How To Ink Cardstock Edges For 3D Paper Flower Cards

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY INK CARDSTOCK EDGES DESIGNS

First, download my Ink Cardstock Edges designs from my free resource library - look for Design 506. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

TIP: If you're not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

There are four SVG designs in my collection: Daisies, Tulips, a Sunflower, and Cherry Blossoms. There is also a blank card to cut and attach your design. You’ll find a helpful reference PDF in the zip file to help identify all of the design pieces. You can choose the score version, which requires a scoring wheel or stylus, or the no-score version that only needs the Fine-Point Blade.



In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to cut the no-score sunflower card design and apply ink to the edges of the design to add depth to the cardstock.

STEP 2: PREPARE YOUR DESIGN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. Open Cricut Design Space

2. Click “Upload”

3. Click “Browse”

4. Select the SVG file

5. On the Prepare to Upload screen, it will say “Cut image” with the design preview.

6. Click “Upload”

7. Find your design in Recent Uploads and add it to the Canvas

8. Click the minus (-) sign to zoom out (75% works).

9. Click the Ungroup icon.

10. Hide or delete all card designs except the sunflower and the blank card.

11. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right

12. Click “Make It”

13. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”

14. On the Prepare Screen, there should be 7 mats.

15. Change your material size to 8.5” x 11” for all the mats if using the same cardstock selections as me.

16. Select the first mat again and click “Continue”

CUTTING

1. On the Make Screen, click “Browse All Materials”

2. Search for and select the “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb” setting

3. Select “More” for the Pressure.

4. Click the “Remember material settings” box.

5. Place the first sheet of cardstock face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat.

6. Use a brayer to adhere the cardstock.

7. Press the flashing arrows to load the mat into your Cricut

8. Press the flashing “Go” button to begin cutting

9. When it has finished cutting, press the flashing arrows to unload the machine mat.

10. Flip the mat over onto your work surface and gently pull the mat away from the cardstock.

11. Repeat steps 5-10 for the remaining mats.

STEP 3: INK YOUR CARDSTOCK DESIGNS

NOTE: The ink application is the same for both types of ink. If this is your first time using distress oxides or distress ink, I recommend practicing on a blank sheet of paper to familarize yourself with the pressure and amount of ink you’ll want to use on your designs.

SKY BACKGROUND AND LEAVES (ALL CARDS)

1. Place butcher paper on work area.

2. Select complimentary distress ink or distress oxide colors that are similar to your cardstock designs.

3. Inks may stain skin so I recommend wearing disposable gloves.

4. For the sky background, I will use the ink blending tool.

NOTE: The leaves and all of the flowers will use the smaller detail ink blending tool.

5. Swirl a blending tool in the blue ink (see Notes section for the specific color I used) and apply it to the 5” x 7” white rectangle for the sky layer. Use light pressure and circular motions.

6. All of the designs will use the same technique for the leaves. Start with the lighter green, top layer of leaves.

7. Use a detail blending tool. Rub the end of the tool in the light green ink. Hold the light green layer and apply the ink to the outer edge of the entire light green layer. Add more ink to the tool as necessary.

8. After inking the edges, we need to blend the ink in from the edge towards the center of the leaves.

9. Place the light green layer on your work surface. Use a light circular motion to gently and gradually spread the ink towards the center of the leaves.

10. Repeat steps 7-9 for the darker green leaf layer.

11. Fold your base card in half along the scored or dashed line. Use a scraper tool to crease the center

12. Apply glue to the back of the blue sky layer and place the sky layer on the front of the white card. Press it in place.

SUNFLOWER

1. For the sunflower petals (piece C), use the detail blending tool and begin in the center of the petals.

2. Apply the yellow ink (see Notes section for the specific color I used) in a circular motion with lighter pressure as you move to the outer edges of the petals. Repeat for both petal layers.

3. Apply a light layer of brown ink (see Notes section for the specific color I used) to the edges of the light brown center layer (piece A).

4. Apply with light pressure and circular motions.

5. The dark brown layer (piece B) will not have any ink.

DAISIES

NOTE: The flower petals will have a different ink application for the top and bottom layer.

1. Start with the bottom layer of one flower - I started with the yellow flower (piece C). Rub your blending tool in the yellow ink and apply it around all the petal edges.

TIP: It helps to gently fold back the neighboring petals as you apply the ink to each petal.

2. Apply ink to the petal tips using a light circular motion.

3. Blend the ink toward the center of the flower using less pressure as you move inward. This will create a gradient effect that lightens toward the center.

4. For the top petal layer (piece C), ink the edges like you did in step 1. Then, use a gentle circular motion to spread the ink around the edges of each petal and blend it inward toward the petal's center. Use lighter pressure as you move towards the center. When you're finished, the petal should have darker edges that gradually lighten toward the center.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other two daisies (pieces A and B - mine were red and orange).

6. Apply a small amount of ink to the edges of the small circle flower centers (pieces D, E, and F).

7. Use ink colors that match each circle color.

TULIPS

1. The tulips have two petals and two center pieces per flower. Apply ink to the edges of all tulip flower pieces.

2. Blend the ink on each piece. I started with the large tulip. On the back center piece (piece A), use a circular motion to blend the ink from the top of the center petal to towards the middle of it.

3. Use lighter pressure for a lighter shading on the front center petal (piece B). Apply ink from the top of the center petal towards the middle.

4. For the left and right petals (pieces C and D), use a circular motion and spread the ink from the outer edge towards the center of the petals. Use lighter pressure towards the center for a gradual fading.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 for all remaining tulip pieces (pieces E-L).

