Fonts – what have you got and what do they look like?

Have you ever wanted to see what something looked like in a different font, or even in several different fonts? If so, join the club.

I have been pondering over this conundrum for ages – I know you can go into your fonts folder and see an example of any font on your computer but that is not the easiest solution.

After trawling the internet I have found 2 solutions that seem to do exactly that.

One is a free programme that you can install on your computer directly and it will gather all your fonts so that you can choose one or several fonts, type in a word/phrase and even change the colour of it to compare different fonts of your choice.   You can also categorise your fonts into different files which is a really useful tool for finding fonts specific to particular events/occasions without having to trawl through your whole library.  This is called Nexus Font

 

www.https://nexusfont.en.softonic.com/download

 

The other is a web based programme, also free but here you have to copy all the fonts into your library – it takes a little while but I found I could maybe copy 12 at a time and drag and drop them into the library. Again you can type in a word/phrase to see what it looks like but not sure there is a colour option. I don’t however think that is particularly a game changer. This is called Creative Fabrica Font Colud.

The one thing I did find with the second option that there is a “Private Use Area” (PUA) which I have never come across before! Certain fonts have this area which offer extras similar to those found in the Special Characters File and there are a myriad of wonderful things lurking here – really exciting.

On the downside of the second option it does take awhile to load the fonts into your library however you can copy several at a time which makes it a little quicker.  Once they are there job done you don’t have to do it every time.  You can load something like 10,000 fonts for free so more than enough space.

On a positive note it has lots of freebies in the font and graphics department as well!

https://fontcloud.creativefabrica.com/apps/files/

Since using the web based option I have realised is that I have not installed all the fonts on my computer so I have more  than I actually thought so that was a result.

I haven’t done a video on these as there are loads I have since found on YouTube but if you have any questions or would like me to do one then please send me a message.

I trust you will find these useful and no doubt there are other similar applications out there but for me I am happy with these and will quite likely use both.

Happy crafting 

Anne 

Basic designing and cutting Vinyl

Hello everyone

Well it’s been a long time since I posted but as they say “better late than never”!

I actually did these videos at the beginning of the lock-down/confinement however I had problems getting the 2nd part of the video off my phone and have only just been able to resolve this problem.

This is a ‘back to basics’ video so if you are confident in your knowledge of your machine then it might not be for you

In the first part I show how to import, manipulate, replicate and group items in readiness for cutting either on a 12 x 12 mat which can be done on either the CM machines or the SDX machines or on the roll feed option which is only for the SDX machines.

Here is the link to the video – part 1

In the second part I am concentrating on cutting on the machine, weeding and adhering to a shiny surface such as a mug .  I now only have an SDX machine however, the CM machine using the 12 x 12 mat is very much the same procedure.  It is not possible to use the roll feed on the CM machines.

I do have to apologise about this video however.  I made the video not thinking about the fact that part of me would be visible in it.  Had I realised I would have worn something other than my ‘onesie’.  It was a Sunday and because of lock-down I was confident that no one would call unexpectedly so decided to have a ‘dress-down day’ – opps 🙂  It could have been worse, that’s all I’m saying!

Here is the link to the video – part 2

Hope this is helpful

Anne x

Champagne Bottle Card

Hi everyone

I made this recently on my CM900 and very happy with how it turned out so files for cutting below.  Drew it Illustrator, saved as an .svg file then opened in Canvas to send to machine.

For some unknown reason Canvas always imports it at a much smaller size so you will need to enlarge it to suit your needs (and/or envelopes!)  I used artistic licence and made the length of the bottle suitable for an A4 picece of cardstock but knocked off the keep proportions size to get the width I wanted or it would have been completely wrong for my use.

Drew the wording in on the labels before cutting them to avoid them moving.  Obviously haven’t included the text as that is a personal choice.  Even cut the little bubbles out on my machine.

I need to make another similar card so will cut this out on my new machine so that I have a direct comparison of their cutting capabilities – will be an interesting exercise!

Here is the link to the file  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xxnssg0z7v1p8cx/Champagne%20Bottle.JPG.cwprj?dl=0

it is a .cwprj file (Canvas desktop file as opposed to online file) so you can’t view it from dropbox but you can import it and open in Canvas as normal.

Any problems give me a shout and I will always be happy to help out

Anne x

Brand New Scan N Cut Machines due out any time now …

I am quite sure that by now you have all heard of the fact that there is a new “Brother” on the block.  There are two machines about to be launched (in Europe) (and have already been launched int he USA).  The 1000 and the 1200 – these two numbers are prefixed but the prefixes might well be different in different countries.

