One Sheet Wonder Christmas Cards

A long long time ago in a shop still very close to my heart but now closed, I was introduced to the joy of making numerous cards from one sheet of scrapbooking paper. They involved very simple layouts, basic stamping (on vellum if memory serves me correctly) and decorative paperclip thingies - that should tell any readers of my vintage how long ago that class was.

Years later I suggested we re-design those cards but was told no - they would still look 'old' and outdated.

Recently a gorgeous post appeared on a Facebook group to which I belong, featuring the same idea. Desperate for cards for my next 'Choices Day' at the group where I teach as a volunteer, this idea fit the bill perfectly. If they are 'old and outdated' so be it - that possibly describes me too but I am now old enough not to care!

9 or 10 cards in 2 hours - no problem!! To a group of up to 10 ladies of varying experience - even better!! (Plan B is the Unfinished Crafts table over the following 5 weeks !! )

For anyone who wants to give these a try, this post contains the instructions I have prepared for the class. I also plan to do the same set using Echo park Merry & Bright Winter Wonderland paper.

Note for Card 3 - saving card, I have cut the red circle that frames the wording stamp from a spot that will be behind the front panel. The circle dies used are from nesting sets that give 1/8 size increase per circle - smaller one fits the wording stamp.

If time permits I will fix the numbering on this post - but don't hold your breath :D 

Cards with Jill – Term 4 2019

One Sheet Wonder Christmas Cards

Materials:

12” x 12” Christmas paper             cut as per template (at end of post) and description below
White card     x 5                            A5 card base (21 cm x 14.8 cm, folded to 10.5 cm a 14.8 cm)
Red Leather-grain card   x 3           A4 
Pomegranate (dark red) card  x 2   12" x 12"
Inks – Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy, Ranger Archival, Versamark
Embossing powders - clear, and Seafoam White or similar
Stamps – assorted - see notes at end of this
Embossing folders - all are Sizzix brand but may be up to 12 yrs old
Rhinestones - Say It In Crystals assortment from variety store

Equipment & Consumables: Carl cutter, Carl cutter with Deckle blade, heat gun and cork mat, Stamp platform, pencil, eraser, centring ruler, StopStatic pad, tweezers, Fiskars trimmer, double-sided tape, thin mounting foam, scissors, Spellbinders nesting circle dies - smallest from SM set

Instructions – Kaisercraft Peppermint Kisses - Bright Baubles paper

1.      Trim the decorative strip off from the bottom edge of the 12” x 12” paper sheet and set aside.

2.      With the top edge of your Christmas paper against the 14.3 cm marks of the cutter (or 5 ⁵/₈"), cut across the paper.

3.      From this panel, cut two 10 cm wide x 14.3 cm high panels. First panel for cards 1 & 2, second for card 3.

4.      Have one of these panels bauble side up with the 10 cm edge at the top. Cut diagonally from lower left corner to top right corner. Top left piece is for Card 1. Lower right piece is for Card 2.

5.      Card 1 - Emboss a white half card base panel with the dots and lines embossing folder – you will need to put the card across the folder, emboss, then move the card further across until the pattern aligns and emboss again, then trim panel to 14.3 cm wide a 10 cm high.

6.      Adhere the diagonal bauble piece to the embossed dots and lines panel. Optional – edge top and left sides with Fired Brick Distress ink but be warned to work clean – high risk of ink where you don’t want it!

7.      Adhere high-tack double-sided tape along the diagonal join and adhere ribbon onto this.

8.      Trim ends of ribbon with sharp scissors.

9.      Adhere panel to Pomegranate (darker red) card base.

10.   Stamp wording in Archival Black ink onto white card. Fussy cut and mount onto card front. Decorate with rhinestones.

11.   Card 2 - Emboss a white half card base panel with the merry Christmas script embossing folder then trim to 14.3 cm wide x 10 cm high.

12.   Adhere the holly print panel to the top left of the embossed panel.

13.   Adhere high-tack double-sided tape along the diagonal join and adhere ribbon on to this. REFER TO SAMPLE CARD FOR PLACEMENT.

