paper cutting made easy

One of my favorite techniques is paper cutting. Especially with big bold printed papers that look flat when you stick a picture right on top of it, but comes to life when you cut it apart and start to manipulate it around your paper….

The KI Flowers:

The huge tinkering ink rose


the blue flowers in the Black Market Paper Society sheet

Lovely prima - the huge flower

More tinkering ink florals



This technique is also my most used one with stamping and cardmaking - as almost all of my stamped/colored images are cut out and popped up at some point so they don’t look flat -

stamp by Chicchibouille


Keeper of My Heart and Its the Little Things kits from Unity Stamp Company


Sometimes, though, staring at a big piece of paper, the thought of cutting it out seems daunting. I used to use an exacto knife method, but I’m not really that precise, nor am I that patient. (Tracy Austin is my idol with her amazing blade cut lace papers and words…) And my fingers got all achy and I hated that blister/callus at the top of my index finger (yes - I know that means I was probably pressing too hard).

My favorite method is a simple one and I wanted to share because its quick and easy. Roughly cut around your image so you have a smaller piece to work with. Then, take small sharp pointed scissors, move the image to the very base of the scissor so you’re cutting with the very inside part of the blade, then move your paper and image around while making quick small cuts with your scissors staying pretty much stationary position. The trick is to not stress too much and remember to move your paper, not your scissors. Move quickly around your image. Any detail cuts can be made after if you feel you need it - but I find most of the time I’m pretty satisfied with the first cut. You don’t get perfect straight cuts - but honestly, it looks pretty darn good…. and it takes all of 30 seconds… Give it a try.