Spellbinders Grand Labels One Birthday Card

I was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest found on Pam's Crafts blog mainly because it made use of the Spellbinders Grand Labels One and Memory Box Meso Background dies that I happen to have but haven't had the chance to use yet. It is a beautiful framed layered card. The Grand dies are quite large and I wondered about the actual size of the card which prompted me to send Pam an email which she responded to promptly much to my delight. I speculated that there were 2 Meso Background diecuts used on her card which were pieced together which she confirmed and the size of the frame of her card is a 7-inch square. Thank you so much again, Pam, for your very helpful information. Please check out Pam's blog linked here to see her beautiful cards and get inspired with her creative ideas.

As I mail most of my cards abroad, I needed to make this card smaller. The frame is a 6" square. To protect the 3D embellishments on the card, I made a matching box using the same Labels One die for the window on the box cover.

I made this card for my friends Celia, Beatriz and Maria.

My blog followers must be disappointed with my new craze for manual die cutting as I have not been able to share any free files with my recent cards. That's the beauty with manual die cutting, the diecuts from the metal dies are just so beautiful on their own that I don't need to spend hours of creating my own designs like I used to. The only thing that I do now is create the sentiments in the Silhouette Studio according to the exact measurement of the metal die used. All I need to do is a straight forward printing instead of the Print & Cut process in the Studio.

I know that I have a lot of blog followers who are also into manual die cutting so if you happen to have the dies used and would like the sentiments file, just shoot me an email and I'll send you the Studio file for free. Please note that I only share my free files with my listed blog followers.

Happy crafting!

Ligaya

Spellbinders Grand Labels One

Combination of 2 dies (skipped one size in between) for the framed
lattice layer

Combination of 2 dies (skipped one size in between), larger dies for the green frame

Meso Background die by Memory Box

Cut 2 pieces of die Meso Background die, split one into two and
glued the 1/2 piece with the whole piece to create a perfect square
to cover the full base of the card.

The base of the card is a simple 2-fold card covered
with a DCWV patterned paper

Rounded the corners to fit the frame

Layering: 1) 2-fold base of the card, 2) patterned paper, 3) lattice,
4) first frame with 3D foam tape

Topped with the 2nd frame (green)

Final top frame layer with 3D foam tape

Used the 3rd smallest die of the Spellbinders Labels 17 die for the sentiment

Created the green mat for the sentiment in Studio and cut with the Silhouette Cameo

Distressed the edges of the sentiment layer with 'Always Artichoke' 
ink pad by Stampin' Up  using my homemade sponge daubers

Eyelet for the ribbon slot on the sentiment tag using my
Crop-A -Dile Eyelet Punch Setter

Flowers by Memory Box - Small Luxe Poinsettia Outline and
the matching Small Luxe Poinsettia Background

Flowers distressed with Tim Holts Distress ink pad 'Milled Lavender'

Spellbinders 'Sprigs'

Flourish Swirl by Die-namics

Spellbinders Les Papillions One

Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags Two. The name was printed from the Studio
and cut with the Spellbinders tag die

Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags Two. The name was printed from the Studio 
and cut with the Spellbinders tag die

The decorative oval die from the Spellbinders Elegant Ovals set
was cut into 2 as pictured and trimmed on the sides and layered underneath
tag diecut for aa design variance.

Tim Holtz 'Victorian Velvet'  Distress Ink
using my DIY sponge dauber and Judikins Color Duster

Spellbinders Grand Labels One die used to cut the window for
the box cover

Perky Poppy die by Memory Box used on the box cover

Spellbinders 'Corners and Accents One' used on the box cover

Spellbinders 'Hibiscus Corner' used on the box cover

I always add reinforcement on the sides of the interior of the box
to make it sturdy for mailing

Homemade Blending Tools and Sponge Daubers

Here is another long overdue post, my DIY blending tools and sponge daubers, another great money saver. I found this You Tube tutorial making use of store bought wooden blocks. I went to a school supplies store to search for an alternative wood material and found the alphabet blocks which are actually perfect for the job and super cheap. The video made use of cosmetic sponges which I don't really like as the ink from the ink pad does not really get absorbed evenly which results in messy blending. I went to the furniture upholstery shop and found this nice thin foam which works perfectly. For efficient storage, I adhered a small piece of cardstock to easily identify the color used. I saw a small chess set right next to the alphabet blocks and got them as well and with a small round piece of foam adhered to the base, they work very well blending small areas. I used a double sided tape in adhering the foam to the wood which works very well instead of Velcro as shown on the video. These work just as efficiently, if not better, as the branded ones like the Tim Holtz Distress blending tools which I bought but found the handle not really that useful. I find it easier holding the sides of the block itself which gives me a better grip for a more efficient blending. 

Another nice blending tools are the sponge daubers. I use these a lot for distressing the edges of cut paper flowers and the edges of the card layers. I got a couple of packs by Tsukineko several years ago which cost about $5.00 for a pack of 3 daubers which I found quite expensive considering I needed a lot for the many colors of ink pads that I use. I eventually found a great video tutorial making use of a PVC pipe and even with the purchase of the PVC pipe cutter as shown on the video, the cost for making the DIY daubers is just a fraction of the cost of the store bought branded ones like the Tsukineko. I initially bought the PVC pipe but when I got home to try it, I found the the hole too tight for my index finger. I went back to the hardware store and found other options. I chose the hard plastic rubber that is used for making a garden hose with a diameter of 3/4". I bought one meter to try it first and it was perfect. One meter is only Php18.00 (about US$0.40) and with the 3 centimeter length for each dauber, I was able to make 30 pieces from the one-meter pipe. The price of the PVC pipe cutter was Php600.00 (about US$13.00). 

Happy crafting!

Ligaya

The TIm Hol

The selection of pipes at the hardware store

One meter garden hose pipe

Cut into 3 centimeters length

This was the first PVC pipe that I got which has a smaller diameter that was too tight for my finger. 

The PVC pipe cutter which cuts like butter.

Scraps of foam that I got from an upholstery supplies store

I trimmed down the edges for a better fit inside the tube

The finished DIY daubers, they just look like the branded store bought daubers.

Comparison of the diameter size between the PVC pipe and garden hose pipe

Found the perfect plastic container for my DIY sponge daubers

This is also a great giveaway to crafting friends