Aloha Mint Fans, it’s Joscie checking in again! I am so excited to share this technique with you! I have had a Silhouette for probably 4 years now. I have cut patterned papers, cardstock, and vinyl. I have used shapes from Quickutz as well as my own true type fonts and other digital designs to cut on my Silhouette, but until this week I had never used the print and cut capability. To tell you the truth, I didn’t know how and I figured it would be too difficult to figure out, but thanks to a tutorial I saw on the Quickutz blog I gave it a try.

This is the card we’ll be making:

Digital Elements:

Peppermint Creative Craft Cutter Vectors – Cuttable Cards: Party Time
Peppermint Creative Rainbow Joy Paper Pack.

Traditional Elements:

American Crafts Daiquiri Vinyl Thickers
Kaiser Craft Blush Pearls
Sharpie Pen
Foam Adhesive
Royal Brites Matte Photo Paper

Tools:

HP Printer
Silhouette Digital Craft Cutter

In Photoshop Elements, I open Peppermint Creative Craft Cutter Vectors – Cuttable Cards: Party Time Cupcake shaped card and Frosting Shape .PNGs, and Peppermint Creative Rainbow Joy Paper Pack.

I use the papers over the .PNGs as a clipping mask and save a copy as a .JPG copy.

I open the Silhouette software and open a new blank letter sized document.

Click on the Insert>File command (or the load file button on your tool bar). When the window opens, select one of your cupcake card copy. Place it in the document.

Now it’s time to Get the outline of your shape, you can right click on the item and select Get Outline, or click on the Get outline button on the tool bar or Edit>Get Outline. When the window opens, you will see a black and white version of your image.

Click on File>Load Image and when the window opens, navigate to the plain .jpg version of your image. Now your image is in the same spot, but now it’s solid black. Click on Convert to outline

Now your image is a line. Click on paste then exit.

Now your colourful image has a blue cutline all around the edges and the print layer and the cut layer are grouped together.

Repeat with the frosting layers. Use the insert file command to open your coloured frosting .jpg. Use the Get Outline command to select the solid black .jpg version of your frosting, convert to outline and paste to your document.

Now you have both items on one canvas, both with their cut lines. Hold down the shift key and select both items to resize at the same time. This ensures that both items will still be scaled the same and both will fit on one paper.

Arrange the two items so there is no overlap and both are inside the cutting area. (the red line)

Here is the key to print and cut! Click on Edit>Registration Mark Settings. Select the check box to use Registration Marks.

Now the 3 registration marks are showing on the document. Be sure none of the images are overlapping with the gridded registration area as those areas will not print your design. For my printer set up, the red cut line was just a little over the gray print line. This meant the two bottom registration marks would not print. To fix this, you must go to File>Output settings and click on the check box Rotate 180 degree [sic]. You can also select printer settings to be sure you are printing at your desired settings. Now your print and cut areas are lined up.

Now you are ready to print! You may click on the printer button or File>Print. I used double sided Matte photo paper.

Mount your printed item to the cutting mat. I like to line up the edge of the paper with the edge of the adhesive, making sure the sides of the paper are flush with the sides of the cutting mat. Roll the cutting mat into the silhouette using the roller on the side and in the direction indicated on the print (isn’t that handy!) I roll it in so the registration line is right under the cutter/sensor.

Start the Craft Robo dialog box. You can either click on the Craft Robo button on your tool bar or File>Craft ROBO.

Select the Media Type (I used Photo Paper) and the appropriate cap (I used pink)

Make sure to select Search Registration Mark

It will scroll back and forth and if it finds the registration marks, it will go to the cut menu, click ok to cut.

(Watch in giddy fascination)

When it’s done cutting, roll it out, pop out your fabulous, custom print and cut items!

I like to add a little pen for definition. And fold the cupcake card in half.

I add a few Kaiser Craft self adhesive pearls as sprinkles and use thickers letters to add ‘hi!’  I used foam adhesive to mount the frosting to the cupcake card, voila!

I also made another version:

I hope this helps you! There are so many possibilities with this trick up your sleeve! Let me know if you have any questions, and I can’t wait to see what you do!

Suddenly Friday is a LOT more fun! Now that the Click-a-Pic Challenge is here. I’m LOVING these challenges and love seeing more and more people joining in every week.

Sarah is doing SUCH a great job coming up with fun ideas and this week is a real good one! She’s challenged us to shoot a sunset or a sunrise. Just look at her spectacular examples. I for one have never even attempted this so I can’t wait to try. Check out the challenge thread for complete details and some great photo taking tips.

