Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.
Often if you look beyond the given shape of a punch or die you can see MULTIPLE different ways to use it.
Blushing Bride card base: 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored at 4-1/4″
Stamped background: 4″ x 4-1/2″
Balmy Blue scalloped rectangle: 2″ x 3-1/8″
Blushing Bride Banner: 1″ wide
As I was looking at my favorite die set – the Stitched So Sweetly dies – I noticed what a nice scallop the rectangle dies had along the edges. You can see what a single rectangle die-cut looks like on the card above. Nice, right?
Well, then I took the largest rectangle and cut out just one side of it… and Voila! I had a nice scallop edge for along the right-hand side of the card.
Two ways to use the same die right there!
Of course, I did use two different sizes of scalloped rectangle dies, but you get the point.
Also, note that the blue piece of card stock on the left side of the card is NOT the same piece of card stock as the scalloped blue piece on the right side. It’s two separate pieces taped behind the stamped white piece.
And now I challenge you… go grab a die or a punch and try to look at it in a new way. How can you use it a little bit differently than it was intended?
Happy Stamping!
Jessica
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*The Parisian Beauty Cling Stamp Set no longer available – stamp a background with other stamps you have or use patterned paper!
P.S. This card was part of a set of one sheet wonder cards made with the March 2020 template from the One Sheet Wonder Card Club. See the full set of cards I made here.
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I am a 90 year old lady. I love making cards. Sometimes I need a little bit more
instructions than given. During this shutdown, I’ve making quite a lot of cards, trying
to do different things. Doing pretty good. What do I do with them, I Send quite a few
BD cards but I have so many cards. Any suggestions?
Hi Ramona,
If you ever need more instructions than I give, please ask! There are lots of places that you can donate your handmade cards to. I’d start by contacting local nursing homes or your church. There are also many organizations like Cards for Soldiers that you can donate cards to. Hope that helps!
Assisted living places love to receive cards especially birthday & sympathy cards.
give them to the armed forces and they will gladly post them off, especially those who do not have any family to send them thank you or birthday cards.
My mother makes cards and now what she does is not put a name on it but puts a piece of paper in it and it tells the person receiving it to just sign the piece of paper and forward it to another person with the paper in it. This way if someone can not afford to buy a card at least they can send the one they got. Kinda like pay it forward.
That’s a wonderful idea, Judith, thanks so much for sharing!
Did you ever get any suggestions about where or what to do with cards you make that are stacking up? I have same problem!!
You might take thank you cards to hospitals for patients to send for gifts received.
Head to Scrapbook.com. They have many charities that accept homemade cards. I send mine to them. There is also another site. Cards For Hospitalized Kids. That organization is located in Chicago. They distribute cards for children throughout the USA.
I have the same problem. I have sent some to my chiro and some to the local post office, and when they get a bit old, I give them to charity. You are like me, the cards keep you busy when you need to be. I’m 79 and can’t stop making them, so I try and create different ones each time.
Package and give as gifts to family and friends
I have made cards, bookmarks, tags and decorative paper clips and donated them to my local historical museum. They put them in their tiny gift shop and either sell them or ask for a donation. They raise funds and I have an outlet for my creations.
In my neighborhood certain people have these free book lending boxes in their front yards, place them in there telling people to take one….I’m sure they will be put to good use
Great idea Deb, thanks for sharing!