How to make a cracker card

I recently had a go at some origami (for a change) and I wanted to put it onto a different-shaped card. So I thought I would try this Cracker-style.

It was made using 6 x 6 backing papers, in the same colour as the folding. I mounted it in the middle of the design and added a double-punched daisy (ie.punched twice then interlocked) with a gold brad.

In my last 2 posts, I've tried to show how the card looks when it's opened out and give instructions on the card dimensions. Ive worked "backwards" so that it's easier to scan downwards and to follow. Hope you will try it for yourself sometime.

Bye for now. x

Here is the pattern that I used to create my card;

You need to create a card blank measuring 28.4cm x 9.8cm. (this is the longest card that can be created on an A4 sheet because it comprises of 3 EQUAL squares)

Working across the longest edge (ie. top and bottom) and taking each measurement from the last mark made, measure 4.9cm, another 4.9cm, 9.8cm, 4.9cm and a final 4.9cm. Score all of these lines. Mark out the angle lines (shown in green) and score these lines as well.

All of the red lines should be folded inwards (valley folds) and all of the green lines should be folded away from you (mountain fold) Crease well using a bone folder.

You should now be able to fold the card into shape and to decorate the centre as you wish. Good luck!

frog on a blog!

Do you know that stuff called "scratch" that anybody can make anything from ? Well, I found some of my own the other day and decided to make a pattern out of it! It' quite a simple creation really. The top is hinged so that it opens into a card and the front is balanced on legs. Although it stands on its tippie-toes I think that makes it look a bit more querky. Its just for fun - my "frog on the Blog" Hope you like it! See you soon. Happy crafting!

creating a stencil design

I wanted to do something really different this week so I thought I would have a go at stencilling.

I took the design from an old magazine. It was only the daffodil but I added the stained glass background for effect.

The picture on the right is the one made from the original stencil by putting the pattern (which was on white paper) onto black card and cutting through both.

I created the picture on the left by gluing the main pieces (taken from the picture on the right) onto white card. I then cut around the image creating a frame, so that the picture was attatched in several places. I used black and white card throughout for a more dramatic effect, but Iwanted to know how different these pictures would look in colour, so I thought I would find out.

light and dark daffodils

These stencils show the daffodil design only in "sunshine" and "shade"

The picture on the right was chalked in pastels using pure colour. The one on the left was chalked in darker shades, some of which were "mixed" with black to give deeper tones.

stencils - stained glass window

This picture shows the original paper cut out and the stencil made from it.

I couldn't resist colouring the paper so that I could create one last design. There are 6 in all, and I don't think that's too bad
from one stencil!

Hope this has inspired you to try something new, and that you will have as much fun as I did!

Although the "Fairy Doodle" images have been around for some time now, I still love them and they are great to use for most styles of card.

This one is what I call a "post through" card because the main image comes through the centre when open and is hidden when the card is closed. This is so that it will fit easily into an envelope!

It's a really great stamping project (not really suitable for a 3-d one) and I must thank my friend Julie ( you know who you are) for the inspiration!

Waterlillies

Here is another idea for using up your 6 x 6 papers.... cut the picture out and re-use it. The basic format is the same except that I added a dragonfly peel-off and text as an embelishment.

Hope these last few posts will inspire you to use up some of your old bits and bobs too. Happy crafting!

Just add a stamp!

It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I had some really lovely hand-made cards! One of these was a design made from a paper with butterflies,(just right for me)and it became a scource of inspiration for my latest card.

There always seem to be a few papers in a pack that I can't find a use for and that get left to one side. The ones that I chose were from a black and white set that I had some time ago. It has a large flower surrounded by smaller daisies. I have stamped it with butterflies (using one from the "20 best friends stamps" by Royal and Langnickel) and added glitter to the stamen, then I cut it into strips to form 2 "different" sized cards. The finished effect is very simular to the one on the original birthday card,and I am really pleased with the result!

So next time you are left with some papers that you don't know what to do with, try adding some stamped images to embelish the design!

Just had a look at this post and I've noticed that you can see how the picture was taken...I had to prop the cards up on a cushion on the table! It gave me the clearest image. If you have posted blogs yourself you will know how difficult it can be to take a good photo so please concentrate on the main picture and try to ignore the surround!

Bye for now!

Something for Easter

I have been crafting for some years now and my friends often ask me what to do with spare backing papers, especially those that remain unused in 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 packs. Well, here's one idea which may come in useful for Eastertime.

I drew out an egg shape and copied 12 of them onto 2 different coloured pieces of 6 x 6. I cut them out, and folded each piece in half. Then I glued them together with the folded edges in the middle. The last half was stuck to the first one, to form a sort of "circle. " When the sections were opened up the egg was completed. Finally I wrapped a length of acetate ribbon around the egg and tied it in a knot.
If you made a few of these 3d shapes, they could be hung onto twigs and used as a decoration.

There'll be more ideas for spare papers comming up over the next few weeks, so watch this space!