Paper Piecing Technique on a Slider Card

 

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with this interactive card. I am doing a dual post tutorial. Although I will be touching it briefly here, the details on paper piecing will be described on the BPM blog as linked above. For the interactive portion of the card, this will be detailed here.

The Blank Page Muse products I used today are:

• Sweet Iris Fairy with Flower dress rubber stamp
  
• Happy Birthday Phrase Rubber Stamp
  

Paper Piecing is a technique of adding color to an image using colored paper. It involves use of minimal supplies including paper scraps. The tedious part of this technique is the fussy cutting and the layering.

On the above photo, you will see the result of the fussy cutting and the layering. I am adding some shimmer to the dress to give it some elegance.

For the card front, I used a detailed cut paper from Recollections. I trimmed this into 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I partially die cut a window on this detailed paper. I used a light pink cardstock to frame the intricate paper.  Looking back on my processes, there are a few things I could have done to make this card  easier to create. I will point this out while I go through the steps of creating this card.

I die cut a rectangle on the light pink cardstock using a stitched die. This panel was cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".

On the detailed paper, I partially die cut the interactive window using the the frame as a guide. I used a rectangle die which is the same size as the stitched die. I scored the slider part of the paper on three areas: 1) on the top most of part where the frame and flap meets; 2) a fourth inch from the bottom of the slider window; 3) and, on the center of these two folds on the slider window.

I reinforced the folds which is crucial to the slider. On a solid paper, this won't be a problem. But since I used an intricate paper, this proved to be a challenge. 

Realizing that some of the intricate pieces of this paper might fall off because of the slider window cut, I adhered this to an acetate that was cut as the same size as the slider window. This is where I think I should have used my Xyron Create A Sticker Machine instead of the liquid glue.

I dabbed off the excess glue with a rag to prevent any blobs from seeping out to the acetate.

I pressed the acetate to the detailed paper. I placed something heavy over it while allowing the glue to dry.

I applied dots of glue to the front of the detailed paper, to the area where I will adhere the frame.

I pressed the frame to the glue making sure that the frame is aligned with the slider window on the intricate paper. I allowed this to dry with something heavy placed on top of it.

This is when I think the intricate paper is having some difficulties being a slider. The acetate would not fold on the score line despite giving it a good crease. I was leaning towards pitching this piece and starting all over again. But I decided to walk away and give myself a break. Surely, this allowed me to think on what I can do to save this piece. 

I ended up taking off the acetate and switching it to a pink vellum. Good thing that I did not tear the intricate paper or else it would have been game over for this panel. I think that was the perk of using a liquid glue over the Sticker Maker. I don't think I can remove the acetate just like that if I used the Sticker Maker.

For the slider mechanism, I used another acetate which I cut a bit longer than 5 1/2" (the length of the card) but still the same width of the slider window. I cut the excess at the end. Since my initial card design was going nowhere, I made the slider acetate longer to give me a some leeway.

I punch a notch on the top using an old circle punch tool, Ephiphany. This allows the acetate to be pulled out easily.

I adhered the slider mechanism panel to a dark pink side folding A2 note card.

 

I adhered the fairy to the bottom half of the slider, avoiding the bottom fourth fold of the slider. I added gems to the intricate paper cut for an additional sparkle.

I stamped a sentiment on the front of the note card which shows when the slider is pulled.

Below is a video putting to life this slider card.

I hope you like today's project. If I confused you with how I created the slider mechanism, please check out a previous card I made with this mechanism, Birthday Slider Card. This card did not use an intricate paper like the one I used here so it should be easier to recreate.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse is having a FLASH SALE! 10 HOT red rubber stamps are featured for sale with an amazing 50% discount. What a deal, right? Some of the stamps that are on sale have a vacation theme just in time for the season. I don't have any of it but I have eyes for the Let's Get Away! The imagery of this stamp set is very detailed. 

If there is nothing on the sale category that interests you, BPM is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out.

Only 1 code per transaction please. Enjoy!

I shared this card at

Simon Says: Add A Sentiment

Graduation Cards with Gift Card Pocket Ideas

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I was tasked with a major project of creating 13 graduation cards. Aside from the graduation theme, the request was for the graduation cards to have a pocket for a gift card. If you follow my blog, you already have a preview of two of the graduation cards. I added these two cards on this post.

The card on the right is a pocket card with a belly band for accent. I am so happy to be able to add some stitching to this card since my fingers have been itching to stitch. The one on the right is a gift card box. I used the We R Memory Keepers Shadow Box Punch Board to create this. The features of these cards can be more appreciated on the short videos below.

