Where to begin?!?! I guess to begin at the very beginning would make the most sense, but first I would like to thank the Caron's, the owners of Spellbinders, for their belief in me and allowing me the opportunity to work with them on such a fabulous project!!! THANK YOU Stacey and Jeff!
It all started with this shaped card – do you remember this one? Well my desire to explore and create is always getting me in trouble – LOL! I truly loved the idea of creating shaped cards, and tags, and... without having to wield my trusty decorative edge scissors. It seemed that each time I would shoot for precision I would end up having to repeat the task endlessly. Then I learned that I could use the Create-a-cut, but that still wasn't the resolution to my problem being that these are difficult to locate.
I became familiar with the Spellbinders product in the oddest way. My brain was trying to explode the uses of the Cuttlebug I had just purchased. For some strange reason I seemed to remember something about a Wizard. I didn’t really know what it was or how it was utilized, but I went out in search of and purchased the Wizard Charm Embossing Kit from my LSS. With this kit I hit on the most fantastic of ways to use the Cuttlebug. To be able to use the Cuttlebug with texture plates, brass stencils, and whatever other “find” I could think of that was thin enough to run through it, was my goal. Little did I know that Spellbinders was already doing all those things already!!! Yep, a truly blonde moment once again.
It was at Winter CHA that I went over to introduce myself to Jeff Caron, the owner of Spellbinders to ask him about the current supply of Wizard Charm Embossing Kits. Being that I couldn’t keep them in supply I was wondering if he had noticed a difference in their business after the discovery I had made. It was a busy show and life continued. I would blog and also wonder aloud at the inability to get the scalloped punches, as well as ponder the reason for not having dies that would take their place. I would talk about the Cuttlebug, yada, yada, yada. I would break B plate after B plate with my experimentation, but I kept right on with my experimental adventure just purchasing new plates with each adventure – LOL!
I then received a phone call from Stacey and Jeff – they wondered why I didn’t like the Wizard. Well it was simple, it was not that I didn’t like it – I just knew nothing about it. That was the very beginning of this adventure of ours. To make a long story short we have worked together now for months, coming up with a product line that we believe will be integral in everyday creating. I would ask questions and then Jeff would patiently answer them. It was not until I was actually in Arizona did I truly begin to comprehend the beauty of the Wizard machine itself. I knew what the dies could do being that I had been playing with them, but I just couldn’t get a handle on how to use the Wizard itself... until then. I will share this story in another post being that I REALLY want to get on with the dies – what they do, how big they are, what machines they work in, etc.
But first back to the beginning of this post - SHAPED CARDS! These new dies will do precisely that!!!
Tonight's reveal of the latest Lockhart Stamp Company images being released THIS Friday was created using several dies from the Scalloped Squares and Coordinated Basic Squares set. The finished size of this little jewel is 3 3/4"w x 4"h.
Yes, that is a little window in the front of the card with the scalloped frame edging it. Have you ever struggled with a project and not been able to have your punch reach deep enough in to your project to place that circle, square, oval or rectangle precisely where you want it? No worries any longer! You can place these dies wherever you would like on your card front and not have a "square" left surrounding where the die sat while you ran it through your machine. I hope to find time tomorrow to post how it is that I created this project. The pictures are all taken - just the tutorial needs to be written.
I am going to break this up into numerous posts being that I think you might find it helpful when returning for future information or how to's. Besides it is now ll:00 pm and I still don't have all my entries composed - LOL! I guess we'll see how far I can get tonight :D
So let the adventure begin! Let's learn more about the new Spellbinders Patented Technology: NESTABILITIES!
Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh, I seeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Ohhhhh myyyyyyy, Ms. Ellen! What a wonderful new idea!
~Tex
Posted by: Tex | July 11, 2007 at 07:39 PM
Ellen, I am so thrilled that they will work in the cuttlebug. These nesting dies are incredible! Now, maybe I can give my scalloped punches to my daughter who is dying for them! I am going to have to have them shipped to another address tho because hubby is already complaining this month!
Posted by: Eleanor Jenkins | July 09, 2007 at 05:38 PM
And yet another WOW!!! A standing ovation for you girl!! The sky is the limit and the possibilities are endless with you. I love your credibility and that I can TRUST your opinion. Nothing but the best.
I learn so much from you. Thanks.
Oh, btw.. how do I order the "invisibility cape"?
Posted by: Debbie Swanson | July 09, 2007 at 04:11 PM
Ellen, wow, first let me say thank you for putting all the time into the excellent info and pictures of these posts. I'm excited that these work in the CB, that they take up less storage space, and can come in affordable sets to work with those on a more limited budget. Very exciting news; I'll be tuned in for more.
Posted by: Kathy W | July 09, 2007 at 11:41 AM
Ellen: Congratulations on your new endeavor with Spellbinders! I am thrilled that you have worked so hard to detail the nesting dies and their compatability with other die-cutting machines. Thank you. My Cuttlebug and my Sizzix will work just fine!!!!
Also, what a great design team you have chosen! These ladies do wonderful work and their blogs are inspiring. I can't wait to see what they are going to create!
Finally, I am going to be checking back with your store to determine which scallops I need. The idea of making scalloped cards without my scissors (or eyeballing it!) is too great!! This is like the coluzzle for the craft-knife impaired! LOL!!!
Thank you for posting about this - it is a great idea and will make our crafting much easier!!
Posted by: tgrdina | July 09, 2007 at 11:08 AM
OH, I definitely want to make shaped cards with scallops!! The huge scallop dies are the ones that interest me the most. Thanks for enabling, er, that is, sharing with us! lol!
Posted by: Jessica | July 09, 2007 at 10:05 AM
Miss Ellen, you are so not nice for the wallet!!!! This looks like something I would like to own...shooottt...!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Keri | July 09, 2007 at 07:37 AM
Ellen- Wow! New Lockhart stamps, Copic markers, and now this.... You go girl! The information you have provided on this blog regarding the new Spellbinder's products is awesome. The advance notice is great. Now I won't have to choose between new stamps and dies (already been saving for the markers.) From past experience with your site, I know that the quality will be top notch, as well as the customer service. Thanks for all you do!!!!
Posted by: Beth | July 09, 2007 at 06:58 AM
Ellen,
I am so excited that Spellbinders will work in my Zip`emate machine.
Can't wait to hear more.
Thanks for all your research and work you have put into this.
Kandi
Posted by: Kandi Kwirant | July 09, 2007 at 06:40 AM
Very exciting news, Ellen! I'm so glad to hear that they are making the dies available in smaller packs. Will you provide us the measurements of the smallest & largest dies in each pack when they're available? Thanks!
Also -- I wanted to post that I can't wait to see all the new Lockhart stamps coming out on Friday. Not only do I want those pumpkins I saw on Debbie Olsen's blog, but I'm also excited about purchasing a few that have been around for a while. Reading your blog and participating in some fun challenges DEFINITELY affects where my purchasing dollars go! {wink}
Seriously, though, I might need to look into that margarita stand. New Lockhart stamps, Copic markers, and now Wizard dies ... and oh yeah, I don't even have a die-cut machine ... you need to come up with a "hide it from hubby" storage cart kinda like Harry Potter's invisibility cape!
Posted by: Anne Marie | July 09, 2007 at 05:38 AM