HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Join us! It is DIE week at Just Us Girls. I am your host this week and am challenging you to make a card using a COVER PLATE die. This coverplate can be a die, a letterpress plate, or a hot foil plate.
The category is broad this week because I received a Betterpress machine for Christmas and wanted to play with it. Jennifer McGuire said Betterpress is flawless, that our first card would be perfect. Well, I didn't find that to be true. I messed around with inks, paper, and plates for several days before I came up with a couple of cards that I like. The card above was not inked; it was just "pressed." In other words, I used the Betterpress plate more as an embosser. I stenciled the flowers, adding a bit of gold paint at the flower centers. I then letterpressed the hello sentiment over the design. I finished the card by adding a few glitter dots.
The card below is another attempt. I used Spellbinders Betterpress ink. I think plates need to be conditioned first (not sure about this). This card took three tries. I made several attempts to color them, but there are a lot of details, and my hand isn't as steady as it used to be. I have a feeling that I will just be "letterpressing" in single colors. Of course, this card is simplicity at its best, and the design is beautiful.
Hope everyone with Betterpress has had better luck than I have. Here's to better crafting as the year progresses. I generally make multiple cards; this week, however, my multiples were all experiments.
Meet our featured guest designer for January 2026, Laurel Seabrook. Please welcome her and check out her fabulous work at Seabrook Designs.
Also, check out the design team. These ladies work hard to inspire you each week. Drop by their blogs and leave them a little love.
Enjoy! I am looking forward to your inspired creations in the gallery.
Elizabeth
| Project Details | |
| Stamps/Dies/Stencils/Other | Spellbinders Layered Floral Celebration, press plate, and stencil Spellbinders Sweeping Script Sentiments Concord & 9th Just Saying dies My Favorite Things Blueprints 16 (embossed A2 die) |
| Cardstock | 110lb. Neenah Solar Crest Bazzill solid black cardstock Vellum |
| Ink | Spellbinders Letterpress black ink Simon Says Stamp dye inks |
| Embellishments | Pinkfresh glitter dots Liquidex gold paint |
| Desk Staples | Dahle Personal Rotary Cutter Scor Pal Mini Score Board Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Ranger Stamp Platform Bearly Art Precision Glue 3M ATG 714 Tape Adhesive 3M foam tape |
8 comments:
Yay for your perseverance! I got one too and JM help me getting it working correctly 😀. Gotta love that enabler. Meanwhile love your card you went with
I haven't ventured into the Betterpress area, but I do know you can foil the press plates and have done that! I think your card is delightful and the flowers are a welcome sight on this cold winter morning! Happy New Year, Elizabeth!
I found getting good results from BetterPress and my glimmer machine was a bit of a learning curve. Do keep trying; you'll figure it out. I think your pretty little posies card turned out wonderfully.
hugs~carol
Beautiful! That background looks amazing and I love the stenciling with the watercolor look.
Really pretty outcome from all of your pain, Elizabeth! The soft stenciling and the impressions look great! I always think I want a Betterpress or hot foil or Cricut machine but am not sure which I could figure out.
I'm sorry your first experience with the BetterPress was not as good as expected, Elizabeth. I love mine and use regular ink and paper rather than the specialty ones they tell you to buy. Sometimes it's a matter of pressure and that's something to play with until you find what's right for your matchine. That said, using the plate to emboss gives an entirely different look and lets our followers know there is more than one way to use a press plate. The soft watercolor look is delightful and Spring-like.
What a great result you achieved Elizabeth.Well done! So soft and pretty. Enjoy your new toy. I got a cricut for my birthday and that is a whole new experience for me to work on this year.
Good for you persevering! I get so frustrated when a video makes something look easy and it doesn't work for me. I do love the look of your stenciled panel with the pressed sentiment! And the 2nd card is gorgeous with the beautiful image!
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