Belly Band Grad Card with Stitching

Shadow Box Grad Card

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These graduation cap cards are fun to create. I designed the graduation caps how the caps are jazzed up these days. The tassel is made of rolled up, fringed crepe paper. The card on the left stands up for display as shown on the photo below.

The features of these cards are better shown in the short videos below. 

Stand up Grad Cap Card

Folded Grad Cap Card

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The card on the left features a wobbly Cricut cut graduation cap. The one on the right is an oversized tag to which I added a gift card pocket. I also added two elements that I love, stitching and rosette.  Below are videos showcasing these two cards.

Wobbly Grad Cap Card

Oversized Grad Pocket Tag 

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I created a slimcard sized graduation card with the gift card pocket on the front which can be seen through the front panel year window. 

See Through Gift Card Pocket Grad Card

So as not to waste the number drop outs of the previous two cards, I used these numbers to create the above cards. The gift card pocket was a simple pocket which I forgot to take a photo of.

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Let's not forget the first two cards of this graduation collection which I created for Stick It Down. This a two-for-one card. The card on the left is a shaker card and the card on the right has 3D stars. Details of this card can be seen on this post: 2-for-1 Graduation Cards.

And for the star of these graduation cards collection, the card made especially for the son of the person who commissioned me to do this graduation project. (Thank you for allowing me to share this card.)

I used the Karen Burniston Photo Collage Pop-Up Craft Dies. This die set may look intimidating at the start but after putting the elements together, it is actually fun. Opening and closing the card is like ASMR. I added a bit of twist on this pop-up card by substituting some of the pop-ups with letter/number dies. I personalized the card to the graduate's faves and his future college. 

This card does not have a gift card pocket. I added stitched rectangles for the sender to write a message on.

Below is a video showing the ASMR moment of the card. 

If you got this far on this post, thank you so much. I apologize for a very long post but I hope you enjoyed the short videos showcasing the grad cards I made.

Have a blessed, brilliant and created day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

Simon Says: Masculine

Challenge 6~Anything Goes #92

2-for-1 Graduation Cards

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is time for a new challenge at Stick It Down Scrapbook and Card Making Challenge on FB. It is very easy to join the challenge. There are three options to choose from. You can create a scrapbook layout, a double page scrapbook layout or a card. Choose one or choose all! 

I am commissioned by a college peer to create graduation cards that she will give away. Aside from the occasion, she specifically wants cards with gift card holder. I used this month's sketch to create two-for-one graduations cards since she ordered a dozen.

The first card I created was a shaker card. I trimmed a dotted Simple Stories patterned paper at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I die cut the stars on this panel using a star die from Altenew. I adhered an acetate on the back of the window patterned paper. I adhered strips of foam adhesives around the stars over the acetate. I wanted to contain the confetti in each star that's why I surrounded each star with foam tape. You don't need to do this. You can just surround all of the stars with foam tape to create one well.

The messy part of this project is putting the confetti in the shaker well. I treated the acetate and the sides of the foam with an anti-static powder tool to lessen the cling of the confetti. Somehow, the confetti has a mind of its own, adhering to places where it should not. 

I applied liquid glue to the foam before covering the well with patterned paper. The liquid glue allows some wiggle time in positioning the patterned paper over the shaker well. The down side of this is sometimes the confetti gets attracted to the liquid glue. 

I die cut star frames on a dark gray metallic paper. I used the star die I used to die cut the star windows and the next smaller sized star from the same Altenew die set. I pieced this on the acetate star window, adhering it with glue. 

I die cut the sentiment on gold glitter cardstock. The sentiment die is from Paper Smooches. I performed a bit of surgery on the die cut sentiment. Instead of using the original die cut of "congratulations", I trimmed the sentiment down to "congrats". The exclamation point is from a Hero Arts die set.

I created a gift card pocket using a We R Memory Keepers Goodie Bag tool. I adhered this to the inside of the card and embellished it with a grad cap which I cut using the Cricut. I stamped the inside and the grad cap with sentiments from my stamp stash.

I was tempted to add some gold splatters on the front but I was afraid it is going to take the eye away from the shaker so I kept the background as is. 

For the second card, I used the negative cut stars from the first card. I scored the gray star die cuts from the points to the center to make it 3D. I added a foam square to the back on the center to keep it raised as I adhere this to the dotted patterned paper star die cut. For the points, I used Ranger Glossy Accents to adhere this to the dotted star and keep the score folds up.

For the background panel, I partially embossed a white pearl cardstock with an alphabet embossing folder. I adhered the stars to this panel.

