Printables or Cutting files (.svg) – you decide….

28/04/2014 by UKMA 22 Comments

We have been having a lively discussion over on UKS.  You may have seen the recent printables that I made by request, that sprang out of that discussion.  One of the members commented that she might try cutting on of the printables I was asking them to look at, and it got me thinking about cutting files.  The lovely Doreen, who is that rare mix of knowledge and willing to share/teach, helped me immensely with just a couple of comments and a few screenshots, solve a problem that I didn’t know I had LOL!  That is the biggest issue in using a program I adore, but that no one else uses.  Who do you ask for help?

Anyway let’s try to be organized here. These are all based around Polaroid frames, that’s how it began.

1. Set One is a PRINTABLE –  Designed specifically for the UKS ladies:

It was a bit of an experiment and I wasn’t 100% happy with the font.  I thought a stencil font would make sense, but it turns out getting the drop shadows right is tricky.  But I’ll add them here  in case anyone can use them. Note the very faint background.  I am experimenting with that instead of a fine line to show the card area.

2. Set Two is another printable – designed to address the font choice.

Both of these have the light source upper right.  That one is here.

3. Then I got a bit crazy and made these – just to see how they would work, basically.  But having made them I kinda feel like why NOT add them?  My issue with them is, as it is with every printable that is super ink-intense, is that depending on your printer, they may not be exactly economical.  KWIM?  Printer ink is not cheap.  But here you go:

I love ’em, and think they look cute as can be, but was a little worried (with all of them, actually) that the corner rounding debate (another UKS discussion – to round or not to round? and may heat up once the SU! Project Life cards (not rounded) get released) would mean only non-rounders would use them unless I really reduced the interior window.

SO that took me on to the cutting file idea.  A few experiments later and I ended up with these:

4. The .svg file (can’t add it here, so it’ll have to be DropBox if I can remember how to use it LOL!) looks like this:

and cut they look like this – you need to save the little ring from the camera and the thumbs-up then stick them to the backing card to complete the image.

Note that these are rounded.  I took the extra step of finding a good image of a PL card online, then did my level best to match the corner as best I could.  I also looked at posts in a number of places that claim the ACTUAL size of a PL card is 2.9 x 3.9 inches.  So I made them that size.

Now if I did it right, you should be able to grab it on DropBox here. If not, comment and I’ll sort you out somehow.

Now I really really need to step away from the computer.  Love making printables, but I have a crop this Saturday, and my messy painty AJ play is calling to me, as well as another little experiment I am itching to test, plus the shopping, the laundry, and a few things going on with DD this week.  At the moment the Net and email are stable (knock wood, big time) and the car is repaired and available (more wood-knocking) and my To Do list is a mile long…including more paperwork to be filed, so much so that DH is beginning to regret passing on the filing to me.   I just really have to bite the bullet and finish it up… DOH!

Really, I almost feel every post should come with an Executive Summary at the top – just the facts and links, M’am... cause who actually reads every word?  LOL!