Creative Uses for Die Cuts by Brenda R.

There are so many die-cut machines on the market, and everyone finds their favorite.  I use the Slice, and I would say I use it almost every time I craft.  But I think I would become bored with my machine if I just cut images from cardstock all the time.  I am going to show you how to create a little more flair with a few simple ideas.  Perhaps what I show you will be a spring board for you, and you'll think of loads of amazing things to take your diecut images to the next level!

We are getting heaps of snow already in Minnesota, and I love to take pictures of the yard.  One of my favorite things to do with my title when scrapping snow is to add that little bit of glisten to my letters.  You just need a few supplies - adhesive, glitter, and your diecut letters. 

Simply put some adhesive on the bottom of your letters and sprinkle prisma glitter.  As you can see, there is no need to be perfect.  I like my glitter on the bottom so that it appears as if the letters are sitting in a snow bank.  But you could put it on the top or do the whole letter as if you were showing a blizzard.  Other items that work nicely for snow are Icicle Stickles and liquid applique.

Diecut flowers are also fun to work with.  In the next example, I've cut two flowers - one 4" and one 2-1/2".  I grabbed a brad and a couple flowers from my stash along with some paint.

I like to paint my flowers with clear rock candy distress paint.  A thin layer doesn't take long to dry, and it toughens up the diecut so that it can be bent and crinkled.  After painting, all I did was stack the diecuts with flowers.  Such a pretty embellishment that is just so much more! 

I absolutely love leaf and vine diecuts.  When you need that "little something" on your page, they are usually perfect for what you are doing.  This delicate leaf is one of my favorites.  Again, just a few supplies - the diecut, sanding block, and bone folder. 

For this technique, white core paper works best.  I've simply given each leaf a crease and then sanded.  Doesn't that simple step help that leaf come alive?  By the time it's done, it almost looks real!

Possibilties are endless with diecuts, and I could go on and on.  As you noticed with my flower, I used printed paper.  Sometimes just using printed paper alone is enough to add interest to your page.  There are several other things you can do with your die-cuts, too.  Stamp on them, use them as a journaling spot, layer them, rub-on images, emboss, paint, and ink.  Next time you cut an image, see what kind of flair you can add!  If you do, please post your link in the comments.  I would love to vist your blog or gallery and see what you've done!

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