The basic difference from what I have gleaned is, other than the price, that the 1000 is probably more geared to card crafting whilst the 1200 is geared to both card crafting and for needle crafting (.pes files), it has more patterns in the machines memory and additional fonts.  Obviously there is a lot more to the differences than that but I have no doubt that you will do your own research as and when you feel the need to do so.

The difference, in a nutshell, from our original sNc’s and these new ones is the fact that the blades are now automatic and can detect the depth of medium on the mat and cut accordingly; it can now cut up to a maximum of 3mm; the scanner is now a whopping 600 dpi; it has a couple of departments to store tools and  it can cut vinyl fed in via a roll feed (additional item/cost) without being supported by a mat.  Both new machines are wi-fi so you don’t have to rely on a computer if you are happy with the 1300 designs or so contained on the machine.

I thought long and hard but in the end I couldn’t resist so I have placed my order for the SDX1200.  Why did I choose the 1200?  I certainly don’t need it as I have never cut fabric on my other machine so I could well have bought the slightly cheaper model, however the 1200 was on offer and includes the roll feeder so in actual fact it was a simple choice in that it worked out far cheaper than buying the 1000 and adding on the roll feed on.

That’s my story and I am sticking to it !!

I am anticipating that delivery will be in the next week or two so not too long to wait.

I believe it is due for release in the UK at the end of the month/November but don’t quote me.  I also have no idea as to the price that it might be sold for.

If you haven’t already seen a photo of it here it is – sadly not

as decorative as our current machines but I have no doubt that we will all customise our own machines to suit our personalities.

 just a thought…. Christmas is just round the corner!! x

New House Card

Having not posted anything for a long time I can now make up for that by posting the cutting files for two cards I made recently.

The first is this “New Home” card which was very simple – I cut it out of white card stock and just put a cream backing behind (on account that was the colour of their new home), I then added a couple of small rolled flowers.  Greeting was drawn on using the sNc prior to cutting out the house shape to ensure it was all in the correct place. 

To access the cutting file click here :  https://www.dropbox.com/s/zncxr5bu6b8vqqv/New%20Home.cwprj?dl=0

New update for Canvas desktop app

Just in case you haven’t used your Canvas desktop app of late, there has been another update and you can now download any of the images that you have in the Canvas library (web version) which means you have more power to do stuff.  It would also appear that they have added more shortcuts for those of us who prefer to use a keyboard shortcut rather than clicking on the mouse and choosing an option.  Great stuff

Anne x

Leaves for Daisy

Hi again,

Just did some leaves, they can be manipulated to make wider, shorter, narrower etc.  Hope they are reasonably representative of a daisy leaf.  You just need to draw some veins in and shape them.

Link below

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mkcjwtk0rhlnet3/Leaves.fcm?dl=0

Anne x

Daisy

Hi everyone

I wanted to make an arrangement of daisy flowers so drew the following using Adobe – have just cut it out of plain white card so far but was very happy with the result.  I think I might try embossing the paper before cutting it again but it is a very simple flower – I do need to make some leaves for it so will post those (when) I get round to doing them!

Please feel free to use the file but again, please don’t copy it and sell it on as I don’t want to have to start charging for the files I make!

Photo shown laying down and propped up – just coloured the centre with a yellow marker pen.

 

Below is the link to the .fcm file if you wish to use it

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k14s2jzhjj52vy0/Daisy.fcm?dl=0

Enjoy

Anne

WiFi Updates

Hi folks

So sorry I haven’t been around for such a long time but unfortunately for me “life” is getting in the way and I have not even had much chance to craft let alone share anything but thanks for hanging on in there regardless!

I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if most of you are way ahead of me over this topic however, just in case you aren’t, I thought I would share.

I had to make a quick card yesterday and so sent my design to my CM900 over WiFi, went to my machine to find a completely different looking icon for the WiFi and another little icon.

Ever curious I clicked on this to see that I could opt to “update” my machine there and then – fantastic – we now no longer have to put the update onto a USB and then upload it into our machines (provided, of course they are WiFi), it automatically updates over WiFi – this was a fabulous find, not sure quite when it came out but if you haven’t “fallen” across it – then do switch your machine on.

The only thing I can’t be sure of is if it only works when you send something from Canvas to the machine as I wasn’t expecting it so I had no idea it was going to happen!

kind regards

Anne

New Projects

Hello, just a quick heads up just in case you haven’t looked at Canvas of late, they have added in a few new projects for us to use (free ones).

There is a New Years Card along with some other projects.

Anne x