You know how sometimes an idea forms in your head and you wonder if maybe, just maybe, it will work?
This one worked!
My idea was to die cut one of the word Pop 'n Cuts by placing the paper pretty-side-up on the die so the word itself would be mirror imaged. Then my plan was to turn the card so the mirror-imaged word was acting as the "shelf" behind the pop-up and the "shelf" was now a platform for something else.
Then, to make the word visible, I wanted to add mirrored paper to the back of the card so the word would read correctly to the viewer, suspended in the mirror.
Did I mention that it worked?! Tra-la-la!
The front of the card uses some Crate Paper and Basic Grey papers, a Paper Smooches "love" stamp, and a Jillibean Soup felt flower. I die cut a streamer from the Party Sizzlits set to act as a stem for the flower.
Now let's check out the real magic - the card interior:
Pretty nifty, huh? The "Love" appears to be floating in the background.
This technique is so easy. Simply cut a piece of Shimmer Sheetz (mine is 4.25" wide by 4" tall) and fold under a 0.5" foot. Attach that foot just above the mirror-imaged word Love.
Because the foot is folded under, the mirror is going to want to fall forward when the card is opened. This is a good thing, since you'll need an angle to the mirror for the word to be viewable from the front. Use a Heavy Duty slot punch to make slots in the top corners of the mirror for the flagpole to slide through. Use no adhesive - the flagpole should slide freely through the slot.
The above photo shows how the flagpoles are attached to the card. I needed the full height of the flagpole, so I created a small strip of white cardstock and sandwiched it in the pole during assembly. I then folded that extra strip under to be a foot and attached it to the card with a Tiny Attacher stapler.
A healthy layer of dust on your mirror is completely optional but seems very fitting for my card! Heh.
I bought these cute little Jolee's Boutique stickers yesterday on a fun lunch/shopping outing with Gretchen. They are stickers, so I stuck them back-to-back so they would look good in the mirror, too. Then I attached them to the twine with crimp bead hangers from the jewelry aisle at a craft store.
Yesterday I was blogging on the Sizzix blog, which is a Blogger blog. (It's fun to say "Blogger blog") As I looked for the "insert file" button to add the PDF for the Floating Floor 2.0 template, I discovered that there was no such button. A Google search told me that to upload PDF files on Blogger blogs (go ahead and say it a few times, I'll wait) that you must first upload it elsewhere, like to Google Drive, and then link it in.
So I did.
And this process has been not-so-easy for some folks, who say they can't download the template.
If you're one of those poor unfortunate souls for whom the template would not download on the Sizzix blog, you can get it here instead:
This template fits the Pop 'n Cuts Frame Insert to add a floating floor behind the frame that can be used to animate flagpoles or a multitude of small pop-up items as explained in the first Floating Floor Tutorial. You can see more photos of this project and a supply list on the Sizzix Blog here.
This Saturday's class at Scrapp'n Savvy will feature three cards using pop-up dies with an added technique or twist. As a bonus, students will also get to make a bonus card from my CHA class featuring the next release of Pop 'n Cuts dies - the Journey collection, which will be available in stores this June.
First up, let's celebrate this season of Love using the Bigz Raising Platform die with the added technique of using the platform to raise up attached items. In this case, I've used the Tim Holtz Elegant Flourishes die, which he was nice enough to design as a near-spiral just for me! (Or so I tell myself) The papers ar We R Memory Keepers "Crazy for You".
Class Project #1: Love Card
Other dies being used on this card include the Love Sizzlits Set (Love & hearts) and the center of the Ornate Plate die (front label)
The other projects will use Pop 'n Cuts dies. For this project, the Pop 'n Cuts Star Insert is used three times to create a cascade of pop-up stars. This also converts the Star Insert, which would typically be made as a vertical card, into a horizontal card.
I'm back from CHA and after the requisite day spent on the couch leguming, I spent today in the studio having fun with the new Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts die from Stampin' Up!
The 2013 Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog features this exclusive A2 Card Base for Pop 'n Cuts. The card base is sold separately for $39.95 (USD), and it will cut an A2 sized card (4.25" x 5.5" when folded) with a decorative edge at the top, rounded corners at the bottom, and slits for the decorative edge to slide through to hold the card closed. This base will accomodate ANY Pop 'n Cuts insert from any collection, but you will only be able to get this particular base from Stampin' Up!