14.   Trim ends of ribbon with sharp scissors.

15.   Stamp wording with Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy ink onto white card and allow to dry or use heat gun.

16.   Trim edges with deckle blade cutter.

17.   Mount wording panel onto centre of card.

18.   Card 3 – Working over the BigShot magnetic platform and acrylic plate, hold the paper holly side up over the inside left flap of the bright red card base. Use this to guide placement of the larger circle die so you will see leaves and berries through the circle you will cut out. Die-cut the circle.

19.   Adhere the paper, bauble side up, to the card front. Use tape around the hole as well as the back of the paper.

20.   Stamp the wording in Pearlescent Poppy and heat-emboss with clear powder.

21.   Die-cut the wording using the smaller circle die.

22.   Adhere wording to red circle and adhere to card front over a suitable bauble.

23.   Line the remainder of your original sheet of Christmas paper up with the 5 1/8” marks on the Carl cutter – have the paper bauble side up and check if one way gives you more usable bauble images than the other. Cut across the paper. The remaining narrow strip will be used for card 4 and card 8.

4.   Card 4 – Trim the long thin strip of Christmas paper to 14.8 cm long.

25.   Edge the strip with Barn Door Distress ink using a sponge dauber.

26.   Adhere this strip holly side up to a 14.8 cm x 3.6 cm strip of bright red card.

27.   Use the BigShot and the baubles embossing folder to emboss a 10.1 cm x 14.4 cm piece of white card.

28.   Adhere the embossed panel to the card front.

29.   Adhere the holly panel to the card front as per sample.

30.   Stamp the wording in black ink on to white card and trim to size.

31.   Adhere wording panel to bright red card with two narrow borders. Trim remaining sides for even borders.

32.   Mount onto card front placing mount only behind where panel will adhere to white part of card.

33.   Decorate with 4 red and one gold rhinestones.



34.   Card 5 - From the 5 1/8” (13 cm) high piece of paper from step 23, cut an 8.7 cm wide piece (x 13 cm high).

35.   Adhere this to a 13.4 cm x 9.1 cm panel of dark red card, holly side up.

36.   Stamp the wording on to white card and trim to size.

37.   Adhere wording panels to dark red card and trim to a narrow border.

38.   Using the wording as a guide to position, put two lengths of red and white bakers’ twine behind each word panel across the holly panel and adhere ends behind the holly panel.
  Mount wording panels into place.

39.   Centre and mount the holly panel onto a white card base.

40.   Mount the wording panels onto the card front.

41.   Decorate the wording with red rhinestones.

 42. Card 6 – Die-cut a red bauble from the middle of a 10.1 cm x 14.4 cm panel of dark red card.

43.   Adhere this red panel smooth side up to a white card base.

44.   From the 5 1/8” (13 cm) high piece of paper from step 23, cut an 8.7 cm wide x 13 cm high panel.

45.   Use the distressing tool along the edges of the paper panel (bauble side up) – support the paper close to the edge of the
part you are shredding.

46.   Use a sponge dauber to apply Aged Mahogany ink to the shredded edges. Please do not work over open ink pad, and try to wipe any paper shreds off the dauber onto scrap paper before each re-inking.

47.   Once ink is dry, slightly curl shredded edge upwards. Make sure your hands are clean through this process.

48.   Put double-sided tape about half an inch or 1 cm in from the edges behind the bauble panel and adhere to card front.

49.   Die-cut a white bauble and keep the die on the cut out while you draw a light pencil line around the inside edge of the die.

50.   Stamp the wording in black ink onto the white bauble.

51.   Cut along the pencil line and erase any pencil marks.

52.   Adhere white bauble to the red bauble you had cut out earlier.

53.   Mount the finished wording bauble onto the card front, over the top of a printed bauble so the ‘chain’ reaches the top of the wording bauble.

54.   Decorate with three rhinestones as per sample.

5

5.   Card 7 – Use the BigShot (no tabs) and the Poinsettia folder to emboss the right side of the front of a bright red card base.

56.   You will have a 13 cm x 13 cm panel of paper – cut that in half vertically (to two 6.5 cm wide x 13 cm high pieces).

