Apr 22 2007
Using Decorative Edge Scissors
When I posted my Flower Spots card Denise asked how I manage to cut a straight line with decorative edge scissors. I’ve been asked that question often enough to make me think it might be nice to illustrate the answer here with this card. It was also just a darn good excuse to stamp! Thanks, Denise!
I had some SU! double sided designer papers out, working on my hostess club project (which I’ll post later), and I was having so much fun with them I decided to dig deeper into the pile until I unearthed this Four Seasons paper that I’d just about forgotten. The main body of this design is the flip side of the striped border along the bottom edge. I chose Bashful Blue and Creamy Caramel cardstock to coordinate. The sentiment, stamped in Bravo Burgundy, is one of four stamps in the That’s Nice set from the current SU! mini catalog. The flower is from Simply Said. I inked it with Bashful Blue and outlined it with the Brocade Blue marker, stamped it on Very Vanilla and used both of my large SU! circle punches and a brad to turn it into a simple accent piece. The ribbon is SU!’s burgundy grosgrain.
Now, about those scallops…the piece shown in this picture is the flip side of the border that’s on the bottom edge of the card. When I use my decorative edge scissors I make sure I always have a line to use as a guide. In this case I placed my clear ruler near the paper’s edge and drew a line. Most decorative edge scissors require about 1/8″ space for the cut. I keep my eye on the peak of the scissor’s design and line the peak up with my guide (the pencil line). That’s all there is to it!
On this card I then glued the designer paper to the Bashful Blue cardstock and used the scallops I’d already cut as my guide to trim the blue edge. The guide could also be another layer of paper adhered to the piece you wish to scallop. Any guide or point of reference will work as long as you keep your eye on the peak of the design and touch the peak to the guide as you cut.
Now, I’m hitting the hay for a good night’s sleep! I’ll be up early to prepare for my hostess club party. As usual, I’ve left way too much for the last minute. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Thanks for the great tip Les, I have a million pairs of those silly things. Iris definitly gets more use from them than I do. Now maybe I can play along.
Great layout on this card Leslie! Love the scallops along the bottom. I do the same thing with my scissors — draw a line to follow. It’s much easier that way.
I love the layout! The scallop edge adds so much. Your garden pictures are beautiful. I can imagine you get alot of beautiful color combos looking at all the gorgeous colors around you sitting in your chair.
Dee
Lovely card…nice job!
so that’s how its done!!!! way cool!!!
Great card, Leslie, and thanks for the little scalloping tutorial. I just got those big scallop scissors, so I hope I’m inspired enough to actually use them! :o) Linda
What a fabulous card! Love that scallop!
~Angie
Oh!!! Thanks for this! I love your scallops and always wanted to know how you did them
This is a most beautiful piece of art!
What a great card! The scallops look perfect (thanks for the tutorial), and I love the popped flower accent. I haven’t opened my package of this paper yet, and you’ve inspired me to do so.
Wow. What a simple solution that I never would have thought of on my own!
I love the card!
This is such a great idea and your card is absolutely wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing. I think I get so wrapped up in new gadgets that simple common sense begins to escape me. This is a perfect example of placing a guide line to help keep the edging straight.
Silly me but at least we have you to keep us grounded. Thanks so much.
grace
Love your card Leslie, thanks for the idea of drawing a line. Mine still won’t look as good as yours!
Awesome card — wish I had those scissors!
Totally lovely card! What brand scissors do you use? I just have cheapies and they cut horribly, so I rarely actually use them.
Thanks for the little decorative scissors tutorial - this seems like common sense now that I think about it, but I’ve never drawn a line, I usually just wing it (and get crooked, uneven results!). Next time I’m drawing a line!
Also big thanks for the nice comments you left on my blog & in my scs gallery! When I saw your comment on my most recent card, I actually followed your link to this blog, said “oh my what beautiful cards!!” and immediately added you to my blogroll list. 
And then I saw your comment that you’ve done the same for me - thank you so much!! Just now I’ve been going through your scs gallery and absolutely drooling!! So many beautiful cards!! Finally I noticed that you’re a dirty dozen alumnus, and it all makes sense. 
Leslie, thanks for the tute and the photo…I am cutting and pasting it into an email addressed to myself, LOL…I use my deco scissors a lot, but always end up cutting on the line with the TOP of the scallop and then can’t see good. This will remind me….I think it’s cuz I’m left-handed. I’ll blame it on that anyway! Thanks to Allison for turning me onto your blog!
Aimeslee
Visit my blog: {Art}Farts Smell Good: the Blog
Leslie, thanks! I actually inspired a blog entry!! LOL…
The other responders are right, sometimes common sense goes out the window! Can’t wait to put your tip into practice. Thanks again.
Great tip — I do the same thing and it works perfectly!
~Jennifer
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this card!! Great Job!
Beautiful card! Great instructions! (I added you to my blog roll!)
Great card Leslie–LOVE those scallops!
What a great card — and I do the same thing to cut a straight scallop — in fact, I just did one today, but it ended up in the garbage anyway — LOL!!!
I just gave my dec scissors to my kids, I have like 20 pair! I think I’ll nab some of them back now! Thanks!!
Love your double scalloped edge and thanks for the tutorial. I never make a pencil line, but just eye ball it……I am going to try the line next time. Thanks for the push and the gorgeous card.