SKILL LEVEL
Moderate
Create in an afternoon
YOU WILL NEED

GENERAL MATERIALS

  • Craft knife and cutting mat
  • Silver craft wire in 24 gauge
  • Needle-nosed pliers
  • Fiskars ShapeBoss and creative sampler template
  • Purple chalk applicator
  • Fixative Spray
  • Thin pearlescent silver or grey card
  • Tulip 3D Sticky foam pads
  • Tacky glue
  • All-pupose glue
  • Double-sided tape

ALPHA-BEADED BIRTHDAY

  • A5 pearlescent lavender card. blank
  • Purple and white card
  • Hole punch
  • Small round alphabet beads
  • Silver sede beads (3mm)
  • Computer and printer (optional)
  • Black craft wire
  • Small flore punch

DAZZLING DRAGONFLY

  • A5 white textured card blank
  • Purple and lavender card
  • The plastic stalk from a cotton bud
  • Round silver bead (5mm)
  • Small flower punch

BUTTON FLOWER POWER

  • A5 lavender card. blank
  • Pink paper ribbon
  • Striped purple paper
  • Textured purple card
  • Large flower punch
  • Pink button
  • Silver thread
  • Black gel pen
  • Small silver bead
  • Xyron machine (optional)

THINKING OF YOU

  • A5 pearlescent lavender card blank
  • Lilac parcamente paper
  • Large round silver sequin (24mm)
  • Bright pink ribbon
  • Pink paper
  • Clear vellum
  • Small folk heart punch
  • Computer and printer (optional)
 
ALPHA-BEADED BIRTHDAY
 
1 Emboss a row of small squares on the top and bottom of the lavender card blank using the Fiskars ShapeBoss. Apply a small dot of silver 3D paint in the middle of every square.
 
2 While the card blank is drying, tear a 9cm x 4.5cm (31⁄2in. x 13⁄4in.) rectangle from the purple card. Cut a 20cm (8in.) length of black craft wire and thread on the word ‘Birthday’, from the Alphabet beads interspersed with silver beads.
 
3 Bend the wire into a crescent and lay it in position on the purple card so that you can mark out and punch the two holes at either end.
 
4 Thread the wire through the holes and back onto the front of the card. Bend the ends into pleasing shapes with the pliers before cutting off any excess wire.
 
TIP
If you don’t want the alphabet beads to move around, dab a spot of tacky glue behind each letter with a toothpick and stick them to the purple card.
 
5 Using your computer and the white card, print out the characters to spell ‘happy’ in letters about 1cm (1⁄2in.) tall. Tear out each letter and colour the edges of the torn card with purple chalk; spray the letters with fixative to prevent the chalk smudging. You can now glue the letters to the purple card using the 3D foam pads.
 
TIP
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can use rubber-stamped or sticker letters instead.
 
6 Punch a small flower from the thin silver card and, after attaching it to the purple card using a small 3D foam pad, apply a dot of silver 3D paint to the centre of the flower. Finally, glue the completed purple rectangle to the card at a rakish angle using more 3D sticky pads.
 
DAZZLING DRAGONFLY
 
1 Mark out a rectangle 7cm x 14cm (23⁄4in. x 51⁄2in.) on the lavender card, cut along three sides and tear along the remaining long side. Attach the lavender strip to the left-hand side of the folded card blank using double-sided tape.
 
2 Now use the same technique to cut and tear a narrow strip of purple card 14cm (51⁄2in.) long and use the tape to fix it on top of the lavender card.
 
3 Tear a 4.5cm (13⁄4in.) square out of the silver card, a slightly smaller square out of the purple card, and then layer the two pieces onto the card blank.
 
4 The dragonfly is made from two separate pieces of silver craft wire, use the template below as a guide. The first piece is 25cm (10in.) long and bent into two elongated figure-of-eight shapes to form the wings. When you do this, you’ll find that it’s easiest to start in the middle of the wire and make one figure-of-eight out of each half. This way, you’ll end up with equal lengths of wire left over, which you can wrap around the centre of the wings before threading them through the large silver bead and curling them with a pair of pliers to form the antennae.
 
5 The spiral-shaped body is made by wrapping a length of wire around the stalk of a cotton bud (or a similarly thin former). This is attached to the wings by wrapping the end of the wire securely around the centre of the wings. Trim off any excess wire when you’ve finished.
 
