SLIMLINE CARDS

 SLIMLINE CARDS

The following are screen shots from Jennifer McGuire's tutorial regarding Slimline cards. I have also included the link below to the tutorial. 

ENVELOPE DIMENSIONS:

Above is the size of slimline card that Jennifer McGuire typically uses. This is true for me, as well. The envelope pictured above is a standard #10 size. They are available in the standard design or with end flap. A 4" x 9"card will fit into this envelope.

The yellow envelope is a traditional size that can be used. This is referred to as a size 9 envelope. The card would be 3 5/8" by 8 5/8".  While a popular size for many, Jennifer and I both find the 4" x 9" measurements for the card easier and less cumbersome than one with the measurements in the image above. 

Next is the Mini- Slimline envelope  -  pictured here:

The mini slimline envelope pictured here is shown in comparison to the larger slimline envelopes. These can be purchased at office supply stores and Walmart and perhaps, Target in the US.

CARD DIMENSIONS:

Traditional slimline card dimensions:

The above card base is very popular. However, many find the 8th" dimensions challenging and create their card bases at 3.5" by 8.5". Jennifer and I, however,  round up to create 4" x 9" card bases, with a piece of card stock measuring 8" x 9" and scored at 4" It is pictured below.

Next is the popular size slimline card base. Many crafters use this size and many companies offer dies with these dimensions in mind. 

These will fit in a couple sizes o envelopes mentioned earlier.

Finally, here is a mini-slimline card. 

Here is the tutorial that Jennifer shared. She has others on You Tube as well. 

Slimline Cards - Jennifer McGuire

Slimline cards can be created vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape. Here are a couple of example. 

In my craft room, I have an extensive inventory of slimline dies for regular and mini cards. Pictured below is just a portion of the inventory!

In addition, I have slimline stamps and stencils.

One of the things I do at the beginning of a new year, is cut my Lang calendars up and use the images for backgrounds on some of my slimline cards. I have pictured one here: 

I added a simple Happy Birthday die sentiment.

So, if you need a change of pace from A2, A7, A9 or square or other shape cards, consider trying out slimline!

Check out my Pinterest Albums for some inspiration:

Slimline Cards by Others

Slimline Cards by Brenda

And check out Instagram:

A Small Gallery of Brenda's Slimline cards

Enjoy!

ONE EMBOSSING FOLDER - MANY TECHNIQUES

Using one embossing folder design with different techniques can yield very different and stunning results!

This is the Camelia Cluster embossing folder by Lisa Horton. It has coordinating layering stencils and a die.

In the next images of cards, inks were applied directly to the embossing folder, then a panel of card stock was placed into the folder and run through my Sizzix Big Shot. You can see card creations using the embossed and debossed designs:

Here is the inked debossed and embossed image with the image with no ink.

                                    This card was creating using the coordinating layering stencils:

The coordinating layering stencils were used here, too:

The ink smooshing technique was used in this card on a card stock panel and then embossed. 

Perfect Peals were utilized on this card after it was embossed. Versamark was lightly patted onto the raised design and then Perfect Pearls were brushed onto the panel. 

                                                       Foil card stock yields beautiful results. 

Reflective adhesive sheets create lovely cards when embossed.

                         Finally, alcohol inks on aluminum foil that has been embossed, yields this result:

Embossed colored vellum and acetate:

Holographic cardstock

There are other techniques one can use beyond what has been shared here. The sky is the limit!

WE CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS!

We celebrate birthdays in the Nook! 

Generally, we go out to a restaurant when there is a birthday or two in a particular month. The ladies contribute to the birthday person's meal and each presents the birthday person  with a handmade card. It is always fun to see the various creations of the ladies.

  

In January 2024, we had 6 birthdays to celebrate! So in lieu of going out to eat, we planned a "baked potato bar luncheon" for January 4. We had a special guest that day. On January 13, Rusty would celebrate her 100th birthday. Three of our ladies who have January birthdays could not make it to this event. Their cards will be delivered to them. Nina (who had a birthday on 1/2 and Brenda (me) who celebrates her birthday on 1/22 were able to attend. 

Rusty, Brenda and Nina

After crafting for a couple of hours, we had the birthday celebration.

        

                                            

                                                          

                            In the photo above, Nina, Rusty and Brenda's cards await being opened! 

                                                             The creations are displayed below:

Nina's cards from the ladies.

Rusty's cards from the ladies.

                                                               

                                                             Brenda's cards from the ladies.

I met Rusty when we lived in CA through a mutual friend. An accomplished artist working with watercolors and oils, Rusty in later years became a handmade card maker. Though legally blind, at 99 years of age, she continues to create cards using her peripheral vision. I frequently provide her with a collection of die cut outs and items created with paper punches that she can use to embellish her cards.

In 2018 we learned that we both planned to move to North Carolina. Rusty, her daughter and son-in-law would relocate in 2019. We followed in 2021 after my husband retired. We only live about 15 miles apart in the Raleigh region! As in CA, Rusty still comes to the Nook on occasion. 

                              

                                     I look forward to celebrating the other ladies throughout the year!

CURSES, FOILED AGAIN!

 

I am aging myself with the image above. Many may not be familiar with Snidely Whiplash, the archenemy of Dudley Do-Right on the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon show.  You most likely had to grow up in the 60's to know about Snidely Whiplash!

Anyway, on to crafting....

A favorite technique in the Nook is foiling, There are several tools and techniques!

My favorite is foiling with toner prints and Deco Foil.

One can purchase pre-printed toner images, but one of my favorite things to do is find black and white images on Pinterest (which I have saved to a Board there), take screenshots of them and create a word document to print on my toner (laser) printer. It must be a laser printer. This technique will NOT work on an inkjet printer.

Deco Foil is placed pretty side up on the image, placed in a carrier sheet and run through a laminator, Minc or Fuse machine. 

More samples of toner prints with Deco Foil.

Gina K, Heidi Swamp,  and others have great products to be used with the toner method. One of the newest (2023) items is Gina K's Poly Glaze designs which react to Deco foil or Gina's Fancy foil sheets. (Poly Glaze is pictured earlier in this blog entry.)

Another method with Deco Foil is to use Transfer Gel with stencils or coating die cuts with the gel, Ideally, the gel should dry 24 hours (removing the stencil carefully after applying the gel). After the stencil is dry, the Deco foil (or Fancy Foils)  should be placed on the design pretty side up, placed in a carrier sheet and run through the laminator, Minc or Fuse.

There is another technique and that is hot foiling with a Go Press, or Glimmer machine and hot foil "stamp/dies". Deco Foil will NOT work with this method. The foil is special "hot foil" foil, such as pictured below. It is also manufactured by other companies, such as Coutour Creations. 

                                              Below are some cards created with the hot foil method. 

Another way to create cards is with foil card stock and embossing folders. 

In the card on the left, I cut the pieces out with foil cardstock. On the card on the right, I used an embossing folder with the foil card stock. Same for the photo below:

Other examples of dry embossed foil cardstock:

One can even emboss aluminum foil. I wrap the aluminum foil around a piece of card stock and run it through an embossing folder in a Cuttlebug or die cutting machine. Below is an example: 

Finally, there is the Quill Foil pens that one can use in card making.

There are a plethora of You Tube tutorials on Foiling with the methods mentioned above. Some of my favorite tutorials are by Jennifer McGuire, Gina K, Stacey at Scrapbooking Made Simple and Nancy Stamp, among others. Check You Tube out for great information and demonstrations.

Your creations are guaranteed to be stunning!