A Cut Above - February Design Team reveal

Hello everyone! I'm so excited to reveal my showpiece layout for the A Cut Above Design Team this month. February's challenge is already shaping up to be a fantastic one, and I can't wait to share my creation with all of you!

But before I dive into the details of my layout, I want to take a moment to thank all of you who participated in the January Challenge. We received so many beautiful submissions, and it was truly a joy to see everyone's creativity shine. I hope that you'll continue to share your stunning projects with us, and for those of you who haven’t joined yet, we’d love to see even more of your work this month. Remember, the challenge is open to everyone, so don’t hesitate to get involved!

Now, let’s talk about my February layout. This one is particularly special to me because it celebrates a fun and memorable moment from Halloween when my daughter, Paige, was totally Harry Potter-obsessed. For this occasion, she dressed up as Hermione Granger, and let me tell you, she looked both cute and menacing at the same time—talk about the perfect Hermione vibe!

To create this layout, I used metal dies to bring the Harry Potter magic to life. I love how metal dies can add extra dimension and interest to a project. They give such a clean, detailed cut, and the possibilities for embellishments are endless. Using them as the focal point really makes the layout stand out, and the die cuts truly bring the theme to life.

Tips for Using Metal Dies:

1. Colouring your Die Cuts: One of the best things about metal die cuts is how versatile they are when it comes to colouring. On my layout, I used coloured pencils on the owl die cut to give it a soft, detailed look. You can also use felt pens on other elements like the Sorting Hat and Dobby to add bold and vibrant colour. The beauty of this is that you can customise each die cut to your exact preferences, creating something that’s unique and personal.

2. Adding Metallic Touches: I also backed one of the die cuts with metallic paper to give them a classic, magical touch. The shimmering effect adds just the right amount of contrast against the background of my layout and highlights key elements, like the gold title. This technique is a simple way to elevate your layout and make it look polished.

Now that I’ve shared some of my creative process, I want to remind you of the A Cut Above Challenge rules so that you can participate and join the fun! Challenges are posted on the first Monday of every month at 12:00 AM (Eastern Time), and they end on the 28th of the month at 8:00 PM (Eastern Time). Winners are posted on the 30th of each month. The theme is always "Anything Goes", but there is a crucial rule: you must include at least one die cut in your project. This can be a die cut created with a manual or electronic die-cutting machine—just make sure it's not a pre-fabricated, purchased die cut.

I hope my layout for February gives you some fun ideas for your own projects. I had a blast creating this Harry Potter-themed page, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing submissions you all come up with. Don’t forget to share your beautiful work with us at A Cut Above Blog Challenge—we'd love to see how you incorporate dies into your creations!

Until next time.