Silhouette Blade

Just a few days before Easter, everyone. Just thought I'd release some Silhouette tips in case you haven't started on your Easter projects yet. O.K., so there's this thing on that's seriously seems unnecessary until you  need it on the Silhouette software. It's called thickness- you can find this when you click the "Send to Silhouette" button. It's on a scale of 1 to 30, with 30 being the default. Recently, I was doing some heavy-duty blade experiments and set my blade to 10. After I did this, I had some other regular projects to do, and need my blade set at 3. Unfortunately, the blade was stuck. I tried countless fruitless attempts to turn the dial back to 3- heating, oil, water, rubber bands...none of them worked. Finally, I broke down and contacted Customer Service. I never expected them to return my email- much less return it within 2 days! I explained to them my situation, and they asked me for my mailing address to replace my faulty blade. Man, I was thrilled!

An hour after my celebration, I realized how long it was probably going to take the blade to arrive. So, I did some more blade experiments. The Silhouette team suggests that you set your blade at its minimum blade exposure to prevent blade chipping. I found that even at a blade setting of 10, I was still able to cut regular patterned paper without damaging the mat! For pattern paper, set your thickness at 3. For regular copy paper, set your thickness at 1. The thickness controls how hard the blade is pushed down into the paper.
P.S. I found that the setting of 10 with a thickness of 3 on a speed of 1, cutting Colorbok's patterned paper so far yielded the best results for cutting font. I was able to smoothly cut Lucida Handwriting- font at a 14 fnt size! Wowzers.

My blade just arrived an hour ago- it came within a week. Super happy to have my new blade- which spins in its dial perfectly! However, I'm even more glad that I now am armed with the knowledge of maximum usage of faulty blades!(;

Note****Silhouette Customer Service rocks! It replaced my blade, no questions asked and no blade inspection required! However, I think you have to request your replacement during your machine's waranty- they ask for your machine's serial number.

Happy Easter- or Happy Sunday to those of you who don't celebrate Easter.

Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcake With Sprinkles

Hi everyone. As I promised, I improved my cupcake charm from the previous cupcake charm post. I am really proud of this charm, and am thrilled to be able to share it with you guys. If  you've been following my Spring Break Dessert Charm Spree week, then you've seen all of my different techniques and step by step tutorials on how to make different charms. By now, you must know enough about charm making for me to skip the tutorials. I'll just give quick step throughs. If you have a particular question on any of the steps, please leave a comment or go look at the other dessert charm/dessert charms posts. I would also like to thank Fairytailslilangel for providing extremely helpful videos on how to make cupcakes! Following her video,  made the cupcake liner (that's what it's called!) out of clay, a blade, and tweezers to magnify the creases in the liner. In her video, she tells you to have the liner and the cake itself start out as the same piece of clay that will later be separated. However, I find that making the liner, then adding a pressed circle on top for the cake  to be more fun. I then got twirled four strands of icing and attached  vanilla and chocolate sprinkles. Oh- don't forget the white dots on the liner or the charm pin either! Have a terrific day, and see everyone next post!

Green Cupcake with Vanilla Sprinkles

      Here's anther pretty cool cupcake charm that I made. Hope you've enjoyed all of my charm posts.

Mint Oreo With Toffee Ice Cream

                                    Here's a double dose of daily sweetness- cookie and ice cream!

Sock Monkey Charm

When I first started making charms, I molded fun characters. Here's a photo of an ADORABLE sock monkey charm I made from Model Magic. Let me spare you the boring list of how-tos (unless you'd like one) and just pick out some of my favorite techniques when making such character charms.

1. When making mouths- especially big ones- lay the shaped cord on the face. Then, use tweezers to stretch the mouth out. I also find metal tweezers very helpful in situations like mushing/pushing/flattening little details into the charm (ears!) Picking them up by their hooks with this tool is also easier than doing it by hand.
2. To join two pieces of clay together, the best attaching method is to roll them together.
3. Arms are generally 3/4 the size of legs.

Bye!

Chocolate Bar

I really like taking photos of my charms without the protective covering- its a shame that I only thought of this  on the last day of my Perfect Polymers Spree week.

                                                                      Chocolate Bar

Ingredients:

• Model Magic in Black and Brown
• Aluminum Foil
• Staple
• Flathead
• Blade
• Scented Oil
• Clear Glue

Instructions:

1. To make the chocolate bar, mix black and brown in a ratio of 3:5. Make a rectangle base, and a smaller rectangle for the top of the chocolate.
2. Center the smaller rectangle on top of the larger one, and glue. Use the Flathead to make 2 rows of 3 mini squares on the chocolate.
3. Glaze with a small amount of glue. Let dry.
4. Poke the hook into the top of the smaller rectangle. Do not try to poke through the head of the larger rectangle because, calamity will strike when you realize that your chocolate bar head is wilting.
5. Dip chocolate bar through scented oil.
6. Wrap bottom half of chocolate bar in foil. Cut into the foil and unevenly fold downwards to finish wrapper.

P.S. I just got a new crafting table, and am gushing at how large it is! It fits all of my writing tools, polymer tools, drawing tools, laptop, Silhouette, papers, ribbons,and, beads/jewelry and glitter kits! I like to be able to have all of my things in one area, where I can see them. When organizing your own crafting areas, I recommend getting a table that fis everything, and still have space left over for you comfortable work on! Bye, and see everyone next time!

Better Lemonade

Better photo quality+ better looking! May I present to you the "Better Lemonade!"

On Tuesday, I played around with hot glue, and created a cup of lemonade. My sister suggested that instead of making a cup from hot glue dots, I should chop off a piece of unused hot glue! That was such a great, time saving idea! Thanks Carie (to see more of her great ideas visit her blog at www.craftables.blogspot.com)! Warning: It des take some arm grease, and you could end you cutting yourself- so be careful. Anyways, when I cut out the piece, the bottom of the glass wasn't "perfect', so I made like another bottom out of yellow Model Magic. Then, I made a lemon slice from yellow and yellow and white clay. I glue down all the parts, and poked a hole with a needle through the cap before sliding the hook in. I guess you could make a straw. but I can't see how you could make it look like the straw is also inside the glass. Do you have any suggestions? Please leave me a comment blow to let me know! Thanks so much and have a fun day!

Yah Blog Themes!

As you may have noticed, GoBrushes underwent another wallpaper change! I went to http://www.bthemes.info/crazy-monsters/ and downloaded the theme template to my computer. They say that the file is in a .zip format or something and that you have to extract it, but I didnt do anything but directly upload it to my blogger template. Happy with the new wallpaper- I really think it's so adorable! Let me know what you think! I;m off to explore new blogger templates- there's so many new possibilities! Don't be surprised if the wallpaper changes by tomorrow!

Green Cupcake- Act One

OK, so in today's Dessert Charm post, I created a green cupcake.  There will be no ingredients or instructions list yet, as I know my cupcake making skills are a work in progress. In short, however, I rolled out a cord for the icing, made green sprinkles, and used a blade to texture the cup bottom. I'm going to try out more cupcake techniques, and possibly consider buying some deco gels. Have a great day, and see everyone next post!

Peanut Topped Brownie

Alright, slightly better photo quality. I started out by making a simple brownie with fudge cream. However, then I realized how cute peanuts (or whatever those nuts are called) and decided to add some to the top. I then soaked the charm in a scented oil, and wrapped t in saran wrap until it was time to sell or gift!

                                                       Peanut Topped Brownie

Ingredients:

• Model Magic in Black, Brown, Orange, White
• Toothbrush and Needle
• Staple
• Blade
• Clear Glue
• Hot Glue Stick
• Chocolate Scented Oil

Instructions:

