How to Make a Summer Fox Card with Die Cuts: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Hello there, Michelle Short here to share a step-by-step tutorial with you using the Trailside Trio Etched Dies from the Allison Frazier Summer Camp collection. The other sets in collection work perfectly with the Trailside Trio, so I have combined two of those as well! So much fun getting to dress up the critters for summer activities!

DIE-CUTTING THE FOX + ASSEMBLY

Die cut the fox from Trailside Trio Etched Dies: Please note: the dies are shown in the photo facing upwards, so that you can see which die is cut from which cardstock. When die cutting, you need to have the cut side facing down onto the cardstock.

1. Place head, ears, body, arms, and tail dies onto Terra Cotta ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
2. Place inside ears, end of tail, and muzzle die, as well as chest piece, onto Alabaster ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
3. Place eyes and nose dies onto Raven ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
4. Place rectangle die (for behind the eyes) onto Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.

5. Run through Platinum Six Die Cutting Machine using the following sandwich (bottom to top):

• A Platform Base
• B Platform Top
• C Cutting Plate
• Cardstock with die on top
• C Cutting Plate

6. Pop die cuts out of cardstock.
7. Add Bearly Art Glue on the back of the head, around the eyes.

8. Adhere white rectangle piece on top.

9. Flip head back over to the front.
10. Add small dabs of glue in the eye sockets.
11. Adhere eyes on top.

TIP: The Pick Up Tool, is really helpful for picking up small die cuts!

12. Add glue onto the back of the muzzle.
13. Adhere onto the bottom of the face.

14. Adhere inside ear pieces to main parts of the ear using Bearly Art Glue.

15. Add glue to the bottom part of the ears.
16. Adhere behind head.

17. Add small amount of glue to the top of the body.
18. Adhere head on top.
19. Flip over and secure in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.

TIP: Adding Best Ever Craft Tape to the back of die cuts help keep them in place while the glue dries but also gives some stability to the die cuts in areas where there is not much overlap.

20. Adhere chest piece at the top of the body, under the head.

21. Adhere end part of tail onto base of tail.
22. Add glue to the base of the tail.
23. Adhere behind body.
24. Flip over and secure in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.

25. Add glue to the top of the arms.
26. Adhere behind body.

LET’S DRESS HER UP FOR SUMMER!

1. Die cut swimming costume from Splash Days Etched Dies using Blush ColorWheel Cardstock for the main part, and Tutu ColorWheel Cardstock for the frill and bow.
2. Die cut bow from Camp Days Etched Dies using Tutu ColorWheel Cardstock.
3. Die cut ice cream cone from Camp Days Etched Dies using Fawn ColorWheel Cardstock.

4. Die cut ice cream from Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock.

5. Add Bearly Art Glue onto the back of the swimming costume.
6. Adhere onto fox’s body.

7. Adhere frill on top.
8. Adhere bow to the top of the costume.

9. Adhere bow to the top of her head.
10. Adhere middle part to the centre of the bow.

11. Adhere ice cream on top of cone.
12. Adhere cone to fox’s hand.

CREATE THE BACKGROUND

1. Die cut Stripe Right Etched Dies from Chiffon, Coral, Beeswax, Seaside, Waterfall, and Teal Topaz ColorWheel Cardstock.

2. Adhere one of each colour stripe onto a panel of 80lb white cardstock, leaving a small gap between the stripes. Using a lighter-weight cardstock for the base will help when die-cutting through two layers of cardstock.

TIP: There will be lots of leftover stripes. Save them for future projects!

3. Place 7^th largest die from Essential Arches Etched Dies on top and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
4. Run through Platinum Six Die Cutting Machine using the same die cutting sandwich as above.

STAMP THE SENTIMENT

1. Place piece of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock into Mini MISTI and hold in place with magnet.
2. Place ‘hello summer’ stamp from Summertime Sentiments Clear Stamp Set onto cardstock, impression side down.
3. Close door of Mini MISTI to pick up stamp.

4. Ink up stamp using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.
5. Close Mini MISTI door to transfer the ink onto the cardstock.
6. Remove cardstock from MISTI and either set cardstock aside to dry for a few minutes or heat set sentiment.

TIP: The sentiment needs to be dry before die cutting out, otherwise the ink may smear. Pigment ink takes a little while longer to dry than dye ink, so it is something to be aware of.

7. Cut sentiment into a strip using the die from Always and Forever Sentiment Strips Press Plate & Die Set (or other suitable die) - place die on top of sentiment, hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape, and run through Platinum Six.

8. Remove sentiment strip from die and cut down either side using Guillotine Paper Trimmer.

ASSEMBLE CARD

1. Add thin foam tape onto the back of the arched piece.
2. Remove backings off foam tape.

TIP: Tweezers are not just great for picking up die cuts and placing them down, they are also really helpful when trying to remove backings off foam tape!

3. Adhere to A2-sized (4.25” x 5.5”) white card base.

4. Add foam squares on the back of the fox.
5. Remove backings off foam squares.

6. Adhere to card.

7. Add foam squares on the back of the sentiment.
8. Remove backings off foam squares.
9. Adhere to card.

10. To finish, add Pink Color Essentials Gems to the centres of the bows.

Whilst the card does have a lot of steps to it, they are easy to do if you follow along with the photos. If you wanted to simplify the card, you could remove the stipes and have a solid cardstock arch instead. I do like the colour that the stripes add to the card though! Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Other Supplies

Thin foam tape, 80lb white cardstock, Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink