Hello crafty friends. I’m so happy that you’re here.

I have three cards to share with you today that all use the same type of die. Paper Rose has a range of dies that cut a (vertical in most cases) panel from your card, and this can be used to make many different cards. I have three different techniques and layouts for you today.

For the first card, I have cut a gate fold card, and cut the panel from each side of the card using the Native Birds Border die.

Cutting two panels like this leaves no paper left to cover up your handwritten message inside. There are a couple of solutions to this, for example writing on the back of the card, but I have chosen to insert an extra green panel which attaches at the top and flips up to hide the inside of the white card. For extra interest, I ink blended a little darker green to the bottom of the panel.

The card is held shut by a sleeve that wraps around, and has the sentiment on it, which makes the card more interactive.

The next card uses an inlay technique to highlight the roses on this leaf die.

I cut the panel from the left side of a white panel, and then cut it again from pink (with added ink blending) green and cream (again with a little ink blending for texture) card. I used a piece of double sided adhesive sheet on the card, and then placed the tiny pieces in. Luckily, I really enjoy jigsaws! Sometimes it was possible to lay the die over the panel and simply press the pieces out, but sometimes they escaped the die before I had a chance to do things the easy way!

My final card today used both the Gum Leaf Border die and this paper with similar leaves.

Having cut the panel, I cut leaves from a darker green cardstock, and wove them into the design, allowing them to flow onto the right hand side of the card.

I love the way these panels look on a card, as my favourite cards always have a mix of free flowing and straight lines, and this panels have this built in!

I hope that you’ve been inspired to get crafty, perhaps even with some of these panel dies.

Until next time, may both your cards and your life have the right balance of straight lines and curves! If you’d like to see more of my cards, including my 30 day Colouring and Huevember Challenge, you can do so here.

Blessings,