Beautiful Home Decor from Die Cuts

In my last post I shared a couple of cards featuring the Birds & Branches Frame Die. For those cards, we altered the finished size of the die cuts and used them as the focal point. Today, I wanted to share another fun use for this die. I used the die in it’s entirety, but this time I used it in the background and turned it into a gorgeous piece of home decor perfect for your craft space.

I created all of the pieces for this card during a Live in our Facebook Group – Wplus9 Encourage Creativity. I started by making several color smooshed background panels. For the background I used Bundled Sage Distress Spray and Weathered Wood Distress Ink on Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor card stock. I like to spritz the spray and press the ink onto a craft mat and then pick up the color with the paper by smooshing it and tapping it into the color on the mat. For a softer/washy look, I will spritz the paper a couple of times with water first. For more defined specks and spatters of color, I tap the dry paper into the ink.

I used the same method to create several more panels in various colors. I used these to die cut the rest of my elements from. I created another in green and blue to cut the ”BEAUTIFUL” letters from our Beautiful Butterflies Die, and ones in pink, yellows and greens to cut the Spring Florals Die from.

I added a little script stamping to the background layer using our Script Background stamp for interest and then layered the Birds & Branches die cut from white on top. I adhered this to a kraft panel and distressed the edges just a bit. I knew I wanted to go a little shabby for this project and decided to use my sewing machine to stitch the frame to the background. To finish the background, I added a few splatters using gold texture paste by Heidi Swapp that I watered down (any gold paste or glaze should work the same) and rubbed the edges with the same paste using my fingers.

The focal point for this piece is all contained on a kraft tag. I started by die cutting my florals and the letters. I die cut several of the letters from white card stock and one from the blue-green panel. I stacked them together, gluing on top of the other and finishing with the colored layer to create thicker, more chip-board like letters and rubbed the edges with the same gold paste. I just love the way it looks when the light catches it, and it gives the edges a more finished look from the side.

I created three little floral clusters and arranged them in a triangle to frame ”BEAUTIFUL”. You’ll notice that the clusters are varying in size as well, from small to large. I filled in any gaps with a few strategically placed buttons. It’s been ages since I used buttons on my projects. I do love the charm it adds, but not so crazy about the bulk and weight it can add to a card. But, since this is a decor piece, they are perfect!

I added a bit of twine through the tag hole and at the bottom of the card. It still felt a little ”clean” at this point, so I decided to add a little dry brushing to the tag and elements using white acrylic paint. Not too much, just a little. I repeated this on the kraft base for continuity.

Underneath the tag, I layered a few torn pieces of vellum. I further distressed the edges in some spots using my fingernail and rubbed a little gold paste to the edges that were sticking up here and there.

Finally, I wanted to add a little inspirational phrase and turned to the Tim Holtz Tiny Text stamp set. I think it’s an important reminder that you can’t always control everything, and sometimes that can be quite beautiful. Especially when it comes to art.

The whole finished panel was adhered to a frame with hot glue. The frame opening was a little small for the finished size of my panel, so I just removed the guts and glass of the frame and adhered it right on top.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed today’s project. Something a little different, but the base design could definitely be adhered to a card front if home decor isn’t your thing. Even the tag could be used by itself if you wished.

Featured Supplies

Some of the products used in this post were provided to me for free. I am not under any obligation to use or review these items unless otherwise noted. The following is a list of the featured supplies used in today’s project(s) along with links to purchase for convenience. Please note, this list contains affiliate links. Use of these links when shopping provides me with a small referral commission at no additional cost to you. Use is never expected, but always appreciated. Thank you for your support! ❤️

Sizzix BIG SHOT Shop at: SSS	EK Success CRAFT TWEEZERS Precision Tip Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad WEATHERED WOOD Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz 4.25 X 5.5 DISTRESS WATERCOLOR CARDSTOCK Shop at: SSS
Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad WILD HONEY Ranger Shop at: SSS	Hemptique NATURAL Bamboo Cord Set Shop at: SSS	Beautiful Butterflies Die Shop at: WP9	Tim Holtz Tonic GLASS MEDIA MAT Shop at: SSS
Gemini Junior Shop at: SSS	Tonic Studios Mini Guillotine Trimmer Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Mustard Seed Shop at: SSS
Scrapbook Adhesives Foam Squares mix Shop at: SSS	Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb cardstock Shop at: SSS	Script Background Shop at: WP9	Neenah Kraft 100lb Cardstock Shop at: SSS
Tim Holtz Tiny Text Christmas Shop at: SSS	Birds & Branches Die Shop at: WP9	Honey Bee Creative Precision Glue Shop at: SSS	Spring Florals Die Shop at: WP9
Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain Bundled Sage Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain Antique Linen Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Spray Oxide Fossilized Amber Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Spray Oxide Abandoned Coral Shop at: SSS
Tim Holtz Distress Spray Oxide Picked Raspberry Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain Forrest Moss Shop at: SSS	Lawn Fawn Gold Stencil Paste Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz Distress Paint Picket Fence Shop at: SSS
Tsukineko Jumber Sponge Dauber Shop at: SSS