Monday, December 5, 2022

Amazing Paper Grace December Die of the Month: Sweetheart Envelope & Notecard Set - Steampunk Valentine's Day Card and Gift Card Holder

 
Welcome to my creative space.

I try to keep to a more masculine style when creating Valentine's cards for my husband so decided to go steampunk with this fabulous Amazing Paper Grace December Die of the Month Set: Sweetheart Envelope & Notecard Set. This set also included some amazing flowers which I did not use, but would be fabulous on a more elegant and feminine creation.

The intricate details in this gorgeous die set have a definite steampunk vibe with the fabulous scrollwork design, so I enhanced this genre by adding rusty gears, star, and metal key, along with masculine twine. The papers I selected have subtle patterns, so I added some stamping to add more visual texture. Inking is added to help the heart designs and edges pop.

Please scroll down through the Tips and Techniques section to find close-ups and all the details on how to create this steampunk Valentine card and gift card holder.

Many thanks to Amazing Paper Grace for providing the dies used in this project!


Steampunk Valentine Card

Steampunk Valentine Gift Card Holder

Tips and Techniques
I selected patterned papers in neutral colors with a touch of peach to give a Valentine feel without being too feminine, since this card is for my husband. 

***Designer Tip*** When selecting patterned papers for this die set, keep in mind that both sides will be showing and need to make sense for the design. The peach color is the back of the more neutral cream paper used to die cut the envelope feature.

To enhance the masculine steampunk feel of this card, stamping is added with a grungy script and dotted squares. 

The heart is cut from the same paper that is behind it, so it is rubbed with Distress Inks in Tea Dye and Vintage Photo to give it some contrast. 

The envelope feature is popped up with foam tape for added dimension and to leave room to tuck gears underneath as well as the twine wrap.

This sentiment is stamped with Vintage Photo Archival Ink on the same paper as the envelope piece and edged with Vintage photo Distress Ink.

Rusty steampunk gears are tucked under the envelope flap. 

As you can see in the top right corner, the inside background layer is distressed and both background layers are rubbed at the edges with Vingtage Photo Distress Ink.

Here's a side view of the heart so you can see how dimension is built. The heart is adhered to the envelope, then the envelope is wrapped with twine over the heart. The rusty star is added and a small copper gear is centered onto the star. These wonderful layers give beautiful dimension to the card.

One final photo. You can see there's even a rusty faucet handle added to the card insert. This insert is a great place to add a special private note!

Now let's take a look at the gift card holder. It's created with the larger envelope die that's left open on the card. I just folded the flap over to create this envelope gift card holder. 

This particular paper was a little thicker and cracked just a little on the fold lines. I went with that and lightly distressed the folded edges, then inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Just make sure you don't distress the edges too much or you might go all the way through the paper. 

This beautiful heart is rubbed with more of the Vintage photo ink to highlight the gorgeous intricate design. The card is wrapped and tied with twine for a closure. 

Here's a side view to see the dimension. The heart die cut is centered onto the envelope flap, then a rusty gear is added. This gear has a large flat center, so I found a chipboard gear that fit perfectly. The chipboard is painted with a mix of Brass Hardware and Hazelnut Metallique paints to coordinate. A brass key is added to the top of the gears. It is dry brushed with the same paint mixture used for the chipboard gear to add highlights. Then the entire card is wrapped with twine to act as a closure. 

One final view. The sentiment is also stamped and edged in Vintage Photo Ink. 

Below you can find the products I used to create this project including some with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com and Spellbinders. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from the companies.  These commissions help me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration along with detailed Tips and Techniques provided for every project. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Amazing Paper Grace Sets:

Paper:

Ink: 

Mixed Media:

Stamps:

Embellishments:
  • Prima - Finnabair Collection - Mechanicals - Steampunk Gears
  • Prima - Finnabair Collection - Mechanicals - Rustic Knobs
  • Prima - Finnabair Collection - Mechanicals - Barn Stars
  • Prima - Tiny Junkyard Findings - Vintage Trinkets
  • Creative Embellishments - Gears - Steampunk - Industrial
  • Hobby Lobby - Sunny Side Up - Bakery Twine (thin)
  • Michaels - Metal Embellishments - A Place in Time - Keys

Adhesives:

Tools:

The Amazing Paper Grace Die of the Month is available exclusively at Spellbinders Paper Arts during December 2022, Sweetheart Envelope and Notecard Set along with other membership perks.

View this month’s Amazing Paper Grace Die of the Month: 

Thanks so much for stopping by to view this steampunk Valentine ensemble.
I hope you've been inspired!

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