Mini Cut & Emboss Machine Plate Holder

Hello wonderful papercrafters,

You know that expression, "necessity is the mother of invention." This week and had two "necessities" and came up with this Mini Plate holder.

How did this come to be? First, I got my fabulous new Mini Cut & Emboss Machine - woo hoo! It's amazing and SO convenient. But when it comes to storage, the little plates were all over the place. Then I had a design challenge, with a deadline, to create a project using something from the new Mini or Sale-A-Bration (SAB) catalogues. 

The Paper Blooms DSP is one of my favourites of all time. I love the colours and the clean design. However, I hadn't ordered the coordinating stamp set & dies yet. (There is a mistake it the SAB Catalogue, the correct coordinating set is the In Bloom Bundle is on page 45 of the January to June Mini.) And my idea was born. Funnily enough my In Bloom Bundle arrived the next day! (As a sidebar, I have to tell you these dies are one of the most stunning Stampin' Up! has ever created.)

During SAB, which runs until the end of February, you can order this bundle and get the DSP (or another SAB item) for FREE! This year SAB items are while supplies last. There will be no second runs.

Start with an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of Night of Navy Cardstock. You'll also need two 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" pieces to create the feet (without these, it tipped), a 3" x 2" for the back and a 2" x 2" for the front. I made the front a little lower so it doesn't get clipped every time you slide the plates in or out. (One of my designs didn't have a front at all but it wasn't quite stable enough.) From the Paper Blooms DSP, cut two 8 1/4" x 2 1/4", a 2 1/4" x 3/4" and 1 1/4" x 3/4".

In landscape, score your 8 1/2" x 11", at 2 1/2" & 5" on each end. I did it this way to ensure symmetry. Next, in portrait, score your two 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" pieces at 1/2". Your back piece, 3" x 2", needs to be  at 1/2" on the two long sides and one short side. (The photos of the back piece are actually wrong until the end.) The front, 2" x 2", will be scored at 1/2" on 3 sides. With your Bone Folder, burnish all your score lines.

So, other than the back piece, which I intentionally put my watermark over, your pieces should look like this:

Next, as with most 3D creations, you snip off the corners of the 1/2" tabs as illustrated. The shaded parts are where you cut. 

Using the Stampin' Seal+ or the Tear & Tape, you're ready for assembly. First, attach the feet. The adhesive goes on the inside 1/2" strip of the 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" pieces. By inside, I mean if you're looking at the piece, scored in the shape of an "L", it's going on the inside of the short side of the "L." Do this for each foot. (The area to apply the adhesive is highlighted in pink.)

Turn the project over so the good side is down and the seams of the feet are facing you. If able, fold the foot of one side under. Apply adhesive to the 3 outside edges of that scored section, as illustrated. While trying to get as close to the edge as possible, be careful not to get any adhesive on the feet (this is why I folded it under. With your project flat and keeping the foot folded back, fold the adhesive side over to attach it. Repeat this for the other side.

Apply the adhesive to the tabs of the front and back pieces. Here you want the adhesive close to the fold or score line. Tip: When doing small pieces like this, and using our Stampin' Seal+, use the Silicone Mat. Then lift your pieces up and simply fold any adhesive that went over the edge back onto the tabs. 

Since your back piece lines up with the sides, do it first. If you can, fold your project flat and line up one side. Once it's attached, roll up the other side of your project. Gently push down the bottom tab and then the side tab. Your back should now be attached.

Since the project can no longer fold close to flat, the front tab is a little trickier. While holding the sides, I attached the bottom of the front piece, one side and then the other.   

You creation should now look something like this. Mine, for the purpose of this blog, was done with a piece of thin copy paper and would certainly not stand up to holding the plates...lol.

To complete the project, attach your DSP. I used our Multipurpose Liquid Glue. And finally, tie a piece of our lovely 3/8" Metallic Edge Ribbon around it. 

Feel free to message me with any questions. 

Cheers,

Adrienne