Tuesday 29 September 2015

Card Factory 2015–Purple Embossed Birthday Card with Tag

I have started my latest card factory. My stash is empty, and I am fed up with realising it’s someone’s birthday in a few days’ time, or someone needs a get well card or whatever, and having to work to a deadline. I thought if I could make up a good collection of cards I’d always have something ready when I need it. Most of them will be relatively simple.

19 Completed Card

My first effort is as a result of the pieces I cut before, to make finished cards 5 inches square. I embossed a whole sheet in error and didn’t use it, so that is my starting point for this card.

The first step was to ink the embossed piece of white card. The embossing was done with my Cuttlebug, using Tim Holtz’ “Damask” embossing folder, and I inked it with Shaded Lilac distress ink, using an Inkylicious Ink Duster.

01 Inking the Embossed Background

Next I heat-embossed the raised surface with clear embossing powder, applying the Versamark with my brayer.

02 Clear Embossing

I inked the piece again, this time with Seedless Preserves distress ink, using the Inkylicious Ink Duster, and went around the edges with Dusty Concord distress ink, using a home-made blending tool. I rubbed the ink off the embossing resist using the purple kitchen paper, very slightly dampened.

03 Inking Over the Clear Embossing

Now it was time to start on the tag holder, to be stuck down to the bottom part of the card. I took a piece of scrap white card, an offcut from when I was cutting the blank 5 x 5 in cards, and trimmed it to size.

04 Preparing to Make the Tag Holder

I took the piece of kitchen paper which I’d been using to mop up purple ink, and which had matured to the state when it was usable for backgrounds etc. I separated the two layers of kitchen paper (you get double for your money that way!!) and cut one piece in half. I laid down a fairly thick layer of regular matt gel medium onto the piece of card, and scrumpled up the piece of kitchen paper as I laid it down on top. I added more gel medium to the top surface, making sure it was well stuck down.

05 Applying the Kitchen Paper with Gel Medium

I dried it a bit with my heat gun and when it was ready to be handled, I trimmed off the excess with scissors, and then dried it fully.

I inked around the edges and on the surface, by rubbing the Seedless Preserves distress ink pad directly onto the surfaces, and then blended in the ink with the Inkylicious Ink Duster, to cover up any white, and any gel medium that was showing. I dried it again with my heat gun.

06 Inking the Tag Holder

The final step was to rub on some Treasure Gold gilding wax lightly with my fingertip to highlight the raised surface of the piece. It has a lovely deep texture and a lot of lustre.

07 Treasure Gold on the Tag Holder

I cut a tag using my new Tim Holtz “Labels” die set, using some of the purple paper that I’d stuck down onto card, for my recent purple projects for our neighbour.

08 Die Cutting the Tag

I inked the back of the tag with Seedless Preserves distress ink, using the Inkylicious Ink Duster, and the edges with Dusty Concord distress ink, using the home-made ink blender. I flicked water onto it with the tube from my water spritzing bottle, left it to stand for a minute or two and blotted it off.

09 Inking the Back of the Tag

I felt that the edge of the tag holder needed something to give it more definition against the card background, so I took a scrap of recycled cream gold-edged ribbon from my stash, and cut it to length, and then cut it in half lengthwise. I think this ribbon came off an Easter egg! I never throw anything like this away – it all goes in my stash.

10 Cutting the Ribbon for the Tag Holder

I used the extra-sticky red-backed double sided tape to stick it around the edge of the tag holder. Tip: to store these rolls of tape, whose edges get extremely sticky and make the rolls stick together, I always separate them with a square of waxed paper.

11 DS Tape on the Ribbon

The gold-edged ribbon in place along the top edge of the tag holder.

12 The Ribbon on the Tag Holder

To neaten the back, I stuck down a strip of card to cover the frayed edge of the cut ribbon.

13 Finishing Off the Back of the Tag Holder

The tag holder glued in place onto the card. I used Scotch Quick-Dry Adhesive which is a good strong wet glue. I slipped the tag behind the holder to show how it would go.

14 Tag Holder Glued in Place

Next the matting and layering of the card. I inked the edges of the card base with Shaded Lilac distress ink and the Inkylicious Ink Duster, and then matted the card with gold mirror card and two shades of purple cardstock.

15 Card Matted and Layered

Stamping the inside of the card. I used a “Happy Birthday” sentiment stamp from the Stamp Barn (No. CHSH 238E), using Dusty Concord distress ink, after I had lightly inked around the edges of the inside of the card with Shaded Lilac distress ink and the Inkylicious Ink Duster.

16 Stamping the Inside of the Card

To stamp the sentiment on the tag, I heat-embossed in gold, using the “Birthday Greetings” sentiment from my Stampin’ Up set “Wetlands.”

17 Stamping for Tag

The completed tag. I added some purple ribbon and some fancy yarns with a touch of told in them.

18 Completed Tag

The completed card, with the tag in place.

19 Completed Card

This card was slightly more complicated to make than most of the others I am planning on making in the Card Factory, but I wanted to use the embossed sheet I had, and I already had all my purple stuff still out!

4 comments:

  1. Hi . just wanted to let you know, that I don't have bowel cancer. It was that the walls of some veins had thinned, and blood was seeping out (probably for quite a few years, and caused by my hiatus hernia sending abnormal spasms through my colon). Anyway, I was under sedation and the doc decided to put me right under, and fix things there and then (otherwise it would mean going through the fasting and other nasty side effects again). Anyway, I'm all fixed now, and on iron tablets to cure my acute anaemia. Back to the hospital again today and I've been discharged from the skin cancer unit too. Just got the Healthy Heart Clinic tomorrow, then flu jab Thursday. Had one last year, and had flu start 2 days before Christmas and it lingered for 2 months. Any way I know you'll be pleased about my news, because you have a generous heart, but strangely enough, when they told me I didn't have cancer, I felt strangely bereft, almost as though I'd been cheated out of something. I know that sounds weird, but I'd been preparing for the worst, and then it seemed like an anti-climax I know you will understand. I hope your treatment continues to go well, and we'll all be relieved when you finish your last lot of chemo. (But not half as relieved as you) Thank you so much for your blog. It made me feel optimistic even if it had been bad news. You probably don't know how many people that you have helped. But, believe me, you have. Thank you again for your honesty and candour It takes a very special person to do that. Blessings

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    Replies
    1. Lesley, I am indeed very, very glad to hear you haven't got cancer, and that they have been sorting the problem for you. I don't think those awaiting a diagnosis can possibly understand the disappointment when we are told we HAVEN'T got something - we desperately need a label, and something to hang onto that they can deal with! I do understand how you feel.

      Thank you for your very kind words. I do so want this experience of mine to benefit others in any way possible, and all I can do is be honest and tell it like it is, and try and encourage people! My reduced dose is certainly helping today - I have felt a lot better and haven't slept at all today, despite feeling weak and exhausted and shaky but soooo much better than before! It is a delight to be well enough to do some art, and have a couple of short stints in the studio, and drawing all evening on the recliner!

      Shoshi

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  2. Busy hands have no time to dwell on pain. That is one of the reasons that I stay busy . . . when I sit around doing nothing I start feeling all the pain from my past injuries. I guess it is a mind over matter thing :)
    Keep Smiling and keep enjoying making your lovely artful cards.
    Connie :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Shoshi, this card is GORGEOUS!! There's something about inked embossing isn't there? Soon, I will be doing some papers myself as they are great to have on hand for lots of projects.

    ReplyDelete

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