Xcut September Dies Release

The Daring Cardmakers  design team were recently  asked if we'd like to have some September release Xcut dies to play with and showcase on our blog.  Obviously we said yes...please!  The people at DoCrafts-Xcut have sponsored us several times and they are always generous when they send out goodies  - this time was no different. Each of us were sent a large jiffy bag with one of the new die sets plus a host of other "toys"

Beckie is our hostess this week and came up with a

 "Parties and Festivals"

theme, which we could make to work for the wide variety of dis sets (owl die, garden tools, tea party, gift tags, balloons)  in the release.  I was thrilled to find the Garden Tools set in my bag - but they all look fantastic so I suspect pennies will be spent when they arrive in the shops.

Working them into a "Parties and Festivals" theme wasn't quite as easy as I thought - especially as in this die set there are so many fab shapes and I wanted to use them ALL! 
I have a bit of a problem (to say the least) in situations like this and the resulting "Flower Festival"card proves it - far too busy and stuff-filled, but it was too late to do a pared-down version

Xcut products used:

September Release Garden Tools Die set

Mistletoe Embossing folder

Mini-bow from Christmas pack

I really wanted to use the mistletoe wreath embossing folder - using tiny flowers over the berries to hide it's true identity. As you can see it's actually a full circle, but having embossed and inked the raised areas I thought it would make a lovely flower arch if I cut it out and trim off some of the lower leaves. I think I should have kept it simple with a plain white or pale.blue background, but I'd spotted a wooden fence background for a garden card - a nice idea, but it really doesn't work here, does it? :(

I like this one better, but I'm still not convinced.  I have a better idea (I think), so maybe I'll have another go!

In the Garden Tools die set you get all of these - I know I'm going to be using this set regularly

As well as sending lovely things to the DT, Docrafts have given us some Roald Dahl goodies to give away to one lucky person who joins in with us this week

 That's if for today, thanks for popping by