6 Glue the wire dragonfly in place with tacky glue, then punch out three small flowers from the thin silver card and glue them to the front of the card before applying a dab of Silver 3D paint to the centre of each.
 
 
BUTTON FLOWER POWER
 
1 Cut a 14.8cm x 5cm (6in. x 2in.) rectangle to fit the width of your card from the striped purple paper and attach it to the bottom of the lavender card blank with double-sided tape or a Xyronmachine.
 
2 Next, cut a length of pink paper ribbon about 15.5cm (61⁄4in.) long. Open the ribbon up, cut it to the desired width and then scrunch it into shape. The ribbon’s then glued to the card along the edge of the striped paper so that its ends overlap the edges of the card. When the glue’s completely dry, trim the edges of the ribbon flush with the card.
 
3 Punch a large flower from the textured purple card. Draw around its edges with a black gel pen. Thread some silver thread through the holes of the pink button, tie in a knot and glue to the centre of the flower. Attach to the card with 3D foam pads.
 
4 Make a smaller dragonfly using the same method as in the Dazzling Dragonfly card. Instead of coiling the wire for the tail, it is easier to bend a length of wire in half and twist it until you’ve achieved the desired length. Again, attach the body by wrapping the ends of the wire around the centre of the wings and trim off any excess wire.
 
5 Finally, glue the dragonfly to the card using tacky glue. Draw a dotted line from the flower to the dragonfly with the black gel pen.
 
OTHER IDEA
Create different effects by replacing the stripy paper with some of the wonderful patterned papers that you’ll find in most local scrapbooking shops.
 
THINKING OF YOU
 
1 Turn the folded card blank to a landscape format and use the Fiskars ShapeBoss to emboss a line of small circles about 3cm (11⁄4in.) from the bottom edge.
 
2 Mark out a 2.5cm x 3cm (1in. x 11⁄4in.) rectangle in the middle of the card, about 1.5cm (3⁄4in.) down from the top edge, and cut out using a sharp craft knife.
 
3 To cover the cut-out, mark out a rectangle 3cm x 4cm (11⁄4in. x 11⁄2in.) on the vellum, cut the two long edges and tear the top and bottom edges. Attach it to the card using thin double-sided tape.
 
4 Now cut a strip of pink paper 12mm (3⁄8in.) wide and attach to the middle of the large sequin with double-sided tape. Make sure the hole in the sequin is at the top (see photos). Trim the paper back to the edge of the sequin. Wrap a piece of pink ribbon around the paper, securing the ends to the back of the sequin with a small piece of sticky tape.
 
5 Punch a heart out of the thin silver card, attach it to the middle of the sequin with a 3D foam pad. Apply a small dot of Tulip paint to the ribbon on either side of the heart.
 
6 To finish sequin, thread a length of silver craft wire through the hole in the sequin, twist the wire together and bend the ends into shape with pliers. Attach the sequin to the centre of the vellum with a 3D foam pad and glue the wire down onto the card with a small dab of tacky glue.
 
OTHER IDEA
Instead of buying a sequin, can achieve a similar effect by punching a medium circle out of silver card.
 
7 Print or write your message, or attach a peel-off greeting to the lilac parchment. Then cut out the message to form a strip of paper with a torn bottom edge. Chalk the top and bottom edges of the strip, spray with fixative, and attach it to the card with double-sided tape.
 
TIP
If you’re using a computer to print your message, why not use a heart dingbat or a suitable picture to punctuate the wording, then colour in the symbol with a felt tip pen.
 
 
 
SUPPLIERS
  • Beads, including Alphabet beads, and silver craft wire are available from GJ Beads. Tel: 01736 793886 or visit www.gjbeads.co.uk.
  • The 24mm silver sequin (product no.SS3) is available from Creative Beadcraft. Tel: 01494 778818 or visit online at www.creativebeadcraft.co.uk.
  • Black craft wire is available from MadaboutCards. Tel: 01702 217617 or visit www.madaboutcards.com.
  • Pink paper ribbon and lilac parchment paper is available from Paperchase (see www.paperchase.co.uk to find your nearest store).
  • All the other materials used in these projects are available from good craft and stationery stores.