Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals: Dress Up Your Die Cuts

Julie Campbell

I like to think of embellishments as the “jewelry” of paper crafting. Dressing up your projects with these fun supplies can really make your designs pop! So, how do you take your projects from drab to fab? I have a few pointers that are sure to make a fashionista out of you.

I love die cuts. Of course, they can be used “as is” directly out of the package, but it’s fun to dress them up and make them your own.  To show you what I mean, I’m going to take you step-by-step and demonstrate how I made a card that began with a basic die-cut index card.

1. Gather Supplies. To begin my project, I collected elements from my stash that had a similar color to my die cut. The index card I chose to work with had a mustard chevron border already printed on it along with a blue lined background. I also wanted to add some texture to my design, so I pulled in some wooden elements and natural cord. I added additional texture by adding metal flair buttons.

2. Add Stamping. Stamping is a great way to customize a look. I trimmed off the original tab from the index card and replaced it with a stamped image. I added machine stitching for some additional texture and visual interest.

3. Add a pop of color. I felt like my card was lacking luster and decided to bring in a third color to my palette. The red from this die-cut sticker really packs some punch!

I trimmed and notched a border strip to bring in some additional color and pattern. Foam dots are a great way to add dimension and interest to a card.

4. Add fiber. A small piece of ribbon, twine, or fabric can really add a lot of texture to your projects. I added a bit of cord under the border strip to add a bit of visual weight to the bottom of the die cut and balance out the heaviness from the color-saturated sticker.

5. Add small embellishments. I wanted to add a few tiny embellishments to really dress up my card. Typically, working with sets of three is a good way to keep the balance.  The wood veneer stars bring together the natural cord and strip of wood veneer at the base of the file card.

I finished off my card by adding a strip of denim paper that was machine stitched using the same mustard color from the die cut. For an unexpected surprise, I used a colorful card base that coordinated with the sentiment sticker.

I hope this gives you a few ideas for the next time you want to accessorize your paper-crafting projects. To get you started, one lucky winner will receive a prize pack from Lily Bee Design—an assorted paper pack from the Double Dutch line, stickers, and the journal cards!

Comments must be received by Friday, July 13th at 5 pm MDT.

Julie Campbell, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal