Shaped Easel Card (use any die!)

For this project you will need:

* A shape die - you can use any size die but this will be the final size of your card so try and match it to an envelope size if you don't make your own. We're using a hexagon nesting die from the stash.

* A die cutting machine - we're using a Sizzix BigShot.

* Cardstock - any card will do - the thicker it is, the stronger it will be. We're using a bog standard white cardstock that is 210gsm.

* Inks and Embellishments (totally your choice of how to decorate the card - we're using Distress Oxide Inks and Bee Embellishments made using the Tattered Lace Foiling Machine).

* A stencil (again your choice to use or not - we're using the LoveAll Crafts Hexagon Slimline Background Stencil)

Let's get crafting!

1. Make a card base to your desired size - ours is a 5x5 card so we have cut a 10x5 piece of card and scored it in the middle. Make sure your die fits within this base.

2. Fold the card closed and place the die so at least 1cm of the die is hanging over the card's folded edge.

3. Run through your die cutting machine. We will be using the cut out cardstock on the left.

4. Take another piece of cardstock and cut a complete die.

5. Score one half of the card in the middle and make into a mountain fold.

 

6. The card shape cut out in step 4 will be attached to this but do not glue it until you have decorated it.

7. Time to decorate! We're using Wild Honey Distress Oxide as a base colour on our full die cut. No special blending needed here, the more blobby the better!

 

8. Using the Hexagon Slimline Background Stencil we then use Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide over the top of the full die cut, and on the bottom of the card base.

 

9. Stick the full die cut to the half folded area on the card (showing up in white in the above photograph). So it looks like the below image.

10. Embellish to your heart's desire! It's a good idea to have a sentiment strip or embellishment placed where the full die cut sits - this will act as a block to help keep the card upright. Raising the embellishment or sentiment on foam pads or stacking will give extra robustness.

Stencil Techniques with Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder

 

What you will need for this project:

* A stencil. I'm using two stencils from the LoveAll Crafts Slimline Background Set - Bricks and Hexagons

* Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder in your colour of choice (there are other brands of this kind of powder so use any you have in your stash). I'm using Lava Red and Firework Burst

* Water colour paper. Any brand is fine, I'm using Faber-Castell 140gsm paper.

* Normal copy paper (optional if you want to keep costs down and not use 2 sheets of water colour paper)

* Spray bottle with water

Let's get down to it!

1. Tape down the stencil on to your watercolour card. I'm using a UK A4 sheet of water colour card here and am taping the stencils at each end so I make 3 backgrounds per sheet of paper. No wastage!

2. Spray with water liberally. 

3. Add the Pixie Powder and respray with water. Do this until you get the look you're wanting.

 

4. Once you have the coverage you want, spray once more with water and place a piece of watercolour paper over the top (you can use normal copy paper here if you want to save some money but it may wrinkle). Leave the paper over the top for about 10-15 seconds to let it soak up the excess powder and water.

5. Peel off carefully and ta - dah! 6 slimline backgrounds ready to rock!! Lava Red Pixie Powder on the top with the Brick LoveAll Crafts Slimline Background Stencil and Firework Burst Pixie Powder on the bottom with the Hexagon LoveAll Crafts Slimline Background Stencil on the bottom. In the middle a pixie powdered mix of the two. The left hand paper is the watercolour paper that had the stencil on. The right hand paper is the copy paper I put over the top to soak up the excess.

Card Examples

This slimine card was created using the top left background. I distressed the edges with Fired Brick Distress Ink. The stamps are from Lavinia Stamps (Zentangle Fairy Cottage). The sentiment I made using my Tattered Lace Foiling Machine.

A few more examples...

This is Cosmic Shimmer Firework Burst with the Circles Slimline Background Stencil on the Top and Teal Wash with the Waves Slimline Background Stencil on the Bottom. Left side is the stencil side, right side is the pickup piece of paper.

Using the Bottom Right Background from above, distressed edges with Mermaid Pool Distress Ink, Stamped with a Lavinia Stamps Mermaid and sentiment from Tim Holtz Ideaology Pack. I used Ranger Liquid Pearls for the mermaid's body in Majestic Purple, Petal Pink and Platinum Pearl.

Using the Top Right Background from above. Bear stamps and sentiment are from Personal Impressions "Everyday Bears Miss You" Stamp Set. The bears were watercolour painted.

This technique works with all sizes of stencils. This is the LoveAll Crafts Dorset Wall Background Stencil with Teal Wash Pixie Powder over the top. The flowers are made from the AlteNew "Layered Rose" Die Set, the foliage is from Sizzix and Sophie Guilar Thinlets "Hidden Leaves" and the sentiment is from the  Tim Holtz Ideaology range.

Please do share your cards with us in the comments if you give this a go!

"Easy-Peasy" Double Z Fold Card Tutorial

  

You can make this card in any size, with any size piece of paperstock - no pre-calculations are needed! Just a few folds, one cut and hey presto there is your card!

1. Take any piece of card – the one in this image is UK A4 sized.

2.       Fold it in half  (so the length is halved, height is unchanged)

3.       With the fold on the left, fold the front flap back on itself in half, so you get a Z-Shape.

4.   Cut to whatever size you want. This one will be 6inch square. 

Do not discard the bit of paper you cut off.

 

5.   Flip the cut off piece over so the long edge is on the other side.

6.   Place on card in the position you would like. If you want to matt your card with coloured papers do that before securing the strip with glue or tape.

- whichever medium you like to use. Then you're done!

   

7.       Decorate to your imagination. With this card we've used the LoveAll Crafts Zig Zag Background Stencil along with two dies from Tattered Lace. The sentiment was cut on our cutting machine.