Birthday Card Using a Paper Napkin and Metallic Elements

Hello everyone!
Today I am sharing my second post for June and this time, I have a birthday card to share which uses a paper napkin and some metallic embellishments, including one of the birdcages from this post.

 

Introduction and Card Front

This seems to be the busy time of the year for birthdays and so here is my first birthday card of the season.  This one is made using a paper napkin. To use a napkin, separate the top layer from any of the other layers, usually one or two.

Then cut out the part of the napkin you want to use.  I want to use the design on one quarter of the napkin, which measures 6 x 6 inches.

Adhere the napkin to a piece of 6 x 6 inch card using matte gel medium.  The napkin is very fragile and easily tearable so the best way to do this is to cover the card with matte gel medium then carefully place the napkin on the top.  Then to help smooth out the creases without tearing the napkin, place some tin foil or cling film over the top and smooth out the napkin with your fingers.  If you do it this way, you will get a much smoother result.

Make the card base

As the card front is 6 x 6 inches, to make the card base, cut a piece of card that measures 6 x 12 inches.

Fold the card in half along the short side, then using a bone folder, crease the fold.  

Glue the card front to the card base using PVA.

Gold Metallic Elements

As the napkin has a bird on it, I thought I would use one of the birdcage chipboards I heat embossed in this post.  Then to accompany it, I die cut a happy birthday sentiment and heat embossed it with the same embossing powder.

Using tweezers, apply glue to the back of the happy birthday words including the tiny dot above the "i".

At this point, the birdcage can be simply glued to the front of the card but I thought the recipient might want to use the birdcage.  The birdcage is gold embossed on both sides so it could be used as a bookmark or something similar.

Using gold thread, thread the birdcage through and then tie the gold thread around the card front.

Tie the thread on the inside of the card.  Note:  this could be done around the card front instead, before attaching the card front to the card base.  That way the thread would be hidden in between the layers, but I wanted the recipient to be able to remove it easily if they wanted to.

On the outside, the birdcage can be slid up and down the front of the card.

Finishing Touches

I added some gold paint splatters to the front of the card

I edged the card with gold texture paste as a finishing touch.

And that's the finished card ready for posting!

I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial.  Let me know in the comments.

Elle
Empire of the Cat

Project Recipe:

Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set D69C
white card, paper napkin, previously heat embossed birdcage, gold embossing powder, embossing ink, die cut happy birthday words, gold thread, gold paint, gold texture paste, white glue,

Make a Rainbow Background Card

 Hello everyone! 

Today I have my first GSL DT post for June and this time I have this rainbow-coloured card to share with you.

Introduction

For this card I wanted a bright rainbow background and also to use some of the metallic embellishments I made a few weeks ago in this post. I cut a piece of watercolour paper 6 x 8.5 inches - the width is necessary to accommodate the width of the chevron words.

I used these Mijello Mission Gold watercolour samples to make this rainbow background.

I started with the magenta, then yellow and then used the magenta and yellow together to make orange.  Next I added the green, then the blue samples, and for the violet part of the rainbow, used the same blue and the magenta together. 

Make the card base

To make the card base, a piece of card measuring 12 x 8.5 inches is needed.  I do have 12 x 12 inch white card but since this card was so colourful, I wanted to use yellow card which is in the standard 8.5 x 11 inch size.  So the card base had to be made from two pieces, but if you have 12 x 12 inch card, just make a card base as normal.  If you need to make it in from two pieces, here's how:  cut one piece the same size as the card front - 6 x 8.5 inches - and one piece that is 0.25 inch wider - 6.25 x 8.5 inches.

Score the card at the quarter inch mark and then run some white glue down the score mark and glue the front to the back.

Make sure to glue the overlap on the outside as this will hide it when the card front is in place and you won't see it in the inside.

Gold Splatters Card Front

Add some gold metallic ink splatters to the card front and some gold ink around the card edges.

Once everything is dry on the front, add some PVA to the back of the watercolour paper and adhere to the card base.

Adding the Sentiment

Using a pencil, mark the centre of the card to make it easier to line up the chipboard words.

Mark where you want the chipboard words to go, spaced evenly down the card front.

