Creative Tip of the Day: Make Your Words Part of the Design

A word or phrase die can do more than add a greeting to your card. Try treating it as an important part of the design itself. Give it dimension, coordinate it with your background, or build your card around the message.

All three of today's projects were created by STAMPgirl Maria several years ago. Maria has been part of the STAMPlorations design team since 2014, and I've always loved her style and the creative ways she uses STAMPlorations products. Her word and phrase die projects are a perfect example of how a simple sentiment can become an integral part of the card design.

Here are three of Maria's projects from the STAMPlorations archives that show how a die-cut phrase can become much more than an afterthought.

Let Your Sentiment Take Center Stage

Maria created three cards featuring the Make a Wish phrase die, pairing the sentiment with the Doodled Birthday Cake Cover Plate in three different ways. 

On the first card, she dry embossed the cover plate onto white cardstock and added a stacked, rainbow-inked Make a Wish sentiment. 

On her second card, she created a soft pastel rainbow background over a heat-embossed cover plate design and placed the phrase prominently over it. 

For the third card, she used a craft-foam version of the cover plate as a stamp and created a colorful stamped background with Distress Oxides.

The backgrounds change, but the Make a Wish phrase remains an important focal point in each design. It's a good reminder that a strong sentiment can be the star of the card, rather than something you squeeze in at the end.

Coordinate Your Die Cut With Your Colors

For this card, Maria used the Grateful Heart phrase die with the Art Flowers 1 stencil. She chose warm, autumnal tones for the ink-blended background and carried that same palette into the stacked Grateful Heart die cut.

The result is a sentiment that feels like it belongs with the rest of the card instead of looking like a separate element added afterward. When you repeat colors between your background and your die-cut phrase, you can make the whole design feel more cohesive.

Build a Design Around the Words

For this card, Maria started by playing with phrase dies and a palette of colors created with alcohol markers. She colored strips of paper and arranged them into a bold striped design, then combined the stripes with a stenciled background and the Thankful Every Day phrase die. Here, the phrase isn't simply sitting at the bottom of the card as a greeting. It becomes part of the graphic composition and works together with the colorful strips to create the focal point.

Make Your Words Work Harder

Maria's projects are a great reminder that word and phrase dies don't have to be an afterthought. They can be the focal point, help establish the color palette, or become part of the overall graphic design.

The next time you reach for a word or phrase die, think about how you can make the sentiment influence your card from the very beginning. Make it the focal point. Pull colors from your background into the die cut. Build a pattern or composition that helps emphasize the words.

Your sentiment can say something meaningful and look good doing it.

And if you're ready to add some new words and phrases to your die collection, now is a great time to shop. All CUTplorations dies are currently 15% off, including our word and phrase dies.

Check out the CUTplorations dies in the STAMPlorations store and save 15% while the promotion lasts.

Tag Dies Beyond the Gift Tag | Three Ways to Create with CUTplorations Tag Dies

Tag dies may be designed to create tags, but that doesn't mean they're limited to gift tags. They can become focal points, card elements, layered backgrounds, or the foundation for an entire project.

Today we're revisiting three projects from the STAMPlorations archives by STAMPgirls Stephanie Severin, Sanna Lippert, and Vicki Dutcher to show just how much you can do with tag dies when you look beyond their most obvious use.

Turn a Tag into a Card Focal Point

Stephanie used the Luggage Tags Nesting Dies to create the foundation for this bold and playful project. She die cut the largest tag from a piece of lined designer paper, then used Candied Apple Distress Ink with the Doodled Heart stencil, spritzing the ink with water afterward for a softer, distressed effect. 

Because the designer paper was a little flimsy, Stephanie die cut a second tag from red cardstock and attached it to the back for additional stability. She then added the You & Me Phrase Die, taking advantage of the fact that the single die cuts the three words separately so they can be positioned independently. Paper flowers and heart embellishments completed the design. Stephanie found that the finished tag really popped when she attached it to a black card base.

Creative takeaway: A tag doesn't have to be something you tie onto a package. Treat it as a ready-made focal shape for a card and build your design around it.

Build a Layered Tag Design

Sanna took the tag in a completely different direction with the Stitched Tag Nesting Dies. Rather than keeping the tag design simple, she created a more elaborate layered project using stamped imagery from the Feathery and Bloomtangled ATC #1 stamp sets, along with a sentiment from Fond Expressions. The stitched edges give the tag a finished look while the stamped elements create layers of color and detail within the tag shape.

