Double-Cutting a Coverplate Die for a Custom Mini Slimline Background | Jody Morrow

1. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 6" x 6" and score at 3" to create a mini slimline card base.
2. Die cut the Starry Scallops Coverplate Die from white cardstock with firm pressure to emboss the circles within the open areas of the design. I used the Empress. You can cut, then dry-emboss for a similar look.
3. Place the die cut back into the Starry Scallops Coverplate Die, carefully aligning the pattern. Allow four rows of circles to extend beyond the cutting edge, then run it through the die-cutting machine again to reduce the panel from nine rows to five rows.
4. Ink blend the card base with Ocean Breeze ink, concentrating deeper color around the outer edges and fading toward white in the center.
5. Add thin foam tape behind each raised circle on the Starry Scallops panel.
6. Adhere the Starry Scallops panel to the center of the mini slimline card base.
7. Cut a strip of black cardstock to 1/2" x 6".
8. Adhere the black cardstock strip horizontally across the fourth row of circles.
9. Use three previously stamped, stenciled, and die-cut Whispering Daffodils floral bouquets. (To see the colors I used, check out THIS blog post.)
10. Add Clementine ink to select flowers with the coordinating stencil to create extra warmth and contrast.
11. Stamp the “You’re in full bloom” sentiment using Detail Black ink.
12. Die cut the sentiment with the coordinating die. Stack the sentiment with one blank die cut for added sturdiness.
13. Adhere all three floral bouquets across the card front using thick foam tape to create one continuous horizontal focal point.
14. Adhere the sentiment directly to the right-hand floral bouquet using liquid glue.
15. Finish the card with five Lagoon glitter drops.

One of the best parts of cardmaking is discovering new ways to use products you already own. This project not only helped me use leftover floral clusters from a previous card, but it also inspired a completely new way to use the Starry Scallops Coverplate Die. By resizing the Coverplate and taking advantage of the embossed details created during die cutting, I was able to build a custom background that feels fresh and unique.

I especially love how arranging three similarly sized bouquets horizontally transforms them into one cohesive focal point. Instead of competing for attention, they work together to create movement across the card while the bold black sentiment strip grounds the entire design. If you have leftover floral images sitting on your desk, challenge yourself to build a card around them. You might discover a new favorite design in the process!