One die a few ways of using the envelope

Last time I was here, I showed how to make a card using the actual envelpe die. Today I am still using the same die to create cards, but slightly different this time.

For this project you will need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine Only - 660020 (for the envelope you need the larger 9" width of the Plus)

Sizzix Thinlits Plus Die Set 13PK - Envelope, Square - 660846

Card, Stamp, tag and adhesives

I took a prescored card that was 5 x 5 inches square when folded in half.

I placed the square die in place and secure it with low tack tape.

Because the die is almost exactly 5" you can use your standard Sizzix Big Shot to die cut this die, but for the envelope die you will need the Big Shot Plus.

Because of the amount of detail, before lifting the die I always turn it around to make sure that I have cut it through. Usually with 2 passes it is perfectly cut, but it will depend on the card.

Gently I removed all the excess bits. Because they are rather large, I didn't use the die brush.

I cut a square piece of hot pink card and attached it to the back.

Finally, I stamped the message in a white tag and added a brad trough.

I used my Big shot plus to die cut a matching square envelope.

And this is another version which I think would be nice for a wedding, two halves!

I hope you like it and try to use your dies to be creative!

Paula

Do you want to build a snowman?

If you have a child or grandchild of a certain age you will immediately recognise the title of this blog as the title of a song from the movie Frozen which to which I know all the words which have seeped in through osmosis over time.

I realised that it has been some time since I made any cards with my beloved Framelits circle dies which are always popular whenever I take them to a demonstration or workshop because it shows what can be achieved using the simplest shape and a sprinkling of imaginative fairy dust!

Most of these cards feature complete circles but below is a diagram which shows how to unlock the creative potential of circle dies by simply placing the die back onto a die-cut circle to create two separate shapes namely a crescent and leaf. By clever positioning the die you can create thin or fat leaves and crescents depending on what you need for any particular project.

Let's get on to the fun stuff! I have combined two sets of Framelits circles to give me a little more choice, the only other die used in this project is a is a snowflake from the fabulous Thinlits Paper Snowflakes Set by Tim Holtz. I started by die-cutting two white circles and a brown snowflake.

 Next, I stamped a sentiment onto a strip of cream card before tearing along both edges. I am using a stamp set from my stash and I haven't got a clue where it comes from, believe me, I've trawled the Internet to try and find it but the good news is that there are many similar options available!

After adding the stamped strip to the top of my kraft base card I attached the larger circle in the bottom right hand corner before trimming away the over hang with a craft knife. Next I added the smaller circle using adhesive foam pads before adding a triangle of orange card cut with a pair of scissors. Can you see where this is going?

 I used my scissors to cut a couple of asymmetric strips of red spotty card (Double Dot by BoBunny) before snipping into the ends to represent the tassells on a scarf. 

Remember our die-cut snowflake? I cut away two pieces to represent the snowman's arms before gently curling both halves of the scarf to add a little dimension.

 Here is the finished card complete with a few black adhesive pearl gems strategically placed to create the eyes,mouth and buttons. Really simple but great fun!

I have been using the Framelits Holiday Knit die set quite a bit lately and today I am using it to create a stencil. I then die-cut a blue circle before cropping it using a larger Framelits circle die. I cut a couple of asymmetric rectangles of the same blue card for 'sleeves' before applying white gesso through my home made stencil using a sponge applicator.

I die-cut a white circle for the head before adding the nose and eyes as before and I used my scissors to cut a tiny tag, accuracy isn't important for this! I punched a hole in the tag, threaded it with twine and attached a red die-cut heart.

This is the final card. The background was decorated with white gesso applied through the Tim Holtz Speckles stencil and  I added the stamped sentiment near the top before assembling my snowman using the 'Snowflake' hands.

For the next card I started by die-cutting two circles to make the head and body of the snowman. To create the mouth I used the technique outlined at the start of the post. The result is this small brown crescent.

 I attached the snowman to the bottom of my base card (there is a blue strip added in the final card OOPS!) and cut a strip of blue spotty card to make the scarf. I used my tweezers to add folds to the scarf before applying under the snowman's chin.

For the sentiment I used this alphabet stamp set (Hobbycraft if I remember!) stamping onto Kraft card.

You can see where I added the blue strip before mounting the snowman. I trimmed the words to size before attaching to the base card using adhesive foam pads.

The finishing touch is the white die-cut snowflake taken from one of my all-time favourite Decorative Strip dies namely Winter Elements by my good buddy, and fellow Christmas baby Paula Pascual.

