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What you’ll need for all the projects
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Glue
An acid-free, non-runny glue with a fine point is best. If you don’t have a fine point, a cocktail stick can be used to apply the glue to avoid adding too much at once.
You can also use a double-sided adhesive runner when appropriate
My favourite glues are:
Spacers
3D files are achieved by adding spacers between the different layers of cardstock. Different kinds of spacer can be used:
- Self-adhesive 3D foam squares or dots (see here for an example)
- Pieces of cardboard that you cut yourself
- Craft foam sheets that you also cut yourself
These are good for Mandalas and similar files, just like our day 1 project.
On the other hand, for something like a shadow box, like the projects on days 2 and 3, you might want deeper spacers that look more like a frame and that will cover the whole perimeter of the design.
Therefore, you can either use foamboard or corrugated cardboard from a delivery box. The first one is preferable since you can’t guarantee that the glues used in the corrugated cardboard are acid-free and that it won’t react with your cardstock over time.
Cardstocks
Cardstocks come in different thicknesses, textures and colours. I don’t recommend specific brands but here are what you should look for:
- Size: a least 12 x 12 sheets
- Weight: at least 65 lbs or more
- and avoid cardstocks that are not coloured all the way through (meaning that you’ll see the white in the center of the cardstock when you cut it). Usually, it’s the double-sided cardstock that is like that.
Day 1: Lotus Mandala from CutsunSVG
This mandala is made of 4 layers.
You will therefore need 4 different colours of cardstock to make it stand out.
Either choose different shades of the same colours or different colours and even patterns!
Materials
- 4 cardstocks
- glue
- spacer
Day 2: Unicorn in the woods by Jumbleink
This shadowbox has a total of 5 layers that are all cut in white cardstocks. I will also give you an SVG to make a cardstock box.
Materials:
- 5 White cardstocks and 2 sheets of Kraft board for more solidity (or 7 white cardstocks) (you can also use a shadow box. Ikea stores have nice and cheap ones)
- glue
- White Foamboard for spacers
- Scoring stylus (Explore or Maker) or scoring wheel (Maker only) (optional, you can also score by hand)
- Battery-powered LED microlights (I bought 7.2 ft long Fairy lights. These are the ones I bought: CANADA and similar ones here: USA)
Day 3: Flamingo book nook shadow box by Sea Salt and Samphire
This design is made to use as decoration between books. It’s also made of 12 layers plus additional layers applied directly on the flamingo and for the flowers.
Cardstock for the flamingo
(you can change the colours if you want!) the size of the cardstock needs to be at least Letter size (A4) unless specified otherwise:
- 12 flower elements (petals and centres) – white, purple, yellow cardstocks (leftovers can be used)
- Leaves 1 and Leaves 4 layer – mid-green cardstock
- Leaves 2 layer – rich green cardstock
- Water 1 layer – light blue cardstock
- Water 2 layer – dusky blue cardstock
- Water 3 layer – light teal cardstock
- Water 4 layer – dark teal cardstock
- Leaves 3 and leaves 5 layers – dark green
- 6 Flamingo elements – black, buff/light orange, mid pink, light peach-pink cardstocks (leftovers can be used)
- Flamingo base layer – dark brown cardstock
- Sky1 – light blue
- Sky2 – orange
- Sky3 – yellow
- Background -white
Cardstock for the box:
- For the box, I’m using Kraft board for more solidity.
Other:
- White Foamboard for spacers
- Scoring stylus (Explore or Maker) or scoring wheel (Maker only) (optional, you can also score by hand)
- Battery-powered LED microlights (I bought 7.2 ft long Fairy lights. These are the ones I bought: CANADA and similar ones here: USA)
- Green acrylic paint and foam brush (optional)