MFT Digital Designs Day!!

What is 'Digital Designs Day' you ask? Well, today, MFT is releasing five new digital designs ahead of the October release. To see what the Creative Team has for you, be sure to check out Kim's blog after 11:00am--she'll have the list.

Here's what's being released right now:

Halloween Dotty Papers

Bird House Template

Full Circle Treat Box Template

All-Season Wagon Template

Pumpkin Box Template

All of the templates come in a zip file that includes several formats: PDF for traditional scissors cutting, and all of the popular electronic cutter files.

I am so thrilled to have three of my designs in that list and I hope you'll be as excited about them as I am. So, you wanna know what I've got for you? Well, I just happen to have a Halloween themed birdhouse. I just LOVE how this turned out! There are lots of pictures, but I wanted to give you a tutorial on how to put this cutie together. First, though, let me show you my house. I've used some older MFT sets and lots of dies to decorate it.

Here's the front view using Wendy Alphabet, Too Cute To Spook, Trick or Treat With Who's That Girl, and Banner Day, Sheltering Tree Leaf Trio, and Fresh Cut Grass Die-namics dies.

 ***********

On this side you'll see the Sheltering Tree die cut and some images from Ghoulish Labels (out of stock).

**********

Here I'm using Sheltering Tree leaf dies and images from Totally Witchin' and Fred Bear Goes Camping (see the fire under the kettle?)

**********

And here, Flopsey makes a cameo appearance (I couldn't resist--you know I love me some Flopsey!)

**********

And look--the top comes off and is a treat or gift box. You can put the "door" at the bottom if you wish--or not at all, or draw one--it's totally up to your imagination!

 **********

OK, now I'm going to show you how I made it. Please excuse the pictures--I took these at my work table and the lighting is not the best for photos but I think you'll get the "picture" ;-)

First of all, cut out all the pieces, either using the Print and Cut version or whatever cut file your electronic cutter uses. For this house, I used my Silhouette, so no score lines were indicated. If you use an electronic cutter version, you need the Print and Cut version to show you where the score lines need to go.

**********

I wanted my walls to look like a creepy old stone house, so I used some light gray card stock and drew in the stone blocks with a Copic marker--W3. Then I went back over the lines with W1 to blur them a bit. You can use patterned paper, too, but make sure it's sturdy enough to support the roof.

**********

Next you'll want to score, fold, and apply a really strong adhesive (such as Scor-Tape or Red Line tape) to the flaps on the front and the back pieces.

**********

And then attach the side pieces like this:

**********

Next, you'll want to attach the base. I used a piece of card stock here, but you might want to use a piece of lightweight chipboard covered with card stock for more stability. Just add adhesive to the bottoms flaps, center it over the base, and stick it down. I didn't want to overwhelm you with too many pictures, so I'll just tell you that I cut another piece of my base card stock to fit the inside--it covers up those flaps and just makes it look neater.

**********

OK, on to the roof. Score where indicated and then "fit" it to the house. The easiest way is to put a bit of adhesive on the little flap area, then put it on the house to get the correct "pitch". After you do that, add some extra adhesive to reinforce it.

*********

Here you see what it's supposed to look like so far.

**********

The next step is putting shingles on the roof :) I used my Jumbo Scallope Die-namics die to cut my "shingles". For the ridge pole section, you need to die cut on both sides and score it down the center, long way.

**********

And attach it like this. I found it to be easier to start at the top and work down to the eaves, rather than the other way around.

**********

Then add more runs of shingles--these only need to be die cut on one side, but you'll need to cut them so the "fish scales" are staggered, like this:

**********

Next you'll need to cut your "boxing". I used my Scalloped Scallop Die-namics die for this.

**********

Trim the boxing strips to fit up under your shingle edges and covering the folded down edges of your roof base and adhere. As a finishing touch, I sponged some green Distress ink here and there to simulate moss :)

**********

And there you have it! Now you can go to town decorating your house to the nines! And this is only the beginning--think Santa's Workshop, Snow Cottage, Easter Bunny's house, a school, add a steeple and it's a church--the sky's the limit with where you can take this little house! I hope you'll share what you've made with us--we'd love to see your creations!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Wendy Alphabet, Totally Witching, Fred Bear Goes Camping, Who's That Ghost and Ghoulish Labels (both out of stock), too Cute To Spook, Trick or Treat With Who's That Girl (MFT)
Paper: Fossil, Whip Cream, Orange Fizz, Hot Fudge, and Black Licorice card stock (MFT); Soft Stone (PTI); Eerie 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Crushed Olive Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories/tools: Cuttlebug (Provocraft); Banner Day, Sheltering Tree Leaf Trio, and Fresh Cut Grass, Jumbo Scallop, Scalloped Scallop Die-namics dies; spider web, branch, bat punches (Martha Stewart); buttons, twine (PTI); Copic markers; jewels (craft store); Scor-Tape