It's all about the Dies!

Hello, good morning! Thanks to Bev for stepping in yesterday. Today is all about the dies! I have lots of dies and don’t always use them enough (much). So, I decided that this week, I’d concentrate on using dies as the focus on my cards. The first card I’m sharing was the third one I made, but it makes such a pretty banner picture!!

I used Concord & 9th’s Kids are Grand to stamp the sentiment and the clusters of kisses in green directly on the card base. I completed the card by adding a leaf die cut. I used My Favorite Things In Focus Florals to cut the leaf from some water colour panels that I had in my stash. That’s it! This card is done; I’ve left the inside blank for me to write a message. Next is an ultra-clean and simple card:

I used Concord & 9th’s Everyday Sayings die set for this card. The die set includes a large hello die along with matching shadow die, a Hi die, and several others which I haven’t used yet. I cut the shadow from black card and the hello from white card. I layered them together and adhered to the front of my notecard. Done!

I used the large ‘hi’ die on this card from Everyday Sayings. I cut two from red card and layered them together for a little dimension. I added a pretty butterfly from Concord & 9th’s Bold Butterflies stamp set. This set has lot of different sized layering butterflies. I stamped the outline image in dark pink and added the wing decoration in red to match the word. I stamped the body in dark grey ink and then used the matching die from Bold Butterflies die set to cut it out. I applied a thin line of glue to the body of the butterfly, added dimensional pads to the wings and adhered it to the card. I finished by adding a butterfly trial which comes from Concord & 9th’s Fluttering By turnabout stamp set. You will be seeing this set in the future!! Inside, I cut mat layer of red card and on the white panel I stamped another of the pretty butterflies and added a sentiment from Kids are Grand. I don’t have any grandkids, but I like the set because it has lovely words.

My next three card were all made from some water colour panels that I had in my stash.

I used a green water colour panel on this card. I used My Favorite Things In Focus Florals to cut the leaf. I adhered the panel to some black card and glued the little bits from the leaves to the black card. I made a notecard from soft green card and adhered the panel to the front. I finished the front by adding a simple sentiment from My Favorite Things Itty Bitty Basics, which has lovely sentiments. I stamped it in white ink, heat embossed with white powder and used the matching die from Itty Bitty Strips to cut out the greeting. I used dimensional pads to attach it to the card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and added a white panel so that I can write a message. I think this one is going into my 'sympathy' stash. Next is a birthday card:

I layered the water colour panel onto black card and adhered it to the front of the card. I used another of the In Focus Floral dies to cut three flowers from white card. I layered them together and added them to the front of the card. I used the birthday greeting from Kids are Grand, stamped it in white on black card, heat embossed it and trimmed it to fit. The inside is, at present, blank. Finally, I have another hello card.

I cut a piece of the water colour panel to fit the front of an A2 (US size) card. I had a strip left and used the hello die from Concord & 9th’s Everyday Sayings to cut out the word ‘hello’, and die cut the shadow from white card. I layered them together and adhered it to the centre of the card. I was incredibly pleased to find the water colour panels in my stash. Using dies to cut the focal images meant these cards came together quite quickly.

It was my 61^st birthday yesterday. I was lucky enough to get some wonderful gifts and cards. I got my second Covid vaccination too – great birthday present! And it was hot and sunny too! Lucky me. Anyway, that’s all from me today. Back to normal next week – see you Wednesday. Keep safe.

Deborah, x