For the sentiment, I stamped this on gold pearl cardstock with black pigment ink. I poured black glitter cardstock to the wet ink and heat embossed it. I die cut the sentiment into a strip using the coordinating die. The stamp and die are from Pinkfresh Studio.

I curled the sentiment banner. I added a foam adhesive on the center and curled the ends up adding a dot of glue close to the edge to keep it adhered to the panel. 

For the inside of the card, I adhered a scrap patterned paper to the bottom to act as gift card pocket. I stamped the sentiment with a dye ink. Dye inks are supposed to dry quickly. My stamped sentiment did not. I accidentally smeared a part of the sentiment. Uggh! I was tempted to pitch the note card. I even thought of restamping the sentiment on another paper then fussy cut it. Then I remembered my white gel pen. I wrote over the mess to cover it up. Now, the boo-boo is hardly noticeable.

I hope you like today's cards and that you join this month's challenge. We always love to see your projects.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared these cards at

Simon Says: Anything Goes #59

Challenge 5~Anything Goes #119

Mirror Stamped Card

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with this interactive card. The stamp I used is the Blank Page Muse Bird in Flight Open Wings Steampunk Cogs Gears Art rubber stamp. 

Mirror stamping is when you get a reverse image of the original stamp impression. A stamping tool is very helpful with this technique. It allows you to re-stramp the image if needed. A clear stamp that is larger than the image that will be mirror stamped is also essential for this technique. The clear stamp I used is specifically made for this purpose although it can also be used to stamp a colored scallop edged background. A pigment ink is also needed since this ink tends to remain wet long enough to do the image transfer. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink. I also tried mirror stamping using VersaFine Clair but the result was not as good as the VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I used a brayer to help with the image transfer. I also think the paper is a factor to a successful image transfer. I initially used a smooth watercolor paper. It was harder to do the mirror stamping on this paper because of the thickness of the paper. On my second try, I used a smooth 80 lb paper and the transfer was better. 

Please visit the BPM blog for details on how I created this card. Mirror stamping is a great way to stretch out those stamps. I hope you give it a try. Below is a short video showing the interactive feature of this card.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day.
 

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out. Enjoy!

I shared this card at

simonsayschallenge on IG~April: Things with Wings

Challenge 5~Anything Goes #109

Valentine Pop-up Interactive Card with Stickers

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this project to participate in the Paper Source Stuck On You Valentine's Day Card Making Contest. The only requirement is to use any sticker in the design to be considered to win. I just inherited some craft supplies from my coworker Christina. These are craft supplies of her late mother. I am very much impressed on how organized her mom was with her supplies. 

I chose some stickers from the stash which I used on this project. It will be a very nice way to remember her mom. Too bad, this project needs to be mailed to Paper Source because if not, I would have given it to Christina. 

I also used some left-over Paper Source stickers which I used on a Valentine's class giveaway project when my youngest son is still in 4th Grade. The sticker set has been been discontinued.

I usually sketch my design on my notebook especially when it involves a lot of products that comes from different manufacturers. It helps me organize my creative process, which part of the project I should make first.

The interactive portion of this pop-up card is the pull-out hearts from the mailbox. Most of the die cuts I used are from Lawn Fawn. 

I adhered the stickers back to back with the embroidery floss sandwiched in between the hearts. The back portion of the hearts is stamped with a message which you can partly see on the photo below. 

The heart stickers and flowers are from Christina's mom's craft stash.

I had to permanently glue the flag of the mailbox. I usually will add a brad to this to make it move but I am afraid that this will hinder the mechanism of the pull-out hearts if I use a brad. 

I thought I had a fence die but since I don't, I die cut these posts on white cardstock using a Hero Arts Wood Frame Infinity Die. I snipped one edge to have a triangular edge. I adhered the posts on a strip of white cardstock to connect the posts together to create the fence.

I added a mini note card on the back to write on. I adhered another stick from the Christina's mom's stash. I stamped a simple message on the front and added stitched embossing to the front. 

I added floating cloads on the back. The cloud frames were cut on white cardstock. I adhered it on acetate strips to make it float. 

The size of the platform card, when collapsed, goes beyond the size limits of A2 and A4 envelopes. I used the We R Keepers Envelope punch board to create an envelope for the pop-up card. I adhered more stickers to the inner flap. I wanted to jazz up the outside of the envelope but the last time I did that, it was rejected by the post office. 

I hope you like today's card project. Below is a video of this pop-up interactive card.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

February 2026

Challenge 214~Inspired by Book, Movie or Song

Inspired by Nicholas Sparks Book "Every Breath". The novel is inspired by the Kindred Spirit Mailbox where visitors leave notes, letters and journals.

@americancrafts IG