Tuesday Technique - a Patchwork Background

This last month amongst other things I've been busy making Christmas cards for our local hospice. I've come up with a few money saving tips, and thought it would be fun to share this one with you.

 

Here in the UK, we often get 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm) paper pads free with magazines, but the most common size of cheap card blank is A6 (approx 6" x 4" or 15cm x 10cm). So, you cut the paper down to size to mat and layer onto the front of your card and what do you do with all the patterned paper strips left over? Here's an idea...

1. 6" x 6" (14.8cm x 14.8cm) patterned paper.

 

2. Cut into two pieces 6" x 4" (14.8cm x 10cm) and 6" x 2" (14.8cm x 5cm)

 

3. Cut the smaller piece in half to make 2 pieces 3" x 2" (7.4cm x 5cm)

4. Once you have a pile of these offcuts, choose 4 whose colours match.

 

5. Add a thin smear of PVA glue to the reverse of one of the 4 offcuts.

6. Stick to the corner of a sheet of thin copy paper.

7. Apply PVA to the reverse of another offcut then adhere to the copy paper, butting the edge right up against the first piece and leaving a straight edge along the top.

 8. Add the third offcut as shown, placing the bottom right corner carefully at the join of the first two pieces.

 

9. Stick the last one in place. The fourth offcut fits into the gap perfectly!

10. Remove the excess copy paper with a guillotine.

11. Trim the edges neatly with a guillotine and cut to size to fit the front of an A6 card blank.

12. Ink the edges sparingly with distress ink using a piece of cut 'n' dry foam.

13. Add faux stitching with the fine point of a distress marker.
N.B. If the paper colours are dark, I often lighten them with some white stamped snowflakes and make the stitching with a white Inkssentials pen.

14. Finally, adhere to the front of a card blank, add some stamping and a diecut and you're done.
I'll be sharing lots more of my Christmas cards with you over the next few weeks so hope to see you again soon. Maddy x

Entered for the following challenge:
Lawnscaping - Patterned Paper Craze
Ladybug Crafts - Pierce, Sew or Inky Stitch