1. To make the cream on top, no mixing is involved! I used the brown right out of the package! Roll the clay into a ball, and slightly flatten into a slab using the hot glue stick. Mix black and brown in a ratio of 4:5 for the brownie part. Flatten into slab like with the cream. 
2. Use a blade to cut the brownie part into a rectangle remember to leave some dimension as a real brownie would have. Put the brownie on top of the cream. Use the blade to cut the cream under the brownie- using the brownie as a guild.
3. Use the needle and toothbrush t give the brownie texture- do not touch the cream, as cream is smooth. While you're texturing, the cream and brownie conform into each other. If it does not, press the cream into the brownie on all sides. 
4. Put some glue on to the cream. Use your fingers to smear the glue all over it. This will make the cream shiny. 
5. To make the peanuts, you should only use  1/4 the amount of clay used for the cream top. Mix white, brown, and orange in ratio of 15:4:2. Roll out about 12 to 16 little spheres. Use the blade to individually press into the middle of each peanut so that it will look like a real nut. Put the nuts onto the cream.*
6. Stick in the staple hook. 
7. Allow glue to dry before dipping into scented oil, ad allow oil to dry before wrapping.

*I recommend having the creased sides visible so that charm viewers know at all times that you didn't just stick random pieces on the brownie.

I know I've gotten a little lazy with making name tags for all of my charms, but I swear I'll make themm when the requiring time comes! Bye!

Lemonade

Sorry for the poor quality picture. Also, sorry for the lack of theme. This probably isn't a dessert, but still should count as one in my defense! Anyways, I really wanted to experiment with the charming capabilities of hit glue. In this super small charm, I made a large dot of hot glue, waited for it to dry, made a second- slightly smaller dot on top, and repeated the steps for the last dot. Once every dot has dried, you can peel the "cup" off the mat and look at your semi-claer cup. To make the light yellow tinge that lemonade always has, I poked a hole with a needle for where the straw should be, and "needled" it with yellow food color. Then, I got a metal staple, made the straw, made a hook, and finished the charm off with a slice of lemon.

Day Two: Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich

Sorry that I forgot to post a dessert charm yesterday! I was picking strawberries with some friends and completely forgot about posting until midnight! anyways, I woke up early today to make this ice cream sandwich. Looks so yummy- makes me hungry...and hungrier still because I haven't had any breakfast, yet.

Ingredients:

• Metal Staple-Straightened
• Skewer
• Model Magic-Black and Brown
• Play Dough- Pink and White
• Needle
• Xacto Blade
• Strawberry and Vanilla Extract*

*I actually was too lazy to go downstairs to get these extracts so I just used a berry pie scented oil (says on the bottle that it was a mixture of cranberry, orange, and vanilla). This goes to show that you can do any type of flavoring that you want.

Instructions:

1. To make the chocolate bread slices, mix together black and brown Model Magic in a ratio of 3:4.
2. Use the cylinder side of the Xacto knife to gently flatten the hun into a slab. Remember to leave some thivkness as a real ice cream sandwich would have. Cut out two rectangles of matching size. Lay out the slabs. Use the side of the blade to go around all of the bread's edges to soften them up. Use a needle point to mke two long rows of evenly spaced dots on both bread pieces.
3. To make the ice cream, get a ball of white and and a ball of pink Playdough. Press together. Roll into a cord until the two colors line up with each other perfectly. Shape the cord into a rectangle with slightly smaller dimensions than the chocolate breads. Carefully dip the ice cream into the scented oil, and then sandwich it between the two bread slices.
4. Shape a hook from the staple- follow steps in the Chocolate Mint Cone post- and stock onto the top of the ice cream sandwich.
5. Dip the whole charm into the scented oil. Allow time for the oil to dry- the scent will still be in the charm- before packaging. See tips for packaging in the Chocolate Mint Cone post.

Stay tune for today's charm post!
Link to Chocolate Mint Cone post for reference: http://www.gobrushes.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-mint-cone.html

Silhouette Software Cool Things...

