Kraft card.....lookie likey?!?!

Daft title.....apologies!

The whole purpose of this post is to have a practice at making kraft style card blanks, which are so popular at the moment (and I am a big fan, they suit so many styles but they are also quite expensive), plus I needed to come up with some card blanks to use tomorrow at my cardmaking workshop, especially as I had a non-existent budget.



This finished card is a bit of a cheat... a hybrid card...a mix of recycled stuff and proper cardmaking things. I made this card in honour of Chris (please check out her blog her cards are truly stunning) as the flowers were part of the prize that I received from her blog. I loved the colours of these flowers and I thought they went so well with the colour of the card, and co-ordinated with the old lace and buttons. I also used some nestabilities to cut the mats and a rubber stamp for the greeting and the floral detail inside, but I used pens and daubers for the stamping and distressing.


Right... the cards...messy and bit time consuming but turned out quite well and so far for 80p, plus glue , I have made 15 cards and have some spare paper left over.
I used some brown wrapping paper from the Post office, some cheap PVA and some old pre-used Christmas Cards. Cut a strip of brown paper (wider and longer than the card you are covering) ....using a plastic card (NO, NOT YOUR CREDIT CARD!! BAD IDEA) spread a thin layer of glue on the inside back flap. Line up the straight edge of the paper against the spine of the card and smooth down over the glue (I found it useful to smooth and press with a rag rather than my hand).
Sand the front and back of the card to get rid of any glossy surface (this can be prepped first and may not be necessary if the card is matt)

Repeat the gluing and sticking process on the back and front flap (don't try and do both flaps at once, work on the back then fold the card back up and then do the front)

Fold the paper over the front flap and trim off any excess (for some of the cards I made, I tore the paper for a distressed edge and some I created a decorative edge and left some of the white inner flap, exposed). Apply the glue to the paper and fix down.
Next you have to be patient, they need to be left to dry. I put plastic between each layer (don't forget inside the card as well, then leave a flat weight on the top, they will dry quicker without but will tend to warp.

Once dry, rub your fingernail down the untrimmed sides, then cut off the excess.

So now everything is prepped for tomorrow....who's coming...don't know....what ages are coming...don't know...might end up talking to myself but then I am used to that!!!!!

While I am here I just want to say a very big thank you to the people who have left some really lovely, encouraging and amusing comments...I truly appreciate you taking the time particularly as I know you all have fantastic blogs, which I love looking at.

BIG THANK YOU!!