Cuttlebug Mania Challenge - 'Monochrome'

Time for another fortnightly challenge over at Cuttlebug Mania - and this time the theme is 'Monochrome'. Having discussed this, it isn't just shades of black/white/grey - it can be colours with a little bit of white/black if you wish. I went for the colours option - any excuse to use some pink snippets :)

You do have to use a manual die cutting/embossing machine for Cuttlebug Mania entries (it doesn't need to be a Cuttlebug but it must be manual, not electronic). And, you can't mix the two, it must be all manual please. Then make your entry, link into the challenge, link to the challenge in your own blog post and and make sure that you also say what products you used for any die cutting/embossing.

Our sponsor is Crafty Sentiments Designs (more details about the prize over on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog) and this is the card I made:

I used:

- 4.75" x 4.75" square white card blank

- snippets of pink card for the 'quilting'

- first I cut the outline piece from pearlescent pink card using the MFT 'Quilt Square Cover-up' die and backed it with double sided adhesive sheet, leaving the backing on but each of the patchwork slots then had a nice sticky surface just waiting for the patchwork pieces

- die cut a further three pieces of pink card in different shades and popped the pieces in place where I wanted them to go

- peeled off the backing behind the completed patchwork to reveal the self adhesive sticky sheet and mounted that onto a piece of pink card, which I then trimmed down to size

- wrapped some natural twine around the patchwork panel  and stuck it onto the card front

- stamped the word 'Hi!' using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink and a stamp from the Stampendous 'Happy Messages' set 

- die cut the sentiment using an X-cut 'mini die - gift tag die and left the tag in the die while I outlined it with little faux stitches using a Stabilo Fine Liner

- hot glued the label in place

- slotted a piece of doubled natural twine through a pink button and tied a bow

- hot glued the button onto the label

I think the secret of working with this die is to use the adhesive sheet as I did and also to try to keep the patchwork pieces together within the die cut shapes to be sure to pick the right ones for the framework you already cut - some of the pieces do vary!

The photo (OCD strikes again) has slightly picked up the white inner core of the patchwork frame, making it look a bit as if there are gaps - in fact the pieces fit really snuggly, sigh :( One to remember here in future, use card stock without a white core!

I got the design idea from this blog, by Barbara Anders. She's on the MFT DT and has some wonderful cards to see - looks as if the card I CASE'd has had its image deleted from her blog though. Thankfully it was still on the MFT site and it's still worth hopping over to see her work!

Why not make a snippets entry using some of those monochrome snippets you must have lurking - making sure you do some manual machine embossing/die cutting of course - then you can enter both at the same time :)

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