Despite having so many pieces of patterned paper, I can't resist a bargain - so when Craft House NZ and Australia recently announced a major closing sale, I had to buy two Becky Higgins Project Life collections of 12 x 12 patterned paper - I mean, 48 sheets of good quality paper for $10 - that's just over 20 cents per sheet!
Luckily, I have a card customer who buys 20 birthday cards approximately every five weeks - 10 for men and women apiece.
So I grabbed one piece of patterned paper to challenge myself and also to get those cards made! The cards are C6, and also need to be fairly flat to post.
Obviously, these six cards are all variations on the theme - and there are only so many ways to change that theme! The background paper is coral and light grey, so I rifle through my stash to see what will coordinate. Being an on again, off again, Close to My Heart Consultant, I chose the ink colours to match - I used Cranberry, which was redder, and then Sunset, which was more orange. The grey colour ink was Slate.
For the first card, I used the doily as a base, then layered on top a stamped doily in Slate, and then on top, I stamped a greeting and punched it out with a circle die so the layering was interesting but subtle. I then used a Kaisercraft rose leaf and the Leafy Flourish to embellish, cut out of scrap grey cardstock. A large enamel dot coordinated perfectly.
Greeting stamped in Cranberry. Doily stamp in Slate. On top is a silver circle from glitter cardstock - because I wanted to use up the silver wired ribbon, I needed other silver elements to give a cohesive look. The silver metal circle in the middle of the flower is actually from card and is one of the things I brought with me from the UK - most of my stash is, actually .... and I can't remember the name of them, but I know I purchased them from Card Creations - an amazing manufacturer of cardy stuff in the UK. The notelet border punch strip on top of the ribbon was in my red scraps bag - you never know when you can use all these bits and pieces!
The greeting consists of four layers - the doily is the base, on top is a Cranberry circle, on top is a stamped doily in Slate, and then on top is the cranberry greeting in white. My circle punches sit in a basket on a trolley to the right of my craft table - because they are in reaching distance, I use them often and it cuts down so much time in the making process and really gives a professional finish, I think.
Variations on a theme from card number two - I used a button in the middle of the flower. Greeting stamped in Cranberry - the greeting layer this time is threefold - the Slate doily, silver glitter circle (1.5 inches), then Cranberry greeting stamped on white and punched out with 1.25 inch circle punch. The silver wired ribbon was wrapped around the base with DST under the notelet punched border.
Slate stamped greeting punched out with 1.25 inch circle die. Layered on Ultimate Crafts 'Invali: Baroque Ornament' die in grey cardstock, then glued onto paper doily. Dienamics 'Leafy Flourish' and Spellbinders 'Blooms Three' flower and stamen. The stamen was glittered with White Blizzard Nuvo Glitter Drops - I certainly wouldn't recommend these, I think Stickles or Kindy Glitz are much better quality and far less 'gloopy'. I didn't like the way the glitter turned out as it looked too green in the end - but you live and learn!
Akua Doily Set die cut from grey lustre cardstock - again, the greeting stack is four layers - circle die cut on bottom, glued on top is a coral circle, then a grey card circle and then the Sunset stamped greeting. I used my postage stamp edge shaped scissors for these two top layers - I find a few of the scissors very effective! They are one of the first things I bought when I first started crafting, 15+ years ago.
This card is one of my favourites from this selection: the three flowers link together the circle element (the greeting stack) with the straight element (the ribbon line). It gives the card a more organic and cohesive feel but I was running out of coordinating flowers! The middle of the flowers were a gem, enamel dot and silver card dot - by mixing up the embellishments, more interest is added to the card.
I hope this explanation helps those new to card-making and I am very happy to answer any questions. Happy crafting!
Supplies:
Becky Higgins Project Life 'Coral' Edition patterned paper and coordinating bits from stash
Various Flowers from stash, mostly Prima
Silver wired ribbon
1.25 inch circle punch, 1.5 inch circle punch, Notelet border punch
Paper doilies
Inks: Slate, Cranberry, Sunset - Close to my Heart
Stamps: 'Decorative Doilies', Inkadinkado; Greetings, Personal Impressions
Dies: 'Leafy Flourish', Dienamics; 'Circles' nesting dies, Sizzix; 'DIY Flora Leaves', Kaisercraft;
'Invali: Baroque Ornament', Ultimate Crafts; 'Akua Doily Set', Couture Creations; 'Blooms Three', Spellbinders
Embellishments: Enamel Dots (mostly Echo Park), gems (mostly Kaisercraft), White Blizzard Nuvo Glitter Drops
Postage edge shaped scissors
