March is Die-Namite!

I never thought I would love dies.  My Cricut machine tends to get a lot of use, so I wasn't sure I wanted to bite the bullet on the Thin Cuts dies introduced by Close To My Heart.  However, since many of the dies are compatible with our stamps, I inevitably gave them a try.  And of course, I fell in love!  The wonderful thing about dies is the versatile ways you can use them.  I am a technique junkie and love to play in my craft room.  And dies are now a go to item for trying something new.

This first card uses the Thin Cuts-Block Alphabet set.  I did some stamping using the Beautiful You stamp set, first on a sheet of White Daisy cardstock, then on a "burlap-style" piece of the Basics Fundamentals Paper Packet.  (Note that I used a stamp positioning tool to ensure the stamping was done on the paper in exactly the same spots.).  After placing the two pieces of paper directly on top of each other, I taped down the dies for letters in "HUGS" and ran them through my die cut machine.  While I had my die cut machine ready, I cut three more sets of "HUGS" in White Daisy cardstock.  Next I adhered the negative portion of the "burlap-style" paper to a white card base.  I then took the three extra sets of non-stamped, "HUGS" letters and adhered them on top of each other.  The last layer, i.e., stamped White Daisy letters, was then adhered to the top of the stack.  Taking these stacked letters, I then adhered them to the negative "burlap-style" paper, so that it gives a fun illusion to the eye.  I then finished it up with a stamped sentiment from the stamp set and some of the white dots from the Black & White Dots embellishments.

This next card starts with using the Sweet Baby Stamp + Thin Cuts.  Using a piece of White Daisy cardstock, I cut out three balloons as shown to use the paper as negative space.  I then re-cut the balloons from three different colors from the Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet.  Next I used the tail end of the Thin Cuts-Ribbon Border die to cut the strings from the negative space of the paper with the balloons.  Using foam tape, I adhered this white cardstock to a Black Cardstock mat.  I then popped the colored balloons down through the negative balloons.  Finally I finished the card with a sentiment from the Many Congratulations stamp set and added a ribbon from the Whimsy Ribbon Pack.

 

Here is a photo of the card from the side to show the layers resulting from the dies and added foam tape.

 

The good news is that Close To My Heart is having a 25% off sale on many of the Thin Cuts dies and 30% off Thin Cuts bundles.  For more information on the sale, please see this promotion on my Close To My Heart website.  Note that this sale is while supplies last and through March 30, so please act now to get your favorites!