How do I do it...

First I would like to say thank you so much for the nice comments! I feel like it is such a blessing to be able to use my creative talents in a way that allows me to share with other people! This has to be the best job I have ever had!!!! I mean who wouldn't love to get paid for doing something you love!!! I am sooo thankful to my hubby for allowing me to stay at home and start, grow and nurture this little business that I call "Beloved Keepsakes"!! (Ok, enough mushy stuff... on today's topic!) :)

So someone asked in the comment section yesterday - how do you do this??? Well here you go...

First I come up with an idea. I actually have a notebook that I carry around with me. And when an idea strikes I write it down. Now this was quite amusing when hubby was home on leave, as I was pulling that notebook out every where we went, or so it seemed to him!! LOL

Once I have an idea - I then start my creating my design in software called WinPC for scrapbooking. I prefer this program, but it is all a matter of choice. There are several programs out there - I also have Inkscape (which is free) and I have Illustrator Cs2 (which was a little pricey!). Sometimes I hand draw my graphics, some times I use clip art as a base for my graphic, some times I use a photo, and I have even used objects around my house.

Once I have completed my design in WinPc I test cut it. And almost every time I test cut I find something that needs to be tweaked, or changed or redone. Once I make those changes ~ Well then I test cut again! Once the cut comes out correctly - I then save the file in the .wpc format. I then export it as an AI file. I then open it in Illustrator, simplify the file, and then save it in the AI format. Then I export the file as a .dfx. I then take that dfx and I load it into a program called Robomaster and I convert it and save it as gsd.

Whew..... so there you go - those are the steps I take!!!! (Now let me say - this is just the way I design my files- there is more than one way to do things - these are just the steps I take! And all this will probably be changing soon when I get my new KNK Element... as it has a totally different software that come with it!!!)

If you want to learn your particular cutter better - I would encourage you to join the forum/message board at Paperthreads. There are a ton of tutorials available there for free to get you started! I can not stress to you HOW IMPORTANT it is to learn your cutter and what it does before branching out into the different software's!

There are a ton of different software's out there - and it is really personal choice... the frustrating thing to me is that all the software's pretty much do the same thing - but they use different terms to do it.... Chris talked about this is her blog today (check it out!!!).

I would love to see this excel file she is talking about happen. I think it would help a lot of people and allow everyone to speak the same language even if they own a different cutter or software program!!! So check out her blog and put your knowledge to good use!!!!

If you have any questions - shoot me an email or post it in the comment section!!!!

Hope you are having a Happy Saturday ~
Cya Soon~
Lori