Example of an appliqué quilt.
Image used by permission.

House quilt by syko

Now here’s an example of a card decorated with paper appliqué.

One of the easiest ways to get started with paper appliqué is to use simple cutouts and paper punches. Here’s a simple Valentine made with a heart cutout. (The idea for this card comes from a card posted on Flickr by user Sinister Rules’: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinister_rules/3162693196/.)

Notice the stitching along the heart edge to mimic sewing. A fine tip black felt marker was used to make the stitches. To make this love letter, a few lines were drawn on the front of a white card blank to look like the back of an envelope. The side of the pencil was used for the shading under the flap lines. The heart was glued at the tip of the flap to seal the envelope.

Here’s another version of the love letter with a punched kiss used to seal the envelope. Punches are a very easy way to make appliqués for cards.

Here’s a Valentine with a stamped background and two appliqué hearts: The hearts are stitched with a faux blanket stitch and the card edges are smudged with coordinating paint.

Wrap-up
The students in the class have many appliqué patterns to use. These include fish, butterflies, flowers, hearts, apples and more. In the next post I’ll share some sample cards made with each and give more detailed instructions for creating paper appliqué cards.

If you make a paper appliqué card or have patterns to share, please let me know. I’m also interested in comments and suggestions.

Images of cards can be posted to the Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cardclass/

Feel free to share your favorite card technique.

In this sample a stenciled bookmark is attached to the card front with photo corners. The stenciling is done in two colors and the bookmark tie is a single strand of yarn, doubled and tied.

To make a stenciled bookmark for a card:

1. Cut a 1 1/4” to 1 3/4” wide strip of white or ivory cardstock that is about 1/2” shorter than the card. For a 4 1/4” by 5 1/2” card, the length is 5”. Cut a second identical strip for a two-sided bookmark,
2. For the bookmark base, cut a colored strip of cardstock that is 1/4” wider and longer than the white strip. For a 4 1/4” by 5 1/2” card, that’s a colored cardstock strip 2” by 5 1/4”.
3. Stencil the white strip(s) following the directions for stencilling in the Stenciled Card post.
4. Glue the white strip to the colored strip.
   
5. Optionally, add a string or yarn tie to the bookmark.
   • Punch a small hole near the top of the bookmark in the center.
   • Cut one to three strands of string or yarn about 12” long.
   • Double the string/yarn and push the loop through the punched hole.
   • Slip the tail through the loop and pull tight.
   • Braid or knot the string/yarn ends together.
6. Attach the bookmark to the card front using photo corners or corner slots. Photo corners are available in a variety of colors where photography or scrapbooking supplies are sold. Corner slots are made using a corner punch. The one we use is made by PaperShapers and is available online and at many stores.

This sample card has a bookmark attached using slots made by a slot punch. The tie is three strands of braided string. Also, cardstock sponged in orange tones is used for the bookmark base instead of colored cardstock.

Next week
In the next class cards are made using cut paper, sometimes called paper appliqué.

We have a large cabinet full of acrylic paints, so many of the card projects during the trimester take advantage of this resource. Some students really enjoy this creative freedom but others find the use of paints difficult.

The biggest challenge in using paints with stencils is getting a clear image without any smudges, blurs or bleeds. Here are some stenciling tips:

• To avoid blurs, use masking tape or repositionable spray to hold the stencil in place. (Masking tape can rip a card when being removed. To avoid this put the masking tape on your clothing first. This picks up some lint and reduces the stickiness of the tape.)
• To avoid smudges, cover any parts of the stencil not being used with masking tape. Cover exposed areas of the card with pieces of scrap paper or cardstock.
• Slightly dampen the sponge before loading it with paint.
• To avoid bleeding around the edges of the stencil, use as little paint as possible. To do this only use a few drops of paint and dab the sponge up and down several times in the small puddle. Next, test the paint on a scrap of paper by dabbing up and down a few times. The paint should be almost transparent on the first dab and grow darker as you dab more. If the paint doesn’t dry almost immediately, you are using too much.
• Dab straight up and down, no swirling, no pulling across like  a brush – just straight up and down. This will prevent paint bleeding under the edge of the stencil.

Here’s an example of a simple stenciled card featuring a fish stenciled in yellow paint on blue cardstock and rubberstamped sea grass accents.