You can use this Base as a plain card, a backing card, a Movers & Shapers card or tray in addition to using it for Pop 'n Cuts, so it is a versatile die. On its own it looks great as either a vertical or horizontal card. This is the only Pop 'n Cuts Base die that features a built-in closure.
Here is the card I made today to send to my future sister-in-law, Iris. My brother popped the question about a month ago and they will be married next fall. We are thrilled for them!
Stampin' Up! #130099 Card Base Pop 'n Cuts
My usual method for making Pop 'n Cuts cards is to start with the inside of the card. This is where the "magic" is, and the card is probably going to be displayed propped open by the recipient. For this reason, I often do a relatively simple card front. Just a lead-in to the magic inside. I'll pull colors and textures from the interior. In this case, I used the white pearl lace and the plain lace inside on the dress, so I used strips of both on the card front.
For the interior of the card, I used the Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts Insert inside the Base and then cut it from white cardstock. I also cut a sleeveless dress using the companion Framelits set and wrapped the dress in lace.
Stampin' Up! #130100 Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts Insert + #130101 Dress Up Framelits
All of the supplies on my card are Stampin' Up! with the exception of the pearl lace and the lace. Those were just stash items.
I know the Designer Series Paper I used for the floor is retired, but you could get a similar look by stamping vines on cardstock with Versamark ink. The wallpaper is stamped using the Solid Stripes stamp. Ink colors are Basic Gray and Sahara Sand.
I cut a piece of Gray cardstock to cover the table top with a slight overhang. I then trimmed away the overhang in the area of the dress so it would operate smoothly. My original plan was to have some dressmaking items on the top of the table - a ruler, needle and thread, etc. But then the dress turned out so nice that I didn't want to draw focus, so I left the table top bare.
Here are links to the three dies I used, all exclusive to Stampin' Up! You'll want to order from your local demonstrator to support him/her.
I will be doing video instructions on these dies soon, so look for those to be posted on my blog in the next few days.
"If I have to choose... the Butterfly window, and the mug and heart but the wavy frame is the most universal. Love, love, love Pop and Cuts"
Congratulations, Mandee, Fran and Carol! I will be contacting you by e-mail for your mailing address and your prizes will ship next week when I return from CHA.
Thank you to everyone for the comments. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate them!
Well it's that time again! Time for another trade show and another release of Sizzix dies. The Journey collection is my biggest collection to date and includes NINE new Pop 'n Cuts inserts! Here's a little video preview:
After watching the video (you did watch it, right?) scroll down for pictures of all the dies and the item numbers and MSRP of each. Now, if you want your local store to order these dies, you need to TELL THEM! Call up the store and give them a list of the item numbers that you really desperately want. Sizzix ships orders in the order they received them, so if your store orders at the show, (or through their sales rep if they aren't going to the show) they will get their order the soonest.
The NEW Pop 'n Cuts Base is going to be a nice addition OR starter to your Pop 'n Cuts collection. This Base Die is not going to come with an insert, unlike the first Pop 'n Cuts Base (which came with the Circle Label), so the price will be $39.99 instead of $49.99. All of your Pop 'n Cuts inserts from any collection will fit in ANY Pop 'n Cuts Base. (Yes, this includes the exclusive Pop 'n Cuts dies for Stampin' Up!) Rest assured that if the label says Pop 'n Cuts, it was designed by Karen Burniston, and I designed Pop 'n Cuts to be three things: SIMPLE. INTERCHANGEABLE. COORDINATED.
658378 Pop 'n Cuts Square Card Base - $39.99
If you watched the video (you did watch it, right?) you saw that a lot of the new inserts will accomodate Movers & Shapers shapes to be able to cut decorative holes in the pop-ups. There are two new Movers & Shapers sets in the Journey collection:
658367 M&S Butterflies - $15.99
658368 M&S Flower&Heart - $15.99
These shapes can be nested in any of the Pop 'n Cuts inserts that have openings. This includes the Circle Label and Label from the existing Pop 'n Cuts collection, and four of the NEW inserts from this upcoming collection: Coffee Mug, Suitcase, Wavy Frame, Funky Label.