Last but not least I die-cut three different white circles and a pair of snowflake arms before assembling my snowman. I then cut a length of thin twine and curled both ends by wrapping them around my tweezers.

I added the twine to the snowman with a glue gun before die-cutting a selection of tiny stars using a Christmas Stocking die from Debi Potter's Festive Paper Arts Range. To create the mouth I made a die-cut crescent and cut away a small rectangle which when added to the die-cut snowman looks like a lone tooth!

Here is the finished card with the stars added to the twine forming a festive garland. The background is simply two stamps creating a pattern by stamping repeatedly with pale colours.

I had so much fun making these cards and if you like them I may make a few more for next weeks blog. Sadly I ran out of time before running out of ideas, I wish every day could be like that!

Winter Wishes gift package

Hello Sizzix Friends!
November has just arrived and I'm so excited!
This is the first year I can share with you, Sizzix blog Readers, my Christmas projects and it's such a honor for me.

Today a new gift package is waiting for you and I hope you'll enjoy it.

 

You need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine Only (White & Gray) (660020)

Sizzix Accessory - Die Brush & Foam Pad for Wafer-Thin Dies (660513)

Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK - Ovals (657563)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 2PK - Phrase, Winter Wishes & Snowflakes (660663)  

Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Winter Snowflakes Set (658628)

Wrapping papers

Cardstocks (Kraft brown, Kraft shiny silver, Kraft shiny gold)

Scissors

Tape

Baker's twine (cream and gold)

Double-sided sticky tape

Double-sided sticky foam pads

Adhesive Pearl Stones

Twezzers

 

 

Wrap your gift up using a stripped wrapping paper, scissors and sticky tape.

Wrap the package with the twine and fix it with a piece of double-sided sticky tape.

Die cut two ovals (in two different sizes) using two framelits from Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK - Ovals (657563) and two different cardstocks (kraft brown for the small oval, shiny gold for the big one).

Emboss the golden big oval using a snowflakes embossing folder (I used Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Winter Snowflakes Set (658628) ).

Die cut the Winter Wishes phrase using two different cardstocks (kraft shiny silver and kraft shiny gold).

Use the Sizzix Accessory - Die Brush & Foam Pad for Wafer-Thin Dies (660513)  to remove the letters.

Paste a stipe of double-sided sticky tape behind the silver Wishes word and put the golden letters in the holes.

Remove the plastic film from the double-sided sticky tape and add some sticky foam pads behind the Winter Wishes phrase.

Paste the phrase on the kraft brown oval.

Stick some pieces of double-sided tape behind the two ovals (the embossed one and the kraft brown one) and paste them on the gift package.

Fix some adhesive pearls on the snowflakes using the tweezzers.

 

That's it :)

Have a wonderful sunday!

 

Silvia

 

 

 

*Per i lettori italiani*

Buongiorno amici creativi.
Novembre è appena arrivato e sono molto entusiasta!
Questo è il primo anno che posso condividere con voi, lettori del blog di Sizzix, i miei progetti Natalizi ed è un onore immenso per me, credetemi!

Oggi un nuovo pacchetto regalo vi aspetta e spero vi piaccia e, soprattutto, vi dia qualche spunto carino per le vostre confezioni.

Ho usato:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine Only (White & Gray) (660020)

Sizzix Accessory - Die Brush & Foam Pad for Wafer-Thin Dies (660513)

Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK - Ovals (657563)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 2PK - Phrase, Winter Wishes & Snowflakes (660663)  

Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Winter Snowflakes Set (658628)

Carta regalo

Cartoncini (marrone, satinato argento, satinato oro)

Forbici

Scotch

Spago (crema e oro)

Nastro biadesivo

Gommini biadesivi

Perle adesive

Pinzette

 

Confezionare il regalo con una carta a righe, dello scotch e delle forbici.

Avvolgere dello spago attorno al pacchetto fissandolo poi con un pezzo di nastro biadesivo.

Fustellare due ovali di due dimensioni diverse usando due framelits da Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK - Ovals (657563) e due diversi cartoncini (marrone kraft per l'ovale piccolo, satinato oro per quello grande).

Goffrare l'ovale dorato usando una cartella di goffraggio con fiocchi di neve (io ho usato Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Winter Snowflakes Set (658628) ).

Fustellare la frase Winter Wishes con due diversi cartoncini (satinato argento e satinato oro).

Usare Sizzix Accessory - Die Brush & Foam Pad for Wafer-Thin Dies (660513)  per rimuovere con facilità le lettere.

