Sunday 14 March 2021

Printing with Die Cuts

Evening folks. Did you have a lovely Mother's Day? I know many of us can't be with our Mum's at the moment due to Covid but we are thinking of them just the same. I had a lovely couple of bouquets and plants from the kids, so they will remind me of them for quite awhile.
However, March is gathering pace, we are almost half way through the month so its time for a brand new challenge at Perfectly CAS.
Here is my card based on this month's theme.



When I was trying to come up with a design for this post, I had in mind the latest challenge at CAS Mix Up. They certainly challenge you to go outside the normal CAS structure and widen your horizons with new techniques, I can't believe its 5 years since they started! This month their theme is 'Printing with Die Cuts', not something you would immediately think of as CAS. Anyway I followed the link to the You Tube video supplied by Kathy Racoosin, then had a play!
I wasn't sure which of my MANY dies would work for this technique and originally I pulled out a MB Tulip die, but then remembered that I had the same die cut Joy! daisy that one of the DT, Viv, had used. 
I cut a trio of them out of MM paper, as I wasn't sure how it would pan out, but in the end I only used one and a half. I added some Zig watercolour marker to the die cuts, spritzed one with water and pressed it onto the rest of my MM panel. A little too much water and the colours ran so when it was dry I flipped it over and tried again. This time I tried adding the colours in two different phases, first the green stems and yellow centers, then the pink petals. Instead of adding water by spritzing, I painted over the die cuts with water before flipping over and printing. I got much more control over the colours but they still blended well. Sometimes I wasn't quick enough with my flipping and the colour didn't all transfer but I quite liked that effect too.
When the panel was dry, I added the die cuts, trimming off the small daisy from one of them. The subtle printing with coloured die cuts on top, gives the design a sense of depth, I think.
When I use MM paper I always struggle to find a base card colour that works, so to take the eye away from the slightly differently coloured panel, I inserted a die cut of it into a die cut frame made from the same card as the base, and mounted that on a simple off white A6 top folding card, if that makes sense!
A simple LOTV sentiment completes the design. A messy mixed media center but overall a CAS card I think.
For more CAS birthday inspiration check out the rest of the DT here.

I'm joining in over at:-

 

Spring

13 comments:

  1. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! LOVE your framed flowers! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Truly stunning...so glad you found what appears to be the perfect way to accomplish this technique. Your end product is beautiful and, oh so, colorful. Thank you for joining us at CAS Mix Up's birthday celebration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Simply beautiful watercolored die cut print making background for your gorgeous die cut flowers, Julie. I love how you framed your flowers too. So pleased you joined us at CAS Mix Up. Love and Hugs...Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  4. The colours and composition of your card are just lovely! Thanks for joining us at CAS on Friday. Cheers, Kerry

    ReplyDelete
  5. So happy that I made you remember you had this die Julie!
    Your printing turned out really well - it's a lovely card and your frame highlights your pretty artsy centre perfectly. Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Mix Up!x
    PS - am with you on using MM and watercolour paper - I have taken to using white linen or hammered textured card instead of plain white for my card bases as it doesn't seem to clash as much! x

    ReplyDelete
  6. WOW absolutely stunning, I love your card, the print making background looks awesome and the flowers are so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fabulous technique Julie, it gives great perspective and the frame is perfect xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow Julie - this is perfection! Thanks for joining in the celebrations:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think some of the fun of this technique is the different results you get with different amounts of water and different watercolor paper! I actually almost dissolved a die cut with one of my attempts! You cornflower is beautiful and the artsy field of blooms in the background is a wonderful way to show it off! Thanks so much for sharing in our birthday celebration at CAS Mix Up!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great work with this fun technique Jules. As you said, knowing how much water to add depending on the look you are going for. But honestly, I haven't made a print I didn't like at the background. It always looks pretty once your place the die-cut on top. And so it is with your beautiful daisies. The colours are so summery and bright. Love the soft pink in the background of the main framed panel. Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Mix Up! xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is beautiful! I’m inspired by your design! TFS!

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is such a pretty card!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is so pretty. Gorgeous colours and I love the arty look from the die cut printing xx

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my blog and for taking the time to leave a comment. I really do enjoy reading what you have to say.

From 25th May 2018, in line with new Data Protection legislation (GDPR) by commenting you do so in the knowledge that your name and comment are visible to all who visit this blog and thereby consent to the use of that personal information for that specific purpose. If you leave me a comment on my blog you do so in the knowledge that it will be visible to all who visit my blog. It will also be visible for anyone to collect.

I personally do not collect any information stored on my blog.

If you have left a comment and don't want it to be seen, then please delete it.
Thanks
Jules :0)