How to Do Special Effects in Card Making

Make your greetings all the more meaningful with advanced card-making techniques.

Though store-bought cards are certainly convenient, the personal touch of a handmade greeting card is unbeatable, no matter what the occasion or sentiment. The next time you choose to create a card custom-designed to suit a friend or relative’s personality, elevate your creations to the next level by employing special card-making techniques. Incorporating special effects, paint and embossing will set your designs apart from others and add professionalism and artistic intrigue to your cards.

Things You'll Need

• 2 sheets white card stock
• 1 sheet colored card stock
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Craft knife
• Glue
• Markers, crayons or colored pencils
• 2 tbsp. alum
• 2 cups warm water
• Paintbrushes
• 1 sheet card stock
• Iron
• Bowl
• 1/2 cup methyl cellulose
• 4 quarts cold water
• Whisk
• 2 shallow baking pans
• Liquid acrylic paint, assorted colors
• Several small bowls
• Toothpicks
• Rake brush (optional)
• Decorative paper
• Embossing pen
• Embossing powder
• Heat gun

Instructions

Pop-Up Card

1. Trim a white piece of card stock so it measures 4 inches by 10 1/2 inches. This will be used to line the inside of the card. Trim the colored card stock so it measures 4 1/4 inches by 10 3/4 inches.

2. Fold each rectangle separately, bringing the short edges together and creasing.

3. Separate the white rectangle. Make a mark at the center of the crease, 5 1/4 inches from either side edge. Cut two 2-inch slits, each 1/4 inch from the center mark, running perpendicular to the crease. Position the 2-inch slits such that their centers are directly on the crease.

4. From the back of the card stock, gently push the pop-up, the middle piece created by the two slits, toward you. Make sure the pop-up inverts so that it folds in the opposite direction as the rest of the crease.

5. Drizzle glue across the back of the white liner rectangle. Avoid the edges and the pop-up segment when gluing. Center the liner on top of the colored backing rectangle, aligning the center creases. Let dry.

6. Draw and color your desired pop-up shape onto your remaining piece of white card stock. Cut the shape out and glue it to the bottom half of the pop-up segment between the two slits. Do not let any of the shape overlap the bottom edge of the pop-up segment. Let dry.

Marbleized Card

1. Pour alum into warm water, and let it dissolve. Paint this solution onto one side of a piece of card stock. Let dry. Iron to flatten.

2. Mix methyl cellulose and cold water with a whisk until no lumps are visible. Wait an hour, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened. Transfer to a pan larger than your sheet of card stock.

3. Pour acrylic paint into a small bowl. Add water, little by little, to thin the paint. Repeat with each color of paint in a separate bowl.

4. Dip a paintbrush into one color of thinned paint, coating bristles completely. Position it over the pan and flick the paint onto the surface of the solution. Continue until you’ve added the desired amount of that color. Repeat with each color of paint.

5. Create patterns. Use toothbrushes to create paint swirls on the surface of the liquid, or drag a rake through the paints in both directions to create uniform arches. Leave the surface as is for a speckled look.

6. Hold the dried card stock by the corners. Place it gently, painted side down, into the paint-covered solution. Use your fingers to smooth out any visible bubbles. Wait several seconds, and then remove card stock by lifting from the corners.

7. Lay the card stock, painted side up, in a second pan. Cover the paper with water and immediately remove it. Let dry completely before handling.

8. Bring the short edges of the marbleized card stock together and crease. Embellish as desired.

Embossed Card

1. Trim a piece of decorative paper to fit the front of your card.

2. Trace assorted sections of the design with embossing ink to give texture and dimension to the card. Apply embossing ink to one small section at a time to avoid letting it dry.

3. Pour embossing powder over the inked sections. Be sure to cover all that you have just traced, and work quickly before the ink dries. Lift the paper gently and hold it over the embossing powder container. Then tap the paper to drop the extra powder back into the container. Brush any remaining pieces of powder off the paper by hand.

4. Turn on your heat gun. Slowly move it across the powder-covered design to melt and solidify your work. Keep the heat gun approximately six inches from the paper. Let the paper cool.

5. Adhere decorative, embossed paper to the front of your card.

References

• “Interactive Cards”; Melanie Muenchinger; 2010
• Martha Stewart: How to Marbleize Paper and Cards
• Card Making Magic: Embossing