Delicate Freesias

After stamping and heat embossing the image, I added a bit of colour with a white pencil to give the flowers a soft, delicate look. I love how they almost have the appearance of vellum. The freesias would look even more striking on a really dark background... perhaps that will be my next project!

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Tutorial - Burger Card

Let's create a retro-style card using bright colours,

a delicious image, and some basic card-making techniques.

You'll need:

- 13.5cm x 13.5cm white card base

- 13cm x 13cm red cardstock

- 12cm x 12cm yellow cardstock

- 12cm x 12cm green cardstock

- 12cm x 12cm white cardstock

- 10cm x 10cm white cardstock for stamping

- scrap of white cardstock for the sentiment

- scrap of green cardstock for the sentiment

- Burger and Fries stamp set

- black, oil or solvent based ink pad

- alcohol markers OR coloured pencils

- yellow water based ink pad

- blending brush

- sparkle brush pen (eg: Wink of Stella)

- basic tool kit

1. Stamp the burger image onto the 10cm x 10cm white cardstock. Choose the colours you wish to use for your image, including a light, mid, and dark tone. Use the lightest of the markers to colour your image.

2. Working with the mid tones, colour over your first layer, leaving a small portion in the middle of each item uncoloured. In the photo below, you can see that I've left a spot on the bottom piece of bun as a light area. 

3. Use the mid tones to colour the other elements of your burger, leaving some of the lighter tones peaking through. Don't worry too much if you can't figure out where to put the light, just add some variation here and there, particularly with the lettuce.

5. Now add your darkest tones to the edges and places where the shadows would fall. Again, don't worry too much about the colouring, and just ignore the hard lines between the tones... that's the style we're aiming for with this particular project. (However, feel free to blend the colours if you wish.)

6. Use a small pair of scissors to cut around the burger image.

7. Using deckled-edge nesting dies, cut three circles from the white, yellow, and green cardstock. The white cardstock circle should have a diametre of around 10cm, but a centimetre here and there is fine. The other two circles should be incrementally bigger so you can layer everything together.

(NOTE: I actually cut my circles with round dies, then used a pair of pinking shears to add the deckled edge)

8. Use a blending brush to add yellow water-based ink to the centre of the white circle. The ink should be visible when you place the burger on top, but you still want 1.5 - 2cm of white around the edges.

9. Because we've used a water-based ink, we can now add some fun details using a water-based medium... in this case, a sparkle pen. Start in the centre of the yellow circle and brush outward, lifting the brush so that you come to a point. The sparkle pen will activate the yellow ink, pulling it in the direction of the brush stroke to give you a line. Repeat in four directions as shown below.

10. To make a star burst pattern, add more brush strokes between each of the four lines, and then more lines between those strokes, until you end up with sixteen lines radiating out from the centre of the circle.

11. Add a shorter line between each of the 16 lines for some variation (and to add more sparkle!).

12. Secure the green circle to the yellow one, then use your sparkle pen around the edges of both.

13. Secure the starburst to the centre of the yellow and green cardstock.

14. Stamp the sentiment onto the scrap of white cardstock, then use a pair of scissors to cut a point in one end. (You can use a die or punch if you prefer). Mount onto a scrap of green cardstock and cut to form a small border.

15. OPTIONAL: Place the red cardstock square onto a score board and score lines every 1" (2.5cm). Score a second line close to each one so that you have a repeating pattern across the cardstock. Turn the cardstock 90 degrees and score lines every 3/4" to form an embossed checkered pattern. (Alternatively, use a grid or lined embossing folder).

16. Secure the red cardstock to the card base with glue or tape.

17. Secure the circles to the lower, right-hand corner of the card, allowing the side and bottom to overlap the edge of the card. Secure the sentiment to the left-hand side of the card, overlapping the circles by a couple of centimetres and extending beyond the left-hand edge of the card. Trim the excess so everything is flush with the card base.

