Gift Card Holders

Last night we had our final meeting for the year. We had some wonderful Christmas cards to look at but wouldn't you know it, I didn't take a picture of them all so I hope that the girls will upload their own cards to share.

This is the card I made. I stamped a background stamp (stars and swirls) on cream card for the background and distressed it slightly on the edges. The large image was stamped on red card then layered on cream (same for the sentiment). The dove stamp (from a Craft Stamper magazine last year) was stamped on cream card also, cut out with a nestabilities die and distressed around the edges.

We looked at making gift card holders last night. I found an excellent video from Gina K. on making these.
There are two links to follow to get to the video demonstration:
Part 1 and Part 2

To make the holder you will need:
1 piece of card 41/4" by 10"
(If you use A4 card, you can cut it in half lengthwise at 41/8" and reduce the width of the other pieces by 1/8".)

Patterned Card/paper:
Outside:
2 pieces 4" by 2 3/4"
1 piece 4" by 1 3/4"

Inside:
2 pieces 4" by 2 3/4"
1 piece 4" by 1 3/4"
2 pieces 4" by  3/4"
You will also need DS Tape (narrow), glue, ribbon or matching paper, a ruler and cutting knife.

Enjoy!

Tags

Tonight we looked at using tags to try out various techniques.

The tag on the left was distressed lightly then stamped with a darker distress ink. Immediately, I brushed it with Perfect Pearls powder and brushed the excess off. Then it was spritzed lightly with water to set the powder and to allow the distress ink underneath to run a little. The tag in the middle was done by inking different distress inks on a mat then spritzing lightly with water. The tag was then laid on top of the ink to pick up the colour. The third tag was lightly distressed around the edges then stamped with a word stamp using embossing ink. Clear embossing powder dusted over the top and heat set. Distressed again with a darker colour then ironed between sheets of newsprint to melt the embossing powder.

The tag on the left here picked up what was left on the mat from the above tag in the middle, producing a slightly blotchy look. Stamped over the top with a word stamp. The tag in the middle used alcohol inks on glossy card. The alcohol inks were laid down on a mat then the glossy card laid on top. The tag on the right was stamped with acrylic paint which was dried off with a heat tool, then distressed lightly all over. The ink was removed from the stamped image with a paper towel dampened with water to bring out the image.

These tags were based on ideas from Compendium of Curiosities by Tim Holtz.

Clean and Simple

Here is my card for the Clean and Simple Challenge!

I used a Nellie Snellen die cut as a mask for the shape on the front and inked it with distress inks to produce the circular shape.

Stamped an image of a sunflower coloured with tombow inks. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set of sentiments. Added ribbon to finish it off!




Things to remember when doing clean and simple cards:

1. Keep the colours to a minimum of 1 or 2.
2. Keep the design simple - only 1 image and sentiment.
3. Make sure stamping and embossing is clean - no fuzzy edges, no excess ink or embossing powder.
4. When cutting paper, use a sharp blade or scissors.
5. Make sure all your elements are placed on the base card straight! Use a ruler or a seam guide to check the edges.
6. Measure twice and cut or paste once!

Have fun!

Clean and Simple

Tonight the theme was Clean and Simple.

The girls made a range of cards using CAS techniques.

One technique was to use a cuttlebug folder with shiny card and layer that on top of the base card. CAS!
Another card used the cut out portion of a card as a mask and distressed it.
Using strips of coloured paper and a stamp on a base card is again CAS!

Stamp and emboss a greeting with open letters. Lay a ruler across half of the letters (top or bottom) and glue in the letters. Sprinkle with glitter, then do the same for the lower part of the letters.

Here are some of the other cards!

Clean and Simple!

Crafty Girls Workshop Day

We had a fun workshop day on 21 August. Lots of people bought Cuttlebugs and we had some demonstrations on how to use the bug to do some things a little out of the ordinary.

Emboss and Ink
This example is done using the embossing folder. Place the card in the folder and run it through the CB as usual.

To introduce the colour, ink up a sponge or cut 'n dry foam and lightly rub over the surface of the embossed card. This example used distress inks, but other inks can be used as satisfactorily.

The darker the ink used, the greater the contrast between the raised surface and the background.

Cut and Emboss
First, cut your shape. You could use a CB die or a nestability die (as this one is). This works with many shapes, except the dies that emboss and cut at the same time.

Place the cut shape in an embossing folder and run it through the CB. This sample used the Swiss Dots folder (my favourite!).

You could go one step further and lightly colour the surface using the sponged technique described above.

Ink and Emboss
This technique is a fun one, but a little messy!
You will need an embossing folder, coloured ink pad, brayer and cloth to clean the folder when finished.

