Cards That Wow with Sizzix: Techniques and Ideas for Using Die-Cutting and Embossing Machines - Creative Ways to Cut, Fold, and Embellish Your Handmade Greeting Cards

by Sizzix, Stephanie Barnard (Design)

Explore the thousands of fun and useful applications of Sizzix die cutting machines and create one-of-a-kind cards!If you loved Upcycle With Sizzix, this is the perfect book to continue your journey with these amazing machines. Sizzix expert and author Stephanie Barnard covers card-making basics, her favorite products, and shares projects you can create yourself. Stephanie's tips, tricks, and techniques make it easy to try new projects and make your cards interactive and exciting. Clear photographs make every detailed step simple to follow.The card projects you can make with Sizzix are practically limitless. Create your own handcrafted greeting cards, decorative envelopes, invitations for weddings and other special events, and add a flourish to thank you cards. With Stephanie's help, let your imagination run wild!

Genres: Crafts

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

DO NOT waste your money, unless you just enjoy looking at pretty pictures.

I ordered this book on-line and am returning it immediately. There are no clear instructions, measurements, etc. Even as a seasoned card maker, this was a total bust.

Each page shows a few gorgeous multi-dimensional cards made with die cuts and embossing, but the only instructions are what SIZZIZ products to purchase to make said card. There are NO instruction on size, how to use the die cuts to cut the smaller more intricate details.

The only pleasure I received was looking at the photos and feeling inspired, but I am not inclined to spend 4 hours figuring out how to make the pieces fit properly.

[Jelayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I own some of the dies and stamps used in this book. Plus a lot not in this book. This book gives photo step by step of basic card making based on several popular sizzix dies. Then follows up with lots of examples of finished cards. This book is basically examples of finished cards and a list of supplies used to make the card. The book is small enough to tuck in my purse and flip though as I wait for appointments. I use it to get ideas for my cards. If you need detailed instructions, I suggest The Stamps of Life website. It has lots of great how to videos.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I checked this book out because I recently bought a die-cutter & even though it's not a Sizzix the title said it included ideas for using die-cutting machines. I thought maybe they were being all-inclusive & friendly with other brands. :) Silly me.

What I really wanted, being a newbie die-cutter, was techniques & tips for using the machine itself. This book includes: 2 pages of intro/welcome information; 1 page of how to make Sizzix sandwiches; 1 page discussing 5 Sizzix machines & a second page comparing the 5; 1 page about 5 kinds of dies/embossers; 6 pages that illustrate only in pictures 3 basic card creations; then pages 25-143 are designs.

The designs include 8 basic designs with no instructions, just a supply list & a single tip or trick for most. Then those designs are repeated over & over for different occasions, where the base is the same, the only changes are the patterned paper, embellishments, & different die-cut shapes. In scrapbooking or cardmaking terms it's basically a book with 8 sketches which were then used to create cards for different occasions using only those 8 sketches.

I think this might be good for someone who wants or needs to copy exact designs for each occasion - die-cut the background card exactly like this, die-cut these exact two birds, die-cut this exact tree, adhere this exact paper to each, & you'll have a card that someone else designed & you just copied. If you actually want tips or techniques for using a die-cutting machine this book doesn't address that. The tips/tricks for most of the designs are really no more than one would expect to get from any cardmaking or scrapbooking designer for general use, & most have nothing to do with actual die-cutting or embossing. For anyone who wants to get creative & just wants a basic idea that can be used as a jumping-off point, I don't think this book is the right one. It just wasn't what I was expecting, & I felt like the title was a bit misleading.