You Raise Me Up

When my boys were little we read a lot of books in our house and some of their favorites were the touch and feel books. You know the kind, where the scales on a fish are shiny, the fur on the bunny is soft and the skin of a snake is rough? Perhaps I am still a kid at heart because I still like things that are tactile. In my paper crafting and card making, I often look for ways to add texture and dimension to my cards.

Today I thought I would share with you some of the ways I add dimension and texture. I used Flourishes set Butterflies and Blossoms for this gift set.

This shot gives you a better look at layers. I used Souffle pens and a gold leafing pen to add dots of color onto the acetate. You will find green dots on the leaves, gold dots around the image and orange dots on the flower centers. All of these things create a 3-D like effect when you look at it.

Using the same colors as the card, I created a gift box that can hold 4-6 mini cards and envelopes. The box itself is fairly simple but the embossed panel creates the right amount of dimension, and also matches the main card. The brass latch is one I have had in my stash for 2 years!! It was about time it got used.

The butterflies in this stamp set are so beautiful, I wanted to incorporate them into the mini cards. I stamped them onto a die cut piece and then stamped them a second time to they could be colored, cut and adhered. I use the foam type dimensionals on virtually every project I make. In a side by side comparison, a card that is mounted on dimensionals always looks nicer than one directly glued down. A simple thing with a big effect. But sometimes I like more control over the dimension in my projects. That is when a silicone glue comes in handy. After I cut the butterflies out, I molded the wings a bit with my fingers. I added silicone glue so the body of the butterfly is adhered flat but the wings are lifted up. Once the glue dries, it is very firm, holding your item just like you wanted it.

There are many different ways to add texture and dimension to your projects. Some of my favorites are embossing folders, foam tape and/or silicone glue, Glossy Accents, glaze pens, scoring tools, machine stitching and heat embossing. A little bit can make a big difference.

Use a bit of dimension in your next project, it will be sure to draw them in for a closer look, and feel!