That's Life: die cutting

Showing posts with label die cutting. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 September 2026

STAMPtember® 2026 Blog Party

HAPPY STAMPtember® everyone! 🥳

Today, I'm thrilled to be joining in with the 2026 STAMPtember® celebrations but can you believe it's been 17 years of this exciting event!?! Time sure does fly when you're having fun and that's something that we intend to have a lot of during this month long celebration, and we hope you will celebrate with us.

To kick things off, we're inviting you to our massive STAMPtember party and with so many talented designers joining and so many wonderful products, it's going to be packed full of inspiration. Don't forget, if you want to see the whole release, then just click HERE.

We also have a few exciting promotions running during this party, so I hope you'll play along, keep looking and fingers crossed, you might be lucky to find them all! Below are the details for one of these promotions, just search for sfd633, add it to your cart and enter the code BBEFD at checkout to claim this FREE gift with a $100+ purchase!

Back to the party and the card project that I created. This card features the glorious Sunflower Basket Die Set (S1195) and I decided to use just those beautiful flowers and leaves from this set as my focal point, set against a dramatic black and gold background.

So, let's begin and here's how I made my card...

1. Using the Simon Says Stamp A7 Arched Die Set, die cut two pieces of black card, score approx 1.5" from the top of one of the pieces, fold along the scoreline and attach the second die cut arch to form the card blank.

2. Cut further pieces of black and gold metallic card, which alternate in colour to build up descending layers.

3. On the first layer use the Floral Elements stamp set to stamp some foliage sprigs in clear ink, before embossing with gold embossing powder. Matt this first layer onto the card blank.

4. Follow with a layer of gold metallic card and then a layer of black card, embossed using the Fanfare Embossing Folder. Apply a light coverage of Gilding Wax to accentuate the raised areas and machine stitch a border around the outside. Attach the layer to your card blank.

5. Add a further matt of gold metallic card before applying Distress Translucent Texture Paste through theh Deco Floral Layering Stencil by Tim Holtz onto the final arch die cut, cut from black card. Remove the stencil and wash immediately and leave the card to one side to dry before matting this layer onto the card blank.

6. Cut and colour two separate pieces of Distress Watercolour Card using Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stains. The first piece with Mustard Seed, Fossilised Amber, and the second piece with Peeled Paint and Bundled Sage. Allow for the card to dry before die cutting a selection of petals. Each sunflower consists of two layers and the centre. Add white highlights to the petals.

Cut the centres for each sunflower from more of the watercolour card and using a blending tool, add Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo, Black Soot, Crackling Campfire Disstress Ink to the surface of each centre. Shape the centre to create a dome and then attach to the middles of the flowers using foam pads.

7. Shape and layer the petals to form 7 sunflowers and die cut 9 leaves.

8. Arrange the flowers to cascade down the card front.

9. Arrange the leaves by tucking them in amongst the flowers.

10. Finally, ink up the "Limited Edition' Sentiment from the Tiny Text stamp set in Versamark Ink and stamp onto a piece of black card. Cover with gold embossing powder, tap away excess and heat emboss. Die cut the sentiment using the Simon Says Stamp Co-ordinating Tiny Text Die Set. Attach to the front of your card using foam pads.

The card is complete. In the photo below, you can see how much dimension there is in these flowers ~ this die set is a must and creates such wonderful results.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and see you all again soon!

Love Emma xxx

Click HERE to shop for products

Simon Says Stamp: Sunflower Basket, A7 Arches Wafer Dies, Fanfare Embossing Folder, Tim Holtz and Simon Says Stamp Tiny Text Bundle

Stampers Anonymous Stamp Sets: Floral Elements, Deco Floral Layering Stencil

Distress Ink: Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo, Black Soot, Crackling Campfire

Distress Spray Stain: Mustard Seed, Fossilised Amber, Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage

Mediums and Adhesive: SSS Foam Squares, SSS Tape Runner, Fine Detail Gold embossing Powder, Versamark Clear Ink, Distress Translucent Texture Paste

Surfaces: Metallic Kraft Stash, Black Card, Distress Watercolour Card

Lisa Horton Metallic Wax: White Gold, Rich Gold

Tools: Blending Tool

Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat

Sizzix Big Shot

Monday, 31 August 2026

Autumn Serenade....

Happy Monday...

As we begin a new week, it's time for another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week, we challenge you to GET IN SHAPE and create anything but a square or rectangular project.

With this in mind, I went to my favourite shape, a circle and used products from Sizzix and Tim Holtz to make a card to celebrate the start of Autumn/Fall. I also used a product that I bought a while ago but haven't used until today, the Sizzix Stamp and Spin Accessory Tool, which is so much fun and I can highly recommend if you love pattern building.

So, let's get started, it's time to get into shape....

CARD BLANK

To begin with I created my card blank, and cut two circles of black card, 16.5cm in diameter. I used a WR Makers Circle Cutter that I bought a while back and is still available to buy from stockists, but you can also cut these circles freehand by drawing around a circular object.

I scored a line across the top section of one piece of card, approx 5cm from the top, folded along the scoreline and then, applied adhesive to the area above the scoreline before attaching this piece to the second circle to form my card blank.

LAYERS

To form the base for my final layer, I cut further circles of card. I began with the largest, a circle of Kraft card which I machine stitched to add a border around the edge.

I then cut a 14.5cm circle of black card, followed by a layer of cream card, inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Each layer is reduced in size by 0.5cm to form a border.

Once I had my card base, it was time to create the wreath design and central focal point...

BACKGROUND

For the background, I used the Sizzix Stamp and Spin Accessory Tool to create my circular wreath.

As I mentioned at the beginning if you circles and you love pattern building, then this tool is a must but, and please be aware of this, you do need to use this product in conjunction with the Sizzix Stamp and Stencil Tool ~ it will not work without.

I began by using a piece of Distress Watercolour card which I placed inside the Stamp and Stencil Tool. For the background, I used stamps from the Stampers Anonymous Leaf Print 2 and Floral Outlines Stamp sets, both by Tim Holtz. I positioned one of the smaller leaf print stamps onto the Stamp and Spin Tool, and inked this with Antique Linen Distress Ink. The finished card panel, is approx 14cm, so be aware to keep the stamping within this diameter.

Stamp the first image onto the watercolour card, and then re-ink the stamp and spin the tool, repeating the stamped image to form the circle.

The reason I stamped the image with a pale ink, is because it is giving you the basic shape for the wreath and acts as a guide for when I add the second layer of leaves.

After selecting some of the stamps from the Floral Elements stamp set and using one stamp at a time, I positioned the chosen stamps onto the stamp and spin tool but this time, I stamped the images using various autumnal colours of Distress Inks, inking up the stamps and then spritzing with a light mist of water and stamping the image onto the card, spinning the tool to create the wreath.

Once I was happy with background, I used the largest of the SSS Basic Shape Circles Die Set to die cut the card shape and machine stitched a border around the edge.

You now have the background and place this to one side to create the next layer.

Using the standalone Stamp and Stencil Tool and the same leaf image from the Leaf Print 2 stamp set, stamp 8 leaves onto Distress Watercolour Card.

To create the watercolour effect, I used the following Mini Distress Inks:

Peeled Paint, Crackling Campfire, Seedless Preserves, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey

I applied the inks to the stamps and then misted the ink with water, before stamping them onto the card.

I then used the SSS Leaf Print 2 Co-ordinating Die set to die cut each image.

After lightly inking the edges of each leaf with Old Paper Distress Ink, I added foam pads to the back and attached them onto my background, using the paler stamped outline, that I did at the beginning as a guide as to where to place them.

CENTRAL LAYERS

For the central layers, I used a combination of Basic Circle Shapes and Stitched Circles to cut and build up my card layers, which I attached with foam pads to the centre of the wreath. The card layers comprise of gold metallic Kraft card, a layer of green Kraft card and watercolour card, inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink.

I then added my Funky Insect, the beetle, which I attached to the centre of the circles, placing it over the top of some frayed Mummy Cloth and a small off cut of a Mica Tile from my own stash.

For the tutorial of how I used Distress Embossing Glaze and the colours that are needed to create this funky insect, just click HERE.

For the finishing touches, I used a remnant rub, no.761, taken from the Specimen Remnant Rub set and added this to the leaf in the centre, at the bottom of the circle....

....and finally, I attached some Hardware Heads around the outside edge of the layered circles, which I altered with Crackling Campfire, Black Soot and Antiqued Bronze Distress Paints, to create more of a rusty finish to the metal.

So that's my project complete and I hope you love the tips and techniques I've used to create it.

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today...

Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

SSS/Tim Holtz Stamps and Dies Bundles: Leaf Prints 2

Stampers Anonymous: Floral Elements

Sizzix: Big Shot, Stamp and Spin Accessory Tool, Stamp and Stencil Tool, Funky Insects

Distress Ink: Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint, Crackling Campfire, Seedless Preserves, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey

Distress Paints: Crackling Campfire, Black Soot and Antiqued Bronze

Distress Embossing Glaze

Tim Holtz idea-ology: Specimen Remnant Rubs, Screw Heads, Mummy cloth

SSS: Basic Shapes Circle Dies, Stitched Circles

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Foam Pads

Surfaces: Watercolour Card, Mixed Media Heavystock Card, Metallic Kraft Classics, Tim Holtz Cool Kraft Stash, Black Card

Glass Media Mat

Heat Gun

Mica Tile

Monday, 24 August 2026

Harvest Moon...

Hello everyone...

Hope you've all had a good weekend and you're now ready for a new week, and a new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

This week, our theme is all about LOTS OF LAYERS and we'd love to see how you will interpret this theme and can't wait to see what you create.

For my make, I chose to create a card to celebrate my favourite season, Autumn/Fall and not only did I add layers to build up the card base, I also added layers of die cuts and layers of Distress Inks, to bring the scene to life.

So, let's get started, it's time to take you through all the details of how I made this layered card.

To begin with I created a black card blank, measuring 20 x 15cm.

CARD LAYERS

To build up the layers of the card, I began by cutting another panel of black card, 19.5 x 14.5cm and I lightly spritzed this layer with Decayed and Unravelled Mica Sprays. I don't want a solid block colour on this panel, just a splatter of shimmery dots. Mount this layer onto the black card blank.

I then cut a piece of silver metallic Kraft card and layered this onto a panel of slate grey card, 18.5 x 13.5cm, which leaves a border of the darker card showing. Mount these layers onto the card blank using foam pads.

The layers are now ready for the background scene...

BACKGROUND

Cut a panel of Mixed Media Heavystock card, 17.5 x 12.5cm.

To create the moon, I used the middle sized, solid piece from the Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz Moon Mask Stencils and placed this on the left hand side of the card panel, positioning it so it's off the edge of the card.

I then used the following colours of Distress Ink to create the night sky, blending the colours in layers.

DISTRESS INK: Black Soot, Villainous Potion, Uncharted Mariner, Ground Espresso

Starting with the blue, followed by purple and ending with the two darker colours, I applied each of these colours with a Blending Tool, and building them up to create the moody sky.

Once I was happy, I removed the mask and then placed the co-ordinating detail mask back onto my panel.

I blended Hickory Smoke through the stencil before removing it and then blended Antique Linen and Fossilised Amber over the entire moon area to create the glow.

Finally, I splattered some Decayed Mica Spray across the skyline and allowed this to dry.

Once I'd machine stitched a border around the outside of the card panel, the scene is ready to bring this story to life.

SCENE BUILDING

For this I used The Scarecrow Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz stamp set and the co-ordinating dies from SSS and firstly, I stamped the bats over the top of the inked moon, using Black Soot Archival Ink.

Now for the fence that you can see sitting at the back of the scarecrow. This is die cut from black card using the Seth Apter Gridiron Die Set by Sizzix. I then cut the die cut down to the size I needed to create my fence and applied Gilding Wax over the surface to add a bronze shimmer to the die cut.

I applied foam pads to the back of the gridiron die cut, placing them where they won't be seen and will be covered by the scarecrow and grasses and attached the 'fence' to my background.

Next I stamped and coloured the scarecrow. I stamped this onto Distress Watercolor Card and then watercolored the image with Distress Watercolour Pencils before using the SSS Co-ordinating dies to die cut the image.

I then stamped the two grasses in Peeled Paint Archival Ink and again used the co-ordinating dies to die cut each piece. I inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

I attached these pieces to my card using foam pads to add dimension.

I then added some moss and dried grasses around the base of the images.

To complete the card, I stamped the Happy Fall onto the bottom left hand corner....

...and then added some gold stars to the sky. These stars are die cut from gold metallic card, using the waste product from the Falling Stars Die Set but if you don't have this die set, any die that features stars will work.

Finally, I attached the ':' idea-ology Type Chip as a decorative element in the top right hand corner....