Well, today I thought I'd share both a card with you and a little trick that I've been using for years to spice up my cards and gift packaging.
Here is the card, I apologize for the lighting, I like to photograph in natural light but today is just plain ugly outside and the light coming through the window is barely even light!!
I used the tree image from the newest stamp set from RBD Season's Best and inked it and then sponged the edges with a bit darker color.
I then took my glue pen and traced the swirls on the image and covered them in glitter. This tree was just begging for something inside those little swirls so I added three half pearls. I added a glittered star on top, a ribbon and then layered the sentiment. Voila!
I'm enjoying the shabby chic look quite a lot right now (I think because I am doing a lot of homemade wood Christmas gifts this year) and I think it's showing in my cards!
If you notice the mat behind the focal image you may think it looks familiar. What this is is what I think a simple solution for homemade "boutiquey" packaging and you can find it in almost EVERY house. What is it? Well it's cardboard. Yup. Plain, old corrugated box. You'll need a piece the size of a cardfront, or if you're wrapping a gift, a piece that will cover the gift when wrapping.(I also think it looks smart when you wrap a gift in a solid color of paper and then only use a band of this cardboard around it.)
Now we need to separate the layers, all we want is the middle layer!
What I've found is that the easiest way to do this is to wet the cardboard thoroughly and then let it dry. This seems to make it come off in more of a single piece. If it is especially stubborn you may want to do this a few times.
Okay, I'll tell you how I discovered this little trick.... I just left some cardboard boxes out on my deck and it snowed on them a few times. haha I found that the boxes from outside were WAY easier to work with! Happy accident! YAY!
So, take your cardboard piece (a full panel if you are wrapping a gift) and peel off the top layer. If you want some thickness to your project you can stop there. If you want to wrap a gift or die cut this (like I have done above on my card), I recommend doing both sides. I think it adds a very warm and rustic touch, a bit homey and definitely crafty! I'll try to take a picture of some gifts I've wrapped (yes I know it's too early to have done this, but I have!!!) using this technique and post them for you in the next few days! :)
I think bars of soap would look great wrapped in a piece of this tied with raffia and a little welcome message in my guest bath. Hmmm...
Well, happy cardboarding folks, as always I'd love to see what you do with this technique!!!
Happy Cardboarding!!!!
I'll be back soon with some more homemade ornament and decor ideas!
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