Creative takeaway: Nesting tag dies give you more than one size to work with, making it easy to layer shapes and create more dimension. Add stamped images, sentiments, or patterned papers to turn a simple tag shape into a complete focal design.

Mix Stamping and Stenciling

Vicki's project shows another way to build a tag by combining several different techniques. She used the Luggage Tags Nesting Dies as the foundation, then layered stamped and stenciled elements using Trendy Leaves, Bloom Sketches, and the Bubbles stencil. The combination of stamping, stenciling, layered paper, and ribbon gives the tag a collage-like look with plenty of texture and visual interest.

Creative takeaway: A tag die can provide the structure while your stamps, stencils, and other supplies determine the personality. Don't be afraid to layer different techniques within one small format.

Think Beyond the Gift Tag

These three projects show just a few ways tag dies can become part of your cardmaking and papercrafting. Use a large tag as a card focal point. Layer different tag sizes together. Fill the shape with stamped and stenciled details. Add ribbon, embellishments, or sentiments. Or simply use the tag shape as a starting point for a design that goes somewhere completely unexpected. That's what makes nesting tag dies so useful: the shape gives you a framework, but what you do with it is entirely up to you.

And if you've been thinking about adding some tag dies to your stash, all CUTplorations dies are 15% off during our August sale. It's a good opportunity to try a tag die and see how many different ways you can put it to work.

Until next time, keep looking at your supplies beyond their obvious purpose and see where they can take your creativity.

Creative Tip of the Day: Three Ways to Use Cover Plates

Cover plates are incredibly versatile. You can use them to create texture, highlight just part of their design, or turn the entire die-cut panel into a bold background. These three projects from the STAMPlorations archives show just how different the results can be depending on how you use the same type of die.

Create Texture Instead of a Die-Cut Background

Deepti started with watercolor cardstock and used the Zen Doodled Birthday Cake Cover Plate Die to emboss the cardstock, creating a subtle textured pattern rather than cutting the panel apart. She then watercolored the embossed panel in bright, vibrant colors. To finish the card, she heat embossed a sentiment from the Birthday Bash stamp set and added white pigment splatters.

It's a great reminder that a cover plate doesn't always have to be used to create a separate die-cut layer. Try embossing with the die instead to add texture to your background while keeping the cardstock intact.

Use Only Part of the Design

This card uses the Bloomtangled #1 Cover Plate in a different way. Rather than using the entire die-cut panel, I kept the top portion of the design and left the bottom of the card base clean. That open space gave me a perfect place to stamp the sentiment from the Bold Sentiments: Fearless stamp set. Keeping the cover plate design confined to one area of the card gives the intricate die-cut plenty of room to shine without overwhelming the sentiment.

Don't be afraid to trim, cut, or use only part of a cover plate. You don't have to use the entire design just because that's the size of the die.

Make the Entire Die-Cut the Star

Chris took the opposite approach and let the entire Zen Doodled Birthday Gifts Cover Plate create a bold, colorful background. She die cut it from festive patterned paper and adhered it to a black card base, allowing the bright colors and intricate design to really pop. For the sentiment, she cut the Celebrate Big phrase die three times from purple cardstock, stacked the layers together for dimension, and added Stardust Stickles for sparkle. She then cut it again from white cardstock and adhered it offset underneath the stacked sentiment to create a contrasting shadow.

Here, the cover plate does become the full background, but the strong contrast and dimensional sentiment keep the card from feeling visually flat.

Think Beyond the Obvious

The next time you reach for a cover plate, think beyond simply running it through your die-cutting machine and adhering the resulting panel to your card. Try embossing with it for subtle texture. Use only a portion of the design to create an interesting border or focal area. Or embrace the entire die-cut and let it become the star of your background.

There isn't one “right” way to use a cover plate. The fun is in deciding how much of the design you want to see -- and how you want it to work with the rest of your card.

And if you've had your eye on a CUTplorations cover plate -- or another die you've been meaning to try -- all CUTplorations dies are 15% off during our August sale. It's a good time to experiment with a few new ways to use the dies already in your stash, too.

Until next time, keep creating and looking at your supplies in new ways.

