Using the Australia Stamp + Die Set in a Handbook | Natalie Elphinstone

I can’t tell you how excited I am that it’s Australia’s turn to be made into a stamp and die set. I feel like we’ve been waiting ages for this, right Aussies?!

When I got my hands on it I was still madly trying to get my 2014 Handbook finished and I knew that this would be just perfect for helping document our last family holiday to Queensland. There’s nothing like a map for helping tell a travel story. But instead of dedicating a whole pocket to it, I decided to make it into a separate insert instead. Let me show you how I put this together.

I knew that ultimately I wanted the Australia map mounted on some patterned paper and all the papers from the Lisse Street Scrapbook Kit are so pretty that I didn’t want to cover them up. The solution? I stamped onto vellum! I made sure to use my StazOn Ink so that it wouldn’t smudge everywhere. Another trick I use when stamping is to place a foam mouse mat under the vellum to help give a solid stamped image.

Now to cut it out. I placed the metal die face down over the stamped image and use a few pieces of washi tape to secure it in place. The washi tape peels off easily at the end and stops the vellum moving around so that I can get an accurate cut.

I’ve got a Cuttlebug, but all of the dies that Studio Calico produce are compatible with any of the manual die-cutting machines.

Now that it’s all cut out it’s a simple matter of making the insert. I cut a piece of patterned paper 5x4.5” and use only a couple of carefully placed glue dots to adhere the vellum Australia (not forgetting Tasmania!) I added a gold geotag and pink word sticker to point out our holiday location. One of my other favourite metal dies is the Attacher and I cut it out in white cardstock and sew it onto the side of my insert. This is how it will be included into my Handbook.

And here’s how it looks when it’s all together. I’ve got lots and lots of photos and stories to tell about our Queensland holiday and they extend over 5 or 6 double sided spreads in my Handbook. I decided this would become almost like a front page or a dividing point in my album so the left hand side was dedicated to all the title work. I love the big mint alphas in this month’s kit and I couldn’t help but embellish them with the cute koala that came in the stamp and die set too.

The insert easily flips over to reveal the page underneath. I’ve since gone back and added another leftover photo to the back of the insert too. I’m always looking for ways to include more of the story!

Whether you live in Australia or have ever visited here this is a great stamp to add to your collection for when you want to document anything about this Great South Land!

Supplies: Lisse Street Scrapbook Kit, Australia Stamp and Die Set, Staz On Black Ink, Vellum, Attacher Die