57.   Trim one of the pieces (with best bauble layout) to 10.2 cm high and adhere to a 6.8 cm wide x 10.5 cm high panel of bright red card. The remaining piece will be used for Card 9.

58.   Mount this panel onto the card front near the left hand side.

59.   Stamp the “We wish you a Merry Christmas” music strip onto white card with black Archival ink.

60.   Trim music strip to have narrow white borders.

61.   Adhere music strip to bright red card with a narrow edge and end border and trim other two borders to match.

62.   Mount music panel – only adhere mount where strip will touch embossed surface. Put double-sided tape behind part that overlaps bauble panel.

63.   Decorate with rhinestones as per sample.

6

4.   Card 8 – Use a pencil and the centring ruler to mark a spot 1 ¼” down from the top edge of the 14.4 cm x 10.1 cm dark red card panel centred between the left and right edges.

65.   On the BigShot magnetic platform and one acrylic plate, lay (do not adhere) the red card panel centred on the card front – make sure the card is opened out.

66.   Centre the smallest circle die around the spot you marked and die-cut – you will be cutting through both red and white card.

67.   Adhere the holly paper strip across the red panel approx.. ¾” up from lower edge. Trim ends if required.

68.   Use the dental floss piece provided to pull the 36 cm piece of twine through the bell.

69.   Adhere the ends of the twine behind the red panel so that the bell is centred in the cut out circle as per sample.

70.   Adhere red panel to card front.

71.   Trim ‘Jingle all the way’ wording strip to size and adhere to a matching strip of white card. Adhere to holly panel.

72.   Pat a small strip of red card (smooth side) with the StopStatic pad then stamp wording with Versamark Ink and heat emboss with white embossing powder.

73.   Trim to size and adhere to card front

74.   Card 9 – Use the dots and lines embossing folder in the BigShot to emboss the white 14.3 cm x 10 cm panel.

75.   Adhere embossed panel to card front.

76.   You will have a paper panel from Card 7 that measures 6.5 cm x 13 cm. Cut this in half to give two 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm pieces.

77.   Adhere the pieces to bright red card 6.8 cm x 6.8 cm. One panel has the paper bauble side up, the other is holly side up – check which piece has the best bauble layout.

78.   Adhere the holly panel towards the upper left of the card front as shown.

79.   Adhere a strip of bright red card 14.8 cm wide x 1.2 cm high across the card front. Do not put tape behind the first and last 1cm of the strip.

80.   Use thin mounting foam to mount the bauble panel towards the lower right of the card front as per sample.

81.   Stamp and heat emboss ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ with Versamark ink and white embossing powder.

82.   Trim and use thin mounting foam to adhere to the red strip.

83.   Decorate 2 berries and 3 baubles with rhinestones as per sample.

Stamps used:

Kaisercraft ‘Doodled Christmas’ (2008) (discontinued) for cards 1 & 5
Stamp-It (WA stamp company) ornate Christmas Greetings rubber stamp (discontinued) for card 2
Stamp set C-06 Festive from Jemac for cards 3, 4 & 6
Kaisercraft set which included “We wish you a Merry Christmas” music (discontinued)
Happy Little Stampers ‘Mixed Christmas Sentiments’ for cards 8 & 9

Oops - forgot to add the template, didn't I?!!

13 cm

 

Fathers Day Kookaburra

The kookaburra featured is from a photograph taken by my brother on one of his bird-watching forays. The background paper was bought from Collins Craft, Balcatta. The die is from Paper Roses. I figured a Laughing Kookaburra suited the 'Happy' theme!

Uncurling a metal cutting die

Just a quick "How to care for your dies" post, prompted by the fact that one of mine was beginning to curl whilst cutting for a class.

Summary of cutting-plate care:

• use the edges and corners of the plates when placing your dies
• use both sides of the plates - flip the plate over after you have used it to cut from the opposite side next time
• unless you are keeping one plate clear and one scarred, then move the top plate to the bottom after every second cut

if you look closely at the image above you will see that the centre of the die is now 3mm off the flat surface that the die is resting on.



In theory we all know not to put the cutting die in the centre of our plates each time, as this creates soft spots if we cut in the same place every time.


