Off-the-edge die-cutting is a fun and interesting way of getting more from your dies. By using this technique you can expand the use of regular dies that are actually designed to cut shapes and elements for your card making. There are dies designed specifically to cut the edge of your card, but here I’ll show you how to achieve the same effect by using regular dies in your stash. By cleverly and carefully positioning the top plate of your die-cutting sandwich you can achieve a totally different look than that of using the die as intended, which fundamentally alters the shape of your card base.

What’s great is that you can pretty much use any kind of die – plain dies or detailed dies – but what I think works particularly well are: layering dies, detailed dies designed to stay in the card with a separate outer edge, and dies that come with a slightly larger backing plate die. You are limited by the size of the die and the size of your cutting plates, but even using a smaller die-cutting machine you can produce great results. You might think it’s necessary to use clear acrylic plates as that would enable to you to easily see what you’re doing, but this is not the case; you can carry out the technique using any die-cutting machine and plates. You can achieve anything from a simple look for beginners or batch making to a far more advanced look for something with a real ‘WOW’ factor, simply by applying the same approach.

1

Open the card blank so it’s flat on your work surface. Using low-tack tape place the ‘happy’ die over the crease in the card so that the bottom of the letters overhang the card front.

2

Place the top plate over the part of the die on the reverse of the card blank, leaving the bottom of the letters just showing.

3

Carefully run the plates through your die-cutting machine to cut the sentiment as shown.

4

Using a craft knife, carefully cut the die-cut pieces of card in between the letters.

5

Fold the card to create the card blank so that the sentiment protrouds from the fold of the card. Stamp and heat-emboss the card front. Apply Aqua pens onto a glass mat and with a waterbrush apply colour to the heat-embossed pattern.

Hello
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 11x14.5cm card blank
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • clear Tonic Studios Nuvo inkpad
  • white Tonic Studios Nuvo embossing powder
  • Sea Breeze Tonic Studios Nuvo Jewel Drops
  • heat tool
  • craft knife
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • heat tool
  • manual die-cutting machine
  • Tonic Studios Mandala Moments Flower die & stamp set
  • WPlus9 Basic Greetings Hello die
Birthday flowers
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 13.5x9.5cm card bank
  • white cardstock
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • background stamp
  • Lawn Fawn Happy, Happy, Happy stamp set
  • clear Tonic Studios Nuvo inkpad
  • white Tonic Studios Nuvo embossing powder
  • Rosewater Tonic Studios Nuvo Jewel Drops
  • Craft knife
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • heat tool
  • low-tack tape
  • manual die-cutting machine
  • WPlus9 Happy Trio die set
Birthday wishes
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 17x13cm card blank
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • Lawn Fawn Tiny Tag Sayings clear stamps
  • clear Tonic Studios Nuvo inkpad
  • white Tonic Studios Nuvo embossing powder
  • Sea Breeze Tonic Studios Nuvo Jewel Drops
  • Manganese Blue Ranger Archival Ink
  • heat tool
  • craft knife
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • low-tack tape
  • heat tool
  • manual die cutting machine
  • Tonic Studios Mandala Moments Dragonfly die & stamp set
Love
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 12x11.5cm card blank
  • white & blue cardstock
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • white Posca pen
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • low-tack tape
  • Manual die cutting machine
  • Tonic Studios Wonderfall Cascading Heart die set
  • Lawn Fawn Scripty Love die
Smile
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 20x14.5cm card blank
  • white & blue cardstock
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • Creative Dies Plus Wonky Stitches Collection Stitched Borders die set
  • Sea Breeze Tonic Studios Nuvo Jewel Drops
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • manual die-cutting machine
  • Tonic Studios Beautiful Blooms die set
  • WPlus9 Basic Greetings die
Happy birthday
1 min read02 Aug 2019
DISCOVER

You will need

  • white 15cm-square card blank
  • white cardstock
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Aqua pens
  • waterbrush
  • background stamp
  • clear Tonic Studios Nuvo inkpad
  • white Tonic Studios Nuvo embossing powder
  • heat tool
  • acrylic glue
  • 3D foam pads
  • low-tack tape
  • manual die-cutting machine
  • Tonic Studios Circle Layering & Pinhole Layering dies
  • WPlus9 Happy Trio die
  • Tonic Studios Rococo Felicity Butterfly die