Making the most of your dies

I'm collecting some of my ideas for using dies on this page and will add to it as and when I get time..

Edited. I have not been able to add ideas to this page for quite a while because of other commitments but you can see many more tutorials and ideas on my Pinterest boards and in particular on my Pinterest Tutorial page HERE which are regularly updated.
Thanks for looking :)



Little boxes with lids from square doily dies

I made some of these little boxes a few weeks ago and forgot to blog the details until I was reminded by a lady at the Belfast Crafts Fair - better late than never!

I've used DCWV Sweet Owl paper for the box and added a little raffia to the lid.

 1. Cut a rectangle of paper measuring 18cm x 13cm and score at 2cm, 6cm, 10cm and 14cm. Score at 4cm on the other side. Fold all score lines.

 2. Cut out the little corner piece which measures 2cm x 4cm and cut upto the 4cm score line where shown.

3. Put DST on the pieces shown above.

 4. Stick the bottom pieces together, overlapping tightly, leaving the one without the DST to the outside.

5. Stick the bottom flap and the side piece last.

I decorated the box with a white Daisy strip punch, added some Classic Daisy punched flowers and a couple of leaves from the Pick of the Bunch Window Basket die set.

Here's how I made the lovely little lid..

 1. Diecut the Daisy Square die and line up on your Super Trimmer as shown - ready to score between the centre petals of the daisies on each side.

 2. Score on all 4 sides in the same way.

 3. Turn the diecut over and fold.

 4. Snip out the corners as shown.

 5. It should now look like this..

6. Fold the corners over and stick together using MyStik  Repositionable Dots.
I poked a little hole in the centre and added some raffia, then glued a raffia bow on top

Dresser from a Window die

This is another cabinet which I made from the Tonic Studios Domed Window Die and I've added a little tutorial to show how I made it.

This die, along with the Trellis Wall, Window Basket and the coordinating stamp set can be seen on Create and Craft today at 2.00pm and 6.00pm...along with lots of other Tonic goodies.

 1. Die cut and emboss the window, then draw around it on a longer piece of card. Continue the side lines for another 4.5cm and cut out.

 2. Cut out a little drawer measuring 7cm x 2.5cm . Using the grid on the Tonic Studios Super Trimmer as a guide emboss an inlay with a fine embossing tool as shown.

 3. Place the window and drawer on the cut out cabinet and then place a Spellbinders die (or similar) centrally below the drawer and mark the position.

 4. Die cut the leg shape.

5. Attach the window and drawer to the back piece with 3D foam squares from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

I have added gems to the drawer as handles, inked the cabinet and used the stamps from the Pick of the Bunch Through the Window set (coloured and cut out) as ornaments .

Door from a window die

Another little idea today for using the new Domed Window die from my new die and stamp release by Tonic Studios...I've simply used the "waste" from a couple of diecut windows, added some 3D foam squares and made a door.

Here's how I did it.

1. Die cut the frame,then turn the whole thing over with the pieces intact. Emboss the inner lines with a fine embossing tool - you'll "feel" the lines as you follow them.

2. These are the pieces from one window - you'll need an extra 2 squares from another die cut.

3. Attach the pieces as shown to a piece of white card measuring 7.5cm x 14cm using 3D foam squares from Scrapbook Adhesives by3L.

4. All arranged (I've inked the edges for definition). 

5.The little door latch was made using 2 petals from one of the Petal Pair Petite punches with a brad in the centre.

6. Draw a line around the door as a guide and stamp up the background with the two brick corner stamps and the topiary tree stamp from the Country Cottage stamp set.

7. Attach the door to the background with the E-Z Runner (Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L)

I made the wreath with the Tonic Studios Simplicity Holly Leaf punch and added some ivy above the door from the Pick of the Bunch Window Basket die set.

DOILY BAGS

I spent a while getting some doily shapes cut out for use when I "got around to it" and had a look to see what new things I could make with them. I realised they were just the ideal size to make cute little bags - even better when you can use the matching doily shape and strip punch for a handle :)

I've threaded some fine gold ribbon through the doily strip on the handle this time

For the little bags in this post I've used the Tonic Studios Butterfly Square Die with the Butterfly Strip punch and the Doily Circle die with the matching Doily Strip punch. 

The stamps are Peony, Fuchsia and  Rose from the Pick of the Bunch set also by Tonic Studios

All adhesives used in the project are from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

Here's how I made the bag but you could use any combination of these doily dies and punches with any stamp for decoration...have a go!

1. Die cut 2 Doily shapes

2. Cut a strip of card 15cm x 6cm and score at 1.5cm and 4.5cm (lengthwise)
Snip the card into the centre at 5cm and 10cm

3. Score across the middle at 5cm and 10cm

4a...Use the small Dodz to stick the little box corners together.

4b. Close up

5. Use the Crafty Power Tape around the sides of the "box"

6. Fix one side of the box to the doily die

7. Then attach the other.

8. Punch a handle using the Butterfly strip punch.

9. Use E-Z Dots (Mini Perrnanent) to attach the handle to the bag.

10. Ready to decorate

DOILY WITH APERTURE

I've coloured and cut out the stamped Fuchsia and "hung" it in the aperture. (Check out the stamps HERE)
I've used my new Doily Circle Die from Tonic Studios and cut an aperture in the centre of the doily with the smallest Circle Shape Mate and right through the card. I cut a second doily from white card and added a quarter of it in each corner of the card. The little butterflies have been punched out with the Simplicity Classic Butterfly punch.

DOILY ARCH

arched frame - and its coordinating border punch (Doily Border) along the bottom of the panel. I love the way these  dies and punches match for a fully coordinated look.

The stamp is Rudbeckia from the Pick of the Bunch collection by Tonic Studios and its natural colour scheme is orange/yellow but I just decided to use artistic license and colour the flowers in Carmine and lilac instead to match the paper. The little butterfly from the same set got the same colour treatment plus a little glitter.

MAKING A ROSETTE WITH A DOILY DIE

I'm still having a little bit of trouble with the lack of light so I know this is a little blurred - but I'm sure you'll get the idea!

Tonic Studios have just released a new set of doily dies! You might remember way back in November when I got my new set of border punches to play with that I used them to make circles (you can see the original post HERE) ...well , the border punches were never really designed to do that but I really enjoyed the challenge of  finding a new way to use them. Lots of you tried and succeeded but several just couldn't get the hang of it. I suggested to Tonic that it would be a great idea if they could produce a set of dies to make it achievable in an instant......and here they are!!

The main image is another Chrysanthemum stamp from the Pick of the Bunch collection and I've coloured it with Promarkers.

The doily on this card is the Simplicity Daisy Circle die and I've used its matching border punch on the card too. I've taken the little punched out flowers from the yellow card and attached them to the cut outs on the border.

Here's how to make the rosette..

1. Die cut 2 Daisy Circles and score right across the die cut between the flowers

2.It should then look like this..

3. Cut along one of the score lines right into the centre (Do this on both Doily die cuts)

4. Fold the creases in concertina style.

5. Add a little Crafty Tacky Glue to the last 2 pieces and stick both die cuts together.

6. Cut out the stamped and coloured image and attach to the rosette.