A Year of Card Techniques ~ September Blog Hop ~ Inlaid & Lifted Die Cut Cards!

Welcome to

Welcome to A Year of Card Techniques Blog Hop where each month we feature a different card technique. We’ve assembled a team of card makers who range from new to advanced, so you’ll see a great variety of cards and ideas.

Die Cuts are certainly popular in the crafting world and there are so many from which to choose. But they can be expensive, so we’re looking at additional ways in which we can use them; specifically, inlaid and lifted die cuts.   Hopefully, we’ll inspire you to try an idea or two that we’ve shared with you.

If you would like to check out our past technique hops, you can do that here:   

• January-Shaving Cream Marbleizing
• February-So Sketchy
• March-no hop this month
• April-Stamp Set Showdown
• May-World of Watercolor
• June-Basic Card Folds
• July-Bleaching Your Card
• August-Stamping on Patterned Paper

We have an amazing sponsor this month, Katydid Cards.

Please take a moment to check out the Katydid Cards blog or Facebook page.

And the awesome prize this month is:

We really appreciate feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in the hop today. The winner will be announced on Sunday, September 24, 2017, on A Piece of (my) Heart’s blog, so be sure to check her blog on Sunday. The winner will have until October 14, 2017, to claim their prize.

You should have arrived here from my good friend Sharon. If you're visiting here first, you might want to start at the beginning to increase your chances of winning by commenting on each blog.

Die cuts are so much fun and I am sure you have plenty of dies in your stack, right? I had a hard time myself to find the right ones, but I think these examples are perfect. So how did I start with my projects?

I picked two different flower dies and one die with different sizes of lanterns and greens in it. First thing on the list, get the die cutting machine out and start cutting. I chose white cardstock and cut each item about 5x out, just in case. Next I used my Tombow liquid glue to layer multiple cutouts together. I think I ended up with three per project. Yes, simply adhered them together layer by layer. Depending on how thick your paper is you might need more or less layers.

Let's have a look at the lifted die cuts first. To make my lanterns look even more realistic, I run the dies through the machine one more time, this time I used black metallic paper. I then cut away the candle parts. I adhered the layer to the stack of whites and used a black pen to color in the edges. Be careful when you  do this or you end up like me....black color on my white candles, yikes. Now what? I didn't want to start all over, so I ran the die again this time with some red metallic paper and added just the candle part on my white/black candle base. I finished the candle off with some gold glitter glue for the flame. 

These layers adhered together make for a nice sturdy embellishment which will give you an immediate 3-D effect. In stead of adding the different layers of colored paper you can always color everything in, that's why I cut my base elements all in white. Coloring the edges though makes a huge difference....just be careful when coloring them.

Next option are inlaid die cuttings. You simply add one die cutting into another or if you have multiple elements in a die you piece them back together after you cut them. First of are my dandelion flowers. I adhered three layers of white cardstock die cuts together. Next I cut a scalloped circle out of my card topper. I used the same die and cut a scalloped circle from watercolor paper. Then I took the watercolor circle and laid my dandelion die on top and run it through the machine again. Now I was left with my topper with a scalloped hole, a watercolor scalloped circle missing the dandelion piece. I used watercolors to color the circle in. Then I fitter my layered dandelion in the circle, colored just the stem of it and placed it inside the topper. It is a little tricky to get all parts back together, but it is worth it. My tip, use Tombow liquid glue (white bottle).

Last but not least, the poppies. All three flowers are made of three layers. Two are colored in and one stays white. The background is cut of watercolor paper and fitted back into to the topper. This time I added the flower on top and cut the ends off. I am just still debating with myself if I should add a few gold or silver sprinkles on either card. What do you think? Well like always, I hope you had fun and be sure to check back on Fridays for more details, pictures and measurements. This month we are a smaller group due to some family issues, but I think you will still enjoy the hop and bigger chance to win :-) So leave a comment and hop along. Thanks for stopping by

Now you’re off to visit with the talented Kim which always has a surprise for us. Hope you had fun and thanks for stopping by. See you next month with another fabulous technique!

Claudia

Always remember:

"Art comes from the heart.

So there is never a right way or a wrong way;

there is only Your Way."

Here’s the full line-up in case you get lost:

• Sharon
• Claudia
• Kim
• Wilma
• Sandy
• Jodie
• Debbie