In reply to "The Perks of Print":
It's cut with a computer-driven water jet from a vector file. For obvious reasons, a real die cut wasn't very feasible. If you're interested in all the technical details, there are write-ups of the process at www.perksofprint.com.
And to everyone else: I really do appreciate all the thoughtful comments and criticism. I will respond more fully when I have a little more time than I do at the moment.