Tutorial: How to use a Magnetic mat with a Cuttlebug to make Aperture Cards

Welcome Back 

Regular viewers will know that I am a BIG fan of the Cuttlebug. It took me ages to buy one but now I have one, I wouldn’t be without it. A Cuttlebug is a die cutting and embossing machine. Now for a marriage made in heaven, add Nestabilities dies from Spellbinders. 

One of the best things about the Nestabilites dies, is that as their name suggests they nest! Once you have a bit of a collection of Nestabilities or Nesties as they are  fondly known, it is fun to mix and match the combinations of shapes. Using the dies you can cut and emboss card or paper mats for papercraft projects, but add a magnetic mat to the mix and you can cut frames and apertures using the dies. 

I bought my magnetic mat from an office stationary supply store (Staples) but you can get them from all over the place these days. Try to get a magnet with a white backing as it is less likely to mark your projects. Here is a tutorial that show how to make  apertures. 

I found that using the following combination of plates gave a good cut without embossing the edges of the card and without excessive wear on the magnetic sheet. Bear in mind that different magnetic sheets will vary  in thickness, as will the embossing mats that you use. So experiment to see what combination works for you  

My recipe for using a magnetic mat for cutting apertures 

• A Plate
• Embossing Mat
• B Plate
• Magnetic sheet
• Nestabilities Die (Facing up so it doesn’t cut the magnet!)
• Cardstock to be cut
• B Plate.

To cut Apertures in your card 

• Select the die shape that will become your aperture and place it on the magnetic sheet
• Place the magnetic sheet into your chosen base card
• Arrange the die on the sheet to the area you wish to have an aperture
• Carefully place this onto the Cuttlebug and put the B plate on top.
• Wind the handle on the Cuttlebug to cut the apertures.

Cutting an aperture Card Part 1

The picture shows the ‘sandwich’ before the card is closed and the B plate added. 

Aperture Card Part 2

Here is the resulting card. 

Hope this helps you out if you are new to the Cuttlebug or are looking for new ways to get more from your supplies. 

Come back next Friday for a tutorial on How to Cut Frames using your Cuttlebug. 

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon 

Billie

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