18. Secure the burger to your card with foam tape, and you're done!

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Year Long Challenge - August

The end of August means the end of winter here in Australia, and I, for one, am thrilled that it's almost over! I'm celebrating with a cute "snow angel" card featuring everyone's favourite little elephant. 

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Vellum Panel

It has taken me almost two years to use this vellum panel, stamped and heat-embossed with a little wren. I couldn’t quite decide how to best showcase the vellum, but in the end I cut a large window in the front of my card and simply placed the panel inside.

Seeing Double?

No, you're not seeing double... this is actually another take on the card I made a few days ago, just with different images and a slightly different layout. I'm still loving the gold and white combo!

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White and Gold

Of all the colour combinations, I would have to say that white and gold is probably the most elegant. I particularly like this combination for wedding cards, but it also works beautifully when you want to express a heartfelt sentiment to someone special.

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Card Kit Class - Floating Pop-Up Card

Pop-up cards have a delightful element of surprise that makes them an instant hit with anyone lucky enough to receive one. Today’s version features a simple mechanism that not only pops up when the card is opened, but also allows the decoration to flow into the centre of the card, adding an extra layer of fun!

CUTTING GUIDE

Click on the images to enlarge

SUPPLY LIST

• Just Desserts card making kit
• one white A5 card base - tent fold
• 8cm x 2cm white cardstock strip
• circle die, circle cutter, or circle punch (approx. 5.5cm)
• black fine point pen
• scissors for fussy cutting
• adhesives - liquid glue, double sided tape
• self-adhesive rhinestones, pearls, or liquid drops

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use your circle cutter, die, or punch to cut a hole in the centre top of the card, 2cm from the fold line. Reserve the circular cut out.

2. Score and fold the 8cm x 2cm strip of cardstock at 2cm, 4cm, and 6cm.

3. Apply glue to both ends of the cardstock strip. I have added hatched lines in the sections that require adhesive. 

4. Fold the cardstock strip in half, holding it by the middle section so the glued ends are facing away from you. Open the card base and lay it on the table in front of you. Place the cardstock strip in the centre of the card, up against the fold line (see photos below).

5. Close the card taking care not to move the cardstock strip. Hold the card closed to give the glue time to adhere to both surfaces. You have now formed the pop-up mechanism.

6. Close the card. Add glue to the section of the mechanism that can be seen through the circular window. (I've marked the area with cross hatching).

7. Place the circle cut out back into the window, lining it up as perfectly as you can. It will adhere to the cardstock strip to form the pop-up mechanism.

8. To decorate, fussy cut all the images indicated in the cutting guide above. Secure the small butterfly to the top right hand section of the circle, ensuring the whole image remains inside the circle. (If the image extends over the edge of the circle it will hinder the mechanism.)  

9. Cut the sentiment into separate words with a pair of small scissors or a trimmer.

10. Secure the words on the lower, left side of the circle, ensuring it doesn't extend over the edges.

11. Secure the small flower to the card front, allowing part of it to extend onto the circle without obscuring any of the sentiment. Secure the large flower just below the small one, again allowing it to extend over the edge of the circle. (See photos below for correct placement).

12. Adhere the chocolate cake to the lower right side of the circle, allowing it to extend over the edge.

13. Place one of the strawberries just over the large flower, keeping it higher than the base of the cake. Secure the second strawberry below and to the right of the first one, and slightly over the cake image.

14. Add the large butterfly to the upper left-hand-side of the card, slightly over the edge of the circle. When you open your card, nothing should catch on the edge of the circle.

15. To add a fun border, use a fine point pen and draw a line around the edge of the card. Don't try to keep it straight and do not use a ruler. (Feel free to choose any colour pen you like, but for consistency, I highly recommend choosing one of the colours already present in the images).

16. Add a second line that twists and crosses with the first. Allow gaps to form between the two lines.

17. Add tiny vertical lines in the gaps, changing direction as you go around corners. (If you prefer, you could add dots or little crosses instead).

18. Finish with a scattering of rhinestones, pearls, or liquid drops.

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