The basic supplies needed to make a stenciled card like this one are a quarter-letter card blank, a stencil with a 2” image, colored cardstock, acrylic craft paint, a cosmetic sponge, a 4” to 6” plastic lid or tray, masking tape, and a damp paper towel. Here’s what to do (be sure to review the tips above):

1. Cut a 4” by 5 1/4” mat from green cardstock.
2. Cut a 3 1/4” square and two 1 1/2” by 1” rectangles from blue cardstock.
3. Cut a 2 1/4” square from scrap paper or cardstock.
4. Center the stencil image on the blue square and secure with masking tape.
5. Put a few drops of yellow paint on the plastic lid and load a dampened sponge with paint. Dab up and down on the stencil until the desired darkness and shading is reached. Remove the tape and remove the stencil by lifting straight up.
6. After the paint is dry, center the 2 1/4” square over the stenciled image. Secure it with a masking tape roll on the back of the square.
7. Create a border by dabbing the sponge along the edges. Remove the 2 1/4” square.
8. Stamp the images on the two small rectangles.
9. Assemble the card by gluing the stenciled image and stamped rectangles to the green mat , then gluing the mat to the card.

Wrap-up
We have many stencils available for the students in the class. The favorites are hearts, animals and flowers. Some stencils are best done in two or more colors and some lend themselves to colored pencils. In the next post I’ll explain how we make bookmarks and then add them as a decorative element on the card.

If you give this card a try, please let me know. I’m also interested in comments and suggestions.

Images of cards can be posted to the Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cardclass/

Feel free to share your favorite stencil card technique.

1. Use a stamp with a firm mount. Wood or acrylic mounted stamps are the easiest to handle and give consistently clear images time after time. Foam mounted stamps are less expensive but images are easily blurred. 
   The heart stamp used on this card is foam mounted. The corners below the hearts are the result of pressing the corners of this flexible stamp. Many people find these marks to be a charming part of rubberstamping, but others find them objectionable.
   
2. Be sure the stamp is fully inked. A stamp can be inked by either pressing it into a stamp pad or by dabbing the stamp pad on a stamp that is face up on the table. Test the stamp a time or two on scrap paper.
   Notice that some of the small butterflies on this card are only partial images. Careful inking of the stamp would have prevented this from happening.
   
3. Avoid rocking or shifting the stamp.  Stamp straight down onto the paper, press firmly and do not rock the stamp, then lift the stamp straight up. On foam stamps press in the center and avoid the corners and edges.
   On the heart card above there are black edges next to the puppies. This was caused by rocking the stamp.
   
4. Keep the rubberstamps clean. After each use “stamp out the stamp”, that is, make repeated stampings on scrap paper until no mark is visible. When you switch stamp pad colors, stamp on a folded damp paper towel to remove the last traces of the previous color and then “stamp out the stamp.”

When students in the class become frustrated with stamped images that are less than perfect, I remind them that most people won’t notice the imperfections unless they are pointed out. The most important thing is that the overall design of the card is pleasing and conveys the message intended.

 Next week
In the next class stencils are used to decorate cards and accompanying bookmarks.

The other options are to arrange four stamped images in a square and mat with a single large mat or four individual mats.

The materials needed to make these cards are a small (about 1”) rubberstamp, black ink pad, white cardstock or heavy paper, colored cardstock to use for matting and card blanks (8 1/2” by 5 1/2” white cardstock folded in half.) To make these simple 3 or 4 square rubberstamp cards:

1. In pencil, draw three or four 1 1/4” to 1 1/2” squares on a piece of white cardstock.
2. Stamp an image in the center of each square.
3. Cut-out the squares and erase pencil lines.
4. Enhance the stamped image using colored pencils.
5. Select cardstock for a mat that matches an accent or secondary color of the stamped image.
6. Cut one large square mat, 3 1/2” to 3 3/4”, one small mat for each stamped square, 1 1/2” to 1 3/4”, or one long mat, 2”by 5 1/2”.
7. Glue stamped squares to the mat, then glue the mat to the card.
8. Decorate the card with punches or paint dots, outline squares with colored pencil, cut decorative edge on card.
9. Add messages

Wrap-up
That’s what we are making at the card class this week. Usually by the third week many students are developing a personal style. It will be interesting to see what they do. I’ll keep you posted.

If you give this card a try, please let me know. I’m also interested in comments and suggestions.

Images of cards can be posted to the Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cardclass/

Feel free to share your favorite rubberstamp card technique.