TRAMMED

We know you are always looking for that perfect man's card so here are a couple of ideas provided by Heather. The 3d images are from the Harafeld collection. Not only does this make very nice cards but being the local, i.e Launceston tram sheds, it could be a lovely souvenir card as well.
Heather has stretched the use of this sheet by making several cards from the same sheet.
The main card has a lovely grey patterned sheet as the background which is overlaid with a strip of striped ribbon  then a  die cut rectangle in black and another in red then the tram image which has been cut from the background and placed in the centre. A piece of ribbon runs down through the middle behind. A few die cut cogs are used as accents. The Regal shop has currently got metal cogs in so these would service very well and add some depth.
The second card has also used a nesting frame die to form the card itself and then just added layers in red to match the tram.
The third card just uses the left over greeting and some fancy paper and you still have a striking and effective card

A WORK OF ART

RECESSED FRONT OF ARTWORK

I've titled this post "A work of Art" which it is.  Janet has created the most lovely example of how a shaker card can be adapted to be so much more than the name suggests.

I am not even going to begin to describe all the different layers and techniques that she has incorporated into this card (which is really suited to display all year round, rather than just a quick single occasion appearance).  Take the time to look carefully and see what ideas you could incorporate into your own projects.

I haven't included a picture of the back panel, which is just as extensively decorated so better still, if you are able, come into Regal Craft Cards, where we have it on display and have a look for yourself! 

INSIDE VIEW

5 QUICK CARDS

5QUICK CARDS WITH 3D TOPPERS

I wanted to make some quick cards using the Art Deco Sparklelight 3D sheet (SLDC48750) and here they are!  I've basically just used a selection of Regal base cards and kept the "topping" super simple.

Going around clockwise from the top left hand card, I've used the Ivory textured corner oval with a gold border(XCOS51), the lattice special fold (XNO42) with one panel removed, XCOS51 again, then the scallop ivory card (XSCE2), and finally the Nightclub Purple Rectangle Two Square (XWIT2).

Once the hard work has been done with a distinctive and good quality base card it really only takes a couple of minutes for the "dressing."  I've put these cards in the 5 minute wonder category although it does rather depend on how quick you are at assembling the 3D toppers.  (They are die-cut so that certainly helps!)

VINTAGE LADY CARD WITH SCROLLED FRAME

VICTORIAN LADY

This is the same die set I used for the Art Deco Lady cards a couple of weeks back.
Its called "Scrolled Tomentosa" and comes from Couture Creations.

Die cutting and embossing have made quite complicated cards easy to achieve in very little time.

Having decided on a neutral colour scheme I just cut the frame out in three colours (I can use the other bits to make additional frames), and reassembled it with a Victorian woman image from scrapbooking paper inside the frame.

The base card is a small ivory textured square from Regal Craft Cards, and the backing paper is embossed in a folder.  A bit of brown ink around the edges, three flowers with tiny pearls in the middle on the bottom left, and three little pearls in a row on the top right and the card is finished.

Victoriana/Vintage is not as popular a style as it once was, but it is sure to be around in one form or other for a good while yet.

SHABBY CHIC

SHABBY CHIC

Clearly this card is a bit of "too much is not enough", but I made this card for a recent demo to illustrate some of the things that characterize Shabby Chic style.

I started with square white Regal base card (the easy bit) then added lots more white - the flower the doiley, the flourishes (all fairly typical of the style), but also to my papers.

The background was a vibrant flamingo pink before I calmed it down with a thin coat of gesso.  Similarly the top pink panel began life as a normal pink before I painted over it with some white paint, embossed it (when it was dry) and then sanded the top layer back to reveal the darker colour beneath.

Add in various die cut bits and pieces, a greeting sticker, some pearls and some stamped bird cages and hopefully you'll be getting the shabby chic idea.........not that you have to (or indeed should) use ALL of these ideas on one card!!

BLACK AND WHITE WEDDING CARD

BLACK AND WHITE WEDDING CARD

We still have a few cards to share from the demo Marty Munro did for Regal a few months back.  This is one of my favourie cards - a modern take on the elegant black and white colour scheme.

Marty has used paper from a Kaiser pad as the background, putting a row of ric-rac where the print and leaf patterns join.  He has fussy cut two butterflies to adorn the top, and stamped "Wedding Wishes" on a matted panel for the bottom.

Marty's cards always look great, and one of the reasons is the attention he gives to precise borders and straight placements, which are particularly important in otherwise simple cards.  Another reason, of course, is that he has really good ideas in the first place!!

ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY

BIRTHDAY CARD USING KAISER PAPERS

Marty has made an interesting card using papers from the Kaiser "Timeless" collection.

Notice how he has cut and inked the top panel, before reassembling it, so that all the diagonal lines draw attention to the greeting!

One of Regal's white singlefold cards (PL1) as been used as the base.

TWO TIMELESS CARDS

TWO TIMELESS CARDS

There are two examples from Marty to inspire you this week. Both are made with a combination of Kaiser papers (from the Timeless collection) and stamps.
The cards were made as part of a demo he did a while back on cards for teenagers and young people but the neutral colours and design make them well suited to older age groups as well.

VINTAGE FASHION CARDS

VINTAGE STYLE

Regal's white base cards have been dressed up a treat by Julie Scales, who has created some lovely collages from materials such as Kaiser papers, paper flowers and lace, adhesive pearls, buttons and more!!  Thanks for sharing them with us, Julie!

