3.31 Thrifty Thursday DIY Currogated Letters and Shapes

Currogated letters and shapes are hip and trendy, but they can also put a hurt on the pocketbook, costing between $4.00 to $5.00 at set. You can achieve this same look easily with some cardboard scraps and a die-cutting machine for a fraction of the cost and you're sure to have enough letters for a title! I'm in the habit of saving cardboard boxes for this purpose and I also like to use cardboard as a base for some of my layouts. If you want your currogated cardboard to look perfect, there is the option of buying "ouchless" cardboard, which is just the middle currogated layer. I have seen 10 12x12 sheets for $8.00, which is more than I want to spend, so I punch my own letters and shapes from old boxes.

Step 1: Gather your supplies. I started with my Cuttlebug, the "Baby Face" dies and a piece of cardboard that I cut from a box.


Step 2: Tear the top layer from your piece of cardboard. I leave the backside on the cardboard for stability.


Step 3: This is what my cardboard looked like after I removed the top layer. You can see that the corrugated layer is more visible on the right side of my cardboard piece, so I used that side to punch my letters and shapes. It is possible to remove the entire top layer if you want to spend the time. I like a more grungy look so I'm ok with leaving some traces of the top layer on my cardboard.


Step 4: Here are the dies I chose to use. I love the tags in this set.


Step 5: Place the cardboard over your dies, currogated side down, and run through the machine.


Step 6: Here are my finished letters and shapes. I used my letters as is on a layout, but embellishing these letters and shapes with paint or bling would be really fun!


This is my DH looking tough with his Bugs Bunny Band-Aid.

This is such a great idea!!!!

Awesome !!! TFS!

faboo tut! TFS!

Great idea! I love those types of letters and haven't been able to find them yet!

Thanks Ladies! Jillibean Soup makes the letters and shapes that I have seen. If any of you do not have a die-cutting machine/dies, I'd be happy to cut you a set of letters and tags.

great tutorial! i am going to have to try this with some of my dies. thanks dana!

I've done this before & around the holidays I've saved red/green packaging & cut it-already colored that way! Great tip-TFS!

I've used the corrugated cardboard for backgrounds, but I haven't die cut anything from it. Great idea!

I am sure you could use punches too. Great tutorial and idea!

Never even thought of this! Genious!!! Thanks, Dana!