Tutorial: Creating with Metal Dies – Anke Kramer – April 2026 Hip Kits

Originally published by Hip Kit Club on hipkitclub.net.

Hi friends, Kimberly here, and I am so excited to share this gorgeous travel-themed layout from the wonderfully talented Anke Kramer using our April 2026 Hip Kits. Anke set out to create a fun, colorful page bursting with sunny vacation vibes, and the real star of the show is our exclusive April 2026 Chicken Wire Texture Metal Die. She cut that beautiful chicken wire texture from three coordinating colors in the April 2026 Cardstock Kit – transit orange, pink sunrise, and aqua – and layered them up with hand-cut circle segments for a base that has so much movement and dimension. It is the kind of project that makes you want to grab your cardstock and dies right away.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Cut Your Chicken Wire and Circle Segments

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Start by running the April 2026 Chicken Wire Texture Metal Die through your machine using transit orange, pink sunrise, and aqua cardstock from the April 2026 Cardstock Kit. Then cut circles from those same three cardstock colors and slice them into curved segments. A little tip from Anke – hang on to the tiny hexagon pieces left behind from cutting the chicken wire, because you will use those as fun little accents later.

Step 2: Arrange the Base and Place Your Photo

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Lay your chicken wire pieces and your circle segments out across your layout, moving them around until you love the flow and the pops of color. Once the arrangement feels balanced, tuck your photo into place to anchor the design. Take your time here, since this colorful foundation sets the whole mood for your travel page.

Step 3: Stitch the Circle Segments

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Before you adhere anything down, Anke stitches the circle segments using thread in matching colors. This is such a lovely handmade detail that adds real texture and a cozy, crafted feel to the page. Stitching before you glue makes it much easier to work the needle through without fighting other layers.

Step 4: Fussy Cut Leaves from The Wild Is Calling Paper

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Grab The Wild Is Calling patterned paper from the April 2026 Main Kit and fussy cut a handful of leaves. These little greenery accents are perfect for tucking around your photo and embellishment clusters. Fussy cutting your own elements is a wonderful way to stretch your patterned paper and add custom, one-of-a-kind touches.

Step 5: Layer Your Puffy Stickers

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Begin embellishing by adding mini puffy stickers from the April 2026 Embellishment Kit around your page. Then choose a few of the puffy icon stickers, back them with patterned paper, and combine them with more of the mini puffy stickers. Backing the icons with paper gives them extra body and helps them stand out against all that colorful texture.

Step 6: Create Your Title

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For the title, Anke reaches for a foam phrase sticker, then adds fussy-cut flip-flops snipped from the It’s Time to Go patterned paper. She finishes the cluster with two more puffy icon stickers, an umbrella and a globe, each backed with patterned paper or cardstock. Building your title from a mix of stickers and fussy-cut pieces makes it feel playful and full of personality.

Step 7: Add Fussy-Cut Travel Icons

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Keep the travel theme going by fussy cutting a suitcase from a die cut and adding it to your layout alongside a globe. Here is a clever trick – Anke applies a bus rub-on onto white cardstock and then fussy cuts around it, so it works just like a die cut. Tuck in another cut word and a few more of those fussy-cut leaves to fill out the scene.

Step 8: Add Birds and Stitch Their Trails

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Punch some little birds from white cardstock and scatter them across your layout for a sweet finishing touch. Then stitch the trails behind the birds to echo the texture from your circle segments and add even more handmade charm. Wrap things up with puffy dots, those saved tiny hexagons, and a final rub-on to complete your colorful travel page.

Tutorial: Creating with Metal Dies – Anke Kramer – April 2026 Hip Kits

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Cut Your Chicken Wire and Circle Segments

Step 2: Arrange the Base and Place Your Photo

Step 3: Stitch the Circle Segments

Step 4: Fussy Cut Leaves from The Wild Is Calling Paper

Step 5: Layer Your Puffy Stickers

Step 6: Create Your Title

Step 7: Add Fussy-Cut Travel Icons

Step 8: Add Birds and Stitch Their Trails

Products Used in This Tutorial

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