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Post by Basketlady on Mar 20, 2012 16:02:40 GMT -5
Crafty Girl and I have been busy this weekend shopping and crafting. We have been playing with a bunch of new Die-Versions Whisper dies and the floor is littered with tiny little paper bits. And I'm happy to say that we have achieved some incredible results. Shims are the answer. We tried running the die through the cutter multiple times, We tried rotating the die and running it through again. We got nice cuts, but we still had to poke out a lot of the little bits. Then we watched Susan's video and started shimming. I thought the sandwich was pretty tight, but boy did it make a great difference! Especially with the egg die. It's so much easier when the pieces just fall right out. Even the tiny little dots. So if you are using the Whisper dies and thinking it's too putzy to poke out all those bit, try a shim. Beautiful! Crafty Girl's DH is deployed and GI Joe is his stunt double. And Mr. Crafty Girl is very happy for Joe to be his stand in!  |
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Post by Basketlady on Mar 20, 2012 16:12:49 GMT -5
Here is a link to the first video:
and the second video:
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2012 18:29:43 GMT -5
Hooray for GI Joe! The three of you did a terrific job on the die cuts!  If my family wasn't nestled in, in the small community of Bridgeport, CA, on our way down the eastern side of the Sierras, I'd be shimming and cutting a lot! Thanks for the inspiration!  |
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Post by scrappykaren on Mar 20, 2012 19:24:39 GMT -5
That is awesome that you were able to play with the Whisper dies. Thanks for info and the links. Love the picture of GI Joe helping you gals with your die cutting! |
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Post by 1whoscraps on Mar 21, 2012 9:28:10 GMT -5
Too cute, looks like your girls were on a mission of your own. Thanks for the tips and the adorable pict...I am sure GI Joe never realized he was needed to aid in the depths of die cutting.
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Post by Susan on Mar 21, 2012 16:04:09 GMT -5
glad you girls are having fun! And glad GI Joe was there to help, but also benefit {am I the only one noticing his empty wine glass gripped in his left hand?!?!?!} You are correct, shims are usually the answer. There are lots of times the pieces still won't all "fall out" and that has more to do with the intricacies of the pieces. They get woven around each other, and that prevents them from "falling out". I think I say in the videos...barrel of monkeys. Remember that goofy game? Try and pull one plastic monkey out of the barrel and they would ALL FOLLOW because their hands and legs and tails were all intertwined. That's what happens to the die-cut pieces. The swirly-er they are, the trickier they are to fall out. But poking them with a sharp piercer, pin, or Picks-N-Pokes pushes them straight out the back, and prevents it from becoming tangled. JUST REMEMBER PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...shim very slowly. ONe piece of paper at a time...and if you feel like 3 pieces of patterned paper is NOT giving you a result you want, try one of the Metal SHims. They are HEAVENLY! And the more intricate the dies, the better the metal shim seems to work! So shim slowly...turn slowly...and don't forget the rocking back and forth when you're in the middle of your die. That makes a big difference too - as it's the middle that is usually the most difficult to cut. Shim slowly, turn slowly, and then mark your die or your shim with the results. That will remind you how many patterned paper shims or which metal shim you used...making it easier the next time! HAVE FUN ladies!  |
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Post by Cat on Mar 21, 2012 22:29:42 GMT -5
Craftygirl, I glad you and Basketlady had so much fun.I'm so happy for y'all, getting together for a good old fashion girls giggle fest.  It's always fun to hang out with such a great enabler like Basketlady. Learning new techniques and tips puts a whole new light on the art of paper-crafting. (I know because I have learned so much from the ladies here on the MB and of coarse Susan's blog with all her videos have enabled me too) Hope y'all gave each other a hug for me too. Hugs Cat |
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Post by Basketlady on Mar 23, 2012 15:26:46 GMT -5
It was fun! And what Crafty Girl isn't telling you is that she is a horrible enabler, too. I arrived with half my suitcase filled with those Skylanders figures. I thought for sure I was going to have to stuff a towel or something in there to make up the space on the way home, but somehow my suitcase was just as full as when I arrived.  But I did resist the new iPad, in spite of her best efforts! |
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