Hello Parent Friends!
Its a crazy time, right now. Schools are closed for who knows how long, many people are working remotely or laid off from their jobs during this important period of social distancing. With anxiety and uncertainty running high, this has the potential to be a very stressful few weeks (or months). Keeping kids happy, occupied and most importantly, healthy, all while keeping them from their schools, friends and normal routines is a whole new challenge, especially with so little time to prepare.
Well, lucky for you, I've been training and hoarding craft supplies for this for years! lol.
Having an abundance of craft supplies has proven invaluable on many occasions, but none so significantly as during these days of quarantine! To say I am uniquely prepared to keep little humans occupied is a gross understatement, and it only makes sense that I share the fruits of my hoarding with you and your littles in an effort to keep them busy and content,
if only for a little while.
As you know, I've created simple card kits for your kids to put together--with your help if necessary. Below, you will find the promised photo tutorial on how to assemble the cards in their kits. Each element of the card kit already has adhesive on the back, which means no mess or stress for you! I'll do my best to make the tutorial as simple and step by step to follow as possible, but please don't hesitate to get in touch through Facebook Messenger if you have issues.
I'm happy to help, but please be patient as we have 2 demanding 5 year olds at home, too!
As an added bonus, I am including an envelope, complete with postage, with a stamped design for your child(ren) to color. I would love for them to send their creations to grandparents, friends, other family members or acquaintances who may be struggling with isolation during this situation! Lets share some joy during this trying time.
I already have a second kit planned and am starting to assemble them! Unless I hear otherwise from you, I will keep your children on the mailing list for the next round. Card Kit 2 will have a Farm Theme and will be another simple, but different design using die cut characters and fun patterned papers. I know our schools have just announced that the earliest they will reopen is April 27th, so I have every intention of creating at least a third round of card kits.
Have fun & stay healthy!
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Hello New Card Maker!
I have created a fun card kit for you to put together! I hope you like it and have fun being crafty!
KIT CONTENTS:
1- 4.25x5.5 inch White Card Base with stamped sentiment & image inside.
1- 4x5.25 inch wood grain patterned background paper rectangle
1- 3.5x4.75 inch rectangular frame
1- Die cut Zoo Animal image
1- Die cut leaf or other accessory image (banana, bamboo)
1- White rectangle with Stamped image (size varies)
3- Self Adhesive Clear Rhinestones
You Will Need: Crayons, Colored Pencils or Water Based Markers (not provided)
Please note:
Actual images and paper designs within each card kit will vary,
but the kit design is the same for each and all are assembled following the same steps.
All pieces intended to be adhered already have double sided tape or foam mounting tape on the back. All you have to do is peel and stick! Easy Peasy!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1:
Select the Background panel (4x5.25 colored panel with wood grain pattern) and flip it over. You will see 3 pieces of double sided tape. Completely remove the one in the middle & discard the backing strip. Peel the first 1/3 of the backing paper off the other two strips of double sided tape, starting from opposite corners. Fold the backing strips at a 90 degree angle, outside of the paper as shown below.
Step 2:
Grab your card base (open it to make sure its right side up and the sentiment is in the right spot)
Next, flip over your background panel onto the front of the white card base. Line it up so its as close to the center as you can. When you get it where you want it, press down on the center to adhere the uncovered tape strip.
Step 3:
Using one hand to make sure your background doesn't move, grab the "tail" of the tape backing paper with your other hand and gently peel in the direction of the fold (I find that doing this toward me is the easiest way). Repeat on the other side.
Step 4:
Press down your panel to make sure all three tape strips stick well. Your card should look pretty close to this, now.
Step 5:
Grab your rectangle frame and flip it over. Using the same peel and fold technique, prepare the foam tape so it looks like the photo below, making sure there is only exposed adhesive in two of the corners.
Step 6:
Grab your card base and flip the frame over, lining it up with the base so its as close to centered as you can get it. When you have it where you want it, press down gently on the two corners with exposed adhesive.
Step 7:
Use one hand to hold the frame in place and the other to grab the "tails" of the tape backing strips again and gently peel in the direction of the fold, just like in the last step.
Once all backing paper strips have been removed, firmly press your frame down to make sure it sticks well.
Your card should look pretty close to this.
Step 8:
Grab your die cut Animal image. You will find both flat double sided tape and foam tape on the back of this piece. This is to give the character more dimension so it looks like it pops up out of the frame.
Flip the image over and completely peel the backing paper off of both the double sided tape and foam tape.
Turn the image over and place it in the bottom right corner of the framed area on the card base. Tuck the bottom edge under the frame so it looks like its coming from inside and let a small part sit on top of the right side of the frame, for even more dimension. Press firmly to make sure it sticks well.
Your card should look something like this.
Step 9:
Next, grab the die cut Leaf, Banana or Bamboo accessory (there will be one included in your kit). Flip it over and remove the backing paper from the foam tape.
Flip it back over and place it in the bottom left corner of the frame so it overlaps the frame. Press down firmly to make sure it sticks well.
Your card should look something like this.
Step 10:
Grab the white rectangle with the stamped sentiment on it. I tried to pick some cute & funny ones 😀
Flip it over and completely remove the backing paper from the foam tape.
Flip it back over and position it in the top right corner of the frame so it overlaps the frame itself. Press down firmly to make sure it sticks well.
Your card should look something like this.
(We're almost done! Yay!)
Step 11:
Next, we're going to add some sparkle!
Grab the 3 Clear Rhinestones. These already have sticky foam on the back, so all you have to do is peel them off and put them where you want them.
You can pick where you would like to place the rhinestones. I suggest putting them down in a way that creates a triangle shape when you look at them, like this.
WOW!
You finished the front of your card! Great job!
Step 12:
All that's left to do is to color the little image inside the card, near the sentiment, and color your Envelope Art! You can use crayons, colored pencils or water based markers for this part.
I colored mine like this!
I have already put a stamp on your envelope, so its ready to mail! All you have to do is pick who you want to send it to and have your Mom or Dad help you put an address on it so you can put it in a mail box to send out.
I also put a couple of extra goodies in your kit for you to have. I hope you enjoy them 😉
I would love to see how your card turned out!
You can have your Mom or Dad PM me a picture on Facebook, if you want!
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Thank you for joining me for
I hope you had fun putting your card together!
I have already planned out a second kit (and maybe even a third one!), so you can look forward to getting another kit really soon!
Crafty Hugs,
Amber
Important Info:
The latest information I've been able to find from the CDC is that Covid-19 survives on cardboard for up to 24 hours, but may survive on some paper surfaces for as little as a few minutes or as long as 5 days, depending on the strain. By the time cards arrive at the recipient's homes, they should be safe to open, but I would suggest telling high risk recipients to leave them somewhere isolated for at least 48 hours before opening, just to be safe, or at the very least, handle them with an abundance of caution & wash hands after opening or handling them.
Disclaimer:
At this time, everyone in our household appears healthy and has had no known exposure to the virus.
All but one of us has been practicing Shelter In Place, voluntarily since the 10th of March & My husband, who is still working outside the home, works in a VT state building with a skeleton crew, but has been distancing himself from the rest of the family when he's home, just to be safe. We also clean and disinfect surfaces at least daily and wash fabric items often, as an added measure.