In theory we know to make sure we also use the outsides of our cutting plates, and we regularly flip the plates to cut from both sides.












If we have really done our homework we know to NOT put our long thin dies in the north-south alignment every time. Instead we remember to put them in the east-west position sometimes and in the diagonal position sometimes so that the dies don't begin to curl.

All this said, sometimes you might lend your die to someone who does not know all of the above, or despite doing all this you need to use the die a few dozen times and it does begin to curl, as pictured above.

If it has not yet curled, it is also important to use the die "upside down" on a regular basis to prevent curling. This becomes more difficult when you want the die in a specific position on your card panel.




There IS an easy way to fix a curl (or to flip your die to cut upside down), as long as your die is not too curled. If the die has curled to match the north-south placement (UNLIKE the one shown here - picture taken in diagonal placement, sorry), lay it in this position on your cutting plate with cutting blades facing down, place the top plate over it, grip the two plates firmly together and flip the whole sandwich (so the blades of the die are now facing upwards) and run it through the die-cutting machine.

Apologies for my very well used plates. You may like to note that despite heavy use they are not curled - this shows the benefits of making sure you use every bit of the plate when die-cutting and that you turn them over regularly. These plates are at least 4 yrs old and are used for class prep. Lots of use!!

If keeping everything together whilst you flip the sandwich is difficult you may like to use Washi tape to adhere the die and card layer in place on the lower cutting mat.








You may need to repeat this step a couple of times to fully uncurl the die.



My die was beginning to curl north-south so that is the position I have placed and flipped it into:

I love a challenge - especially a "How do I make this card work better?" challenge ...

A friend phoned me this week with a request for help. She had been making the Pop-Up Easel Card as shown on this YouTube tutorial but was not happy with the options of either the Velcro closure or a magnets. Both were too thick.

I offered to have a play with the design, envisaging being able to cut a flap in the base layer to tuck the edge of lowest circular die-cut into it. I soon realised that the catching flap would have to be slightly raised, and came up with the idea of using a die-cut panel to lock the opened base in place.

Having decided what I wanted to do, the design of a template for this part took less than an hour. That included picking all the teeny tiny little bits out of the die after I had used it. I had intended to leave it at that - problem sorted, sample template done and dusted...

... but I have now spent the better part of the next two days finishing the card to a point I am happy with! And I still want to play with the design of the base - it is a bulky layer that does not fold particularly well.

This is the card as you begin to open it out - the die-cut piece in the lower left is what will hold the base down.

It is slightly less than a quarter of the base plate shape and is raised on skinny mounting foam. (Porta Craft brand.)

I put a matching piece to the right of the base purely to balance the design.

Note - When adding embellishments such as the butterflies check that they will not catch the central die-cut as the card opens and closes.

Here the card has been opened out further - you can see the left edge of the base panel just overlaps the locking die-cut.















Below shows the card opened and fully assembled with the base tucked under the locking flap.

Here is my final shot to show the fiddly heat-embossed trail of glitter beneath the right-hand butterflies ... If you peer closely you might see a glittery heart shape!

Do as I say not as I did. The video clearly states that one should adhere the back panels in place BEFORE assembling the card. With good reason! Of course I completed the central structure first, then put the paper panels in, then glued the die-cuts on, then the butterflies, THEN I did the stamping and heat embossing. Not clever!

Products used:
Couture Creations die - Ornamental Lace Set (With later addition of Couture Creations Embossing Foam to the die so that it pops out all the teeny tiny bits by itself.)
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles SM and LG
Butterflies - most likely Memory Box set of 5 small butterflies
Happy Birthday is a Cheery Lynne die cut (The die-cut words have been adhered to a narrow strip of card and mounted to make them stand out from the die-cut frame.)
With Love comes from Stamp-It SISET 014 and is heat embossed with Seafoam White powder
(Apologies - Stamp-It stamps are no longer available - they were located in Victoria Park, WA and are not to be confused with Stampin'Up)
The papers are from Kaisercraft - the front is from the Studio Scrap series and the inside from the Greenhouse Collection (Yucca)
The paper panels have been edged with Distress Ink - victorian velvet
The butterflies wings are held open with small bits of Kool Tak clear foam

Gum Leaf Borders again

I am trying to stick to the 'don't buy it if you are not going to use it for at least three different projects' idea. Here are two more cards using the Gum Leaf Border die from Paper Rose. I foresee far more than three projects with it however!

