Well that'll teach me! I just spent over an hour doing a blog post and didn't save it as I was going along. I was on the final stretch when POOF - it was gone! At first I thought it had to be here SOMEWHERE - it's just playing games and hiding. WASN'T IT??
But the more I looked, the more panicked I got and I realized that nope, it was definitely a goner! This has happened before but it was always there - but no such luck this time! It took it's ball and went home!
So, here I go again - if I sound rushed that is because - well...I don't wanna talk about it.
Oh yeah - hit SAVE stoo-pid!
I was talking about dies. Kind of ironic isn't it!
I was saying how I hardly ever use my 'Bigshot' die cutting machine anymore. If I do it's to emboss cards or cut labels or circles. I'm not into 'cutesy' type dies or ones only for specific occasions. Plus they're too expensive to use just once or twice.
So, one night recently I was browsing Youtube and came across a video for paper roses. No, not the Marie Osmond song (but I couldn't get that dang thing out of my head!) but one where it showed how to make your own rose embellishments out of paper.
I got to thinking how easy it looked and how it would save me a fortune. I swear I have helped keep Prima in business!
It would also be a great way to use up scraps and what better match is there for layouts or projects?!
It just so happened that an on-line store I order from had both the featured dies in stock. YAAY!!
And so it was that the mailman stalking began.
(note to self: SAVE!)
The first is a Spellbinders die from Donna Salazar called Rose Creations.
It makes different sizes of flowers depending on the 3 die you use. I made 2 bigger ones (but not the biggest)
and a smaller one (using the 3 smallest dies). After cutting the 3 dies you roll and lift the petals and adhere them together. On the larger ones I then added a pearl and a button and on the small one I attached a brad.
I then dabbed stickles and ink to the edges.
(excuse the blurriness)
(note to self: SAVE!)
The next is again from Spellbinders and called Spiral Blossom Four.
(apparently I missed, One, Two and Three)
I must admit that if I ever saw this die in a store I would have no idea what it was for. As a matter of fact I would probably think that it was stupid when in fact I would be the stupid one!
Once you cut the spiral you start at the end and roll and roll and roll. Hold it tight until you reach the end and then let it unwind. Cover the base with glue and hold it in the position you want until the glue sets.
Once the glue is set, play with it to get the look you want.
Once the glue is set, play with it to get the look you want.
I again dabbed on some stickles but you could ink it, add glitter or leave it plain.
(SAVE)
The next one is my favourite. I combined the two!
After making the rose creation one I cut down the spiral one because naturally it was too big for the centre,
I then dabbed on gold stickles.
Move over Prima!
On that dark and lonely Youtube night I also saw a video showing the intricate dies of Memory Box too.
And didn't they have several beautiful butterflies? And don't butterflies love flowers?
Yep - you guessed it - the mailman stalking began again.
(Oh yeah - SAVE!)
Memory Box dies are amazing - so detailed! But I did order the metal adapter plate recommended and it makes a perfect cut.
I ordered 2 dies - they fit together. One is solid and the other has intricate cuts.
I used a black marker to colour the body on one of the butterflies and just added black pearls to the other. I dabbed on some stickles and added rhinestones.
On the purple one I used cardstock rather than patterned paper for the solid one and lightly misted it.
Once the stickles dried I adhered them at the centre so that I could spread their wings and let them fly!
Memory Box has several different shapes of 2-part butterflies but I particularly liked this one the best.
Darla/solid and Vivienne/intricate
So, here`s some pictures of all of my little pretties.
I have a couple altered items from my Etsy shop to show you too - but that`s another post for another day.
I hope this post has shown you to pull out that die cutting machine and make your own embellishments.
And what has it taught me? - to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!
Have a great week.
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