Hi there peeps! After a few months of exploring the Silhouette Portrait and the Silhouette Software, I've come across an exclusive list of cool tips and tricks. Before buying the Silhouette, I spent two years researching its properties. Actually, I was looking at the Cameo, but luckily the Portrait came out last year...so... Anyways, one thing that I noticed was the lack of software information availible online. I had hands brimming with questions on malfunctions and things to type on Google, but the searches that pulled up never completely assuaged my qualms. You don't need to go through all of that! I prepared a whole long list to answer all of your questions. Plus, if you have any additional questions, you can leave a comment on my blog. I frequently check Go Brushes, so you can rest assured that your comments will always be answered quickly and accurately. For a payment of just 25.99, you get the complete list mailed directly to your e-mail account! This list included virtually everything I went through and discovered on the software. No longer will you have to waste precious time, money, and not to mention PAPERS because you weren't made aware of tiny details. Of course, the list itself may not include everything... for just an addtional 10 dollars, you get to schedule one hour long chat with me. During this session, you can ask anything you want to! We'll chat privately or publicly (based on your needs) in the comments section. Yes, comments can be private. Easy! With simple payments, you'll get the best answers on all of your crafting questions! Yes, this is an exclusive offer availible only to GoBrushes blog readers. Interested? Email me at ImjustkiddingIllgiveyouthelistoftricksforfree@dontworry.com

Hhaha! Just kidding! My discoveries are to share with the community of amazing crafters world-wide! However, feel free to comment me any questions!

Here's tip #1: When cutting font on the Silhouette store or typed directly, set your blade depth to 3 or 4. Adjust your cutting speed to 1. Doulbe cut. Choose a paper at least as thick as the cover sheet of a magazine. Do not make your letters less than 3/4 in tall and 1/2 in. wide. I've tried slightly smaller, and the cut never comes out without triggering a whole bunch of frustration. Sticking to these guildlines will almost guarantee perfect font cuts everytime. Good luck!

Chocolate Mint Cone

Happy Spring Break everyone! Starting today, I will be posting once everyday with a new dessert charm until the end of Spring Break. It feels so fantastic to have a whole week where I actually have enough time to have some polymer fun! As you can see, today, I made a Chocolate Mint Cone charm (scented). Doesn't it look yummy- what with Summer steadily approaching and all!
                                                       
                                                Chocolate Mint Cone
Ingredients:

• One metal staple
• Crayola Model Magic in White, Brown, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Black
• Pure Peppermint Extract
• Tweezers
• Skewer
• Circle Cutter
• Something with a Cross-hatched Texture (A Xacto Knife)
• Toothbrush

Instructions:

1. To make the ice cream, mix together blue, green, and white Model Magic in a ratio of 2:3:14, respectively. Roll into a ball-shape. Set aside.
2. To make the cone, mix brown, yellow, and white in a respective ratio of 1:1:9. Roll into a ball. Flatten with the textured Xacto-Knife into a flat slab. Using the circle cutter, cut a circle. Roll into a cone shape. (Tip*It's easiest to start by folding the bottom of the circle inwards, then curling the entire circle into a cone shape.)
3. To make chocolate chips on the mint ice cream, mix small amounts black and brown Model Magic together in equal proportions. If, when you've finished blending the colors, you find the color to be too light, add a smidge of black. Remember that black is a very very strong color. Roll out into the thinnest-sized strand possible, and use knife to finely "chop" into small chips. Gather chips.
4. Slightly flatten the bottom of the ice cream by pushing down towards work surface. Fit onto ice cone's mouth. Roll ice- cream in prepared chocolate chips. Use tweezers to adjust spacing of chips if you desire.
5. Use one side of a tweezer to smush the bottom lining of the ice cream scoop into the cone to form a rim. 
6. Use toothbrush to dab at ice cream for added texture.
7. Straighten a staple. Line up staple's middle with the skewer. Wrap the staple around the skewer twice. Twist the remaining staple ends together. Push down into the top of the ice cream cone for the char hook. 
8. Allow three days for charm to "dry-" though it still will be squishy. 
9. Clamp lightly inside tweezers, and immerse in peppermint extract. allow for a second for the oil to vanish.

Yields one perfectly scented ice cream cone.

*You can stop here if you just want to play with the charm for a few days (the scent will wear off eventually.) However, if you're planning to give the charm as a gift or sell it, put it on saran wrap. Make a name label for your charm. Place the second layer of saran wrap over the charm's top. Press around the charm for a greater seal. This wrap will prolong the scent of the charm. Remember to get a cello sleeve to ut the charm in when it is really time to give or sell the charm- as well as any other scented charm. Good luck ad have fun.

P.S. Tell me about your experiences with the charm in the comments section below. I look forward to reading them!