Hi everyone! I'm 3 days late [blame it on school, sleep, & house cleaning] but I'm back with another DIY card tutorial. For this week's card, I used a clear mini-stamp set from Studio112 [distributed by K&Company].
I wanted this card to scream out SPRING! so I took a bunch of pastel colored inks & covered the card with flowers! It's a fun and bright way to make & give out multiple cards to your friends & family.
Now let's get started..
materials used:
- Studio112 Clear Mini-Stamp Set [60-30326]
- White Card Stock [Meaurements: 4" x 8"]
- Basic Grey Pattern Paper from Urban Prairie - Bluebird
- Scrap Paper - 1/4" Strips in 4 [the length should be 5" or longer]
- Studio G Chalks - Pastel Colors [lavender, baby blue, soft green, light yellow, & baby pink]
- Sakura Souffle 3D Opaque Ink Pens - Dark Blue
- American Crafts Zing! Embossing Powder - White
- Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad
- Nicole Heating Tool
- Tombow Mono Adhesive - Removable
- Stamping Blocks / Ruler / Scissors
instructions:
Step 1: Fold the white card stock so that the card measures 4"x4". You can either fold it manually or use a score board [not shown] & scorer. This time I didn't use a score board just to show you that it's not necessary to have this tool to make perfectly folded cards.
Step 2: Take the 4 quarter-inch scrap paper strips & adhere removable adhesive glue to each one. Then carefully line each strip to all four sides of the card & glue them so that the edges are completely covered. If your strips seem to be way too long (as pictured above), you can simply cut them down so it doesn't get in the way.
Step 3A: Remove the big flower from the stamp set, mount it to a clear stamping block, & ink it with one of the pastel stamp inks.
Step 3B: Place the inked stamp onto the card. Wherever & how much of the flower you want to show is up to you. After your first inked flower, wipe off the stamp with a baby wipe & ink the flower with another pastel color. Again, place the flower wherever you want it to be on the card. Repeat those steps using all the pastel inks until you have the big flowers about evenly spaced out all over the card.
Step 4: Repeat the same process you did with the big flower but this time using the small flower. The goal is to have these little flowers in the spaces between the big ones. Also have the flowers in all different colors & make sure not to have the same colored flowers next to each other.
Step 5: Remove the 1/4" scrap paper strips off the card. It's easier to peel off the strips if you left the strips hanging off the edges [that's why I suggested the strips to be 5" or longer].
Step 6: Take the dark blue Souffle pen & draw a line 1/4" off of each side of the card. You don't want the lines to be touching the edge of the card but just near it. The lines should also cross each other on each corner of the card. Be careful when doing this because the pen can easily smear so take your time.
TIP: If you don't have a 3D opaque pen, you could always use a blue glitter pen or even a fine tip marker.
Step 7: Now draw lines on the inside of the card, just like you did on the outside. By doing this it will bring the card to a complete look [once done of course].
Step 8: Now put your card to the side & let's start working on the blue pattern paper. Remove the sentiment from the stamp set & adhere it to a clear stamping block. Ink the sentiment with versamark ink & then line it up onto the pattern paper. Make sure to press firmly but not too hard [because when you emboss it, it'll come out too thick. Trust me I had to repeat this step alone 2-3 times just to get it 'right'. I'm still a beginner `=)]
Step 9: Now take the white embossing powder & cover the paper with it. Tap off the excess powder - only the sentiment should be covered with the powder. Next, take a heating tool & heat the powder so that it melts & raises onto the paper [I remember the first time I embossed, my reaction was 'Oommmgggg that's soo coool!!!']
NOTE: The paper can tend to bend real easily when heat is place on a certain area for too long. I suggest you move the heating tool in a circular motion & side to side so that it's evenly distributed. If bending occurs [sometimes you just can't avoid it], just bend the paper to the opposide side & make it flat.
Step 10: After embossing is finished & cooled down, add 3D adhesives to the back of it. Peel of the backs of the adhesives & then place it about 2/3 or 3/4 [whatever your preference] down the card, lining the right side toward the edge of the card.
And now my friend, you are ready to send off thoughtful cards this spring! The best thing about this card is that you can make several of them using different colored pattern papers to match the colored pastel flowers. Below I made two versions of the card: blue & pink.
Remember this is your card! Have fun & create your own flower patterns & designs. What I'm showing you is just what I decided to do for myself. Even the 2 cards I made in blue & pink have different variations as to where the flowers are stamped. And I just noticed the sentiment is positioned differently as well [totally meant to do that... heh].
I hope this card inspires you to create your own spring themed cards. Let me know what you think of this week's card & don't forget to come back April 25th for a chance to win this card & the rest of this month's 'Make & Mail Monday' cards. Enjoy!
