Making Stamps with the Alphabet Bigz Die: a Tutorial

When Justin was in town a month ago, he helped me to move things around in my craft room so that my Big Shot now sits right next to my stamping space.  Before Justin forced me to move it there, I would walk across the Fungeon to the “Big Shot Table” to die cut or framelit crop or texture emboss.  This simple change to my work space explains why I’m using my Big Shot now more than ever.  Today is not an exception.

You have left some great comments about my Typeset Alphabet Bigz holiday celebration cards (Christmas Joy and Halloween Boo), but I’m not ready to put my Typeset Alphabet dies away just yet.  Today, I am sharing two quick and easy cards I made with a stamp I cropped from the Typeset Alphabet Bigz die.  I’ll share the cards and then tell you how you can crop your own stamps with the die.  Here are my cards and new stamps:Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian King

The “K” and the “&” are inked onto these cards with stamps I cropped from the Typeset Alphabet die.  I want to share the individual cards with you:

A quick and easy, personalized note card.  I plan to make and mail a lot of these cards – what a wonderful way to use up all that beautiful DSP!  I know the Top Note Bigz Die covers a lot of the DSP, but there’s just enough poking around the sides to be beautiful.   Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian King

Elegant sentiments.  The ampersand, paired with Modern Medley Designer Series Paper, is an elegant and modern way to congratulate a newly married couple.  Pair it with something soft and subtle, and you have a perfect “welcome baby” card, huh?Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian King

How to crop a stamp from the Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die

After you mount your stamps, you are left with a bunch of leftover rubber, right?  Well, I hope you aren’t just throwing that away.  That’s quality Stampin’ Up! stamping rubber with adhesive – don’t just toss it in the trash!  Here’s the leftover space from one of my sets:Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian KingOK, so that’s not a wonderful example – you won’t find a lot of excess rubber on all of your stamp sets – unless you want to crop an “I” or an “L”.  Now, check out the excess rubber from Festive Flurry:Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian KingThat’s a lot of leftover rubber – no reason to waste it.

Here are the simple steps to creating your own stamps with Bigz dies:

  • Find excess rubber from your current stamps.  You know you are hoarding it – you don’t know why you are keeping it, but you are.  Here’s a chance to use it.  Yippee!
  • Cut just enough of the rubber to fit over the shape you want to crop – if you are careful and fastidious, you can really get a lot of letters out the rubber piece shown above.
  • The Big Shot sandwich looks like this (bottom-to-top):  cutting plate, Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die (black foam piece facing up), trimmed rubber piece (red rubber facing up), cutting plate.
  • It’s going to be a tight fit to get this sandwich through the Big Shot, but it works because the stamp compresses as needed.
  • Clear mount stamps are different from wood-mount stamps – just so you know.
  • Before pealing back the adhesive strip on the back of the cutouts, I inked them with Jet Black StazOn and pressed the wood onto the inked image.Making stamps with Typeset Alphabet, Stampin' Up!, Brian King

LIMITED TIME OFFER – TODAY ONLY.  Get free washi tape with you order the Typeset Alphabet Bigz die.  With all the positive feedback from my two cards earlier this week and knowing I was going to share this project today, I created an incentive for you to purchase the Typeset Alphabet Bigz die – you want it, but you’ve put it off.  If you buy it from me today, I will send you your choice of two sets of Designer Washi Tape (check out the offer here).  You need this die, so now’s your chance.  With $9.90 of extra product, you can’t pass up this offer, can you?  Ready to order now?  Click here.

DON’T FORGET!  Today is Tuesday, which means Stampin’ Up! has issued a new “Weekly Deal” – select products at a discount.  Check out the new items, CLICK HERE

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian

CLICK HERE to order Stampin’ Up! products 24/7.

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24 Comments

  1. That is a fabulous idea Brian, I do keep the left over rubber from both clear and wood mounting sets, I feel it’s a waste to discard it. Sometimes I buy stamps that come without foam, just the plain rubber, (remember the Fairy stamps my husband’s aunt gave me?) and this rubber is great to use with them.
    Thank you for sharing this great tip.

  2. Oh I’m terrible, I throw my rubbe away, I know it’s wasteful! I’ve kept some for years and never used it..I’ll try harder!

  3. Laurie Burns Gachewicz

    Great upcyling tutorial Brian!! Thank you for the specific directions and pictures!! And the Top Note die always adds instant elegance!! A great way to personalize cards!! 🙂

  4. brian !! i love these cards so simple but so elegant. question for you ,do you ever use the negative on the top die on a card. ?? as for left over rubber i use small pieces for sticky foam . works good. thanks for all the tips today and havea wonderful day.

    • Elaine, Thanks for your commment. I’ll be honest – this is the first time I’ve ever used the Top Note die. I really like it. As I was cropping my base, I thought to save the negative and use it for something, but I used rugged, leftover papers. I am sure I’ll be using that for something soon. 🙂

      • I cannot believe this is your first time to use the top note……It’s the reason I bought a big shot in the first place. 🙂 I love your idea and thanks for the tutorial.

  5. Yes, I save that rubber also …not all of it but, the larger pieces . The great thing about these alphabet dies is you can cut out more than one at a time ! This is a basic set that`s definitely a must have for a beginner stamper`s supply stash. Love the note card idea . That goes on the Christmas gift ideas list (love my Top Note Die ) Great offer , Brian !

  6. This is a great tip….I always save my leftover rubber – but usually put it in my clear cases and put the stamps back in the holes they come out of so they don’t fall around in the box. will have to try this though. Thanks!
    LOVE both cards too!!

  7. I use the leftover rubber as dimensionals. I just clip little pieces, tear off the rubber, keep the foam and use that as the dimensional, stick it on the cut out part, remove the waxy paper and adhere! I have ALOT of leftover tge rubber, if it has dried off, use some glue.

  8. I also keep the extra rubber from around the clear mount stamps to store them better. Great idea and execution of the process (as usual), Brian. Your “note” cards are such a good idea. I am finding more and more often, I want/need a “stash” of all-purpose cards!
    On another “note”, Brian, all the photos you post in your blog are so professional. Do you use something special?

    • Suzie, Thanks for the compliment. I have a top-secret tool for taking my photos. I take them all with my iPhone and have a “sunlight” bulb in the light overhead. That’s it. 🙂

      • Thanks, Brian. I am pretty sure my i-Phone camera takes better pictures than my current camera, too! It must be your “sunlight” that enhances your photos to the next level. 😉

  9. Why have I never thought to do this. SO perfect for SO many things– wow.

  10. El Garmarnik, a Stampin' Pretty Pal

    Brian, you are SO clever! Thanks for the great tip. So many possibilities!!!

  11. Rats a Ronie! I’ve been throwing out the rubber for years! Shame on me! Leave it to you Brian to come up with such a fantastic use for it. So now I promise I’ll save it!

  12. What a great idea, Brian!
    The next question, however, is – Where do you get a spare wood block for your upcycled stamp?!

  13. Hmmm… Where did the wood block magically come from…

  14. Brian, I didn’t comment earlier on these, but not because I didn’t love your idea. They are fabulous. Kudos to you for thinking so out of the box as you usually do. The cards are simple and stunning.

  15. that is so clever! 😉

  16. I’m commenting on this post a little belatedly but keep coming back to it as I love your note cards and love this idea with the letter stamps! (Plus I pinned this post). Wish I had some extra rubber, but alas I’ve tossed all mine. Do you have any idea where it can be purchased? A set of these note cards would be such a great gift.

  17. I have been hesitating to purchase the Alphabet Bigz die. Not anymore. Great way to use up and recycle all that rubber backing. TFS

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