Els van de Burgt Studio Krista Schneider ModaScrap

Flower Cards: I Love Fussy Cutting

June 25, 2017


By Judi Kauffman

I admit it: I love ‘fussy cutting’! I know it’s not everybody’s favorite activity, but I really like sitting down with a pair of fine point scissors to cut around complicated shapes even when I have dies that would do the job and significantly reduce the time it takes to do a project. Dies leave a bit of a halo around the shapes, fussy cutting goes right up to the outlines. Yes, I do like to hand-hem what I sew, too. And I hand-baste rather than using pins when I sew a seam on the machine. I think it’s the slow pace that appeals to me, along with the hands-on aspect.

Today’s projects include stamping, coloring, and fussy cutting for the flowers, but I did include some die cutting for the Shimmer Sheetz branches, tag reinforcement and corners, the tag itself, and the Garden Fairies on the bonus card.

If you’re an experienced card maker, scroll through the photos and head straight to the supply list. You can customize the color combination, change the layout, and revise things to suit your taste.

Beginners, I’m providing a complete how-to so you can replicate the tag and cards as shown.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using brown ink, stamp the flowers onto a mix of white and mustard-brown cardstock or any other middle-value color of choice. Flowers for the tag were stamped on white, all others on mustard-brown.

2. Color with pencils, markers and/or opaque ink and paint pens. Choose colors from Mother Nature’s palette, create your own combination, or fill the petals with imaginary patterns and doodles in silver, black, and white.

3. Fussy cut around the flowers.

4. Die cut Shimmer Sheetz leaves in colors that coordinate with the flowers. Shown: Bronze Metallic, Fire Opal Gemstone, and Light Pink Iridescent. Lightly sand to tone down the sparkle. Reminder: A metal adaptor plate or Big Shot machine with Precision Base Plate is REQUIRED for die cutting Shimmer Sheetz. Review Els van de Burgt’s YouTube video if you are new to this technique.

5. For the tag, die cut the tag with a decorative open area at the top, plus the tag reinforcement and two decorative corners. For all other cards, mix patterned paper and solid color cardstock for the backgrounds. (Tag reinforcement and corners are Shimmer Sheetz, altered with alcohol inks and backed with Clear Double Sided Adhesive tape prior to die cutting.)

6. Refer to the project photos. Assemble the cards as shown or as you prefer. To add dimension, use foam dots underneath one, two, or all three of the flowers. Optional: As a finishing touch, glue Prills to the centers of the flowers, as shown on the tag.

7. Bonus Card, shown below: Die cut a series of Garden Fairies. Color them so they are wearing outfits suitable for the gym. (This is what Garden Fairies do on their day off to stay in shape for all that flying around!) Position them in front of stamped ‘wallpaper’ created with the same stamps as were used for the cards and tags.

SUPPLIES:

Elizabeth Craft Designs –


Other –

Die cutting machine w/metal adaptor plate (Big Shot with Precision Base Plate)
Solid color cardstock in assorted colors
Patterned papers or hand-stamped papers
Pens, colored pencils, paint pens, markers (shown: Winsor & Newton ProMarkers; Sakura Pigma Micron 01, Pen-touch in Silver, Gelly Roll Medium in White )
Ink in brown or color of choice
Foam tape or dots
Seam tape or ribbon for tag
One tiny star sequin for tag
Alcohol Ink in colors of choice for tag
Sanding block

You Might Also Like

  • Paula Lewis June 25, 2017 at 6:36 pm

    Nice. So many possible stamps could be used…

  • Carolyn Smith June 25, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    Very nice Judi! You are an ambitious crafter and I’m so glad you do it the way you enjoy. We each have our favorite way but we can love others as well. Keep up the excellent work! Nice choice of colors too. Bravo!

  • Judith Perry June 25, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    I love fussy cutting as well. I had to relearn how to do it after my stroke because I can’t do it with my right hand anymore. I actually worried that I wouldn’t be able to fussy cut anymore since I had to use my left hand, Which reminds me, I have to find a pair of left handed fine scissors – probably be easier to fussy cut than using my right handed fine scissors.

  • Kathleen Adams June 25, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    Judi, Wow these are all so great and your tutorial is really great. Thanks for sharing. PS. I love fussy cutting too!

    • judi kauffman June 25, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Thanks, Kathleen. I like knowing about other people who think fussy cutting is FUN! I use dies, too, of course (didn’t hand cut those branches, they’re dies all the way…), but fussy cutting is just so relaxing.

  • Quietfire June 25, 2017 at 11:57 am

    *giggle* You can come fussy cut at my house anytime, Judi. I love cut things, but thank goodness for dies, because otherwise, I’d be in a different place! Love your ideas – I want to join that fairy workout!!!

    • judi kauffman June 25, 2017 at 1:06 pm

      Thanks, for the invitation, Suzanne. I’ll be right over with my scissors… We’ll die cut words and sentiments and all sorts of other th8ings, and then I’ll fussy cut whatever else is necessary. Who’s making the cookies?

  • Jan Castle June 25, 2017 at 9:21 am

    Bet your Medallions are magnificent!!! Great job Judi with the fussy cutting and layout – lovely work!!!
    TFS
    Paper Hugs,
    Jan

  • %d bloggers like this: