it into an .svg file and "broke apart" the different parts for cutting in different colors with the cricut.



Here on this sample I have added in the "whites" of the eyes with a white pen and drawn in the stitch line on his forehead and his mouth. You can Download the Frankenstein .svg file here. You can Download the Frankenstein .scut file for SCAL 1 here. You can Download the Frankenstein .scut file for SCAL 2 here.



Remember, you IMPORT an .svg file into SCAL. You simply open a .scut file in either SCAL 1 or SCAL 2 as created in. You cannot use an .svg file or .scut file with Design Studio (DS). I apologize to all my DS using friends but it is just so much easier to recreate an image in SCAL then in DS at this time! Thanks for stopping by!

Peeking Bunny - SCAL and any size Bug

I found this bunny at art4crafts.com. I scanned him into my computer and saved as a black and white .tiff file. I then imported into Inkscape (a graphics program) and converted it into a .svg file. I then took the .svg file and IMPORTED (not open) it into SCAL. Their are several "objects" to cut. The base, the pink ears and nose, the white head and paws, and the black eyes. The sample I'm posting the picture of does not use the "base" or the black eyes. I drew those in with a marker. I just did some quick facial features and marker on the sides for dimension so I could post it here for you all to see one put together. You can download the peeking bunny .svg file here. You can download the peeking bunny .scut file (for use with SCAL) here.

More Screenprinting with the Yudu - Using Paper Stencil without Emolsion

Here is a sample t-shirt and small bag that I screen printed on with my Yudu. Instead of going through all the "steps" to burn a screen using the emolsion method, I created one using a "paper stencil". The mascot at my children's school is Spartans so the image is a Spartan head. I scanned one of the school's logos into my computer, saved it as a .jpeg, and imported it into Inkscape (a free vector graphics program available on the Web). I then converted the image into a .svg (scaleable vector graphic) file with Inkscape and then imported it into SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot). I then cut the image out on regular cardstock and removed the pieces I had cut out. For screen printing purposes, you want the negative image (the "stencil" that is left behind when you remove the cut pieces.)

I took the negative image or "stencil" and adhered it to the screen with packing tape. I then used more packing tape to mask off a large area around the stencil on the screen to prevent ink from going through other portions of the screen (I didn't do the whole screen - just a big enough area to cover where the squeege would go as I pulled ink across the screen area). Masking tape also works for taping the image on and masking off the screen. Once I had the image adhered to my screen, I loaded my paint as directed with the Yudu instructions. You then keep your screen lifted up off your project while you "float" the paint on your screen. This simply means that you pull the ink down across your image. This helps the image to "stick" to the screen around the cut out image so that you don't get any "leakage" under the stencils. One reason this works is because the paint that you are using is very thick. Once you have your screen floated, you can then lower it down onto your plantin holding the image you wish to print on.

In this instance I did a small t-shirt and small green bag that I had. I used black ink on both items. Since both were very small "objects," I taped them down on the plantin ((t-shirt holder). (Later I discovered that the plantin has a covering you can remove to reveal a sticky surface!) The bag is a dark green, but the black image does show up better on it then it appears in my pictures. The bag has very crisp edges to it around even the smallest areas that were inked. The T-shirt, while acceptable, does appear to have a little more bleed in those areas. However, I think that may be more due to the "materials" then the method its self. The bag is a coarse material while the t-shirt is much softer with more "give" to it. The picture makes it look like there is more "bleed" then there is. In the picture, it looks like there is no "white" between the small areas in the middle, but in fact there is. I'm pretty particular, and would have found the image acceptable.

I only did the two items with this "stencil" so I can't tell you the "limit" on how many times you could use a paper stencil before it started to break down. I do think I could have used it a few more times, just didn't have anything else to try it on at the time!! I think this would be a great and much less expensive way to create one of a kind or very limited run items. However, if I were going to do something that I need a pretty good quantity of, or something that I thought I might want to do over and over (like a school logo) then I would probably use the emolsion method.

Ironically, one of the reasons I tried this method was because I had tried to create the image along with the school name on a screen using the emolsion method. Although I followed the steps for "burning" an image onto a screen, when I went to wash out the emolsion on the screeen to show my image, there were problems and I ended up just having to clean the whole screen off. I'm wondering if there are some bad emolsion sheets out there! So, in frustration I thought, hmm . . . well before I waste another emolsion sheet (which are expensive) and more time, I' m going to try this the old fashioned way! Also note, the t-shirt here looks really wrinkled, I had ironed it before I tried to screen print on it but I did this several weeks ago and had never gotten pictures taken so it got wrinkled in between!

To learn more about SCAL go to Craft Edge's website or to their forums.

To find out more about Inkscape go to their website.

Download my SCAL file (.scut file) of the Spartan Head here.

I'm going to try to post more info. on the Yudu hopefully later this week. I haven't had a lot of time to use it lately and I am waiting on my DH to finish building my "cart" for it to set on. Hope someone finds some of this useful! Happy Easter!

Cupcakes .svg file

Here is a set of cupcakes. They are an .svg file. They can be used with graphics programs like Inkscape or IMPORT it into Make The Cut (MTC) or SCAL (Sure Cuts a Lot). They cannot be used with Design Studio (DS) or the Gypsy. There are several layers to each cupcake. The base shape. The icing which has 2 layers to each cupcake. The second cupcake has a cherry and finally, both have the wrapper layer. Download the cupcakes .svg file. Download the cupcakes .scut file.

Rollerblader .svg and .scut files for Cricut Machines

Here is a rollerblader. Again, I am uploading both the .svg file which you can use in any graphics program like Inscape or IMPORT into Sure Cuts a Lot (SCAL). The .scut file is a SCAL file. You would OPEN the .scut file in SCAL directly (not import). These files will not work with Design Studio (DS). Download the rollerblader .svg file. Download the rollerblader .scut file here.

Skateboarder .svg & .scut Files for your Cricut (Cannot be used with DS)

Hello. I've been working on many things. Some of which I can share with you now. Some that are still works in progress. Some of what I have been doing is trying to create things with Inkscape and SCAL to cut with our Cricut Bugs! Here is a skateboarder. I am posting both an .svg file of him and an .scut file. The .svg file can be used in Inkscape and other graphics programs or can be IMPORTED (not opened) in SCAL. The .scut file is a SCAL file that simply needs to be OPENED (not imported) in SCAL. Download the skateboarder .svg file. Download the skateboarder .scut file. NOTE: neither of these files can be used with Design Studio (DS).