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.
The picture shows the ‘sandwich’ before the card is closed and the B plate added.
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 🙂
Thank you so much for this tutorial, (which I came across through searching magnetic sheets on Google).
It’s very kind of you to share what you’ve learned with fellow crafters. I have very recently purchased a Cuttlebug & I’m keen to learn all sorts of tips & tricks to maximise my use from it.
I shall certainly be trying your handy aperture idea using a magnetic sheet, as soon as I purchase one, & a die.
Hi Linda
Ohh congrats on getting a Cuttlebug you’ll have soo much fun with it. Check out the tutorials tab for loads more links to projects and techniques.
Have fun, best wishes
Billie 🙂
Thank you for the great sandwich suggestion. I works perfectly on my Cuttlebug, which I love to pieces! So Happy!!
Im so pleased for you, new ‘toys’ can take a while to get the hang of before they become crafting pals for life.
Enjoy your crafting
Best wishes
B
I can’t get my sandwich to go through the cuttlebug. What am I doing wrong?
Different dies from different makers need different fillings. Best thing is to go back to basics.
Start with the thicker mat and one of the thinner ones and experiment, if the sandwhich you have doesn’t go through, please don’t force it or you could damagage your machine.
I have a sheet of card in my box of mats, and write on there the name of the die and which mat combination works for each brand.
If none of the mats supplied with your machine are thick enough, then its time to experiment with some thin smooth cardstock like 180gsm and add in one sheet at a time under the dies to see if it helps if you need several then a rubber mat is a good way to go.
But if the sandwhich won’t go through then the mats you are using are too thick with that particular die.
I haven’t had my bug out for a few years so can’t remember how thick the A,B and C mats were now from memory but you usually want to start with the thick white one as a stable base and then on top of that put your the die or embossing folder with your ‘pretty’ cardstock in for the folder or on top with one of the other mats either the B or the C if they are the Clear ones.
You don’t want to cut into the thick white mat! the clear ones will get scratched in use and replace them if they get badly worn or bent. I tend to keep one mat clean as a base mat and then let one get cut about as the top plate.
Re reading your question (bear with me I’m dyslexic so have to read things a few times to get it) it could be a result of the magnetic sheet being very thick material. As long as you keep a thick white mat on the base, then the magnetic sheet, die with cutting side UP then the thinnest of the clear plates on top should be enough, if not, try using a different brand of magnetic sheet, there seems to be quite a variation in thickness.
hope that made some sence, I was reading the comment alone in a side bar, without looking at which tutorial you posted on SOZ!