6. The stems (pieces M-P) will not have any ink.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

1. Using the same technique used for the leaves, lightly apply brown ink to the edges of the branch (piece I).

2. All cherry blossom petals are inked the same way. Apply coral ink to the edges of the flower petals (pieces A, B, D, and E). The tips of the petals will remain white, so use patience when inking the edge of the petals. This provides a slight accent of the color.

3. Start in the center of the flower petal layer and work from the middle outward toward the petal edges. Use a circular motion to spread ink from the center of the petal and lighten the pressure towards the edges of the petals.

STEP 4: ASSEMBLE YOUR INKED CARD

SUNFLOWER

1. Place foam adhesive circles on the back of the light green top leaves layer (piece D). I placed one near the tip of each leaf and a few in the center to secure the layer.

TIP: A weeding tool is helpful in removing the adhesive covers.

2. Place the top leaves (piece D) on to the front of the dark green bottom leaves layer (piece E).

3. Apply glue to the back of the bottom leaves (piece E). Press it on to the front of the sky layer.

4. Use your nails or fingers to gently shape the sunflower petals (piece C) to slightly curve upward.

5. Place several foam adhesive pieces around the back center of the top petal layer - only within the center circle area, not on the actual petals.

6. Press the top petal layer onto the bottom petal layer with the petals staggered between each other.

7. Align the light brown center top layer (piece A) on top of the dark brown center bottom layer (piece B). Use a few small dabs of glue to adhere the two pieces together.

10. Apply glue to the back of the sunflower and press it on to the leaves.

11. Your sunflower card is complete!

DAISIES

1. Use foam adhesive on the back of the light green top leaves (pieces H and I). I placed one near the tip of each leaf and a couple in the center to secure each layer.

TIP: A weeding tool is helpful in removing the adhesive covers.

2. Place the top leaves (pieces H and I) on to the bottom leaves (piece G). The two smaller pieces go on the top and bottom and the larger piece goes in the center.

3. Apply glue to the back of the bottom leaf layer. Press it on to the front of the sky layer.

4. Use your fingers or nails to gently shape the daisy petals (pieces A, B, and C) with an upward curve.

5. Attach three foam adhesive circles to the back center of the top petal layers.

6. Remove the adhesive covers and press each top petal piece on its matching bottom petals. Stagger the petals so the bottom petals show through the spacing of the top petals.

7. Place a dab of glue on the back of each petal center (pieces D, E, and F) and press it in the center of its corresponding flower.

8. Apply glue to the back of each flower and glue them on to the leaves. The largest flower (mine is yellow) goes in the middle of the card, the medium flower (mine is orange) goes on the top, and the smallest (mine is red) goes on the bottom.

9. Your daisy card is complete!

TULIPS

1. Put foam adhesive on the back of the largest light green leaf layer (piece T). I placed one near the tip of each leaf and a few in the center to secure the layer.

TIP: A weeding tool is helpful in removing the adhesive covers.

2. Place the largest light green layer (piece T) on to the front of the dark green bottom leaves layer (piece U).

3. Apply glue to the back of the bottom leaves layer (piece U). Press it on to the front of the sky layer.

4. Place foam adhesive on the back of the small, light green, top leaf layers (pieces Q, R, and S). Place the foam around the leaves’ outer edges but not in the center. We’re going to need space to insert the stems.

5. To assemble the flowers, we’ll start with the large tulip. Place a couple foam adhesive circles on the back of the front center piece (piece B) and attach it to the front of the back center piece (piece A).

6. Place foam adhesive on the back of the petal pieces (pieces C and D) and attach them to the flower centers. One will be placed on the left and one on the right, with their edges overlapping slightly in the center.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to assemble the other tulips using pieces E-L.

8. Apply some glue on the back of each tulip but not directly at the bottom of the flower so we have room to slip the stem under the flower.

9. The large tulip (mine is orange) will go on the upper left of the card. The medium tulip (mine is red) will go in the upper right area. The smaller two tulips (mine are yellow) are identical and will stagger under the other flowers. Refer to the SVG on your Canvas for placement.

10. Place the edges of the stems (pieces M, N, O, and P) under each flower and angle them appropriately into the leaves below. Apply a few drops of glue along the back of the stems and secure them in place. The top and bottom of the stems will be under the flowers and under the front leaves.

11. Your tulip card is complete!

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

1. Place small dots of glue along the back of the branch (piece I) and secure it to the front of the sky layer.

2. Put foam adhesive on the back of the light green top leaf pieces (pieces G). I put one adhesive circle on each leaf.

TIP: A weeding tool is helpful in removing the adhesive covers.

3. Place the light green top leaves (pieces G) on to the dark green bottom leaves (pieces H). Align the numbers for correct placement.

4. Apply glue to the back of each of the dark green bottom leaves. Press them on to the branch. Refer to page 5 in the reference PDF for leaf placement.

5. There are four sizes of cherry blossom petals. The two largest pieces (pieces A and B) will be attached in pairs to make six large flowers. The two smallest pieces (pieces D and E) will be attached in pairs to make three small flowers.

6. Place one foam adhesive circle on the back side of the top petals (pieces B and E) and attach them to the front of the bottom petals (pieces A and D). Stagger the petals between each other.

7. Place a small dab of glue on the back of each stamen (pieces C and F) and attach it to the center of the petals.

8. Place glue on the back of each flower and attach them to the leaves. Small flowers go on leaves 3, 4, and 8. Large flowers go on leaves 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9.

9. Your cherry blossom card is complete!

STEP 5: SHOW IT OFF!

Here is what all of my finished inked cardstock cards look like!

Here is a comparison of my sunflower cards with both types of ink.