Create a Card. Stephanie Weightman

Musical notes Frosty winter tree Balloons galore Enamelled heart Sunflowers and butterflies A dalliance with dragonflies

       Templates

       Suppliers

       Index

      Introduction

      Some of my first childhood memories are of gluing and sticking down pieces of paper. As an adult, making cards allows me to indulge this memory and put it to good use. Like all crafts, card making is a therapeutic but nevertheless addictive hobby. If it is something you have never tried I urge you to have a go. It is so simple to make professional-looking cards that, together with a few simple instructions and top tips, you will be amazed at just how easy and rewarding it is.

      Creating hand-made cards has in recent years become very fashionable, so much so that you will find many card and gift shops selling ‘hand-finished’ greeting cards. How many times have you walked out of a card shop thinking ‘I could make that card?’ I hope this book inspires you to do just that. Using a multitude of products and techniques, there are over 35 card-making projects for both beginners and the more advanced crafters to make.

      The book is divided into three main chapters that include the techniques and a selection of beautiful projects for stickers, stencils and stamps.

      Stickers are a great starting point: they are simple to use, yet create stunning effects. They are often bought ready-made or designed to simply sit on the front of a card, but you can also make your own stickers at home so there are almost no limits to what you can design or achieve!

      Stencils were traditionally made from mylar plastic or oiled manila card and were – and still are – used with stencil creams, stencil paints or decorative chalks applied to the stencil and onto the chosen support. Stencils now come in flexible plastic with a self-adhesive surface that bonds tightly to the support, allowing you to use any number of colouring implements without any bleeding. These are very versatile as they are washable and therefore reusable. Stencils also come in a large number of metals to create raised paper impressions such as those done with dry embossing or to use as templates to cut design patterns.

      Stamping is a card-making craft that has been around for a number of years but if you have never tried it before you will find simple projects to get you started and if you are an experienced stamper you will find new ideas and inspiration.

      There is something for everyone so I hope you enjoy making the various card projects in this book as much as sending them to your loved ones.

      Tools and materials

      Making greeting cards can be as quick and easy or as intricate as you choose to make it. You can start with a simple set of tools and materials such as a pair of good quality scissors and a selection of interesting coloured papers. As you become more involved, you may like to invest in a large carry case or box to store all your craft products so that they are close to hand. Below are a selection of tools and materials that are useful for card making.

      Cards and glues, rulers and scissors

      1 card stock there is a wide range of different cards and papers on the market. Commercially made papers come in sizes ranging from A1 to A4. Most of the cards in this book use a weight of approximately 280 to 330 gsm (grams per square meter) for the main card stock.

      2 glue stick multipurpose glue used mainly for layering backing cards.

      3 adhesive paste used to stick down 3-D embellishments or as a sticky layer to sprinkle with glitter.

      4 glue dots come in a selection of sizes. Simply take the card or embellishment to the glue dot, remove the dot from the backing sheet and position in place.

      5 3-D foam glue pads used for 3-D decoupage and to raise card and paper from the surface it is mounted on. The pads are usually about 4 mm (¼ in) thick with adhesive on both sides.

      6 micro glue dots usually come on an A6 sheet. Simply press the surface you want to stick down to the glue dots and peel back: the dots will stick to the surface. Ideal for use on vellum as these small dots are almost invisible.

      7 spray adhesive available in repositionable or permanent varieties. The former is useful when you are planning a card and are not ready to secure everything permanently in place. Sprays are usually solvent-based so you will need to work in a well-ventilated area.

      8 low tack masking tape always a handy craft material to have in your box. Great for holding down stencils and especially useful when securing a design before cutting with a craft knife.

      9 metal ruler invest in a metal ruler for cutting and scoring cards.

      10 plastic ruler a clear plastic ruler is good for lining up and measuring at the same time.

      11 decorative edge scissors great for creating border effects. Draw a line with a pencil and ruler and use it as a guide when cutting with the scissors.

      Decorative papers and stickers

      1 outline stickers commonly referred to as peel-offs, they are inexpensive and available in a number of designs. They are easy to use and make quick and colourful cards.

      2 mulberry paper semi-opaque hand-made paper made from mulberry leaves and silk strands. It can be expensive so use in small quantities.

      3 talcum powder applied to the back of pre-made stickers to prevent unwanted areas of glue from sticking to card stock.

      4 vellum sheer paper with a subtle translucent finish, available in a wide range of colours.

      5 printed vellum sheer paper printed with a wide range of designs and colours. Look out for co-ordinating plain and patterned paper ranges.

      6 metallic and holographic decorative cards these cards give a striking look to hand-made cards. Available in a good range of colours and a variety of eye-catching patterns.

      7 rubdown stickers rub over the sticker with a lolly stick through the protective film onto your chosen surface. Suitable for use on paper and wooden and glass surfaces.

      8 holographic outline stickers second generation of outline stickers or peels-offs designed to create simple but effective greeting cards.

      9 micro bead stickers pre-made stickers coated with micro beads to create a textured finish.

      10 pre-finished