Hi everyone! Natasha of @PoliteCreations bringing you another card making tutorial. Caramel apples instantly make me think of fall, so I thought they would make for the sweetest thank you card! I've been rediscovering my love of oil pastels lately, so I incorporated those into the blending on this card. Let's get started! Here's what I used:
Supplies:
- Cardstock Warehouse cardstock papers:
- Craft Supplies:
- Brass & Bliss Candy Apple Die
- Simon Says Stamp Paper Cut Word Mix 1 & Sparkler Scallop Frames
- Dots Embossing Folder
- Oil pastels
- Distress Oxide Inks – Rusty Hinge & Lucky Clover
- White Nuvo Drops
- Tools
- Die Cutting Machine
- Blending brushes
- Adhesives:
- Optional: White Gel Pen & Gems
As always, I started by die cutting all of my pieces from the papers listed above. Here are all of the die cut elements you will need and the color I used for them:
- 2 apples and stem highlight using Lime
- 2 sticks using Birch Wood Veneer
- 2 sets of the candy coating and drips using Kraft Paper Bag
- Thanks word in White
- Thanks backing in Lime
- Largest Sparkler Scallop Frame in Moss
Once you have all of your pieces cut, it's time to add some color details. For the caramel coating drips, add shading along the outer edges using Rusty Hinge. Add depth with a light brown oil pastel, buffing the color so they blend.
Repeat this process for the apples using Lucky Clover first, followed by shades of green oil pastels. Place the caramel coating piece on top of the apple (don't glue it!) and mark off the areas that need color. Since most of the apple will be covered by the coating, you do not need to shade and blend the entire thing.
I had fun adding layers of color and blending them to get the exact look that I was going for. Do not forget to add some color to the stem highlight pieces. If you're intimidated by adding the pastels, using a blending brush and some ink or using alcohol markers are good alternatives. Use whatever supplies you have on hand and don't be afraid to get creative!
Once all your pieces are shaded the way you like, assemble the apples using liquid adhesive. Glue the larger caramel coating onto the apple base, then glue the stem into the slot, then add the drip layer to the top of the caramel, and finally, the little puddle at the bottom. Liquid glue is best for this because it allows you to wiggle the pieces into the correct place before it dries.
For a fun little detail, I decided to add lines of white Nuvo Drops to the caramel to mimic white chocolate. You can dress yours up with whatever kind of "toppings" you like! If you use Nuvo Drops or Glossy Accents, be sure to set them aside to dry for a little bit.
Now let's make the card base. Run die cut frame piece through a dots embossing folder and pop it onto the center of an A2 panel of Moss using foam adhesive. I really like the monochrome look of the textured frame on top of the rectangle panel.
To make your sentiment, adhere the white "Thanks" letters to the Lime backing layer using liquid adhesive.
Now let's glue it all together! Arrange the apples on the front, popping up the front apple with foam adhesive. Add the sentiment using foam adhesive, then add highlights to the caramel drips using a white gel pen. I like to finish with a few gems for a little sparkle.
And there you have it, a sweet little treat to pop in the mail for someone special! If you'd like to see this process in action, you can watch the reel I made on Instagram.
Thank you for joining me today! What are you crafting? Tag Cardstock Warehouse in your creations on Facebook or Instagram. You can tag us (@cardstockwarehouse) to be featured in our stories. Thank you for joining me today!
Happy Crafting!
Natasha
IG: @PoliteCreations
YT: Polite Creations
Blog: Polite Creations