Creative Tip of the Day | 3 Ways to Make Your Dies Work Harder

Sometimes the best creative inspiration comes from taking another look at supplies we already have.

For today's Creative Tip of the Day, we're revisiting three projects from the STAMPlorations archives by STAMPgirls Monika, Shirley, and Vicki. Each card uses CUTplorations dies in a completely different way -- and together, they're a great reminder that a die can do much more than simply create an embellishment.

Creative Tip: Look Beyond the Obvious

When you pull out a die, don't feel limited by its most obvious use. A die-cut can add texture to a background, become a repeated design element, or take center stage as the focal point of your card. Here are three ways our STAMPgirls did exactly that.

1. Add Texture + Pattern with a Border Die

On Monika's beautiful floral card, the Art Border #3 Die creates a delicate patterned panel behind the flowers. Rather than competing with the focal image, all those tiny die-cut details add texture and interest while still allowing the flowers to shine.

Creative lesson: Detailed border dies don't have to be the star of the card. Try using them as supporting layers whenever a background needs a little something extra.

2. Turn a Die-Cut into Your Own Pattern

Shirley took a completely different approach with the Dragonfly Layering Dies. Instead of using all the layers, she used the solid dragonfly shape repeatedly across that fabulous orange background. The repetition transforms a single die-cut shape into an all-over pattern  -- almost like creating your own patterned paper.

Creative lesson: Layering dies don't always have to be layered! Try using just one component repeatedly to create a completely different look.

3. Let a Silhouette Take Center Stage

Vicki's card shows just how powerful a simple silhouette can be. The Perched Bird Die becomes the focal point against the large glowing circle and dramatic black background. There aren't a lot of elements competing for attention, so that recognizable silhouette gets to do all the work.

Creative lesson: Sometimes a strong die-cut shape is all you need. Pair a silhouette with a bold background or simple geometric shape and let it become the star.

Why We Love It

These three projects couldn't look more different, but they all demonstrate the versatility of dies. A die can be a background. It can become a pattern. It can be the focal point. So the next time you reach for one of your dies, instead of asking, What is this die supposed to do? try asking: What else could I do with it? You might discover an entirely new way to use something that's been sitting in your stash for years.

Rediscover Your CUTplorations Dies

If these projects have you wanting to play with dies again, August is a great time to do it. All CUTplorations thin metal dies are instantly 15% off throughout August -- no code needed.

Take another look through the CUTplorations collection and see what new possibilities you can discover.

Until next time, keep creating and discovering what's possible with the supplies you already love.

{Special CUTplorations Release} Introducing the Zen Coffee Cup Layering Dies -- Comment to Win!

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! If you've been to the store recently, you may have noticed a new addition -- the Zen Coffee Cup Layering Dies! It's a set of 4 dies, with one solid coffee cup and three coffee cups with fun doodled designs -- perfect for layering! And for the eagle-eyed, you'll notice the designs are the large versions of the coffee cup stamps in the Happy Zen Coffee Cups stamp set :o)

And guess what? We've got a mini release hop! Simply leave a comment on this post and on the designers' posts for a chance to win this set of awesome coffee dies!

Here's what I and STAMPgirls Elaine, Kathy, and Vicki made to showcase these dies:

SHERY

ELAINE

KATHY

VICKI

How the mini release hop works:

• Comment on this post.
• Visit the designers' blogs and comment on their featured project(s).
• Commenting closes on Friday, November 16, 11:55 p.m. Pacific.
• We'll randomly select a winner of the Zen Coffee Cup Layering Dies set from comments left on all the blogs and announce it on December 10 on the November Winners post.

ZEN COFFEE CUP LAYERING DIES set is now available in the shop and until November 16, it's 15% off instantly + an extra 20% off if you use a STAMPgirl's discount code.

Happy hopping!

{PART 2} CUTplorations Christmas Release Blog Hop with the STAMPlorations Girls + Comment to Win!

Well hello again, and welcome to the second part of our Christmas CUTplorations Release Blog Hop! If you missed part 1, it's here.

Several STAMPlorations girls have come together and created Christmas projects featuring 6 of the Christmas CUTplorations dies we released last month.

If you {still} haven't started on your holiday cardmaking, perhaps this hop will get you in gear {finally} ;o)

Take a look at what STAMPgirls Monica, Vicki, Ina, Maria, and Kathy created.

Comment on this post and on the designers' blogs for a chance at either of these prizes: your choice of Christmas cover plate and one Christmas word/phrase die OR a $15 gift certificate to the store.

Enjoy this hop!

{PART 1} CUTplorations Christmas Release Blog Hop with the STAMPlorations Girls + Comment to Win!

Hey, all! Welcome to the Christmas CUTplorations Release Blog Hop!

Several STAMPlorations girls have come together and created Christmas projects featuring 6 of the Christmas CUTplorations dies we released last month.

If you {still} haven't started on your holiday cardmaking, perhaps this hop will get you in gear {finally} ;o)

Take a look at what STAMPgirls Helen, Harriet, Chris, Sanna, Jessica, and MariLynn created.

Comment on this post and on the designers' blogs for a chance at either of these prizes: your choice of Christmas cover plate and one Christmas word/phrase die OR a $15 gift certificate to the store.

Enjoy this hop!

{DAY FOUR} Special 2018 Christmas Release feat. CUTplorations Thin Metal Dies + Comment to Win

Hey STAMPlorations friends! Welcome to DAY FOUR --  the last day! -- of our Special 2018 Christmas Release Hop! From Tuesday until Friday, the girls in the Inspiration team are sharing projects they created using the stamps and dies in our latest release.

And what's a hop without prizes? We'll pick one lucky crafter to win a $25 gift certificate to the store + there's an extra prize: winner's choice of product from the new release.

For a chance at the $25 gift certificate, comment on the stops in today's post (this blog and the designers' blogs). 

For a shot at the extra prize (your choice of product from the new release), answer the question found at the end in a separate comment on this post.

Commenting is open until October 5 and we'll announce the winners in the September Winners post on October 10.

For our final day, the Inspiration girls have created amazing projects with the Doodled Christmas Candles Cover Plate die and two of our new Christmas phrase dies (Christmas Blessings and Making Spirits Bright).

  

{Special Event} Christmas CUTplorations Redux + Comment to Win!

Hey, guys! Welcome to the Christmas CUTplorations Redux Blog Hop, the first of several special events we're hosting here on the blog in the next 3 months. Several STAMPlorations girls have come together and created Christmas projects featuring our CUTplorations thin metal dies. If you haven't started on your holiday cardmaking yet, let the girls inspire you to get started :o)

Take a look at what STAMPgirls Terri, Tanja, Harriet, Carol, Julie, Helen, and MariLynn created. Comment on this post and on the designers blogs for a chance at either of these prizes: your choice of two (2) Christmas word/phrase dies or a $15 gift certificate to the store. Enjoy this hop!

{Special Post} CUTplorations Wanderlust Travel Word and Phrase Dies + Comment to Win!

A happy Tuesday once again, STAMPlorations friends! We have another special post featuring newly released products. We're tying in these posts with our monthly challenge -- and if you'd like to win $25 spending money, all you need to do is check back weekly and leave comments here on the blog and on the designers' blogs.

This time around, we are putting the spotlight on the Wanderlust travel word/phrase dies -- we've got 6 of them!

  

  

  

And here are the DT projects showcasing these dies!

TANJA

(Wanderlust stamp, Relax word die)

KATHY

(Wanderlust stamp, Just Go word die, Bold Florals stencil,  Aloha word die)

AMY

(Wanderlust stamp, Make Memories phrase die, Road Trip phrase die)

MARIA

(Wanderlust stamp,  Trendy Butterflies stamp,  Aloha word die, Bloomtangled 2 die,  Bubbles stencil, Just Go word die)

MONICA

(Wanderlust stamp, Born to Roam stamp)

SUSANNE

(Art Marks stamp, Mixed Media Grunge stamp, Merry Go Round stencil,
Life is Good stencil, Good Times phrase die, Road Trip phrase die)

Those projects sure look awesome! Leave a comment here and on the designers' blogs for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.

And if you want another chance at winning, link up any project you make with the focus on the sentiment to our April Challenge! You still have 6 days to link up!

By the way, all of our stamps and dies, including those in today's post, are 10% off -- no coupon needed...the discount is automatically applied in the shopping cart! You can even snap them up at an extra 20% off if you use any one of the STAMPlorations girls' discount code, which you'll find when you visit their blogs!