Pumpkins and trains, chuga-chuga, chuga-chuga, choo-choo!

Here's a fun picture of our pumpkins from last year that I found while trying to find the right pics to create a page. Thought I'd share. Don't they look crazy!

To create something similar to this, trace your design or poke your design into your pumpkin. Next scrap away portions to make your design. Don't carve all the way through the shell, you only want the shell to be thin in the places you want the light to show through. Example, My husband scraped away at the "fire" area, the skulls eyes, nose and mouth but left the rest of the skull as is.

This is a great way to create designs that have inner shapes like my "UNION PACIFIC" text. You'd never be able to do that with actual carving.
Oh, and if you're looking for the locomotive shape, check out my portfolio or search "modern locomotive" in the Silhouette Online Store. (Can't sell the Union Pacific logo though, sorry, it's a copyrighted image.)

Speaking of trains, if you're looking for a christmas gift for children and you would like to do something creative, why not make them their own train map. Last year I created these train track segments along with buildings and scenery. (There is more in the store than I'm showing here.)

 

 

 

With my husband working for Union Pacific Railroad here in California, my kids have come to recognize the sound of the train. It's a lot of fun to hear them say "It's daddy's choo choo" everytime they hear the horn blow or drive past the railyard. We'll be participating in the "Polar Express" train here in Sacramento for the first time this year too. Should be a lot of fun. Aren't the holidays great!

Enjoy!

3D ghost, bat, spider tips and tricks tutorial

The 3D Ghost, Spider and Bat are created in basically the same way as the 3D pumpkin. Here's the link to the 3D pumpkin tutorial:
http://3under3andmore.blogspot.com/2010/09/3d-pumpkin-assembly-tutorial.html

3D Ghost tips and tricks:
1. The Ghost is a little trickier than the pumpkin, bat or spider. There are two ways to place the rings on:
      Option A. Place bottom ring on from the bottom. You will have to curl all four layers a bit more to fit it over the wide bottom. TIP: I find that if I place one side in it's notch and then curve all four layers, I can slide it over the bottom a bit easier.
      Option B. Place bottom ring on from the top. You will have to curve the paper enough that the arms slide through the hole, but you won't have to curl all four layers as much. TIP: When doing it this way, slide the bottom ring into one of the top slots, then ease the opposite arm through, and finally, slide the last arm through, fitting the lower ring into the lower slots like the photos here:

3D Ghost tips and tricks:

After assembled like the pumpkin, bend the eyes up or down. You can create contrast by pasting another cutout of the eyes over the top or coloring the eyes. Here's an example of contrasting eyes:



Good luck and Enjoy!

3D pumpkin assembly tutorial

Here are the pieces you will create for the 3D pumpkin.

To start, take "A" and "B". Slide A into the top slot of B like this:

Set  it aside.

Next, slide "C" into the bottom slot of "D" like this:

Now, take the first set of A&B and slide it into the top slot of C&D like this:

We're going to put the rings on now. (both rings are the same on the pumpkin)

Slightly bend your inner pumpkin (A,B,C,&D) to fit it in the center of the first ring and slide the ring down to the first slot:

Also align the inner pumpkin so that it's edges fit in slots directly across from each other:

Do the same thing for the bottom ring.

This next part is a little trickier. You're going to spread the inner pieces around the circle to the other slots.

Looking at the pumpkin from the end of it kind of like the picture above, move the top two inner pieces on the left 90 degrees to the right.

Then take the bottom two inner pieces on the right and move them 90 degrees to the left like the diagram below.

Now move one inner piece from each group of two clockwise to fill in the rest of the slots around the circle.

In the end, it should look something like this from the top:

You're done!

If you have any questions or get confused, leave a note on my facebook page and I'll help you out!

The bat and spider are similar assembly but if you get confused, let me know.

Good luck and enjoy!

Bibbity, Bobbity, boo, a pumpkin just for you!

Drum roll please....coming to the store in your computer...3D pumpkins!

These have been so much fun to design! I have more items in the works that I will have available for Silhouette next week. I have to say, it's nice to have a husband who's a mechanical engineer who understands how things all fit together!

I'm excited to use these for our halloween parties and thanksgiving dinner. I have some other ideas of how to use them and will post them when I have samples.

I am also almost finished with the tutorial for using the stitching templates if you haven't figured them out already. So keep an eye out for that tutorial. It's taken a lot longer than I thought it would to get out with the arrival of little Baylynn. If anyone of you have used the stitching templates, I would love to show case your examples with the tutorial! Either upload them to the Daley Designs facebook page or send them to my email: byuangel514@gmail.com.

 There will also be a tutorial for assembly of the 3D pumpkin and a few other designs to come, so be sure to check back!

Enjoy!