For this post I challenged myself to make a card using only the free items available in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue. But once I made the first card I couldn’t stop. I wanted to go one step further and show you how very different the same two cards can be. The same construction was used for each card and the same central stamp and die set. The difference is mostly color and background technique. Tell me what you think in the comments. Which one do you like the best?
Card No. 1
Supplies
Heart Shaped Bundle
Blackberry Bliss Card Stock
Basic white Card Stock-scrap
Bloom Impressions Designer Series Paper
Blackberry Bliss Stampin’ Pad
Fresh Freesia 3/8″ Seam Binding Ribbon
Optional: Tinsel Gems Three Pack
Multipurpose Liquid Glue
Mini Glue Dots
Paper Trimmer
Take Your Pick Tool
Mini Cut and Emboss Machine
Directions
Cut a sheet of Blackberry Bliss card stock in half vertically to make the card base. It should measure 29.8cm x 10.5cm (11″ x 4-1/4″). Score at 11.8cm (4″) and 18.9cm (6-3/4″). Hold the card base vertically with the largest section at the bottom. At the first score line 11.8cm (4″) fold 28.the section to the back. Fold the section below the 18.9cm (6-3/4″) to the front creating a Z-fold. (Please note the measurements are NOT direct translations, the metric sized card is slightly longer and narrower than the imperial sized card.)
Three pieces of the Bloom Impression Designer Series Paper are needed for card front.
The first piece for the top needs to measure 10cm x 10.5cm (4″ x 3-3/4″). Do not adhere this piece down yet.
The second section requires a piece of the Bloom Impressions cut to 10cm x 6.5cm (4″ x 2-1/2″). In my example I used the reverse side of the patterned paper. Adhere this piece to the narrow space on the card base, leaving a small equal border of the all the way around.
The patterned paper for the bottom section is cut to 10cm x 11.3cm (4″ x 4″) and is glued to the bottom section, again leaving the small equal border of card base showing.
I found it easier to cut a strip of the patterned paper 10cm x 28.8 cm (4″ x 10-1/4″). And then cut it down to the three insert sizes. Do this by placing the paper into your paper cutter horizontally (long side against the top) and cutting at 10.5cm, (3-3/4″) 6.5cm (2-1/2″) and 11.3cm (4″).
To decorate the card, stamp the heart image in the center of the top section (onto the designer series paper) with Blackberry Bliss ink.
Die cut the heart shape and the long label from a piece of the Blackberry Bliss card stock. Also die cut three of the flower shapes and the mini leaf shape (which cuts two leaf pieces).
Cut a strip of basic white card stock, 8mm (5/16″) x approximately 4cm (1-1/2″). (I found it easier to use a, slightly longer than necessary, scrap strip and cut it down after stamping.) Stamp the ‘hello’ greeting from the Heart Shaped set onto the white strip with the Blackberry Bliss ink. Trim the white label down small and adhere to the die cut Blackberry label piece. Then trim the end off the Blackberry piece to create a tiny tag.
Using a small awl or the pointed end of your Take Your Pick Tool to poke a small hole in the end of the mini tag. Thread a piece of white twine or thread through the hole.
Using a length of the Fresh Freesia ribbon wrap it around the reserved piece of patterned paper for the front of the card. See photo for placement. Before taping the ribbon ends to the back side, thread the heart shape through the ribbon (on the front). This will hold the heart shape somewhat in place.
Tie the tiny tag onto the affixed ribbon. Tie a small bow with the Fresh Freesia ribbon. Slide the tiny tag slightly to one side. Using a Mini Glue Dot affixed to the backside of the bow, glue down the tag thread to the ribbon.
To decorate the bottom section, glue the three die cut flower shapes in a row at the bottom of the largest section. Bracket the trio with a leaf shape on each side. Optionally place an embelishment at the center of each flower shape to add a bit of sparkle.
Product List
Card No. 2
Supplies
Heart Shaped Bundle
Elements of Text Cling Stamp Set
Basic Black Card Stock
Basic white Card Stock
Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker (Regals Set)
Memento Tuxedo Black Stamp Pad
Smoky Slate Stampin’Pad
Black Baker’s Twine (Baker’s Twine Essentials)
Adhesive Backed Sparkle Gems
Multipurpose Liquid Glue
Mini Glue Dots
Blending Brushes
Paper Trimmer
Mini Cut and Emboss Machine
Directions
Cut a sheet of Basic Black card stock in half vertically to make the card base. It should measure 29.8cm x 10.5cm (11″ x 4-1/4″). Score at 11.8cm (4″) and 18.9cm (6-3/4″). Hold the card base vertically with the largest section at the bottom. At the first score line 11.8cm (4″) fold 28.the section to the back. Fold the section below the 18.9cm (6-3/4″) to the front creating a Z-fold. (Please note the measurements are NOT direct translations, the metric sized card is slightly longer and narrower than the imperial sized card)
Cut a strip of Basic White card stock to 10cm x 28.8 cm (4″ x 10-1/4″). Using the Real Red Stampin’ Write marker and a ruler draw several vertical lines down one side of this strip. Vary them in width. (See finished photo.)
Cut the strip down to the three insert sizes. Do this by placing the paper into your paper trimmer horizontally (long side against the top) and cutting at 10.5cm, (3-3/4″) 6.5cm (2-1/2″) and 11.3cm (4″).
For the top front, stamp the heart image in the center of white piece. Using the large rectangle text piece from the Elements of Text stamp set stamp the text down the side. I used one of the splatter stamps from the same stamp set to stamp the bottom corner image with the Memento ink. The same stamp was used again on this time I colored onto the stamp with the Real Red marker and stamped it into the upper right corner. I distressed this piece by running a the blade of a pair of scissors around the edges. Smoky slate ink was then blended around those same edges to highlight the distressing. This piece was glued down to the upper front leaving a small border of the black card stock showing all the way around.
I die cut a heart shape from a scrap of Real Red card Stock and glued it down just below the heart image stamped in black. The black stamped shape acts a bit like a shadow for the red die cut.
I also die cut the label from the same set out of white and stamped my greeting onto it with the Memento ink. This piece was raised up with Stampin Dimnesionals and placed to one side and towards the bottom of the front piece.
A piece of the black baker’s twine was tied around the card just under the greeting and a tied into a bow.
The center section was decorated with a stamped row of the flowers (from the Heart Shaped set). I inadvertently miss-stamped but I left it because it played nicely into the distressed effect I was going for. This center piece was also finished distressing with scissors and by blending a bit of Smoky Slate ink around the sides. Glue down to the center leaving a border of the card stock showing.
The third and largest piece was stamped with Memento ink, first using the splatter stamp (the same a the front top) at the upper right hand corner. And partially stamping the text stamp in the bottom left corner. I only did a partial stamp because I wanted more space in which to hand write a message. This piece was also finished with the scissor blade and Smoky Slate ink before adhering down.
The last step was to affix three of the Adhesive Sparkle Gems.
Product List
Thank your for reading this post, if you decide to give either of these cards a try please post a picture in the comments or on social media and tag me @LoriOthen. Hope your day is full of crafting joy!