VINTAGE BLUEBELLS

VINTAGE BLUEBELLS

Tania has used a soft cream single fold Regal card as the base for her beautiful vintage card.  The brown background is attached with small gold split pins, and is topped with a Stamp-it script stamp, stamped in brown ink.  The torn edges have also been inked which blends the two pieces of paper together.  The greeting "Love" is a gold outline sticker, coloured with a brown permanent marker. The backing is also inked with a little brown ink, and a small hole threaded with natural twine is added for emphasis. The dark blue flowers have been cut with a die from the spellbinders range.  By simply changing the greeting, this card would be suitable for a variety of different occasions.

PLAYING CARDS PLUS CARD

LOTS OF CARDS

This card, by Marilyn is a great example of how arranging simple elements can produce a really effective and seemingly (although not actually) complicated card.

The cards and other pictures have been "fussy cut" from Graphic45 paper.  The wooden hinges are from Kaiser, all all the bits are assembled on a Natural singlefold card from Regal Craft Cards.

VINTAGE CARDS - PERFECT FOR FATHERS DAY

VINTAGE CARS

You can almost see the car zooming off the page in this card made by Marilyn.  It would be ideal for Father's Day.  The car images are from a Sparklelight waterfall card sheet (available from Regal).  Marilyn has added some tartan ribbon, mounted over some scrapbooking paper and attached with a star split pin.  Taking the red from the ribbon as inspiration, she has then mounted the car pictures onto red card.  All the elements are assembled on a square white singlefold card from Regal Craft Cards.

"SEW SWEET" CARD

SEW SWEET CARD

We're featuring one of Janet's cards again this week....and she is still using that sheet of Bo Bunny paper from her last couple of examples.  This time she has teamed it with a Kaiser flocked paper backing and a dress-form from Dazzles "Sew Sweet" sticker sheet.  Three little buttons and a bow complete the card.

Regal sell a range of square base cards suitable for this project.

VINTAGE ROSES CARD

VINTAGE ROSE CARD

Janet made this lovely layered card using a variety of products and techniques.  The base is a square Botany card, and the background paper comes from the Bo Bunny range.  The flowers are from Kaiser.  Note how Janet has coiled the stems of the little roses for added effect.  The butterfly motif has been fussy cut from the same sheet of paper as the background, and the peel off sticker has been coloured with an alcohol-based marker to tone in with the rest of the card.  The blue flowers are part of a ScrapFX chipboard shape (which originally included a butterfly and larger swirl), which has been painted.  Further highlighting has been added with glitter glue.  Hopefully there is a lot of inspiration here!!!!

VINTAGE DOILY CARD

VINTAGE DOILY CARD

This is an easy layered card with a vintage feel.  The base is a Regal square singlefold card. The topper is made as one unit.  Begin with a white doily rubbed over with vintage photo distress ink.  On top of that is a doily stamped with white ink on caramel card and "fussy cut", followed by two hand crocheted doilies of decreasing size (you can buy these if you prefer).  Finally a button is sewn to the middle and the whole unit is attached with double sided tape fixed onto the first  doily underneath the location of the stamped layer so that the adhesive won't be seen through the holes in the doiley.  A small greeting could easily be added to the bottom right hand corner.

COLLAGE CARD

STITCHED COLLAGE CARD

Here is another example of a really quick card that looks so much more complicated than it actually is.

Just take one of Regal's stitch cards XTH2.  (This ten pack isn't on their website but you can still get it by putting the code into the "special comments" box or by coming into the shop).

Add a small Kaiser pad - chose five or six different papers or elements for each cell (all of them have suitable papers and pushouts so you can just chose the one you like the best)

Finish off with a greeting sticker and.......that's it!!!

VINTAGE LADIES 2

This is another example of Lorraine Porter's gorgeous vintage cards.  This one combines Kaiser stamps with rolled roses and punched leaves, all arranged strikingly on a Regal singlefold black card.

VINTAGE COLLAGE CARD

Here is another great collage card by Trudy Meijer.  She has used pages and images from actual children's books, and overstamped them with some Graphic 45 images from Hampton Art.  Lots of inking and some coiled paper roses complete the panel which has been constructed using one of Regal's brown singlefold cards as a base.

VINTAGE LADIES

These cards were made by Lorraine Porter, who is well known through one of the Exeter craft groups. She has used the vintage lady stamp from Kaiser's Charlotte's Dream set to make two classic and beautiful cards.
The one on the left uses Regal's book card.  (If you look on Regal's website you'll see that its available in a selection of colours).  Lorraine has made an insert and drawn on the suggestion of pages to complete "the look".
The second card has been first backed with black card and then mounted on a Regal singlefold burgundy card.  Outline stickers have been used to finish the design.
Both cards feature an embellishment of handmade rolled roses with punched leaves.

VINTAGE FASHION CALENDAR

This is another one of Lynne's lovely calendars.  The photo is a tad dodgy because we already have it up on display immediately underneath a flourescent light and my little camera hasn't really done justice to this lovely project.  (Yes I know......I'm blaming the equipment, not the operator).

Anyway.....and more importantly, Lynne used ribbon to attach one of Regal's little calandar pads to a panel decorated with Graphic 45 paper, a handmade rosette and a beautiful pencil-coloured stamp from Darkroom Door.  (Yes.....it is hand-coloured!)  The end-result is a beautiful vintage piece that could take pride of place in any room.