Wednesday 28 May 2014

Less is More Week 173 - die cut

The current challenge over at Less is More is to use a die cut. I went for Christmas, and used two dies:
I used:

- 7" x 5" white card blank

- SU's 'Tempting Turquoise' card stock

- white card stock

- Memory Box 'Flurry Wreath' stamp, stamped using SU's 'Tempting Turquoise' ink pad then die cut using the matching Memory Box 'Flurry Wreath' die. Little tip about cutting out using this, below the list of ingredients. I used little sticky pads to make the wreath 'pop' a bit when I added it to the card - thereby shoving it up to Large Letter rate of course, sigh :(

- Memory Box 'Crisp Bow' die cut from SU's 'Tempting Turquoise' card stock

- sentiment was stamped straight onto the card using a stamp from Woodware's 'Bubble Wreath' set and SU's 'Tempting Turquoise' ink pad

Again, as all the goodies were out to play with, I made two cards the same.

Almost forgot the little tip - the Memory Box die I used is beautiful, but as it's a solid die (rather than just a frame) it needs a different approach to placement.

What I did was to stamp the wreath first onto white card and set that aside. Then, made a template by using the matching die to cut a spare piece of thinnish card.

Next step is to position the card template over the stamped image, making sure all the snowflakes are evenly lined up within the aperture of the template.  This piccie below was taken after the card was finished but should show what I mean about alignment of the template you made:
See, the template is fitted over the stamped wreath. Once you're happy with the alignment just use a couple of small bits of low tack tape to hold the template in place over the image and then get the die in your little mitts again and 'lock' it into place cutting side down within the template - you'll feel when it pops into place. Use a little more low tack tape to hold the sandwich of image, template and die together and run thorough die cutting machine as normal. Bingo!

Another way is to use the holes you see outside the die shape in the above photo to mark and then reposition the die without leaving the template in the 'sandwich'. Ask me how I know that's not as accurate :)

Di
x

28 comments:

  1. Simply stunning, Di! What a gorgeous die and stamp set.

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  2. Wonderful card...thank you for the tip about how to stamp/cut this more easily. This little tidbits are carefully filed away...and hopefully I will remember where...Yikes!

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  3. I love the different use of the dies in this elegant CAS card! Thanks for telling us how you did it too!!

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  4. Gorgeous CAS card Di, great tip too, TFS, Cathy x

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  5. I love your scrumptious CAS Christmas card, Di! And thanks for the tip about making the wreath, very clever!! Hugs, Darnell

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  6. That is just so cool and a lovely colour. I really like that die and stamp set :-) Thank you for the hints and tips :-D
    Hugz
    IKE xx

    My Challenge Blog
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  7. Absuloutely stunning and beautiful. I love the simplicity of the design and gorgeous colours. thank you for your tips.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  8. Thanks for the tip--I've had trouble figuring out how to use dies like this. Your card is one of my all-time favorites, Di--love the colors & design--perfection!

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  9. This is gorgeous Di!
    I hadn't realised that they did stamps and dies of wreaths... this looks stunning!
    Thanks so much
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  10. Lovely card Di, great die too. x

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  11. Morning Di . . . what a lovely festive card. CAS and COOL! Great tips too.

    If you use just one foam pad layer, it should still whizz through the normal letter slot and not be a LARGE letter? But knowing you, you've already checked that! Maybe you use deeper foam pads than I do!

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  12. Gorgeous Christmas card Di lovely die and great colour

    Anne

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  13. Stunning, intricate, elegant and perfectly CAS Di, love it all especially my favourite colours in there so thumbs up again!
    Thanks for sharing and taking part.
    Sarah xx
    Less is More

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  14. Bootiful card Miss.
    Now I thought CAS stood for Clean and Simple. Not so sure this classes as "simple" - confused my little brain cell!
    Hugs
    xx

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  15. It's a bit like the pop up box card, sounds much more complicated than it really is Sam! xx

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  16. I was so please to get to meet you in person at last at the Crop. I don't know about you but I had a great time, and also enjoyed the extra days I spent wandering round the area afterwards. I went out in the morning with no real plans, and if I fancied the look of a little lane, I just took it to see where it went. It was a very liberating thing to do and I found some beautiful little out of the way places to enjoy. On several occasions, I had no idea where I was not which was the way back, but it didn't matter. I had all the time I wanted to just explore. Hope you had a good journey home. xx Maggie #49

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  17. Love your card. You are quite the master of the die....great job!

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  18. Beautiful card Di, and I like the colour you have chosen for the stamping and layering. It does sound a bit of a fiddle to put it altogether but well worth the effort I think. Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  19. Really beautiful CAS card Di. I love the colour and the dies.
    Thanks for the tips too.
    Jean x

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  20. This is gorgeous, love the shade of blue and a great snowflake die. I love those bows, only bought the star set but used it with various other punches, hearts, snowflakes and more.

    Kath x

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  21. Gorgeous CAS Christmas card. Useful tip as well about placing the die.

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  22. Di this is stunning l like the colour and the wreath is gorgeous lovely as always and thank you for your tutorial so very helpful too! x

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  23. Super elegant creation Di, the wreath stamp is fab
    Thanks so much for joining LIM this week
    Anne
    Less is More Designer

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  24. Absolutely gorgeous card! Love the stamped and die cut detail - really beautiful work Karen xx

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  25. Love how you used the dies for this weeks challenge.
    Thanks for joining us at Less Is More
    Jen xx

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  26. This is such a pretty wreath! I love these colors!

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  27. Thank you so much for this beautiful card & for sharing your great tip on how to cut it out. I was starting to think I wasted good money on this set until I read your simple tip. Wishing you a blessed Christmas

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