How To Make Gifts Using Cardmaking Techniques

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Learn how to make gifts using cardmaking techniques with step-by-step instructions and links to supplies, and, supplies for 5 gift tags too.

Gifts Using Cardmaking Technique #1 – Planet Trading Cards

What 8 or 9 year old doesn't love cards to play with? I made these trading cards for my nephew who plans to be an astronaut one day. Each card has a planet, an astronaut, or something related to space on it.

The inspiration for these cards comes from ink blending to create a galaxy background. Examples and instructions on how to do so can be found in the following articles:

How to Rock an Out Of This World Card.
How To Make Handmade Cards Using Ink Blending Techniques. The galaxy card in this artcle was featured in the August issue of Altenew's blog.

Making the Cards

To make the cards we start with cutting the craft board into 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ cards. And then we'll round off the corners with a corner chomper.

Next, we'll stamp the planets, spaceships, sun, comet, and astronaut onto the cards. Then we'll stamp them again on making paper. We'll do this because we're going to mask off each of these images to keep them white when we're ink blending the backgrounds.

Make It Personal

Just for fun, we'll add the child's name to the back of each card in black ink. We'll do this using an alphabet stamp set. And below the name, we'll stamp “astronaut” in the blue lagoon ink. And finally, we'll draw a swirly line between the name and the title with an orange glitter gel pen.

Now we fussy cut out the masks and adhere to their matching images that have been stamped onto the cards. Then we'll use the techniques described in the articles mentioned above to create the galaxy backgrounds.

Adding Some Education

Kids get so many toys these days so I always try to get something that my nephew likes but that is also educational. I decided to leave the coloring of the planets for him to do. And I also thought it would be fun for him to figure out or research the names were for each of the planets. So after heat embossing the plant names in gold on black cardstock, I cut them out and add a piece of double-sided tape adhesive to the back of each and then put them all in a little plastic bag for him to attach.

Box Assembly

A detailed drawing illustrating the measurements of a box for gifts.

To make the box I use a design (see photo above) that would accommodate 1/8″ extra on each side of the cards (including the stack of cards). Then I create the box cutting along the solid lines and folding along the scored lines.

Once all the cuts are made and I fold the cardstock along all the score lines then I can fasten it together. I'll use liquid glue to fasten the long flap to the side of the box. Hint: hold it together until the glue sets. Then fold in the side tabs on the bottom and then the large tab and our box is ready for contents.

Supplies for Planet Trading Card Gifts

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Cardstock: Craft Board
Stamps: Altenew Space Travel; My Favorite Things Birdie Brown Alphabet & Numbers
Ink: Altenew Crisp Ink – Jet Black, Crimson, Midnight Violet, Maple Yellow, Ocean Waves, Arctic, Caribbean Sky, Persian Blue, Sapphire; Watermark – Versamark; Waterproof – Gina K Designs Amalgam Obsidian; Elements Blue Lagoon
Corner Chomper: We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile
Paints: Darice White Satin Acrylic; Altenew Metallic Watercolor
Masking Paper: Gina K Designs Masking Magic
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts Gold
Glitter gel pens: Kaiser color .6mm-orange
Adhesive: Bearly Art Glue

Gifts Using Cardmaking Technique #2 – Calendars

A set of colorful calendars on a wooden table, perfect for gifts.

This is a really cool project based on products from Taylored Expressions. You can buy the calendars printed for each month. And then they also have a stencil set, mini stamps to identify special dates for the person you are giving the calendar to, and then a month stamp and die set.

I ink blend over the stencils for all of the months except July and November. Hint: I use Gina K's mini blending brushes on these stencils because the images are so small and I used multiple colors.

I will use Altenew's embossing paste over the star stencil for the flag for July. Then I use a finger dauber to “paint” the colors over the stars. For November, I ink blend a background and then use direct ink to paper over the stencil with watermark ink. And then I sprinkle glitter embossing powder over the top and heat set the snowflakes making sure that all the powder is melted and smooth.

Labels for Each Month

Lastly, I use the month stamp with watermark ink on black cardstock. I use silver embossing powder this time and melt it with the heat tool. Once that is done I cut the months out using the coordinating die.

I use a dot runner to attach the months to the calendars. And there you have it we're done with our calendars.

Supplies

Cardstock Calendar: Taylored Expressions 5 x 7 Calendar; Gina K Designs Black Onyx
Stamp: Taylored Expressions It's a Date; Group Text – Months
Die: Taylored Expressions Group Text – Die
Stencil: Taylored Expressions Stencil Strips – Calendar
Ink: Altenew Crisp Ink; Watermark Ink – Versamark
Embossing Paste: Altenew
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts Silver; WOW Sparkling Snow
Adhesive: Gina K Designs Adhesive Dot Runner

Candy Cane Tag

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White; Gina K Designs Red Velvet
Stamp: Scrapbook and Cards Today
Multi media Ink – Gina K Designs Amalgam Obsidian
Alchohol Markers – Copic R24

Gift Card Tag

Patterned Paper
Stamp: My Favorite Things Giftable Greetings
Die: My Favorite Things Do-It-All Gift Tag Die-namics
Bakers Twine: Lawn Fawn Peppermint

Decorative Tag

Cardstock: Base – Crafters Companion 12 x 12 Luxury Mirror Card Pad – Coloured; Panel – Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White
Die: Tonic Studios Say It With Sentiments
Adhesive: Gina K Designs Adhesive Dot Runner

Gnome Tag

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White
Stamp and Die: Therm-O-Web and Gina K Designs Gnome For the Holidays
Ink: Gina K Designs Ink Red Velvet
Adhesive; Gina K Designs Adhesive Dot Runner

Reindeer Tag

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White
Stamp: Altenew Merry Reindeer
Ink: Gina K Designs Ink – Amalgam Obsidian; Altenew Crisp Ink – Crimson
Alchohol Markers – Copic R24

Links to Everyday Supplies

Glass Media Mat, Tim Holtz- The perfect work surface for doing just about everything.
Heat Tool, Wager – For heat embossing
Mini-Misti, Sweet Petunia- For perfect stamping
Large Blending Brushes – 4 pack, Gina K Designs – Wonderful brushes for perfect ink blending
Mini Blending Brushes – 4 pack, Gina K Designs – Work well on delicate designs
Blending Brush Caddy Stand, Gina K Designs – holds 10 blending brushes and when paired with the lazy susan listed below provides the perfect way to store as well as access your brushes quickly and easily and at your fingertips.
Set of 10 Blending Brushes and Caddy Stand, Gina K Designs
Lazy Susans for Blending Brush Stand
Water Media Mat , Waffle Flower– Perfect for blending. The mat holds your cardstock and your ink pad in place while working. Easy to clean
Gemini JR Electric Die Cutting Machine – This little workhorse makes die-cutting a breeze
Spellbinders Platinum 6 Manual Die Cutting Machine – The ultimate manual die-cutting machine
Mini Paper Trimmer
Stamp-n-Storage – Beautiful, well-made wood storage units for paper, ink, markers, punches
Stamp Conditioning Eraser, Altenew – used to condition brand new stamps
Stamp Shammy, Lawn Fawn – used to clean your stamps
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White A2 White Envelopes
Clear Cellophane Bags
Score Buddy Scoring Board, Scor-Pal
Bone Folder
Label Machine
12mm Label Tape
6mm Label Tape
Small Storage Pockets, Avery Elle
Large Storage Pockets, Avery Elle
Extra-Large Storage Pockets, Avery Elle
Stencil Pockets, Gina K Designs
Stamp-n-Storage Die Magnet Boards