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Web site design (C)
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2008 theCardDesigners.co.uk
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Basic Skills
Cutting
If you are buying
card in sheets then you will need to cut it down to the size you need.
I have purchased a paper guillotine for this, as they are not very expensive
and do a good neat cut.
Most also have size guides on them to make it easier to cut a standard
size. Alternatively you can use a craft knife or scalpel on a cutting
mat. This is the cheaper option but can be less effective and you have
to be quite skilled to get a straight cut, even with a metal ruler.
You will need various other
tools for the different materials you use. For example: Sharp scissors
are good for paper, card, cloth and vellum, but they do not cut foam
sheets or pipe cleaners very well at all and you are likely to blunt
them quicker if you do use them. Use either a craft knife or wire cutters
for thicker or harder materials.
To get a different effect
why not try tearing. Vellum can be very effective if you tear your shape
out and then use an ink pad dabbed down the edges to add a bit of contrasting
or complementing colour. The photo below shows this effect with an embossed
image mounted on it. This can then be used as a card topper.

There is also a good range
of decorative edging scissors available which have all kinds of uses
like a special touch to an insert or a pretty frame to mount an embellishment
on to.

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