How to make a pretty Cottage Card.

Hi Everyone
It's wet again, the forecast suggests - snow !! Lets hope not !

And it's Friday again, life is just rushing by. Die Cut Friday today is featuring some cards. These cards are part of my regular offer @ thepapersac (my little business). I've been making the basic cards for several years but tend to make to customised orders. My latest design was a message card (Just for you) for a friends Mum. She loves gardening and pretty things, so this card took a pretty garden cottage.




The message part is under the roof - the roof is removed to form a card. I've also done baby cards with lots of detail on the inside walls. The card design lends itself to lots of themes and special ideas. I've also done a lovely lighthouse for a little boy.
The photos show how the basic card is put together and Ive shown how I create the little windows etc.
Before looking at the detail of the decoration, Im showing how to produce the basic card with templates. Here is a view of two of my house templates.



These templates can be adapted to all shapes and sizes, although I find that producing the houses on 2 sheets of A4 is about the right size for a gift card and allows for regular posting sizes and ready made envelopes.I almost always make my own envelopes but the sizes of today's example are about average for using regular sized envelopes and for posting. Here are sizes of the cottage templates for guidance : approximately 40cms long by 12cms high (at the highest roof point).


The roof size is approximately 17cms x 11cms.


The actual measurements are not important it's more to do with proportions. I think the best thing to do, is just try it out with a template. I've created a card template and sometimes draw around the lines or mark corner points.
The next few photos show my pretty cottage in development. I cut two pieces for the cottage base and used glue to stick both right hand 'corners' by creating creased 'flaps'.


I decorated the outside of the cottage before sticking the second flap. This is a much easier job if you have a flat surface to work with.








The roof is formed very easily by creating a crease in the centre.





I made two message 'ribbons' on a PC - my words were 'Just for you' - any word production method would do for this. The 'ribbon' is a simple 'V' cut into the paper with scissors on each end of the message. I have used actual ribbon with a message printed on it in other projects - there are lots of great embellishments out there as alternatives.





The decoration detail for my cottage comes from these dies.



I've used the Fiskars punch for this project but Ive also used the Sizzix Lace Edging long die with similar jobs. The Fiskars punch (I think)'is more delicate for this card. The orange card is cut from a Sizzix Bookplates, Gelly-o die and the little flowers come from a Provo Craft die (not sure of name ?).I also used Sizzix Buckles and Sizzix Frames,Rectangle Combo in various combinations.



The windows and doors were combinations of the die cuts and I just played around with the shapes to give the right 'look' of my cottage.



The flowers and scalloped trims also need to be 'played' with to give the detail which makes your final card special.






There must be a more efficient cutting die to achieve these little flowers ie the Provo Craft die but (not sure why ?) I spend forever cutting two of them at a time (in different colours) to create the little garlands for my cottage windows. My task is to find a better solution to producing 'mass' little flowers. The tiny flower shape is the aim. I need Sizzix to produce a long die with lots on one die. I have such a die with larger flowers - but its no good for this job.
Forgot to mention the card design used In my project. I've made it from Pink Petticoat designs, take a look at their site for details. It's basically a downloaded print pattern for home printing. They have some lovely designs.

I love the final cottage card, I hope you like it too. I've seen them displayed in people's houses and they look lovely. They are a very simple but easily created card gift which can be personalised.
Not too late to make one as a Mothers Day card !

Have a great weekend.
Bye for now.