Thanks For All You Do

I have an amazing friend who gives of herself to others so selflessly (I have a number of friends like this, and count myself very lucky). I recently asked her if she would help me make a portable ironing surface. She sews beautifully and I do not. She was very gracious in doing so, and also in providing everything I needed. Scroll down in this post to see what we made (and keep scrolling to the end - I will show you a tip that helps me keep my cutting plates from getting warped).

In my friend's studio, she had the most beautiful quilted panels with bamboo images, so I made her this card with one of the Oxide backgrounds I had previously made.

To make this card, I first took my green Distress Oxide inks (Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peeled Paint, and Lucky Clover) and pressed them onto my craft mat. I spritzed the inks with water and then dragged a piece of Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock through them. (You can see more about this method in my previous post here). After this panel was dry, I flicked Peerless Gold watercolor all over it.

I die cut the panel using Memory Box 30038 Stitched Square Layers. I then die cut the Memory Box 99915 Bamboo Stitched Circle Frame from Curious Metallics Super Gold cardstock and glued it to the square panel. The panel was adhered to a base card of Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock.

I die-cut the "thanks" sentiment using Simon Says Stamp S202 thanks die. This die and coordinating stamp set was actually designed by Memory Box as part of the Simon Says Stamp Stamptember celebration last year. The "for all you do" was stamped in Lucky Clover Distress Oxide ink. This stamp is from the coordinating stamp set SSS101347 Thanks, designed by Memory Box for Simon Says Stamp. I embossed the sentiment with clear embossing powder.

This is another shot of the card, trying to show how pretty the Peerless watercolor flecks are on the Oxide greens.

As promised, here is more about the portable ironing surface that we made. I wanted this surface because I wanted to be able to sit at my craft table to do ironing on small things. Specifically, I like to iron foil onto sticky surfaces, such as acrylic paint (I will show more about this in a future post).

To make the portable ironing surface, my friend cut pieces of 3/4" plywood into smallish pieces. The one I used was about 10" x 12". We covered the plywood with quilt batting and then covered the batting with fabric, using a staple gun to adhere everything down. This is the front of the piece

My friend sewed a little handle for it. She did it so fast that I didn't even see her do it! I greatly admire people who can sew.

This is the back. I stapled down a thick piece of cardboard and then glued on a piece of felt to cover it.

I love it so much, and have already used it quite a bit for ironing foil. I also have used it to protect my craft desk from the heat of my heat tool when I am drying watercolored pieces. I have some wood boards that my husband made for me that I tape my watercolor to, and when I was drying my oxide panels, I put them onto one of these boards, on top of the ironing surface on my desk. 

I felt comfortable that nothing on my desk was getting too hot.

OK, one more thing I wanted to tell you about before you go today. Some time ago, I read a tip on how to prevent cutting plates in a die cutting machine from getting bowed or warped. I cannot remember where I read it, but at the time I thought it was worth a try. I do a lot of die cutting and I have had to discard a lot of plates because they became warped and no longer worked well.

Using my label maker, I labeled each side of both cutting plates with an "A" on one side and a "B" on the other. These were brand new plates, and this will only work if you start it from the beginning with new plates. 

The labeling helps you remember which side of the plates you used last. EVERY TIME you do a die cut, you must then turn your plates to the other side.

The letters on both plates should be the same. Use the "A" side of your plates, then turn them over the next time you make a cut and use the "B" side.

You can tell that these plates have been very well used. I have used them for months and months, including through Christmas cards and tags, and there is NO warping at all.

If you have trouble with your cutting plates warping, I hope you will try this. It has worked very well for me, and it might work for you also.

Products used on Bamboo Thanks card:

Memory Box die 30038 Stitched Square Layers

Memory Box die 99915 Bamboo Stitched Circle Frame

Simon Says Stamp S202 Thanks die by Memory Box

Simon Says Stamp 101347 Thanks Stamp Set by Memory Box

Distress Oxide inks: Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peeled Paint, Lucky Clover

JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder

Peerless Gold liquid metallics watercolor

Curious Metallics Super Gold cardstock

Neenah Solar White 80# & 110# cardstock

Various sequins