Tutorial: How to Print and Cut Shaped Photos and Make Custom Embellishments

The Silhouette Blog posted a sketch challenge that I wanted to give a try. The prize is a pink Cameo tote, so how could I resist. Here's a look at the sketch. 

and here's my take on it.

Here's what I used for this project
Be Amazing Paper Pad
3 Valentine Tags by Lori Whitlock #15668 from the Silhouette Store
Just click on the photos

For all my scrapbook pages I like to use the Silhouette Studio print and cut for my photos. I print my own photos because, I bring them first into Photoshop, adjust the color and I sometimes like to add filters, on these photos I gave them a soft focus. Then I bring them into Silhouette Studio.(**Note the new upgrade of SS tells me my photo resolution is too low, but the photos still come out beautiful) I can shape them any way I want, from square to rectangle or fun shapes like a circle or a sun. In addition while I'm designing the page I can see the photos right on the mat.

Here's a look at my mat for this page.

You can see how much easier it is to plan when you have the photos imported. 

Here's how you do it. 

1. In the Silhouette Studio Software go to File> open> your image>. ( **all files**located in the drop down menu must be selected in order to see all file types including .jpgs) 

Now you have your photo (or digital paper) opened on your mat and it's time to resize it to the final size you want. (For that reason I add my photos when I have most of the design done.) Next, I add the shape that I want to use to my mat. If you want only one part of the design, go ahead and upgroup the shape and grab only the part you want, you can delete the rest or just move them off the mat.  Here's a look at my mat at this stage.

2. Now move the shape over the photo, you can resize either at this stage. When you're done select BOTH the image and the shape and go to Object> Modify> Crop and that is it! You can add as many photos as you want, just repeat the process. Next you follow the steps for a regular print and cut. 

Here's the same thing done with the Echo Park Sun journaling shape C00235_48353  and some Websters Pages digi paper.

How cool is that! think of all the custom embellishments we can make!!

That's it.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!