Last minute do over.

Today I am once more creating die cuts without a die cutting machine. I seriously thought about purchasing a second one on sale for 40% off yesterday at Joann but managed to hold myself back. After all, it is only a couple of weeks until I am back home in my well equipped craft room. Of course, that means I will also be back in the snow - not my favourite compromise.

Today I began with one of Just Rite's newest stamp sets; Kaleidoscope Medallions. I stamped one of the motifs in brown ink on Core Dinations Merry c/s ( both the outer ring and the inner motif. Then I cut around this image with scissors. I also stamper just the inner section of the same set of images on CD Sandstorm c/s with the same brown ink and, when it dried, I used two Marvy markers to colour the image. Again I cut the circle by hand. The last stamping was one of the inner sentiments from Just Rite's 'You are my Anchor' with brown ink on Sandstorm c/s. To get the circle size I needed here, I centered the label die from SB's Parisian Accents over the words and traced the inside opening. Once more, I fussy cut the circle.

The next step was to create my die. I used the largest die from the Parisian Motifs set, tracing it on Sandstorm c/s. Then I did my fake die cut thing. Remember, if you are ever in a position to need to try doing this, to place the right side of the c/s against the cutting edge side of the die. I marked where I wanted some holes to make the die cut look a little lacy, and used a Fiskars' 1/8" circle punch. Using the brown ink pad, I sponged around the die cut and the two Sandstorm circles.

The card base is 5 7/8" square. The printed paper is from my scrap stash so I regret to say I don't know whose it was. The lace is from Joann. I used glue dots to hold the lace on, and to hold the die cut to the lace. Finally, I used dimensionals for the center of the largest motif and doubled up on the dimensionals for the label.

Well I am off like a terd of hurtles this morning. Diffucult day planned with my 'acquisitions' cohort beginning with breakfast out. Then tonight, company for a barbeque. Another tough day in paradise. Sucks to be in Alberta right now.

Post Script - as I was loading the pics, I decided the card did not look quite finished. So I set everything aside to go for breakfast and shopping. I just now finished the touch ups and here is what I added:
     -Stamped 3 smallest blossoms from HFC petite poinsettia set with brown ink on ivory c/s. Fussy cut them, sponged them twice (first with brown ink, then with old gold Inka Gold. Hand cut a small circle of some scrap burgundy velvet paper and shaped the blossoms and circle with the stylus. Attached everything with glue dots.
     -Added some gold satin ribbon (from Michaels) at the top of the lace.

Now it looks finished!!