If you've been hunting for affordable craft supplies that actually hold up to real projects — dies, stamps, embossing folders, stencils — this walkthrough covers ten products from In Love Arts, an online shop I tried for the second time after being genuinely happy with my first order. I go through each one, show what I made with it, and share what I'd do differently next time.
What we cover
Ten products reviewed one by one: vellum sticker sheets, a vintage frame decor stamp, a lace flower embossing folder, a curved bag handle die, two envelope dies (flower and lace), layering graffiti and leaves stencils, small layering tag dies, a mini cloud bag die, and an acrylic stamp block. For most of them I'm showing actual projects — journal covers, envelopes, tags, mini booklets — not just the product out of the packet.
What you'll learn
How to use vellum-style stickers with baking paper for a layered, translucent effect — because both materials are semi-transparent, placing a sticker over baking paper over patterned paper underneath creates a beautiful depth that flat paper can't match.
How to build a journal cover from a single stamp, including:
- Stamping onto cardstock and machine-sewing it onto burlap for texture
- Layering in die-cuts, rosettes, and a sentiment to build a full collage cover from scraps
How to get the most from an embossing folder, including:
- Running scrapbook paper off-cuts through for instant journaling cards
- Tea-dyeing watercolor paper first, then embossing — the varied tones make every piece look different
- Running purchased envelopes through the folder (these thin ones survived without cutting — more on that in the tips)
- Using a rolling pin if you don't own an embossing machine
How to use a flower envelope die with tea-dyed paper — tea-dyed results are consistently the most beautiful; the soft tonal variation gives the die-cut a handmade warmth that patterned paper doesn't. These work clipped into a journal as a hidden pocket or secret message spot.
How to use a lace envelope die effectively — the die detail reads best on plain or low-pattern paper. Busy patterned paper swallows the lace entirely; a single color or white with a simple reverse shows the cut at its best.
How to use a curved bag handle die as a tag topper — lay it over a wide tag, glue it down, and you have a finished topper with a ready-made loop. The die is sold as a bag closure piece but it adapts naturally to tag-making with scraps.
How to layer small tag dies for journal bookplates and embellishments, including:
- Layering two die-cuts for a classic tag shape with a ribbon at top
- Using a single die-cut with brads as a bookplate or journal label
- Using the layered tag as a moveable journal embellishment with a written message underneath
How to adapt a cloud bag die for journal use — the original design is a folded bag, which gets squashed in a journal. The workaround: crease and flatten it yourself so it lies flat, then clip it in as a pocket or journaling spot.
How to set up an acrylic stamp block for repeated use — mount a favourite stamp permanently with double-sided tape. It's "permanent" only until you want to change it; the tape holds for daily use but peels cleanly. The block means you always have a flat, stable surface to press from.
Tips & gotchas
When stamping without a block, press down on the edges of the stamp rather than the center. Pressing in the middle is how you accidentally transfer ink from somewhere you didn't mean to — a habit worth building from the start.
Tea-dye your envelopes before embossing, not after. I inked mine after the fact and the result is fine, but tea-dyeing first and then running through the embossing folder would give softer, more even tonal variation across all those raised surfaces. Next time I'll do it in that order.
Embossing folders can cut through thin paper — it depends on the machine, the folder, and the paper weight. The envelopes I used here came through uncut, but I wouldn't assume every thin paper will. Test a scrap first before you commit a whole sheet.
With the lace die, paper choice matters more than it does with most dies. Busy patterned paper makes the lace detail almost invisible. The more patterned your paper, the less the die cut reads. Plain paper, kraft, or low-contrast prints let the cut do what it's designed to do.
You don't need an embossing machine. A rolling pin gets you a similar result — imperfect in the way handmade things are imperfect, but absolutely workable. If you're not sure whether embossing is something you'll keep doing, try the rolling pin before investing in the machine.
On stencils: don't go overboard. A few stencils used well are more useful than a drawer full you never reach for. Start with one or two — a graffiti-style layering stencil and something organic like leaves — and grow from there only when you actually feel the gap.
The most satisfying projects I've made from this haul came from treating the products as a set rather than using each one in isolation, mixing and matching until something clicked.