The card shown above and right is my favourite use of the die so far. Same card but different lighting.

The birds are from a Penny Black die set - 'Finches'. I love trying to colour them to match actual Australian birds - though the closest in shape are called wrens here.

Colours used for gum leaves - Distress Markers: fossilized amber, shabby shutters, peeled paint, vintage photo.
Colours used for birds - Distress Markers: antique linen, scattered straw, brushed corduroy, gathered twigs, spiced marmalade, rusty hinge, squeezed lemonade, fossilized amber, black soot.
My tip for colouring is to Google your subject (eg. rufous crowned emu wren) and use an image as your guide, and to lay a light wash of the palest colour needed to define each area to be coloured, then build on that.


Below is the second card I made, playing at a friend's house. The card is intended as a man's birthday card, and I love the play of light through the die-cut panel, casting shadows onto the plain insert panel.
I have backed the die cut area with acetate for stability

Paper Rose Gum Leaf Border Card

I pre-ordered the Paper Rose Gum Leaf Border die from PMT ~ Polly and Meg's Treasures - I fell in love with it the moment I saw it -and have recently received the die. 










I teach card-making as a volunteer at Concordia Craft Corner and wanted something with an Australian theme for the ladies to make this term. I was inspired by a friend's card made using the Kookaburra die over a gum tree background from Kaisercraft.

The kookaburra die came (not recently) from Couture Creations as Ultimate Crafts ULT157332.

To make the card pictured above:

• Card base is Bazzill French Vanilla.
• Background gum tree bark image is a purchased copyright image photographed by Tom Dempsey and available to order from PhotoSeek by clicking on the link HERE. It was printed onto generic photo card. Or you can go out and take photos of gum trees!
• Image inserted into a Word document and sized to fit a card front (10.5cm x 14.8cm)
• The green cardstock is PortaCraft A4 Pearlised Card
• The brown paper used to frame the bird and wording is possibly Stardream or Curious Metallics.
• The Happy Birthday die is from Elizabeth Craft Designs no. 783
• The kookaburra was die-cut from 'white' cardstock (slightly creamy white not white white).
• Distress inks required - hickory smoke, black soot, ground espresso, gathered twigs, rusty hinge and frayed burlap

The printed gum tree bark panel was edged with Distress ink - ground espresso - using an ink sponging tool then adhered with double-sided tape to a folded A5 card base.

The Gum Leaf Border die was cut from the green card to leave a 3/4" strip each side as pictured. This is mounted onto the card front with adhesive mounting foam.

Nestabilities circle dies SM and LG were used to cut the circles behind the kookaburra.

To colour the kookaburra I referred to an image in my bird-watching reference book A Field Guide to the Birds of Western Australia.

Working only with the outer panel of the die-cut I applied each ink used to a craft sheet then picked up the ink with a slightly damp fine (02) water-colour paintbrush. Hint - only have one ink pad open at a time. You need a steady hand.

Beak and eyes had a background layer of hickory smoke then black soot was used for added definition. 

Tail has had fine stripes of rusty hinge applied then stripes of ground espresso put between these. If necessary wash over with a slightly damp brush to blend.

Wings had a layer of gathered twigs washed on then darker repeat layers of ground espresso painted over this.

The branch the bird is on was coloured with a wash of frayed burlap, taking care to leave a white area under the bird's belly.

This part of the die-cut was adhered using PVA glue then the infill pieces glued in.

Once dry, a Versamark ink pen was used to put fine dots on the front edge of the wing. This was brushed over with blue Perfect Pearls which were then polished with the larger soft Pearls brush.

A fine dot of Glossy Accents was applied to the eye using a toothpick when the card was complete.

The wording panel was die-cut then adhered with PVA glue to a brown layer then trimmed to size as pictured. This is mounted onto the card front.