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3 Homemade Cards Using Die Cutting

It's a cardmaker's dream - creating homemade cards.

Have lots of fun making three very different homemade cards all using one thing in common, wafer-thin dies. Read on to learn how.

Using Negative Die Cutting to Make Homemade Cards

A homemade card on a table.
A homemade card on a table.

Believe it or not, this elegant homemade card is quick and easy to make.

The technique that we’re using for this card is to take advantage of the negative space created when you use dies to cut out a design. Usually, this is the piece that you’re inclined to throw away after you have used your die to cut out your images. Alternatively, for this card, we’ll be holding those “positive” pieces for another card and we’ll use what is left. The key is that we need to arrange the dies onto the piece of cardstock the way we want them. For this card, I use them around the edges of the card panel so that there is still space for the sentiment.

The main sentiment also comes from a die. I cut one “dream” from mirror cardstock and three of the shadows from white and then use liquid glue to attach them all together. We use the three shadow pieces to give some dimension to the sentiment.

I assemble the card next, leaving the stamped sentiments for last. All there is to it is to attach the negative image to the card panel and then the card panel to the card base, being careful that they are each centered on the next. They get attached using a glue runner. Then I add the die-cut sentiment with more liquid glue.

I get the card all put together so that I can decide exactly where the rest of the sentiment should go and then stamp it onto the card using an acrylic block.

Negative Die Cut Card Supplies

The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White: Tonic Studios Gold Pearl; Lavinia Garden Dance

Stamp: Photoplay Stamps-Say It With Stamps Dream

Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink; Altenew Enchanted Gold Pigment Ink

Die:  Altenew Doodle Blooms; Photoplay Stamps – Say It With Stamps Dream; Gina K Designs Master Layouts 1

Embossing Powder: Hero Arts Gold Embossing Powder

Adhesives: Scrapbook.com Adhesive Foam Sheet; Bearly Art Glue; E-Z Runner

Embossing With Dies to Make Homemade Cards

A butterfly on a homemade card.
A homemade birthday card with a butterfly on it.

I decided to take this one up a notch by blending over a card panel that I had embossed. To make it I used the embossing pad that came with my die cutting machine and spritzed my card panel with a little water before running it through. This leaves a beautiful impression rather than cutting out the images.

Next, I use small blending brushes with a light hand over the embossing to add some color.

White embossing powder on vellum is how the focal point is created and platinum on vellum for the sentiment and then both are fussy cut.

Assembly is a breeze: I fasten the card panel with runner glue. I bend up the wings of the butterfly on either side of the body to make it appear as though it’s just landed on the card. Then I use glue dots to stick it and the sentiment onto the card being careful to hide them under where the embossing powder is stamped. To finish it off I add a little sparkle to the butterfly with glitter glue.

Die Embossed Homemade Card Supplies

The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Cardstock: Lawn Fawn Fog; Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White; Hero Arts Layering Vellum

Stamp: Altenew Bejeweled; Visible Image Happy Birthday

Ink: Altenew Crisp Dye Ink Caribbean Sky, Minty Mist, Citrus Burst; Versamark Watermark Ink

Die: Altenew Dodec Cover Die

Embossing Powder: Altenew Platinum Crisp Embossing Powder

Glitter Glue: Stickles

Adhesives: Scrapbook.com Adhesive Foam Sheets; Glue Dots

Inlayed Homemade Cards

A homemade birthday card adorned with beautiful roses.
A homemade birthday card with roses on it.

I’m sure that you’ve heard of inlaid flooring or, inlaid furniture. This process is exactly the same however we use cardstock for the material instead of wood to create the design. We start by cutting our design out of two different colors, one will be used for the focal point, the other will be for the background.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, for this card I stamp out the background using a beautiful set of Altenew layered stamps to create what I envision Victorian wallpaper to look like. I make sure that I don’t leave too much white space and overlap some of the images as I go.

Once all the stamping is complete then I use a nice big bold alphabet die set to layout the work happy and then cut it out of the “wallpaper’ I just created. Then I do the same thing with a piece of white cardstock. We want to make sure to save all the pieces that we cut out because we’re actually going to use them all to make two cards at the same time. I take a plain white piece of cardstock, lay the negative of the wallpaper I just cut out over the top of it and, put some glue on the back of the stamped letters and attach them to the white cardstock using the negative piece as a guide. Using exactly the same process I do the same with the stamped piece of cardstock and the white letters.

All that is left to do is to add a sentiment. I do this with platinum embossing powder to give the sentiment a little pop.

Inlade Homemade Card Supplies:

The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White

Stamp: Altenew Sweet Rose Bouquet; Altenew Birthday Greetings

Ink: Altenew Crisp Dye Ink: Frosty Pink: Cotton Candy: Coral Berry; Ruby Red, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades; Versamark Watermark Ink

Die: Altenew Caps Bold Alphabet Die Set

Embossing Powder: Altenew Pewter Crisp Embossing Powder

Adhesives:  Bearly Art Glue

Want More Die Cutting Inspiration for Homemade Cards?

Check out How to Make Your Own Cardmaking Stencils.

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It's a cardmaker's dream - creating homemade cards.
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ABOUT AUTHOR
Teri Duncan - Author
Teri Duncan

Teri has over 30 years of experience as a cardmaker.  Her work has appeared in Spellbinders Paper Arts’ blog as well as with some of their products and on Altenew’s blog. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, stained glass, and teaching. She and her husband live in Crystal River, Florida with their three dogs and a cat.

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