Ink up your brayer by running it over the ink pad. Make sure it is well inked. Transfer the ink to that side of the folder that has the indentations for the design on it. (When the card is run through the CB, this is the side where the imprints are raised)
Carefully place the card in the folder, close it then run through the CB.
In this sample, the yellow was the first run through leaving a strong coloured background. The green sample was the result of spritzing the ink remaining on the folder after a first run through, then a fresh card inserted into the folder and run through again. The result is a slightly less strong colour, but more of a water colour background.

Acetate and alcohol ink
To make this sample, I coloured acetate with alcohol inks - 3 colours on the applicator and dabbed onto the acetate, covering it completely.

When dry, place the acetate in an embossing folder and run it through the CB.

To attach it to card, cut to shape/size and fix it to the base layer with a dab of glossy accents in the corners or you could use brads in the corners.

Embossed Ribbon
For this method, it is probably better to use a wider ribbon, but narrow could be used if you wanted to use a narrow strip embossing folder.

First, you need to stiffen your ribbon. You could use a start solution or one of the solutions available that quilters and embroiderers use to stiffen fabric. I used a half and half PVA/water solution and painted it on. Leave to dry.

Place the ribbon in the embossing folder and run it through the CB. If you ribbon has a "right" side, take care which way up you place the ribbon in the folder.

Narrow Embossing Folders

Many CB owners have bought the narrow embossing folders to put a strip of embossing on a card, but when you run it through the CB, it comes out with a strip along the card where the edge of the folder has impressed on the card. To avoid this, cut a piece of thick card (or several pieces) that is the same thickness of a B plate and is the same width as the pattern on the embossing folder.
Place the folder on the card where you would like the design and place it in a sandwich as follows: A plate, B plate, folder, thick card. Now run it through the CB. You do not need the other B plate in the sandwich. You could use lollypop sticks or tongue depressors instead of thick card. Do make sure that your extra layer is the width of the embossing pattern.

Background Stamps
Have you ever thought that it would be nice to have a background stamp the same as one of your embossing folders? You can make one out of craft foam! Simply cut the foam to the size you want, place it in the folder, then run it through the CB.

To use it as a stamp, you could layer it on mounting foam (the sort you use to mount rubber stamps) then place it on the acrylic block. I used DS tape to make the sample, but found that it left stripes where the tape was so the coverage was irregular due to different thicknesses.

Hope you have fun trying out these techniques!

Tri-shutter card

Hello again
A couple of months ago, we looked at making a tri-stutter card - quite complicated with the folds, but stunning when it is completed.

Here is a video demonstration on how to make the card. The written instructions can also be found here.

Pop Up Box Card

Hi
Since the last posting, we have had a great workshop day where we spent a lot of time looking at and trying out a range or techniques using the Cuttlebug. Pictures of the techniques to follow in a day or so!

Meanwhile, at the last meeting, we looked at a pop up box card and the accompanying video is below. The instructions can be accessed here.

Step Fold Cards

This is the side step card that was demonstrated at another meeting. We looked at stair step fold cards. There is an excellent tutorial for these cards here.

The other step cards we looked at were side step fold cards and there is another excellent tutorial here. The Easter card shown here is a side step fold card and was made using a decoupage picture which was attached to the side of the card. The circular sentiment was printed out using word art then cut to size. Distress inks were used to colour the edges of the sentiment.

Previous Card Demonstrations

Over the next few weeks, we will update the blog with pictures and, sometimes, directions for the sample cards that were made at the monthly meetings since we began in March. Each month, we try to have a different card type and members go away and make a card using the instructions, bringing it back to the next meeting.

We have had some beautiful cards made by the group since we began and hopefully, people will contribute the photos of their cards to the blog with a description of how they were made.

We will  also include links back to other blogs and websites for more information and other ideas.

This is the first demonstration card. It was based on a simple sketch and demonstrated how layers could be used to make a clean and simple (CAS) design stand out a little more.

The scalloped circles were cut using the Nestabilities Die Cuts and the Cuttlebug. The flower was a Tanda flower stamped, embossed and coloured. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set.

The second card was designed to show how the same colours and papers could be used, but adding a bit more zing with the inclusion of a third colour, As you can see in the picture, we added the purple ribbon and the brads. Still reasonably CAS, but has some impact.

Welcome

Welcome to the first post of our brand new blog.

As you can see in our profile, we are a group of crafters who meet regularly to learn more about card making and paper crafting. We will update the blog when we have new things to share and show what we have been doing.

We hope that you enjoy reading our blog and leave us nice comments!

Thank you!