Tutorials

I'll post instructions here on the Tutorials page every now and then.

CARD IN A BOX

Here's a link to instructions on how to make a card in a box in 3 different sizes – a C6 envelope size, portrait oriented card, a C6 envelope size, landscape oriented card and a card in a box that will fit inside a 6 1/4” square envelope. (PDF updated on 23rd April 2014).

DOUBLE WONDER TEMPLATE - UK A6 SIZE CARDS

The original US Double Wonder template cutting instructions aren't ideal for UK A6 sized cards so I adapted them slightly.  Using my instructions allows for ten A6 cards to be made from two pieces of 12" x 6" patterned paper.


Take two different pieces of 12" x 6" patterned paper, place them in a trimmer with the 12" side at the top and cut 4 1/2" off and then cut 4" off.  This will leave you with six pieces - two 4 1/2" x 6" pieces (Layout #1), two 4" x 6" pieces (Layout #2) and two 3 1/2" x 6" pieces (Layout #3).

For Layout #1, cut the 4 1/2" x 6" pieces into 3" x 1 1/2" strips.  You will have 12 strips, enough to make four cards (three strips per card).  I cut a mat layer for each card measuring 5" x 3 1/4".


For Layout #2, cut the 4" x 6" pieces into 5 5/8" x 1" strips.  Discard the leftover pieces.  You will have eight strips, enough to make four cards (two strips per card).  I cut a white panel for inside each card measuring 5 5/8 x 2 3/4".

For Layout #3, cut the 3 1/2" x 6" pieces into 3 1/2" x 2 9/16" pieces.  You will have four pieces, enough to make two cards (two pieces per card).  I cut a mat layer for each card measuring 5 3/8" x 3 3/4".  I also cut a strip for each card measuring 4 1/8" x 3/4".


FLOATING FRONT CARD

Here's a link to instructions on how to make a floating front card.  I wrote these instructions based on the original designs created by Joanne Wardle which were featured in the April 2011 issue of the UK Craft Stamper magazine.  PDF added 29th September 2014.

PAPER NAPKIN ON ACETATE INSTRUCTIONS

 The delicious looking cake I used as an element on a card was cut out from a napkin following the technique below.


1.  Separate the layers of the napkin - most napkins are 3 ply - and discard the unprinted layers.

2.  Roughly cut out the image you'd like from the napkin and cut a piece of acetate plus a piece of cardstock a bit bigger than your image.

3.  Apply glue stick adhesive to the piece of acetate (never apply the glue to the napkin piece, it's delicate and will tear) and carefully place the napkin piece over the top, gently smoothing as you stick it down.

4.  Adhere the acetate piece to the cardstock piece with the glue stick adhesive and wait a few moments for the glue to dry.

5.  Closely cut out your image and apply it to your project.

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PINWHEEL TOWER CARD INSTRUCTIONS - SIZED TO FIT IN A UK C6 SIZED ENVELOPE


  1. Cut a piece of CS or patterned paper measuring 4 1/2" x 4 1/8".  On the 4 1/2" side, score at 1", 2", 3" & 4".  Glue the tab to form the tower.
  2. Cut 4 panels of CS measuring 4 1/8" x 2 7/8".  For mat layers, cut 4 panels of CS or patterned paper measuring 3 7/8" x 2 5/8".  Adhere the 4 mat layers to the 4 CS panels.
  3. Adhere the 4 CS panels to the 4 tower sections to create the pinwheel shape.
  4. Add any elements (stamped images, die cut shapes, embellishments etc.)  as desired.
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SHADOW BOX CARD INSTRUCTIONS

Shadow box cards are great, they have a real wow factor but are easy to make and fold flat to go inside an envelope!

1.  Cut two pieces of CS the same size and score both ends of both pieces at 1/2" & 1".  Cut an aperture out of the piece that will be the card front.  Any shape aperture can be cut.


2.  To cut a frame to go around the aperture, use the same die that you cut out the aperture with and the next largest die in the set.  Nestle the dies, tape them down and die cut.


3.  Cut a panel to go on the back of the card as somewhere to add a sentiment and to write a personal message.  Adhere the panel before the box is assembled.


4.  Decorate the back panel as desired - I added a dry embossed panel, a tree and a snowman.  Adhere the frame around the aperture and add any decorations - I added die cut holly vines and a sentiment label.  Fold the scored ends into a box shape and apply strong double sided tape to two tabs to adhere the two pieces of the card together.  This pic shows the two pieces ready to be stuck together.


5.  Assemble the card by taping the two pieces of card together - I find it easier to adhere one side at a a time.  Here's a top view so you can see what your shadow box card should look like when it's assembled.


It really does make sense to add everything to the inside of the card BEFORE it's assembled!  In this photo of the finished card you'll see I managed to add a red star to the tree and a sprig of mistletoe behind the aperture.  It's a fiddly faff to do it after the card is assembled so I don't recommend it!  Adding the punched snowflakes to the front was absolutely fine though! 


This particular shadow box card fits inside a C6 envelope.  I cut a piece of A4 CS in half and cut one piece in half again to get the two pieces needed to form the card base.  So you can get two A6 size shadow box cards from one sheet of A4 CS.

If you'd like to make a larger shadow box card cut two pieces of CS to the size you want in order to form the card base.  I'd suggest you get the envelope you're going to place the card inside, measure it and make the card a 1/4" smaller.  For example, if your envelope measures 6" square, cut two pieces of CS measuring 5 3/4" square.  To make a 5" x 7" shadow box card you'll need a 5 1/4" x 7 1/4" envelope.  Cut two pieces of CS 5" x 7".  Regardless of the size, still score both sides of both pieces at 1/2" and 1" and construct the card using the same method as outlined above.  

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SHAPED CARD USING DIES

Here's a link to instructions on how to create a shaped card base using dies like this card created for a class held at the Glitter Pot in May 2015.



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WAX PAPER RESIST TECHNIQUE

This patterned background was created using the following wax paper resist technique.


1.  Take a piece of wax paper, scrunch it up in your hands and then smooth it out.  Alternatively, sandwich a piece of wax paper between two pieces of plain paper and place in an embossing folder and emboss the piece of wax paper.

2.  Cut two pieces of good quality glossy cardstock a bit smaller than the piece of wax paper and sandwich the wax paper between the two pieces of cardstock - making sure the glossy sides are touching the wax paper.  Sandwiching the wax paper between two pieces of cardstock means you get two background pieces using just one piece of wax paper.  If you've used a folder to emboss your wax paper you will get two different looks, one from the raised side of the folder and another from the recessed side - here's an example.



3.  Run an iron over the piece using a wool/silk setting.  The heat from the iron will melt the wax and it will transfer to the cardstock.  Discard the wax paper.

4.  Protect your work surface with a craft mat or scrap paper and apply dye ink over the top of the glossy cardstock with sponges.  Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks applied with ink applicator tools, Smoothies ink blending sponges or ink duster brushes work well for this.  You can apply just one or several colours of ink and you can add more ink to build up colour in certain areas if you'd like to.

5.  Buff the piece with with kitchen towel to remove excess ink.  The wax will have resisted the ink and you will have a patterned background panel which you can now apply to your project.  If you wish to stamp over the top of the panel make sure to use an ink that will work well with a glossy surface, such as StazOn.  Alternatively, you could heat emboss by stamping with VersaMark or pigment ink, sprinkling on embossing powder and heating with a heat tool.

1 comment:

Terstamper said...

Thank you so much for all the instructions. I love the Floating Front Card especially.

Ter ;)

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