Multi layered Spellbinders card.

Lately I've been playing with my Spellbinders dies; which I do by die cutting a variety of shapes in different sizes and then seeing how I can assemble them into some sort of cohesive looking stack. This card has a total of nine layers (including the base card). Besides using the dies to cut, I also used them to emboss to add yet another dimensional feel.

First layer: size A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") white base card.
Second layer: rectangular frame. I made the 1/4" wide frame using the largest and next to largest rectangle dies.
Third layer: upper and lower decorative scroll work. The scrolls are the ends of one of the Fancy Labels, which I cut in half and separated to create the needed length.
Fourth layer: left and right decorative scroll work. The scrolls are the ends of another one of the Fancy Labels, this one extended just side from side to side and needed no cutting to adjust the length.
Fifth layer: large background panel.
Sixth layer: inner decorative scroll work. These are actually the left overs from another one of the Fancy Labels.
Seventh layer: smaller background panel.
Eighth layer: scalloped circle.
Ninth layer: small inner circle.

I colored or edged each panel before adding it to the card to help highlight the individual layers and also because i wanted to keep the card as flat as possible, I did not use raised adhesive dots

Making your own layered stamp image.

Now that I'm trying not to buy new craft supplies, I've started to look twice at everything I want or like to see if I can somehow recreate the product or look without having to spend money. I recently saw a set of Tim Holtz stamps while on-line window shopping that I taught where really great. The stamps were a collage type image and ran around $10.00 each on Amazon and $14.99 in  craft stores. I was sure I could duplicate the general theme for no money! So I went through my stamps and got started.. The stamp on the left is the original Tim Holtz stamp (copied from an online add) and the one on the right is my version.

I started with a script design stamp from Stampin Up for the background. Then using three Inkadinkado stamps I created the central bouquet. Using another Inkadinkado stamp I added the flowered border in the upper left and lower right corners. To finish the image I inked the various areas to mimic the original. The only image I could not or did not duplicate was the butterfly. The layer stamping is quite simple, somewhat time consuming but eventually very satisfying ... especially since it saved me money and opened my eyes to what I can do.

Spellbinders layering.

I have quite a few sets of Spellbinders dies, some of which I've used in the past but many I have just thought about using. I decided to start die cutting away and then playing around with what I had die cut to see what I could come up with. I tried to stay pretty monochromatic to  ensure that they blended.

This masculine style card is made using two sets of dies: radiant rectangles and fancy tags.

To start with I die cut and emboss the two center dies from the radiant rectangle set from a piece of ivory paper. The larger background panel I edged with tan ink and the smaller inner panel I edged with Merlot ink (both from Martha Stewart/E.K. Success). Next I die cut two tags from brown paper.To make the card I started with a size A2 white card and centered the largest panel on the card. Then I cut the two tags into twp pieces and layered the pieces as shown over the back panel. I then added the small center panel using a raised adhesive dot. To finish off the card I added a few gold colored dots.

New stamping techniques ... at least for me!

I have so many stamps and use so few! I have so many Spellbinder dies and use so few! What to do? Hey how about mixing the two! The easy way would be to stamp then die cut ... but of course I had to go about it differently. I decided to  die cut first to create a stencil/mask and then stamp inside the inside of the stencil.

Here's what I came up with. The two cards are basically done the exact same way ... just different colors and different embellishments. 

Each time I started with one of the mid size the Spellbinder Labels die and cut out the design in the center of a small piece of copy paper. I  overlaid the stencil/mask on a white piece of paper and then stamped the text (Stampin Up! French script). Then using the same ink color as the stamp, I edged the stamped text before removing the stencil/mask. For one card I cut down the stamped panel and mounted it on matching color paper, for the other I trimmed the stamped panel with a deckle scissor (Fiskars) and edge the new panel with a contrasting but coordinating color.

The stamped background panels become a basic background patterned paper ... the embellishments are what finish the cards. The best part is that the stencils/masks are re-usable and the die cut inset can be used in the opposite way in future cards.