Die cut join

These are the other two cards that I have been able to make lately.  Three cards over three weeks.  Not bad huh!  Pathetic really. 

Here's another use for those die cut words I have.  This time the die cut joins the two halves together in the curve line.  

Apologies for the flare in the photo, but both the cardstock and the patterned paper are shimmery, so it's really hard to photograph without the flare.  When I was cleaning out my craft cupboard I found a couple of sheets of this frangipani paper which needed to be used, and this is how they turned out.  

Hopefully I'll be a little more productive next week. 

 

Birthday card - Hidden Die Cut

Well I still haven't really been inspired to create many cards lately.  I'm not sure why that it, but I wish it would go away.  I sit in my room with goods all around me, and then think that I'll just check out some ideas on Pinterest first, and then I just walk away without having done anything productive.  I did HAVE to make a birthday card for a friend recently, so after flicking through a craft magazine I saw this idea and decided to have a go at it. 

They called the technique Hidden Die Cut, and if you look at the photos taken on the side angle you will see why. 

Firstly, you just make the card front up the normal way, stamping or embossing or whatever you like, and then you die cut a word or shape out of the front panel, and also a couple more out of spare cardstock.  I did four extra layers, but I guess it depends of how high you want the greeting to stand out.  Then you glue all the layers together (this is quite tricky when the shapes are thin like this as you don't want the glue to ooze out), making sure that the front panel die cut is last on top.  Then obviously you stick these down in the cut out shape.  If you use letters with insides in them like all of the ones about, it looks so much better if you glue these down inside the letters as well.  It's a pain to do, but worth it in the end. 

Punch storage

When questioned by my husband what I wanted for Christmas, I asked if he could made me some storage for my punches.  We discussed what I wanted, he went off on his own tangent, and then I bought him back to reality.  We stamping girls know what we need and want.  So, off to Bunnings to buy timber.  It's just made of MDF sheets, so didn't cost too much.  But then, we need a work bench to make the cuts perfect, which came with a saw and then .....  Trips to Bunnings never end up well.  

So here is the storage for my punches.  It has 50 slots and the bottom row spaces we made larger to hold the old whale style punches.  I thought about having him make the dividers smaller at the top for the smaller punches, but decided if I need more room I can just double them up.   It's all painted in black and then varnished in clear gloss except for the front panels and dividers.  The kids think it all needs painting, but I like the exposed bits - it looks kind of vintagey and old worldly.  

Does everyone store their punches lying flat like this?  Have a look at the photo below.  I wonder why Stampin' Up print their sizes this direction which ends up being upside down.  I thought about removing the stickers and putting them the right way, but decided not to worry.   

 

Hubbie also asked if I wanted shelves like this to store my ink pads.  I'm trying to decide.  I love my SU Color Caddy, but I'm running out of room.  Guess I'll just have to wait and see what the new in colours are like and whether I need them. 

Happy New Year

Happy 2016 to you.  Thank you for coming back for a look at my blog.  I hope to be a little more reliable this year, but who knows?  

I thought I would first rehash a little Christmas for you with my card and also the cards received from friends. 

First up is the card I sent out.  Once again I was under a bit of pressure to get it done and sent off, so wasn't my best effort.  The embossing folder is a PortaCraft bought in a "junk" shop for $4.00.  Seriously, how come everyone else charges so much when they can be sold for this price?  I just don't understand it.  Anyway, I really love this design and also the fact that it has a border around it as well.  All the rest is purely Stampin' Up.  The trees are from Lovely as a Tree set and the sleigh is from Holiday Home.  Although it's not obvious in the photo, the circle (or Christmas bauble as it's supposed to be) has been sprayed with Champagne Mist so it is all sparkly and pretty.  

Here are a few of the cards we received - in no particular order, just the way they were photographed. 

No, we didn't copy, but this one is similar to mine.

This card isn't actually handmade but done by a laser cutter, but still it's beautiful. 

 So, once again a beautiful selection of cards from friends and family.  Clever bunch, aren't they?