AECP Easy die cutting techniques

As I continue my Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) journey, I just completed the Easy Die Cutting Techniques course. This course focused on creative ways to use all types of dies to expand the possibilitieswhen using your existing supplies. The card I am featuring today focuses on two of the techniques explained in the course:

1. Using die cuts to emboss your background, and
2. Using die cuts to create inlay designs

To start, I selected the Wispy Feathers die set to be used as my featured image. I knew I wanted to use several of the die cut feathers to create a “debossed” texture on my background paper. In the course, the instructor indicates a heavier cardstock should be used for this technique to create a better impression. As I was looking to grab some of my 110lb Neenah I noticed some chipboard I had set aside from my latest Altenew order. I knew this would provide the weight I needed to make my own effective embossing tool.

• PRO TIP: Never throw away chipboard. There are so many ways you can find to use it in small craft projects. If nothing else, it is useful to place a piece of chipboard in the envelope to protect you handmade cards when shipping.

I cut out 5 die cuts using my selected Wispy Feather die from the chipboard and arranged them on a piece of cardstock until I achieved an arrangement I was happy with. I didn’t worry much about removing all of the tiny negative cuts from each image as I knew this would not be detected in the final work. Once I was settled on my design, I glued down each piece and trimmed off the excess. Below is a photo of my embossing paper design before I trimmed off the excess.

Next up, I selected a chocolate brown cardstock as my background paper. I was going for a more darker Fall color palette featuring a brush gold feather and I wanted to make sure the feather would pop. I next selected the outline feather die included in the set, arranged it on my background, and ran it through my die-cutting machine to create the empty space for my inlay. I made sure to die cut first before embossing so that I would not lose any of my texture. Next up… embossing.

When embossing with paper, no special sandwiches are needed. I merely laid my background paper down against my embossing paper and ran it through my machine as I would any die. It came out with a nice soft texture as you can see in the image below. Now that my background paper was complete it was time to start with my inlay.

• Note: I did experiment a few times with this embossing technique and I found the debossed side had the best result, Make sure when using a paper that has a “front and back” that you have the correct (in my case the front side) lined up with the embossing paper so the side you want has the texture you want.

So one of the best things about using an intricate inlay technique that involves negative die cuts… it is a great opportunity to use up the scrap paper that we all hoard. In my case, I had a ton of Fall colored scrap paper I has previously made with Tim Holtz Distress Mica Stains. I started with a sprayed gold paper cut it to the same 5.25″ x 4″ size of my brown background paper and glued them together. This would be the background of my feather inlaid image. I next used my feather die to cut a full feather image out of brushed gold card stock and I glued this image into the opening I had made with the outline die into my “debossed” brown background paper. Next, I again used the feather die to make cuts in various colors of mica stain scrap paper not worrying about having enough paper for a full feather. All I needed was enough negative cuts to use to decorate my main feather image.

Once I had all my cuts together, I spread them out and played around selecting various colors to inlay inside the main feather. There were no rules to this. All I knew was I wanted some of the cuts to remain untouched so the gold paper underneath would show through, and for the rest of the spaces, I just didn’t want two of the same color next to each other. Once I was satisfied, I glued everything down. Matching up the tiny die cuts to its corresponding space in the main image can be tricky, but I have always loved a good puzzle and the end result is always worth it.

Once I had everything in place, I new I needed a little extra something so I grabbed a brush and my Altenew Metallic Watercolor Pan Set and added some gold spatter across the whole image. Last up… the sentiment.

I would like to say I always know ahead of time what sentiment I want to use, but I don’t. I knew I wanted a die cut sentiment and something with a blockier font… and just as I was looking through my stash, my Craft Your Life Kit had arrived and I chose the new Hello Friend sentiment from the Sunshine Flowers set using up the very last bit of my silver stained black paper against a shadow of brushed gold cardstock. Just a few gold embellishments and my card was complete.

I hope you enjoy it.