Watch Us Wednesday at TKJ

Welcome to another fun edition of our Watch Us Wednesday Tutorials here at The Kraft Journal Challenge Blog.  I'm here today to share a simple tutorial with you all giving you a few different fun ideas for new and creative ways to use die-cuts.  There are so many awesome die-cuts available out there, and I'm just going to touch on a few basics.  I'm keeping it pretty simple.

Hello, friends!  Thanks for stopping by today as I share my Kraft Journal tutorial with ideas for using  your die-cuts.  As I promised you on Monday, I am sharing three different projects and a few fun and helpful hints.

My first project shows you how to take a simple border die-cut and create felt flowers by rolling them into rosettes.  It's simple - and ANYONE can do it.  Take a border die-cut (the one I've used here is from Papertrey Ink and is called the heart border die).  You simply cut out the border, add a touch of crafting glue at the base, and gently roll up the border to form floral rosettes.  It creates lovely little roses.  If you don't have a die-cut like this, you can use pinking sheers to create this effect.  These photos give you the basic idea, but if you'd like more detailed information about making felt flowers, please click here to re-visit my "Felt Flowers" Tutorial.

This next project also combines a couple of my older tutorials along with some fun new die-cutting ideas.  Start with a Small Kraft Paper Sack, fold up the bottom toward the middle to create a pocket, and machine stitch this into place.  You have instantly created a pocket.  Now, with three quick die-cuts, you will have a finished project.  Here are the three die-cuts you will use:

Supplies

1.  Any doily die-cut.  The one I've used here (shown in the photo above) is the Madison Doily Die-Cut from Top Dog Dies.  Cut your doily from cardstock such as our Buff/Ivory Cardstock.  Cut the doily in half, and glue the half-doily just below your pocket.

Three Die Cuts Applied

2.  Any border die-cut.  The one I used is the hearts border die from Papertrey Ink.  You can cut your border from felt or colorful paper.  This will cover the top of the doily die-cut and create a lovely accent for the pocket.

3.  Any scallop die-cut.  The one I used is from Sweet & Sassy Stamps.  This would probably be cut from a piece of decorative patterned paper to give your gift pocket some "personality".

Embellished Vintage Mini Deck Journaling Card

It's as easy as 1-2-3.  You're finished!  Your lovely little paper bag pocket is all ready for gift-giving.  I did take my project another step once the three die-cuts were added.  I just wanted to show you how easy it is to decorate the pockets of these little paper bag albums.  I took a Jenni Bowlin Vintage Mini Deck Journaling Card and decorated it using a Small Round Metal Edged Grungy Prim Hang Tag and covered it with a snippet of Red With White Polka Dot Washi Tape.  To that, I added a sequin and a mini pearl sticker that are attached using my Tim Hotlz mini stapler.  I inked the journaling card and tucked it in the pocket.  The little sentiment tag is attached with a Tiny Wooden Clothespin.  Simple, and oh so sweet for tucking in a gift card or special little trinket or keepsake.

The third and final die-cutting project I'd like to share with you today is showing you how to use Decorative Tape and/or Washi Tape to create creative backgrounds (home made patterned paper) to cut borders and shapes with your die-cuts.  Simply cover some Basic Cardstock (or even computer paper) with various styles of sweet Washi Tapes to create a unique pattern.  Then, just run your die-cut shapes through your die-cutting machine.  Remember to use these same Decorative/Washi Tapes on your card or project, and then this will instantly create all sorts of lovely little shapes to tie in to your card or project.  See samples below:

Washi Tapes on Plain Paper

Here are a few ideas of ways you can use this background to cut with your die-cuts, as well as a few samples of ways to use them on a project.

Dies Used

I ended up putting all these shapes together to decorate a Small Kraft Pillow Box.  It was simple, and can be done using any dies you might happen to have.  As Tim Gunn says on Project Runway, "make it work".  You take what you have, and make it work to create something lovely.  The Kraft Outlet makes it easy and fun!

Other than the pillow box and die cuts, I added a doily, some baker's twine, a pearl sticker, a rub-on sentiment, and some ribbon - that's it!  I hope this tutorial has been helpful to you.  Please feel free to let me know if you have questions about anything seen on this tutorial.   Most of the supplies for the projects shown in this tutorial can be easily found at The Kraft Outlet.  Each of these projects took no more than five minutes, and the Kraft Outlet makes it easy, and has everything you could possibly need.

I'm sharing my projects today in the following:
Just B Creative Crazy - February's Just Because Linky Party

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog - Challenge #90 - Week 3 Washi Tape Plus Ribbon -You can see the tutorial above showing how I used washi tape creatively on this project above.  I also tied lots of ribbon and baker's twine to the top!  A girl can never have enough ribbon!

Blessings to you!
Karen