658374 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Mug and Heart - $19.99
658377 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Suitcase - $19.99
658371 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Wavy Frame - $19.99
658373 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Funky Label - $19.99
Remember how I said that Pop 'n Cuts are COORDINATED? All four of these new inserts have a companion decorator option. There is a Coffee Textured Impressions folder to coordinate with the Mug, a Suitcase Bigz Die to perfectly decorate the Suitcase, and Framelits sets to decorate the two new Label inserts.
658366 Bigz Suitcase - $19.99
658380 TI Coffee Set - $10.99
658362 Framelits Funky Label - $19.99
658363 Framelits Wavy Frame - $19.99
There are some new types of folds available in Pop 'n Cuts inserts. First up, the Chair and companion Foyer Textured Impressions Set.
Another new type of fold is the Window Cards. These cards will allow the larger image to come through a window onto the front of the card, and then the card will open up around the image so it pops up inside. (Really easy to understand if you watch the video. No pressure, though.)
658369 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Butterfly Window - $19.99
658372 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Label Window - $19.99
There are, of course, companion decorator dies for these cards as well. The Edge & Scroll die can be used to make a backing card with a decorative edge. (You can also cut a backing card with a trimmer, so this is just an optional accessory, not mandatory) The Butterflies & Labels Bigz dies will fit the Window cards perfectly leaving a little shadow.
658365 Bigz Edge & Scroll - $19.99
658364 Bigz Butterflies & Labels -$19.99
Can you believe I'm not done yet?! There are two new word Pop 'n Cuts inserts with companion single Sizzlits dies to decorate them.
658375 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Congrats - $19.99
658376 Pop 'n Cuts Insert - Friend - $19.99
658360 Sizzlits Congrats - $7.99
658361 Sizzlits Friends - $7.99
Just one more accessory die to show, which is one of my very favorites! This Textured Impressions set will work great for card fronts or the background "scene" of any of the Pop 'n Cuts inserts.
658379 TI Birds & Banners - $10.99
So there you have it! My new Sizzix collection, shipping June 2013. I'd love to hear what you think of the Journey collection in the comments section below. In fact, I am going to bribe you to leave me comments by giving away prizes! GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED You'll be set to make some killer Valentines Day Cards with any of these three prizes.
You have until TUESDAY, JANUARY 8TH AT 5 PM CSTGIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. WINNERS CAN BE VIEWEDHERE to get your comments in. I will use a random number generator to pick the winners and will contact you by e-mail for your mailing address. Prizes will be mailed the week of January 14th. (I'm still cutting kits for the show, yo!) Leave a comment on this post and you're in the running. Tell me which of the new dies will top your wish list!
If you're coming to the show, stop by the Sizzix booth where I will be demoing the Journey collection.
One last thing. As of January 3rd, you can order from the Stampin' Up! Spring 2013 catalog that includes a couple of exclusive Pop 'n Cuts dies. When I get back from the show I will be filming a video on these dies, but in the meantime, here is a quick undecorated photo.
It is difficult to see in the catalog that the A2 Card base is self-closing. It cuts diagonal slits at the bottom of the card for the decorative edge to slide in. This A2 Card base works great just to make self-closing cards, with or without a Pop 'n Cuts insert. It can also be used as a Movers & Shapers Base and Base Tray.
Stampin' Up! Exclusives - #130099 A2 Card Base, #13100 Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts Insert (not shown #130101 Dress Up Framelits)
Over a year ago, when I was working on some ideas to pitch to Stampin' Up! I consulted my friend and longtime SU! demonstrator, Kirsteen Gill, and asked her if there were any themes or shapes that she thought might resonate with Stampin' Up! enthusiasts. Kirsteen suggested the idea of a dress form and it ended up being the one that Stampin' Up! chose to launch their exclusive Pop 'n Cuts system. If you're interested in these dies, you can order from your local demonstrator and I highly encourage you to do so. Many of you have e-mailed asking if there will be more exclusive Pop 'n Cuts for Stampin' Up! and all I can say is - let's prove that we want more!
To show my appreciation for Kirsteen's awesome suggestion, I will include the links to her online store if you don't already have a demonstrator:
