Serendipity Stamps New Stamps and Die!

 Those of you that have been here often know that one of my favorite stamp companies is Serendipity Stamps. They always have great images and high quality stamps! You also know that I LOVE die and die cuts! Well, Serendipity now has some die to match a couple of their new images.....how EGGCITING! The images are very classic calligraphy done in an egg shape and a heart shape. Having the stamped image and the solid die cut and the filigree die cuts presents SOOOO many possibilities!!!

Craig's grandmother will turn 90 on St. Patrick's Day so I could not resist making her a Happy Birthday Card with a shamrock theme, using the hearts. Die cuts have come so far. I remember when I first began on a design team for a die cut company in 2005 and the designs were so simple....nothing intricate like these!

The Design Team at Serendipity sponsored a Blog Hop this week and a couple of my Atlanta friends, Miriam Napier and Jenny Gropp shared some great designs. Jenny used sticky paper and applied glitter....you know that is right up my alley! All of the designs are so pretty and Jeanne gave instructions on matching up the stamped image with the die cut, but I thought I would also give you a reminder. Check out all six of the blog hop participants and leave a comment! You will find links at Miriam and Jenny's blogs. I believe a prize will be announced on Monday, so you have plenty of time to visit all six!

I have just been having fun die cutting out of different papers....one of the DT members used a metallic mirror card paper....you know I will be trying that! I will be posting more finished cards later, but I wanted to tell you about these so you could get in on the blog hop! When I get a new die, I like to just cut and play and before long the die starts talking to me.....what, your toys don't talk to you?

 Both the egg and heart come in the stamp image, the filigree die and the shape die. Since the heart design is so detailed, you might need a little help from a craft knife to get any of the small pieces out. Check the die cut before you began taking it out....you can see if it cut all the way through. If it did not, run it through again. Another solution is to use a shim. All of this is determined by what type of die cutting machine you are using. I am using a Grand Calibur and had no trouble. I have used a metal shim from Cheery Lynn Designs on very delicate designs but did not have to use it on these.

 To cut out a stamped image, die cut an example and use the outside as seen below. Notice there are two registration holes cut.

 Center the outside around the stamped image and then make a mark in the registration marks. (On the egg above, I am embossing the design in clear on watercolor paper and then will do a wash of different colors with the stamped image acting as a resist).

 Next, position the die over the stamped image, lining up the registration marks. Use some type of repositionable tape to make sure the die stays in place....yeah, I probably could have been neater with the tape, but it doesn't really matter.

 Once you cut the die out, you will have a beautiful heart with the stamped image that you can use in conjunction with the solid die cut and the filigree die cut. The stamp can also be used as a background or as decoration for your envelope.

Check out Serendipity Stamps to see these great new additions to their line and let them know how much you like them! I will get some cards made with all these die cuts I have produced and share them soon!