Mark out some pencil lines to help keep the handwriting straight, then in waterproof pen, write the words to go in between the chipboard words to make the overall sentiment.  When the ink is dry, remove all the pencil lines.

Glue the chipboard words in place using PVA glue and the card is finished!

I hope this project inspires you to make your own rainbow card. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Elle
Empire of the Cat

Project Recipe:

Chevron Words
watercolour paper, watercolour paint in rainbow colours, gold acrylic ink, black waterproof pen, card base, gold embossing powder, embossing ink,

Make a Galaxy Background Card

Hello everyone,
Today I have my second GSL DT post for April and this time, I have a card featuring a galaxy background and some heat embossed elements that could be used as a birthday card or encouragement card.

Galaxy Background

Cut a piece of watercolour paper measuring 5.5 x 8.5 inches.  Start the design by drawing in some zodiac constellations.  You can find a chart of all zodiac constellations here.

For this card, I used Taurus, Gemini and Cancer and drew them in with a wax pencil.  You can also use a wax crayon instead.  If you don't want specific star signs, you could draw random patterns or you could draw one big one using the star sign of the card recipient.

For my galaxy background I started off with this lovely turquoise colour, but you could use blues, purples, greens etc.

Then I added in some purples and payne's grey around the outside.  Black could be used instead of payne's grey.

Keep adding paint and layers, drying in between until you are happy with how it looks.  For an extra pop of colour I added this bright green in the centre along with some magenta.  

Adding star details

Once the watercolour background is dry, I added some white acrylic paint splatters to represent stars of various sizes.

Use a stiff bristle brush and flick the paint to add a fine spray and then splatter some bigger drops.

For added interest add some gold metallic ink splatter to the background.  If your constellations aren't bright enough you can draw over them again with the same wax pencil/crayon.

 

Chipboard Embellishments

For the sentiment I used this Smile curly word chipboard but I cut it in half to fit on the card front, then gave it a coat of white gesso.

 

Once the gesso was dry, I used some white embossing powder to heat emboss the word and the curly tail.

I also used these gold stars that were already altered in this post and glued them into place using PVA glue.

To make the card base, use one piece of 8.5 x 11 inch card, fold it in half along the short side, and adhere the card front to it and that's the card completed.  If you want any further embellishments, draw some little star/asterisks on with white pen. as shown below.

Hope you enjoyed this post.  Till next time, 

Elle
Empire of the Cat

Project Recipe:

Smile curly word D147E
Deco Stars D88S
watercolour paper, watercolour paint, acrylic paint, acrylic ink, white wax pencil or crayon, card base, white embossing powder, embossing ink, white gesso

"Best Fishes" step card

Hello there friends! It's Lynne here today with a birthday card I made for my uncle, who turned 86 this past week. He has always been into fishing, hunting, and all that "guy" stuff, so I knew he'd get a kick out of a card made with these fun chipboard pieces!

I made the side step card by altering a template I found online to suit the size of the chippies; I started with a 7"x 10" piece of cardstock, and the dimensions are marked for you in the photo. Should you prefer to make a different sized card, there are lots of templates online; I just Googled side step card directions.

I painted the silhouette pieces black, then misted them with Tattered Angels glimmer mist in "It's Black" to add a bit of a subtle sparkle. I attached a piece of grey paper behind the boat so the details would still stand out.

The water was punched with a Fiskars border punch, then inked in a deeper blue along the edges. I layered them on the front for dimension, not gluing the upper edges down. I added a strip to each of the other steps as well, and tucked the fisherman behind the one on the second step

A piece of light orange paper was misted with yellows and oranges, then cut into a rounded sunset background. I mounted this onto black cardstock so it would stand out more.
I drew and cut out a couple black fish like the one on the line, and added them here and there on the card.

I added a couple dots of hot glue to hold the fishing line in place, but didn't glue it down flat. The title piece was painted light blue, then inked with the same ink I used on the punched water strips.

This photo shows the dimensional aspect of the card a little better.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my card and directions; I'd love to see how you might use this fun shape set By the way, my uncle LOVED his card-he said it was a "piece of art" and that he would keep it displayed for a long time...that made my day! Wishing you a lovely week; it's Canadian Thanksgiving and I'm thankful for all you great craft-lovers who I've had the opportunity to share my creations with-hugs! xxoo