Watch Me Card, Exciting News and Idyllics Launch

I am very excited to be able to show you today's card,  it's my very first card for Tonic Studios as part of their blogging design team.  I am just waiting to get my blog linked to Blog Tonic.  Let me tell you when I received my package of beautiful exclusive Tonic dies, I couldn't believe my luck, thank you Tonic Studios x

Today's card is an 8" x 8"  offset gatefold.  To make one of these, cut the back panel, 8" x 8", the smaller panel on the right hand side measures 2" but with an extra 1" for overlap and to secure at the back, so a 3" x 8" piece is needed, this needs to be scored at 2" and folded.  The left hand panel is the remaining 6" with a 1" fold over, so a 7" x 8" piece needs to be cut.  As I was cutting the Idyllic die shape into the folded edge if my card, I only marked my score line with a pencil, lightly on each end.  Place the scoring Idyllic die lined up to your score line marks and tape into position with low tack tape.  When you run this grouch your die cutter it will score the sides and cut the edge of the central panel for you.

Next you need to cut the long Idyllics panel, again out of matching cream card.  This is a verso die so once you've cut the pattern, you need to cut the edge with the other thin edging die.  Cut a backing layer from brown, using the edging die either side, measuring against the cream top layer.  Glue these together.

Cut the central panel outline in cream and another in brown,  cut the pattern into the cream one and layer together so the brown is showing through, using 3d foam pads, stick this onto your long panel. 

When I saw these Idyllic embossing and die sets, my first thought was that they reminded me of a wristwatch so I cut out the central element of the Watch Me die set in brown, I needed a backing layer in cream but as there wasn't one included in the set, I embossed the die instead of simply cutting it out, I then snipped around the edge with a small decoupage scissors and layered them together.  As I just wanted the watch shape I trimmed top and bottom so it was just the circle, added 3d foam pads and stuck it to my long Idyllics strip.  

I embossed a piece of card with the matching embossing folder then lined it up using the long strip as a guide, trimmed it to fit and stuck it in place.  I added 3d foam pads to the long strip and placed that against the cut out edge of the card.  I cut out the straight panel from the Gallant Gate Verso Strip die set in brown and attached that close to the edge.

For the small panel, I layered with the brown and cut a small cream strip for the top which I embossed, I added two lengths of thin brown organza ribbon which I crossed over in the centre and attached to the back of the strip before sticking into position.  I cut one of the sentiments in cream with a brown backing layer, glued them together and stuck them over the point where the ribbon crosses with 3d foam pads.

Not a jewel or gem in sight, very little ribbon, I think this can definitely be described as a man's card :)

I hope you like the card and are going to join Jodie on Create & Craft at 12 noon for the Pick of the Week.

Stay tuned over the next few days for more cards using this beautiful range of dies.

Thanks

Karen x