Imagine a Speedy Recovery

Today I am a guest designer for a forum in the UK called Cricutolics.   It’s a place to share ideas and projects that feature using Cricut products.  You’ll find members from all over the world there and you just might make a friend from ‘over the pond’, so stop by and visit.  Registration is free. 

My Cricut Imagine came to my rescue for this project.   Due to some growing health concerns, I’ll be having a surgical procedure in about one week and will then be very limited in my movements and productivity for a few weeks.  (Now you’ll know why I may be offline for a bit too).  I’ve already had a few friends that have offered to help me in a few different ways and fix my family a dinner or two.   So, I knew I would be needing some Thank You cards.  I also know I’m going to go stir crazy with being limited to moving around.   I’ve been trying to think of things I can easily work on from a bed or couch, and something that wouldn’t require a lot of tools.

I was able to print and cut all of these elements on my Cricut Imagine except for the card base and the matted blue card face.  I could have done this on the Imagine also, but it was easier to just cut my 8.5 x 11 cardstock in half for my card base.  This is using a standard 4.25 x 5.5 card base.   The blue matted card front was cut from Papertrey Ink cardstock at 4 1/8 x 5 3/8.  I wanted tiny frames.

I used Lori’s Garden for the images and patterns for this card.  With so many beautiful images to choose from, I truly think this is my favorite Imagine cartridge.

The patterned paper mat towards the top of my card was cut using the 2:3 ratio rectangle. This image is one of the preinstalled Imagine images.  I sized it to 3.5” and filled it with a beautiful blue flowery pattern from Lori’s Garden.

This journaling block was utilized twice throughout my card.   Once on the front with the layers combined at 3.5”…

…the second one was used on the inside of my card, but I only  wanted one of the layers for the journaling block itself.  I love that I can choose to do one image or separate the layers and build it myself.  The original relative size for this sun shape was 3.8, but the true size of the journaling block only was 2.9. 

After adding all the layers to my queue, I can then go in and individually select and delete the layers I do not want to use.

I chose the Thank You image and selected to use the layers.  This was measured at 2.2”.  However, I did not want the layer of words, so after adding them all to the queue, I went in and individually deleted the Thank You only layer.

The border shape on the bottom of the card front was selected and measured at 1.3’

For the inside of my card, I used another shaped image from the preinstalled Imagine shapes and again filled it with a pattern from Lori’s Garden.  This was sized at 4.2” 

I added a little flower shape to use as a flourish on the inside of my card and measured it at 1.2”  I kept the layers combined here.  One, because it is so small and, two, because I didn’t want the bulk in the inside of my card.

Once everything was added to my queue the way I wanted it, I set up my print job.  Because I wanted to be able to make a lot of cards (because you can never have too many thank you cards), I set my art quantity to 9 (the highest it can go) and set my project quantity to 2.  That would give me enough to make a total of 18 cards. 

Here is my Imagine printing and cutting away.   I love that all I have to do is keep loading a piece of white paper.  Oh, and I used American Crafts textured cardstock for this project. 

So, here are all my supplies cut out and ready to assemble.  Since I want to be able to assemble them later, we’ll just put one together for now. 

I started by glittering my butterfly.  I used just a tiny bit of Helmar Gemstone Glue and painted on the butterfly.  I then coated it with Great Impressions Sparkling Ice glitter.   The Gemstone Glue dries clear so it is perfect to use with glitter as well as gems.  I learned this on the Helmar Ustream class this last week.   I then set this off to dry.

To make some of the layers pop off my card a little more, I used Distress Inks to ink the edges.  Love these soft colors.  I used Broken China and Spun Sugar.  I did decide to ink the edges of the sunburst journaling block on the front too, but forgot to take a picture.

To assemble the card, I worked on the card front mat first.   I added the patterned paper to the top of the blue mat leaving just a tiny frame around the top and sides.

I then used Helmar tape runner to adhere Hug Snug seam binding to front slightly overlapping the patterned 2:3 rectangle and wrapping around back of blue cardstock.  I added the shaped border over the ribbon but butting up to the 2:3 rectangle.  The final pink border strip covered this seam.

I layered all the other pieces on my card utilizing Helmar 3D Zap Dots to layer the Thank You images onto the card front.  I’ll add the butterfly last.

Before I add the butterfly to the front, I glued down my inner card pieces.  The journaling block gives me a nice place to give a personal Thank You.  I used Helmar Tape Runner for this too.

The butterfly was attached using my favorite – Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots.   This part was done last because this product takes a while to set up.  You have to know this in advance.  This is not a quick-dry product, but oooohhhh, the dimension can be as little or as much as you want it to be.   You apply as much as you want lifting up as you squeeze it out to get the lift.   Then you apply it to your finished project and set it somewhere out of the way to dry where you won’t put something on top if it, nor will the cats step on it.  (ask me how I know this….)

ScrapDots take about one hour to set up and overnight to cure.  Once it is cured, it is dried solid and then you can set something on top of it and it will bounce right back.  And it dries clear!    I love this, but remember…this is the last step.  Save any pieces for this for the very last. 

Look at the subtle, yet dramatic, dimension here!   

One card is now all finished.   I packed all the supplies I’ll need to finish my cards, including A6 envelopes and stamps, into little portable boxes.  I can now work on these cards anywhere at any time.  

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial.  I truly hope you’ll try this card for yourself or at least have learned something today that will provide some inspiration for your next project.   Think of what a great gift this would be for someone else in a recovery mode.  

Don’t forget to visit the Cricutolics Forum and tell them I sent you over to visit. 

Thanks for stopping by.