My first love was and remains card making. And the more I play with my Cricut Explore Air 2 and layered SVG files, the more I stay in love with card making. SVGs are Scalable Vector Graphics which means they can be re-sized easily in things like Design Space.
Supplies:
- Layered Leaf Images (I used a bundle from Creative Fabrica)
- Cutting machine (I used my Cricut Explore Air 2)
- Scrapbook Paper (I used CraftSmart "Dark Elegance" which I bought last year at Michaels and is no longer available but you can use comparable dark papers)
- Recollections Gold and Copper Foil cardstock (Michaels)
- Coordinating Plum Cardstock (Stash)
- Cream Recollections 110lb Cardstock (Michaels)
- Copper Foil
- Fall Themed Embellishments ( I used K&Co border stickers from my stash)
- Coordinating Sequins (Michaels
- Foam Squares
- Dimensional and Double Sided Adhesive
- Paper Trimmer and Scoring tool
The first step was to decide on the focal image for my cards. I knew I wanted a leaf theme, especially since living in the desert, I miss the changing leaves of my former Pacific Northwest home. I found this set of layered leaves at
Creative Fabrica. If you do choose to purchase, full disclosure...I get a small benefit if you go through my
affiliate link.
Download, extract, and import chosen design into your machine's software, in my case Cricut Design Space. If you don't have a cutting machine you can print out the PNG images and hand cut using scissors and an X-Acto knife.
I selected the leaf from the bottom row, leftmost image.
I deleted two of the 5 layers in my Design Space Software because I liked how just three layers looked. Then I cut each layer from the colors I chose ( plum, foil gold and copper).
To assemble, attach the middle layer ( gold ) to the base ( plum ) using foam squares. Since the top layer is more delicate, I used a spray mount.
Here's the middle layer mounted to the base. Since you need to work fast with the spray adhesive, I didn't take pics of the top layer but you get the idea...spray the back, lay atop the middle layer and done.
Once I had my leaves assembled, I made my cards by cutting the cream cardstock to make 5x7 cards, cut panels of the copper foil cardstock to 4.75x6.75 then selected papers from the Dark Elegance Stack and cut to 4.5x6.5. I added the Fall themed border stickers and then mounted the leaves to the cards.
To finish, I grabbed some coordinating sequins from my stash and added them along the stem of the leaf using Glossy Accents dimensional glue.
But of course I wasn't done! Copper is such a fall color to me that I wanted a touch more so I'd picked up some copper foil on a trip to Michaels and thought I'd do the interior sentiment using the foil tool that works with my Cricut.
For this step, you need to make sure you get the foil as taught as possible atop the paper you want to foil so I used painter's blue tape to tack it down. The Cricut foils also come with tape strips to do this.
It still needs a little give so don't worry if it's not absolutely flat. Then select a font or image for whatever you want to foil, follow the instructions for the tool / in Design Space and send to your Cricut.
I chose the word "Fallsgiving" since this time of year for me is about celebrating the gifts of Fall. It was also a great way to use up the copper, and plum scraps from this project which I used to mat the sentiment! I adhered these to the inside of my cards using my tape gun.
My way of giving a little bit of Fall to friends and family! And the pictures don't do the metallic goodness of the colors justice so if you are seeing this on here first and know you're getting one, just wait!
