This is the bone I made for my dog Keats. Unfortunately he wouldn't keep still long enough to have his photo taken with it. He does play with it - honest! The template will follow.

Free Flourishes Cutting File

Free Flourishes Cutting File

Here's another free cutting file I made for the ScanNCut. This time it includes some flourishes. I've hand-drawn these as well as the cameos (see last post). I hope to create some more files soon as I've made some more doodles since I've been stuck in bed. Please let me know what you think (good or bad).

Here's the link for the flourishes and photos of them.

https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6RF8cA4dt9mVkVSUFh1OUd5Vzg

Free Cameos Cutting File

Free Cameos Cutting File

I've been quite poorly so I haven't done as much as I hoped but I managed to scan some doodles I made that I hope may be of some use to someone. Unfortunately I haven't managed to complete any projects with these elements as I've been stuck up in bed. Here's the link to the FREE Scan N Cut cutting file.

https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6RF8cA4dt9mbmZWcmY1dDQybFU

Below are some photos of the cameos that are on the file.

With the help of Mel Heaton I now know how to link files to my blog (hopefully!). I asked Mel on her blog Paper Dreams one evening if she knew how I could link files to my blog and she very kindly and amazingly quickly pointed me in the right direction. So a big thank you to the fabulous Mel Heaton!

The cutting file is one of the first I had made from a doodle I made and scanned in. In I hope to create more project based ones soon and hopefully as I get more practice the designs will get better. But here goes - have to start somewhere!

This is the link for the Free Swirly Tree Cutting File:
https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6RF8cA4dt9mMVUweFZFallyNE0

Below are pictures of the spiral tree. They are not finished projects they're just to show how the design cuts. The spirals can be raised up to give dimension or be stuck down, they can also be curled with a paper curling tool to give even more dimension. I hope you like it.

Below is a picture of the embroidery hoop art I made using the crown and frog on the Brother ScanNCut machine. The frog is cut out from 100% cotton fabric and cut right from the first try; however  the crown which was cut out from felt was a lot trickier to get right. The felt I used was quite a thick craft felt and it took about 6 attempts to get right as it wouldn't stay still on the cutting mat. With felt I probably should've used the iron fabric stabiliser that came with the machine but I'm an impatient creature and was hoping for a short-cut which is a strategy that rarely pays off (more's the pity!).

SVG and FCM files for Brother ScannCut

I've been fortunate to have had the Brother ScanNCut cutting machine since just before Xmas and it has been as fabulous as I hoped. I am not incredibly technical but I am enjoying using the ScanNCut's online software called Canvas. I've scanned in some images I made and have been playing around with them on Canvas. I am aiming to put free cutting files on my blog - as soon as I know how to!.

The ScanNCut machine cuts, scans and draws and as I'm just discovering the possibilities seem endless. It has even started me on digital crafting which I really didn't think I would like but the Canvas software has been so easy to use and I can set-up a project from my laptop in bed whilst I'm waiting to be strong enough to sit at a table and create the finished article. The cutting machine cuts fabric and felt which is what appealed to me the most and I hope to post a photo of the embroidery hoop picture I made using two of the shapes cut by the ScanNCut soon.

I really enjoy making jewellery and seem to gravitate towards semi-precious stones (especially pearls). I had been experimenting with creating subtle layers of chains in my pieces. Unfortunately I haven't made much jewellery recently as I'm going through a Lupus flare and jewellery making in bed tends to be a disaster (have tried with farcical results) but below are examples of the type of jewellery I made.

I came across needle felting by accident. I saw a kit in Hobbycraft to make three needle felted penguins and I thought I'd give it a go, especially as the kit was only £3. I started to make the kit on one of my bad days when the Fibromyalgia was particularly angry and found the whole process to be incredibly therapeutic. The pain I get with Fibromyalgia can feel like a firework explosion of needle-pricks in my muscles and in needle felting you use a barbed needle to jab wool roving until it matts into the shape you want. There was something wonderful about jabbing the wool over and over again as my muscles felt like they were being pounded with a blunt needle - so cathartic! Such a release of tension! And you get to create something soft and lovely out of felt - win, win! Below are some of the things I've made by needle felting Merino wool.

Hi, I am Lore and this is my very first post. Exciting! (well exciting for me). I decided to start a blog primarily for my own amusement as I do not dare to presume that anyone will find or want to read this as I know everyone is very busy. I mention in my profile that I have some chronic illness that can make craft and art a little tricky at times (though I am luckier than most that I can give a good go at most things most of the time) and thought it might be nice to share my experience with arts and crafts and hopefully swap tips with others. Despite the illness thing I aim to make this blog about what matters most - the craft!