So wake up early or go out a little late, snap a sexy sunset/sunrise picture and post. Each week’s winner earns a Minty BUCK ($1 PC Gift Card). Play often, win lots!

And in other challenge news…

Congrats to rjcjme, winner of this week’s Mixed Bag Monday and to PixelChick winner of this week’s Click-a-Pic Challenge. To see all last week’s entries, visit the Photography Gallery!

If scrapping is more your thing join us for Mixed Bag Monday – a different challenge every week. This week’s challenge: ‘Getting Girl-ified’. Create a page all about your most favorite girlie accessories and cosmetics. You can show it off, create a ‘getting ready’ check-list, share a tip or two, whatever you like. The only catch is….you have to use a MINIMUM of 9 photos and you cannot use a page template. Ready to scrap??? Each week’s winner earns a Minty BUCK ($1 PC Gift Card). Play often, win lots!

Enjoy!

New study conducted in the UK shows that lost wallets which contain a photo of an infant are more likely to be returned – even more so than those that contain pictures of cute dogs. Awwww.

**First I want to apologize the the disruption in service from July 11-13th. My webhost made technical changes to their servers without informing me and it resulted complete dysfunction on my end. My emails were all wiped out temporarily so if you’ve emailed me this week and I have not responded, please resend your email.**

So here’s the exciting news of the week — I’m off to CHA Orlando. I’m so excited!! I can’t WAIT to be overwhelmed with crafty goodness. I promise to take lots of pictures for ya. I hope to run into some digifolk so if you plan to be there please let me know!!

What else is new in Peppermint-land?
Flat Joscie finally left Toronto and is on her way to Texas to her next hostess.

And the guy who makes balloon animals outside the Dollar Store asked me for the number…oh lord. It’s supposed to be a dog on a motorcycle. Why do I talk to strangers?

And this is what happens when I try to be crafty. I’m such a slob.

Hope everyone is having a great week!
**remember to leave the website field blank when leaving a comment**

It’s a new week and a new challenge! Pick up your camera and join us for the Click-a-Pic Challenge. This week: Seeing Red. It’s bold, it’s bright and it’s full of passion. Your challenge is to capture the color red. Any subject will do! Visit the challenge thread to check out all the details.

You like FREE STUFF? Grab Cindy’s Template Freebie #2. Get it while it lasts because once it’s gone…well, it’s not gone but you’ll have to pay for it.

Itching for new stuff? Check out these AMAZINGLY adorable baby albums. It’s scrapping made easy! Just pop your photo behind the flattened pre-designed pages and add some journaling or special title and print! If hybrid’s your thing, you’ll LOVE these easy to make baby treat bag templates. They come with the papers all pre-sized as shown so all you have to do is print, cut, fold and EMBELLISH!! Or create your own with the blank template which is also included.

Are you a template lover? Cindy’s back with two new template sets #21 and #22. Collect ‘em all – I know many of you have already. And good news for you 8.5×11” scrappers this time around. I forced convinced Cindy to do some templates for you. So she’s adapted 18 of her most favourite templates into 8.5×11” format for you. You’re welcome. Oh and it’s ALL 20% off until July 10th!

SO what are you waiting for?
View all brand new products here.

The NEW Peppermint Creative Challenges are well on their way – where the heck are you? Head over to the forum and play along! You don’t have to be a ‘regular’ over there – anyone and EVERYONE is welcome, just pop in and post your pictures and/or pages for your chance to win a Minty Buck! (collect ‘em all!)

This week’s Click-a-Pic Challenge is a FUN one! Grab your camera (any kind will do!)and photograph your favourite pair of shoes. Be creative! Whether on feet, in a box, on a shelf or piled on the floor….shoes are the name of the game this time around. Post your photo in our photography gallery and link us up in the challenge thread and presto change-o – you’re done.

Check out Sarah’s AWESOME examples!
(She’s the challenge hostess & a pro so don’t be intimidated!! ;)

So what do you say? Wanna play? Visit the challenge thread for complete details & instructions.

Photography not your thing? No problemo! Every Mixed Bag Monday brings you a brand new scrapping challenge. This week we’re scrapping in the blind. The what? you say? No it’s not a kinky new form of scrapbooking – it’s a bit of a brain twister and it’s called a Blind Scraplift. We give you a detailed verbal description of a layout and then you make it happen. The winner gets a big, fat Minty Buck! ($1 GC) which you can spend right away or save and collect more by winning more challenges.

Want to play? Visit the challenge thread for complete details & instructions.