Tuesday 5 May 2015

Easy Card Making Ideas

Back, actually still blogging in the same year as my last post.  Boom!

On TV we often chat about how myself and Anne-Marie are going to bring in the Paper Police for the mis-use of Hunkydory cardstock. Now, whilst this is a joke (sort of), I thought rather than keep threatening people, it might just be nice to show an example of how we can use one piece of card for multiple looks.  I have started easy, and progressed to a trickier, but still completely do-able set of cards.  It's going to be a long post - ready?.....

Lets start...

We need to start with the chosen piece of cardstock.  I went for this as I can already imagine it as two separate cards.  

The first card I made was literally just by folding the card in half: 





Sorry, the picture isn't great is it...The card is folded and then I have literally only added 3 different toppers.  Use 3D foam to create dimension.  Layering the toppers adds interest to your card.  I haven't even added mat and layering to my toppers as each one has a foiled border.

Next, I cut the main piece of card in half, so I could now create two very simple cards.  Use plain cardstock as a base - I used a pearlescent card so it complemented the finish of my main cardstock.



I haven't used a mat and layer for my main image, just to keep it as simple as possible.  If you wish to add an extra layer of card, place this under the decorative card layer.  Choose a colour that you can pick out of the main image. You will need to cut the decorative card down a little - I only ever show a very small mat and layer border.  Play around to see how you prefer yours.

With this card, I have added a topper, which I have mat and layered.  I added a larger piece of gold card, and then a piece of turquoise card.  This was just slightly bigger than the gold card, so giving that lovely small border.  I added a mat and layer to the topper to lift it from my main image - otherwise it would get lost into the highly decorative background.  I then added another little sentiment.



The second half of the decorative card was added onto a plain pearlescent card, with a couple of toppers added on top.  As I wanted to use a larger topper this time, I covered the bird on the cardstock, so the topper looked correct.  Again, add 3D foam for dimension.

Okay, they have been really nice and simple so far, literally just cardstock and toppers.  Next we need to get handy with our scissors or craft knife.



I really have leaped onto cutting and changing the cardstock now, but it's still very simple.  I used the half of the card with the bird and pink panel.  I cut the card down into a panel, cutting up to the bird, and around it, so it is coming out of the card..  The design of the card allows you to see where this is an obvious place to cut into your image.  Essentially, I have cut away the pink part of the card.  I then used another piece of plain pearlescent card as my base cardstock.  I cut the front of the card down, so it was just a little larger than the decorative panel.  I used a piece of turquoise card to mat and layer my panel onto, and attached this onto the front of my card.  


The topper I used on my original card, I now decided to cut up.  I cut out the postbox, which I added to the front of the card with 3D foam.  I also cut out the bird, butterflies and some of the letters.  I glued the bird and some of the letters to the front of the card.  I used Pinflair this time, as the images are smaller and the Pinflair allows me to angle the images rather than them remaining flat, which happens with 3D foam. 




 I also cut out two of the foiled swirls, and added on to the top left corner.



I then used one of the inserts from this Hunkydory collection.  The insert is also pearlescent. Although the insert isn't precisely the same design as my main cardstock, this doesn't matter, as the colours blend wonderfully.  I used the half of the insert that didn't have the sentiment printed on it.



I added the main topper, which I matted and layered onto turquoise card, this lifts it off the insert. The flat topper will sit under the front of the card.  The further two toppers are added to the card with 3D foam, this will sit to the right of the card front. I added a couple of little butterflies on the right side, and also one of the foiled corners.

I finished the card with a little bit of Stickles glitter glue, I used gold and Diamond, on the flowers, leaves and the bunting.

The second half of my card (can you believe, the main images are still from one piece of A4 card!).


I used the insert which matched the letter box from the cardstock.  I cut the insert down, along the line of flowers and the letterbox.  I then glued this to the front of my pearlescent card, landscape.  I then cut along the image again, this time through the pearlescent card.  Make sure you keep a section at the top complete along the fold, to form the body of the card.  I then cut down the excess pearlescent card to the right, so the front of the card will just overhang the back of the card slightly.

Using the card, I cut out the postbox, some of the flowers and some letters, which were decoupaged onto the front of the card. I added a little Stickles Glitter Glue.



On the inside of the card I used one of the matching inserts, which I cut down so the bird was at the top.  I cut some paper from one of the other inserts, which I matted and layered onto a piece of pearlescent card.  I also added the foil border, and a sentiment.






A little bit of glitter glue, finishes my last card.

This is why I love kits like the Hunkydory kits available.  You can make the easiest card ever, or you can really play, and create something completely different.  

Happy days.