Pop-up Mothers Day Card using Print2Cut

Yes, yes, I fell off the face of the earth again. I know. It happens.

Too frequently.

*sigh*

I've been working on a fun project involving a corporate client and some custom pop-ups. It's really cool, actually, and I wouldn't have been able to achieve the same level of professionalism without a handy assist from my Sizzix eclips machine with eCal software, and the Print2Cut feature.

Since I am unable to share any photos of the corporate work, I thought I would share my new Print2Cut skills by cutting out some amazing digital art from Allison Strine.

Allison's vivid collage-y ladybirds, which can be purchased on jewelry, cards, art prints, magnets, etc. through her Etsy shop, are also available as digital collage sheets. In the past, I would have had to fussy cut the images using detail scissors, but not any more!

Thanks to Print2Cut, I can let the eclips cut out my collage elements perfectly! In this case, I used two birds from the Sweet Tweet Collage Sheet cut out using Print2Cut and then adhered to my pop-up die, (Scalloped Circle Pop-up, cut from clear) the Inchie Love Sheet for the front of the card, and, for the greeting, the Inchie Alphabet Collage Sheet.
 

If you are interested in my method for using Print2Cut with detailed JPEG's like this, then here is a video where you can watch me do it.

One thing to note - my way is not the only way. It may not even be the best way, but it works, so I'm going with it. There are other ways to get your cut layer for intricate images like this. If you have image editing software like Photoshop (or Elements) then you can pull a copy of your image into that software, fill it with solid black, and then import the black image into eCal and the onboard trace will give you a perfect outline without all the extra goop in the middle.

However, for the purposes of this tutorial, I challenged myself to do it all in eCal and not rely on any other software. 

  

EDITED TO ADD: Oooh! I just got an excellent tip from Kevin at Sizzix to use the "Style/Blackout" option on the Shadow Layer and then I can skip the break apart step. Brilliant! Love Print2Cut!

The card itself is a 6x12 strip of white cardstock, folded in half. A printed section of the Love collage sheet is glued to the front of the card.

Inside, I cut two 5.75" squares of patterned paper for the interior panels and then cut my Scalloped Circle Pop-up die from thin clear plastic so it wouldn't be visible. The collage elements are attached to the tiers of the pop-up and a few flowers were sprinkled in the background. Thanks to Allison Strine and Print2Cut, this Mother's Day card was a cinch!

Here are my supply links for the card. 

Sizzix 657130 Scalloped Circle Insert Sizzix eclips w/eCal software Sizzix Big Shot machine Allison Strine Sweet Tweet Collage Sheet Allison Strine Love Inchie Collage Sheet Allison Strine Inchie Alpha Collage Sheet Basic Grey Indian Summer "Cordovan" paper Petaloo Flora Doodles Jeweled Flowers Grafix thin plastic Bazzill White Cardstock

InLinkz.com

Comments

[eileen hull]

wow- I am saving this! Haven't tried Print2Cut yet but that was a great tutorial... thanks!

[deb]

Loved your tutorial. To the point, informative, and moved along so well. Thanks! I'll watch your tutorials any time.

[allison strine]

Oh my garsh! There's some new fangled technology to create a border without fussy cutting (my new favorite expression, btw)?? Wowza! Thanks for the info and for the love, Kar!