Sunday 29 September 2013

3D Cards: The Zig-Zag

My second 3D card was also a well done card but this time it was for my sister on receiving her GSCE results.

I used the same blog as last time for my inspiration although this time I opted for a zig zag card. I started with a sheet of pink cardstock which, after scoring and cutting in the appropriate places, I decorated with paper from the Retro Rose range by Llewelyn Bowen (ones I have used before and plan on using again and again.)

I also decorated the card with acetate butterflies and flowers, keeping with the colour scheme of pink, green and yellow. I added a bit of sparkle in the way of peel off flowers before handwriting the sentiment in a retro font.

I really liked the way the paper was already shaped at the edges; it made for an interesting border to the card. 

The written message for the card, you can probably just about make it out in the photo, went on the back panel of the card so that when it was closed, it was hidden behind the sentiment. Making 3D cards, I've realised, gives more scope for design by allowing you to create a new level. I not only have to think about what the card looks like on the front but also when it is closed - just out of the envelope - and when it is open - stood up on display. I wanted the butterflies to stand out a bit and in order to do that, I had to make sure that while they weren't sticking out too much that the card didn't fit in the envelope, they weren't hidden by the panel in front when the card was closed. It was a similar situation with the peel offs in that I didn't want to see them when the card was closed (this meant I had to do a bit of re shuffling)

Overall, I think this one was simpler than my previous one but that doesn't mean that it didn't have it's own design challenges!

Saturday 14 September 2013

3D Cards: The Next Dimension

Those of you who read my last post (yes it was a month ago - sorry), you would have seen I had started dabbling in 3D cards, beginning with my easel card. Since then, I have made four more cards, using different techniques and over the next few posts, I'm going to be writing about them.

But before I go any further, credit where credit is due, I came across a great blog with tutorials for all sorts of 3D cards so if anyone is looking for some ideas, I recommend that you take a look over at Beccy's Place.

My first card was briefly mentioned in my previous post but I couldn't say any more at the time as it was going to be for my brother on receiving his A level results and getting into university, which he hadn't at the time and I didn't want to jinx it (he did really really well and is moving into his halls at Birmingham University next weekend).


I should probably explain that he is off to study music and mathematics, which explains the music notes and the numbers. This card needed tutorials from Youtube but it is very similar to the Diamond Fold Card on the aforementioned blog. 
The colours are the colours of the university and I used music patterned vellum to decorate the base. The dog stamp was from my magazine (where the original inspiration came from) and I used gold and blue stars to finish it off. I decided to go really over the top and I used wire to have springy notes, stars and numbers at the top of the card. The stamped sentiment needed my sister's opinion but felt it was appropriate for someone who is about to take their step out into the (semi-)real world. The idea was that as well as being a 'well done in your exams' card, it would also be a 'good luck at uni' card and would be something that he could take with him to put on his book shelf or desk.
You may be wondering where the message goes on a card like this? Well, it's not shown in these pictures but it is on the back of the card. The whole thing folds flat, allowing it to go into a normal envelope. A couple of things I would say, and I think I pushed this one to the limit, is make sure the folds are crisp in order for it to stand up and to make sure not to overload the diamond, again, for it to stand up. Too much weight, or not distributed enough, will stop it from standing up straight but this is something that is better shown than explained - a bit of experimentation is needed.