SB Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 1 Balloon
December 1, 2024
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Creating personalized greeting cards is a wonderful way to show your loved ones how much you care. Whether you’re a seasoned cardmaker or a DIY enthusiast, this guide will walk you through making a charming “Hello Friend” card. Let’s get started on this delightful project!
First, let’s gather the materials we need to make it.
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This card combines several crafting techniques to produce a stunning result that your friends will treasure. From creating a wax seal to hot-foiling sentiments, each step adds a unique touch to your card. Follow along to discover how you can make your own “Hello Friend” card.
Step 1: Make the Hello Friend Card Base
- Cut the Cardstock: Start by cutting your white cardstock to size. Typically, an A2 card size (4.25″ x 5.5″) works well. Go to How To Make A Card Base for tips on making a card base
- Score and Fold: Score the cardstock at the halfway point (4.25″ if using an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet)
Go to How To Make A Card Base for a thorough guide on making a card base
Step 2: Make the Wax Seal
- Melt the Wax: Using a wax seal kit, melt the wax over a heat source until it’s fully liquid.
- Pour the Wax: Carefully pour the melted wax onto a non-stick surface or directly onto the card if you’re confident in your placement.
- Press the Seal: Quickly press the seal into the wax and hold it there for a few seconds until the wax hardens. Lift the seal to reveal your beautiful wax impression.
Go To How To Create A Wax Seal for a thorough guide on how to make wax seasls.
Step 3: Create the Hello Friend Background
- Add Ink To Embossing Folder: Holding the mustard seed ink pad, rub it on the inside of the embossing folder all over the side that the designs protrude up.
- Emboss The Background: Spellbinders’ 3D embossing folders are big enough to emboss a half sheet of cardstock (5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″) at one time. And, that is just what we’re going to do. Place a half sheet of snowdrift cardstock in the embossing folder and run it through your die-cutting and embossing machine.
Step 4: Hot Foil the Sentiments
- Prepare the Foil Machine: Set up your hot foil machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Position the Press Plates: Once the foil machine is ready place the sentiment press plates on the base to heat up.
- Position the Foil: Place the foil, shiny side facing the plates, and lay an A2 size teal topaz card panel on top.
- Apply Heat and Pressure: Create the hot foil sandwich recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions. And then run it through your die-cutting and embossing machine.
- Peel Off the Foil: Once cooled, carefully peel off the foil to reveal your beautifully foiled sentiment.
Go to Hot Foiling: A Guide For Cardmakers for tips and tricks on how to achieve high quality hot foiling results.
Step 5: Do the Die-Cutting
- Cut the Shapes: Use the sentiments as a guide for die-cutting the sentiments. Then, cut two of the smallest label shapes out of snowdrift cardstock and two of the next size up from teal topaz.
- Adhere: Fasten the sentiments to their shadows and the smaller tags centered on the larger ones using liquid glue.
Step 6: Final Touches For The Hello Card
- Trim: Cut the embossed background panel in half. Then trim on of the panels to 4″ x 5 1/4″. Or, you can use a rectangle die like the second largest one in Spellbinders Precision Layering A2 die set. As a result of using the die, you will ensure that the panel will be square. Set the remaining panel aside for the next step.
- Twine: Cut a piece of white twine about 12″ long and run it through the holes of both tags. Then, tie a bow.
- Fasten: Attach the background panel centered on the card front using a tape runner. Then, trim the tiny sentiments with a paper trimmer and fasten them to one of the tags with liquid glue. Finally, use an adhesive circle to add the wax seal to the remaining tag. To finish the card, arrange the sentiments and tags on the card and use liquid glue and foam squares for a little dimension
- Check for Completeness: Ensure all elements are securely attached and the card looks polished.
Step 7: Make Another Card
- Make A Card Base: Make a white A2 size (4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) card base.
- Trim: Trim the remaining background panel to 4″ x 5 1/4″. Again, you can use a rectangle die to die-cut it instead.
- Hot Foil: Select the glimmer plate sentiment that you want to use and foil it on indigo cardstock with gold foil.
- Fasten: Attach the background panel centered on the card front using a foam sheet to give it some dimension. Then, trim the tiny sentiment with a paper trimmer and fasten it to the card front with foam squares for a little more dimension
- Check for Completeness: Ensure all elements are securely attached and the card looks polished.
Congratulations! You’ve completed your not one, but two summery cards. Now it’s time to share your creations. Snap a photo and post it on social media with the hashtag #HelloFriendCard or#SummeryCards#. Don’t forget to tag us—we’d love to see your beautiful work!
Feel free to experiment with colors, textures, and techniques to make each card uniquely yours. Happy crafting!
The Hello Friend Card celebrates the new release of Spellbinder’s Monthly club kits. Go to Spellbinders’ June 2024 Club Kits for more cards using products from the new kits.
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ABOUT AUTHOR
Teri Duncan
Teri has over 30 years of experience as a cardmaker. Her work has appeared in Spellbinders Paper Arts’ blog as well as with some of their products and on Altenew’s blog. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, stained glass, and teaching. She and her husband live in Crystal River, Florida with their three dogs and a cat.
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