Simple Squares

You don't always have to use an image in its entirety to create fantastic cards. Today I'm going to show you a fun technique using two pre-coloured citrus panels, some coordinating cardstock and a couple of square punches.

I used a 1" punch to cut squares from the two pre-coloured panels I printed. Make sure you print the image large enough to accommodate the numbers of squares you wish to work with. The panels I printed are 51/2" tall, which allowed me to punch 10 squares from each one if I kept the cuts close together.

I used another square punch with a decorative edge to punch mats for each of the image squares, then layered them together.

I adhered a piece of scrap chipboard to the back of each tile for some added dimension.

It's important to place the first tile as accurately as possible on your card as this will be the foundation piece for the remaining squares. As you can see from the photo, I took advantage of the horizontal lines on a clear ruler to make sure my first tile was straight and equidistant from the top and side of the card base.

If you feel confident enough, place the remaining tiles by sight. Feel free to continue using the ruler if you aren't confident that your squares will end up in a nice straight line.

Secure the first and last tile in the second column to give yourself a guide for the placement of the remaining squares. Keep them lined up with the top and bottom as well as the tiles in the first column.

Cut away any excess cardstock from your base, then finish the project with a sentiment.

The second card I created has the tiles placed on an angle so they look like diamonds. I cut four diagonally in half to fit each side and complete the square. Although the effect is fabulous, the process was really quite difficult without guide lines for placement. If I were to do it again, I would probably add score lines as both a design element and a guide.

Stamps: