Die Cuts Daze

A window card using my original image of an Angler fish.

I have 112 reasons to stay inside and play this week.  Don’t worry; I won’t list them.  The 112 reasons of which I speak radiate off the man-made surface of my deck like shimmering poltergeists.  Between laundering loads of pool towels & swim attire and attempting to disengage my children from the electronic tentacles that have ensnared them, I have managed to complete and mail both matchbooks.

I eliminated all the white space I had left in my Circus Dreams book and added the image of a hot air balloon to the final interior panel.  I stamped the balloon twice and used foam to lift the image off the page.  But I could see my foam and I didn’t like that.  So, I used a bit of yarn around the hot air balloon and allowed it to trail after the balloon like tether ropes.  But the hot air balloon made the book bulky and the matchbox flap no longer held it closed.  So, a bit of decorative elastic ribbon became a rubber band of sorts.

The second book, the Fairy Photo Album, turned out very well.  I mounted each of the fairies on black and allowed a portion of each fairy to extend beyond the page’s edges.  I also solved the scoring problem I had with the first book- scoring layers of paper to lay open.  I mod-podged a fabric edge to each page to allow for greater flexibility- so the layers won’t want to separate.  I also added vellum in between each page since I used glitter and liquid pearls.  But the extra thickness took up so much space on the brad shanks that the book doesn’t lay open.  Oh well.  I am learning.  If you want to see the books in their entirety, you can find them on my Flickr photostream.

When I make another homemade book of any type, I will definitely keep the fabric edging idea.  It worked well and I don’t worry about the binding material tearing holes in the pages over time.

And after fussing over where holes should be punched and where score lines should fall, I have retreated to the simplicity of my Sizzix and Cuttlebug.

I admit to being slightly addicted to the concept of die cutting.  But I believe in old school die cutting.  You know, the kind with no cords or cartridges or computers.  With old school mechanical die cutting systems I can continue to crank out seasonal cards in a post-apocalyptic future, because even zombies have Hallmark moments. 

And so this week I have begun to explore new ways to use my dies.  I even found some great tutorials online.  I bought an online class and have gleaned some great tips, products, and methods I plan to try soon.  I am a recent convert to the online class craze; and I am so glad to be one! 

The interior of my Angler Fish card.

Until next time, I leave you with the immortal words of Dori- a wise little fish,  "Just keep swimming.."



Renee