Pretty dies!

I got some new Spellbinders last weekend and decided to try them out on a simple card.  If you read my blog regularly, you know I love a bargain.  The set of dies retails for $24.99.  They were marked down to $5.97 at JoAnn's and everything was an additional 25% off, so I paid about $4.75 for them with tax.  :)  Here's the card I made:



I cut the Renaissance Hearts dies from DCWV cardstock (Harvest matstack) and used foam tape to pop the layers.  I used my mini half pearls (meant for fingernail designs- so cheap on eBay) to amp it up a little.  The stamp is by Hampton Arts from the Mom and Dad set.  The background is DCWV cardstock embossed with a Sizzix folder.  The rectangular scallop was purchased premade from the Paper Company.  I cut a cardstock base to 4 by 5 and attached it behind the scallop. 

It was a major pain to get the cuts out of the dies.  I used my Tim Holtz craft pick but I think there's probably a better tool to use.  Any suggestions for getting intricate cuts out of the dies?  None of the other dies I own are so detailed.  Thanks for looking!