Cutting your own shapes

It is often tempting to use pre-cut shapes for card making, even if they are simple cardboard die-cuts. They are neater and it's quicker to use something ready made, though I do sometimes feel like I'm cheating and it would be more personal if I cut the shapes myself.
Here are a couple of examples when I have taken the time to cut out some shapes myself. This first card was for my dad. I started by sticking a piece of cream coloured card onto a white card blank, and matting a slightly smaller piece of blue card onto that. I used coloured dome stickers in the corners and a 'Dad' sticker as the greeting. I then cut out shapes of tools, making the metal part from silver card and the handles from a dark coloured card. I also cut a small piece of white paper and marked it to look like a tape measure. Simple but, I think, quite effective.

This card was for my godmother's 60th birthday. I wanted to include the number in quite a prominent way, and had the idea of making a champagne bottle looking like it was spraying bubbles. I started by making a purple background for the card and cutting out the number 60, then I cut out the shape of a bottle from silver card. To make it look as if the botle was spraying, I cut a piece of tracing paper which, with some of the glue showing underneath, I think does look a little like spray. I did cheat slightly in the end though, as the two wine glasses are ready made die-cuts!