Double Partial Die Cutting Technique - step by step

Hello it’s Monday and I'm back to share a new make and step-by-step tutorial with you.  This week the Papermilldirect Design Team are looking at the ‘Partial Die Cutting Technique’ and I thought it would be nice to try something I haven’t done before, which is a Double partial die cut, so we are learning together this week! But first news of this week's special offer - a small box of Spring themed card (Daffodil Yellow,Spring Green,Plain White) can be yours for just £6-60 that's 45% off!! Link HERE:

1. To start off I cut a panel of +Papermilldirect White Linen card approx. 4.5” x 5.6” and drew a light pencil line across the front at approx. 3” down.  Using the 2nd smallest of the Torn Edge dies I positioned the die so that a portion was showing beneath the pencil line and held in place with washi tape as shown.
2. Place the card & die onto one of your cutting plates and carefully line up the other cutting plate on top so that the edge of the top plate lines up with the pencil line, so that it will not cut through the section below the pencil mark.
3. Run through your die cutter, remove the washi tape and you should now have a partial cut.  (You can erase the pencil line in the aperture if you wish, but leave the line either side to help with the next stage)

1. Because I am going to be using the matching stamp for my next cut, I found it easier to stamp the image first.  So using the Pearlescent Lavender ink I stamped the 2nd largest butterfly from the stamp set, positioning it at an angle so that 1 wing will stamp below the pencil line but the butterfly will still fit into the aperture.
2. Next line up the matching butterfly die, if using a die like mine that you cannot see through then it is easier to cut a mask from scrap paper and use that to line up.  Hold die in place with washi tape.  (If you are not using a stamp then skip the stamp step)
3. Line up your cutting plates as before, positioning the top plate to line up with the pencil mark so that nothing below the mark will cut.

1. Run through the die cutter and remove the washi tape and waste card. To remove the landlocked bits at the bottom then line up a ruler against the pencil marks and use a craft knife to remove the small bits.
2. To create a coloured background, cut a piece of card (I'm using a scrap of PMD felt embossed but any texture will work) slightly larger than the aperture and apply Orange and Magenta pan pastels blending to create a slight Ombre effect.  (Use distress inks or a scrap of pattern paper if you prefer). 
3. Cut a strip of white linen card approx. 1” wide and colour the same blending the orange and magenta.  (You can seal the pan pastels if you wish using a quick light spray of hairspray) Stamp the sentiment ‘You Make Me Happy’ centrally onto the strip using black Archival ink.  Using double sided tape attach sentiment strip across front panel below aperture cutout and trim edges flush.

1. Create a card blank by scoring and folding an A4 sheet of Papermilldirect White Linen card and trimming down to give a 5” x 7” card blank.  Using Double sided tape attach the coloured panel to card front positioning so it t will show through the aperture panel. 
2. Attach front panel using 3D foam pads, I used a double thickness to give more height and depth to the cut out.
3. To finish add some enamel dots in lilac and pink to the butterfly body and around sentiment.

Have you experimented with the Partial Die-Cutting Technique, perhaps you’ve tried the double cut version too?  There are lots of possibilities for teaming your different dies to create interesting apertures and focal points not only in the centre of your cards but the inside folds and outside edges too.

Materials Used:
White Linen Card – Papermilldirect
White Felt Embossed Card – Papermilldirect
Torn Edge Nesting Dies – First Edition
Flight of Fancy Dies – Clearly Besotted
Flight of Fancy Stamps – Clearly Besotted
Pearlescent Lavender Brilliance Dewdrop ink, Black Archival Ink
Orange Pan Pastel, Magenta Pan Pastel
Double Sided Tape, 3D Foam Pads
Fun Fair Adhesive Enamel Dots