Published
09 October 2007, 07:54 PM
Pumpkin Photo Window |
Here is a creative idea I’d like to share… I made simple, elegant photo greeting cards that have a touch of 3D and the warmth that comes only from being homemade. I let my printer do the hard stuff, so homemade looks and feels even better than store-bought.
I started with a sheet of blank, scored white cardstock. Envelopes matter. In the excitement of getting started, I initially skipped a critical step, to first make sure I had an envelope that will match the finished folded card size. A Darwin award moment. |
Ornament Photo Window |
Printed cardstock with window outline |
I like card backgrounds that “wrap-around” to the back of the card, like the pumpkin patch photo. To print this one, I selected Other Inkjet Paper as the paper type from the Print menu since I used leftover cardstock, not photo paper, from an unknown source. The cardstock sheet was 6 ¼” x 8 15/16” so I entered my own Custom paper size settings in the Print menu and checked the layout in Preview mode before printing. Did I mention to Preview before printing? : )
Simple and easy to recognize shapes make the best photo windows for this technique. The pumpkin was sized to fill a large portion of the card cover, but to not totally cover up the pumpkin patch background. Window shapes can be drawn freehand, traced or made digitally (I’d be glad to share how I did this digitally in a future blog, if you are interested.). I resisted the urge to poke the point of my scissors into the center of the window to start cutting, since this was bound to mangle my beautifully printed cardstock. I cut an X first in the center of the window with a rotary cutter, on a cutting mat, so the cut window frame would lay flat. |
Exploded view of card pieces |
Once the window was cut out of the cardstock, I assembled the rest of the pieces for finishing the card design. I cut a circle of 1” thick polyester batting to roughly fit within the window. (I challenge you to mess up this step!)
The photo was printed on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of store bought printable cotton fabric, and cut to the width of the folded card. After printing, the backing paper was removed from the fabric. The fabric acts as a pillow cover over the batting. Very cool.
Scraps of ribbon were attached behind the frame to become the pumpkin’s stem. A backing sheet of cardstock was cut to ~ 1/8” less in both width and height as the folded card. The backing sheet holds the sandwich together and gives a clean finished look to the inside of the card. |
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All that’s left was sandwiching the pieces together and using adhesive to hold them that way. I’m a fan of glue dot tape dispensers, but any paper adhesive will work.
I folded the card along its score line using my ruler on top of the side with the window, so it didn’t buckle. I then slid the backing cardstock into the folded card so its edges were lined up with the card’s edges, but not visible, and it was exposed in the window. I used a bit of adhesive on the center of the circle of batting to tack it onto the backing cardstock, centered in the window. I then opened the card and removed the backing cardstock with the stuffing attached. I used adhesive on the corners of the ribbon scraps to cover the stem window from the unprinted side of the card cover. I then placed the fabric photo over the batting circle, pressed it gently and used adhesive to attach the fabric edges along the edges of the backing cardstock. Then I positioned the backing cardstock under the window, with the photo completely framed by the window, and used adhesive to attach the front of the card to the fabric and the backing sheet. |
Edge view of stuffed photo card |
When done, the fabric photo raised from the front of the card with the texture of fabric plus 3 dimensions from the stuffing.
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As you all know, scrapbooking supplies make great card embellishments. The ornament photo card was embellished with eyelets, metallic ribbon and silver ink.
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I hope you give stuffed fabric photo cards a try and then make new designs in your own personal style!
» Tips for taking holiday photos
» Tips for printing on printable fabric sheets
» An HP PS 8750 printer was used to make these cards
Posted By
warren.sander@hp.com
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photo, hp, inkjet, cardmaking, digital photography, learning, photography, tips, printing projects, creative printing, photo card, printed fabric, 3-D card
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