Dies can make your papercrafting a very quick & easy task AND give beautiful professional results with little effort . . . no wonder I love them so much! :) I have a few such examples for you today.
My first card was shaped with Spellbinders' new Big Scalloped Circle-Lg Nestabilities die (largest in the set) from Basic Grey's Green At Heart collection. I like that these scalloped circles resemble a flower, so I chose some of Prima's wonderful Natural Obsessions Botanical Paper in Bright Tones to compliment that. This botanical paper pack includes 8.50" x 11" sheets of three different colors of this fabulously textured handmade paper AND six already-die cut 2.50" flowers! I used the red die cut flower from the pack and then die cut a yellow center myself from the sheet of yellow paper, using the smallest die from the Big Scalloped Circle Nestabilities-Lg set.
TIP:I discovered that this highly-textured and open weave paper die cut crisper and cleaner if I placed a layer of cardstock underneath it:
In the photo above, the top flower (that sill has the white cardstock under it) cut much better than the bottom flower without the cardstock. To complete the flower center, I used a brand new Eco Green product Ellen is now carrying, their flat-backed glass bubble Glass Glintz in the 12mm size. This product is made from recycled glass and is perfectly clear, so it makes a great magnifying glass to spotlight anything you'd like! It's adhered with Ranger's Glossy Accents that dries clear. Karen Lockhart's wonderful new Roses, Daisies & Polka Dots stamp was stamped and colored with these Copic markers:
The image is cut out and adhered with foam tape. Glossy Accents was added to the flower vase, to give it a realistic look and Copic Spica Glitter Pens in yellow and clear accent the flowers (hopefully you can see all that sparkle and shine if you click on the photo below for a larger view):
My next card uses a scrap piece of leftover negative space from die cutting a Memory Box Meadow notecard with Spellbinders' Nested Dahlia die set (so save those scraps!):
I placed the green die cut piece over more of Basic grey's Green At Heart patterned paper, machine stitched it and added one of my favorite Spring sentiments from Kim Hughes' Spring Trees stamp set. The whole panel is raised on foam tape. Hero Arts' Art Flowers-Summer & Card Buttons-Summer are a nice compliment and finish this card VERY quickly!
I hope these samples help get you into the Spring spirit AND give you some more ideas of using dies in your papercrafting!
{Roses & Daisies}
Stamps: Lockhart Stamp Co Roses, Daisies & Polka Dots
Paper: Basic Grey 6x6 Green At Heart, Prima Natural Obsessions Botanical Paper-Bright Tones, Neenah Natural White cardstock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markersshown above, Clear & Lemon Copic Spica Glitter Pens
Accessories: Spellbinders Big Scalloped Circle-Lg Nestabilities, Eco Green Glass Glintz 12mm, Ranger Glossy Accents
Other: Ribbon
{Hello Spring}
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms-Kim Hughes' Spring Trees
Paper: Basic Grey 6x6 Green At Heart, Memory Box Mango & Meadownotecards
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black,
Accessories: Spellbinders Nested Dahlia die set, Hero Arts Art Flowers-Summer & Card Buttons-Summer, Glue Dots
Other: Sewing machine
