3 Ideas For A Really Special Card!

Wow, this card turned out so much better than I had expected! To be honest, I really wasn’t interested in the mason jar. But then, I started playing around with it with vellum and, I’ve fallen in love with it. Then, the soft look of the mason jar helped to establish the theme of the card.

To make it, we’ll begin by die-cutting the mason jar twice from vellum, one from pearlescent vellum and one from regular vellum. Next, we’ll use a blue watercolor brush marker to add water to the jar. For example, we’ll draw a shallow oval line about two-thirds from the bottom of the jar cut from the top side of the pearlescent vellum. And then, we’ll draw a shallow oval dipping from the top of the jar at the same position in the jar and coloring in the bottom of the jar on the back side of the regular vellum jar.

At this point, we’ll create lavender. You can follow along with Susan’s video, Mason Jar & Lavender with Susan|Victorian Garden, to do so. But for this card, we’ll use two tones of purple cardstock instead of coloring the cardstock for the flower petals.

Card Front For the Lavender Card, one of the 3 Ideas For A Really Special Card

This is a slimline card (3 1/2″ x 8 1/2″), so we’ll create a card base by trimming a piece of heavy white cardstock to 7″ x 8 1/2″ and score it at 3 1/2″ across the 7″ side. And then, we’ll fold it along the score line and burnish it with a bone folder.

We can do this next step either directly on the card front, or on a white slimline size card panel. We’re creating a frame for our image. Beginning with the darker green alcohol marker, brush a line of color all the way around the edge of the card panel. Then, follow that with several brushes with lighter green on each side. HINT: you can determine how thick you want the frame to be by using the mason jar to gauge the distance.

Next, we’ll create a tabletop for the jar to sit on. We’ll lightly apply a brown mini-cube directly to the card panel. HINT: we want the table top to look kind of like a shadow, so we’ll only apply it to the center of the panel widthwise as opposed to clear across it. And then, we’ll use a tan marker to smooth it. And, it’s ok if we go over the frame edges.

Finishing and Assembly of the Lavender Card, one of the 3 Ideas for a Really Special Card

All that is left is to put this card together. First, we’ll attach the card panel to the card base using a tape runner. Next, we’ll use double-sided adhesive on the back of the pearlescent mason jar. And then, we’ll place the jar on the card front where there is plenty of room for the lavender, and so that it looks like it is sitting on the table. Once we’ve decided on the location for the jar, then we’ll burnish it onto the card front so that it attaches well.

Now, we’ll shape the vellum mason jar a little by using the medium ball flower molding tool. We’ll just rub it on the back side of the jar along the two sides and across the neck of the jar. This will give some dimension to the jar.

And then, we’ll use our fingers to bend the jar to give it just a little more dimension. Now, we’ll sparingly add liquid glue around the entire outside edge of the jar, making sure to leave keep the top open with enough room to slip the flowers in. It is helpful to slide something thin, like a wood skewer, in through the top of the jar to hold it up while you fasten down the sides.

Assembly

To finish off the card we’ll add a little dab of flower-making glue to all of the stems of the lavender sprigs but the one that will be on the top and then slide them into the jar. We’ll add tiny pieces of foam tape to the back of each lavender sprig that is on the top and then we’ll add some liquid glue over the adhesive (after you remove the backing paper). This will assist in sliding the last piece in on top of the others inside the jar.

Using your fingers, lightly bend the die-cut sentiment to help with creating the image of a cylindrical jar. And then attach it to the jar using glue dots.

And that is it. I love the muted tones of this card. It is so peaceful!

Supplies

• Cardstock:  Card base – Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White;  Card panel – Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White;  Vellum – Spellbinders Vellum;  Pearlescent Vellum – Lawn Fawn
• Dies: Spellbinders Mason Jar and Lavender From The Victorian Garden Collection from Susan Tierney-Cockburn (no longer available)
• Watercolor Brush – Arteza Spearmint Blue
• Alcohol Markers – OLO YG 8.3, 8.5;  Copic E33
• Ink:  Distress Ink Gathered Twigs
• Score Board – Score-pal 1/8ths
• Foil: Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Roll-Teal
• Hot Foil Machine: Glimmer Hot Foil System
• Adhesives: Tape Runner – Spellbinders Tape Runner; Liquid Glue – Bearly Art Glue; Flower Making Glue – Beacon Kids Choice Glue!; Glue Dots -Journey Glue Dots; Double-sided adhesive sheets – Spellbinders White Liner Sheets
• Glue Pot: Sili Glue Pod
• Flower-Making Tools: Susan’s Garden Ultimate Tool Kit
• Sprayer: Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer
• Die-cutting and Embossing Machine: Spellbinders Platinum 6

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