Incollare una striscia di nastro biadesivo dietro alla parola Wishes argentata e inserite negli spazi che si sono creati le lettere dorate.

Rimuovere la pellicola protettiva del biadesivo e incollare diversi gommini biadesivi.

Incollare la frase Winter Wishes argentata sull'ovale marrone kraft.

Attaccare alcune strisce di nastro biadesivo dietro ai due ovali (quello oro goffrato, quello marrone kraft con la scritta Natalizia) e incollarli sul pacchetto regalo.

Fissare, aiutandosi con delle pinzette, alcune perle adesive in diversi punti sopra ai fiocchi di neve.

 

Finito! :)

Buona domenica

 

Silvia

 

 

 

 

 

Make a card with the envelope die by Paula Pascual

Hi! Today I would like to share a card that I made using the new Square Envelope Die for the Big Shot Plus.

For this project you will need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine Only - 660020

Sizzix Thinlits Plus Die Set 13PK - Envelope, Square - 660846

Card and adhesives

I die cut the envelope using hot pink card.

Using the scored lines as a guide, I trimmed two of the opposite triangles.

I folded the other two to make sure the scoring lines were properly marked. Then, I placed one of the detail Thinlit dies that come in the set. You get 5 different ones so there is plenty to choose from. I secured it with tape.

Because of the amount of detail, before lifting the die I always turn it around to make sure that I have cut it through. Usually with 2 passes it is perfectly cut, but it will depend on the card.

To remove all the small intricate die cuts, I used the Die release Brush and mat.

I then die cut the circle with the flower Thinlit in and the spiky one, all three dies included on the set. I die cut the spiky one out of light pink, but then preferred in white.

Finally I added a piece of lighter pink for contrast and then the seal.

This would make a lovely wedding invite, I would print the text in the light pink paper and make it double, like a card within a card.

And there it is finished. Very simple with gorgeous detail!

I hope you like it too!

Paula

Recycling maps for cards and layouts by Paula Pascual

Last week I recorded a little segment for a UK TV program called The Crafty Beggars in which I showed some of my projects upcycling old papers including maps. Inspired by that I created two projects using old maps and the Big Shot Starter kit, one card and one quick layout. Maps are great as they have pattern, colour and they are free!

I just used the Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit  | 659765, maps, a used stamp, white and Kraft card, cork and spray ink.

Before I did anything, I glued the thin old map paper on to white card using spray adhesive. Then I die cut it using the larger Framelit heart from the Starter kit.

I then layer them together over a square piece of Kraft card. I attached it using foam pads and then added it to the card.

Finally, I added this lovely used stamp - rescued from a packaged sent from my best friend from the USA - and glued it to the card.

To make this quick and easy layout, I simply trimmed a piece of white card to measure 6 x8 inches. I spray gently the colours on the card and let then dry. Then I die cut the 1 from the map using one of the circle dies and the Heart using a cork thin sheet.

I hope you like it and inspires you to make use of those old maps and books laying around!

Paula

How to assemble the Diorama Card

I love 3D cards so I have always like Diorama cards. Now there is a die that allows you to create 5" square dioramas very simply!

I used the Card, Diorama Gatefold -  Sizzix Thinlits Plus Die Set 15PK - 660845. If you don't own a Big Shot Plus, fear not, as this die will fit through the standard 6" Big Shot.

For the flowers I used Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5PK - Intricate Garden Flowers 660869.

First die cut the front, using the base card die  and one of the spare dies to create a window. I used the smaller one.

The large die already sores perfectly to either side.

To create the middle part, I die cut using the base card die and then I used the intricate die to help me position the circle die in the perfect place.

Once die cut I had a perfect circular aperture. you can of course use different dies for this, just make sure to secure them in place with tape.

Finally, die cut the base card die using no apertures for the back (blue). As a base, its also a 5" square gatefold card.

If you would like a simple diorama, with two pieces like on the photo would suffice.

To create a middle one though, you will need to trim the edges of each side. I trimmed 1 1/4 which is half way.

Then, it all works as it should.

To glue the part, fold the core lines, aline the the edge of the middle piece to the score edge of the base and glue.

Press well to make sure it's well bonded. Turn over and do the same with other side.

Then repeat the same process with the front panel.

 Make sure that all elements are well glued and that they fold flat.
Then it is time to decorate! Just make sure that you glue things to just one layer.

I hope you have fun creating with this Diorama card!

Paula