Tutorial Tuesdays with Leigh: FantaSea "Mermaid Scales" Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card featuring Pearl Balleigh MerMonster!

🧜🏻‍♀️ Happy MerMay Creative Friends 🧜🏻‍♀️

 

It's Tutorial Tuesday with Leigh time and today I'm going to show you how I made my Mother's Day card featuring Digi Stamps and SVG Cutz from my brand new FantaSea Collection🧜🏻‍♀️

 

 

Check out the new FantaSea Collection of Digi Stamps and SVG Cutz launch post!

 

 

The FantaSea Collection is on special release sale through May 12th and all my Mermaid themed collections are on sale for the entire month of MerMay!

Sale ends at midnight pacific on May 31st!

 

"Mermaid Scales"

Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card SVG Cutz kit

with Pearl Balleigh MerMonster

by Leigh

 

 My Mother's Day slimline card today features Pearl Balleigh MerMonster and the Mother's Day senti included in the set plus the "Mermaid Scales" Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card SVG Cutz kit from my brand new FantaSea Collection🧜🏻‍♀️

 

 

My new FantaSea "Mermaid Scales" Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card SVG Cutz is a mer-mazing 30 piece cut file kit that lets you make a vertical slimline card from start to finish!  The kit includes 28 mermaid scale layers, a slimline card base with a perforated fold line and a mat layer.  LeighSBDesigns SVG Cutz are for popular electronic cutting machines compatible with SVG files like Silhouette, Cricut and Scan n Cut.  All my SVG Cutz are designed in Silhouette Design Studio and include both Silhouette Studio 3 and SVG files. 

 

 

First I cut out the slimline folded card base and mat layer included in the FantaSea "Mermaid Scales" Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card SVG Cutz kit.  I used 138lb (250gsm) heavy weight white cardstock to cut the slimline card.  The slimline card comes with a perforated fold line so you just cut it out and fold, easy peasy.  You will use the mat layer as the base for the mermaid scales to adhere to and it peeks out at the bottom beneath the last scale so you'll want to cut the mat layer from a different colour if you're using alternating colours.  Just cut mat layers from all the colours you plan to use to keep things simple.  You can then use one of the left over mats to decorate the inside of your card too!

 

 

The slimline make-a-card kit is designed to work with both 8.5 x 11 (A4) and 12 x 12 cutting mats so the size of your cardstock and cutting mat will determine how you lay the mermaid scales out for cutting.  I used 3 shades of purple from Crafter's Companion heavy weight 12 x 12 textured cardstock to create my alternating scale layers.  With scissors I cut panels from each colour measuring 3.5 x 12 inches and laid them out on my 12 x 12 inch cutting mat and using the mat I then lined up the scales on my computer screen to match.  To alternate the colours of the mermaid scales I worked left to right and started with scale #1 at the top of the lightest purple panel, scale #2 on the middle panel and scale #3 on the darkest purple panel then back to the lightest shade for scale #4.  Do this for all the mermaid scales and you if you've got enough space on your cardstock it doesn't hurt to add additional scales as back up!

 

TOP TIP:

To keep the mermaid scales in order start by removing scale #1 from the the cutting mat (lightest purple panel) and write #1 on the back.  Then remove the rest of the scales working from left to right in the same order you placed them, numbering as you go.  This way your scales will always be in order no matter what you do with!

 

 

I then laid out all my scales for a dry run, making sure each scale cut out nicely.

 

 

I used Villainous Potion Distress Ink to ink up just the scalloped edge of each scale.  This is why numbering your scales is a must coz it's so easy to get them mixed up while customizing them!

 

 

Use the mat layer that comes in the slimline card kit as the base layer to adhere the mermaid scales to for perfect alignment.  The amount of alternating colours you use and how closely you overlap them will determine how many scales you will need for your card.  I provided 28 but you might need extra or use less so I recommend doing a dry fit on your mat layer before gluing the scales down.  You will also then be able to determine how much of the mat layer colour peeks out from under the last scale at the bottom.  Then always start with the bottom scale layer first and glue as you work upwards, lining up the scale edges with the edge of the mat layer, for perfect overlapping scales.  Working from the bottom to the top will then allow you to trim away any overlap if you were a bit off with your dry test.  

 

TOP TIP:

I just applied a dab of glue to each scallop and a bit on the top edge as I worked upwards and then put a line of glue along the top edge of the last scale to make sure the mermaid scale layer was fully adhered to the base layer. 

 

I then applied Villainous Potion Distress Ink to the mermaid scales panel edges to cover the cardstock's exposed white core edges and then added Waterfall Stickles glitter for a touch of magical mermaid sparkle.

The layered mermaid scales make a mermazing slimline card on their own or you could complete it with just a sentiment or take it further and embellish with a digi stamp from my new FantaSea Collection🧜🏻‍♀️

 

 I coloured Pearl Balleigh MerMonster in Adobe Fresco on my ipad with an Apple pencil and printed out her and the Mother's Day senti included in the set.  I printed the sentiment from Silhouette Design Studio and used the offset feature to cut the sentiment out and a Torn Edge Crafter's Companion circle die to cut out Pearl Balleigh.  I also cut 2 larger offset mat layers for the sentiment but decided to not use them for this make.

 I then used the Waterfall Stickles glitter to edge the Pearl and senti panels too.  In the photo above you can see how the glitter takes on a different colour depending on the colour beneath for a fun different look using the same stickles colour.

 

 

I decorated the inside of the card with a panel cut from the lightest purple edged in Villainous Potion and the senti panel.

 

 

I embellished the the upper right corner of the slimline card with clear dew drop gems adhered with Glossy Accents.

 

 

 

Then adhered the Pearl Balleigh MerMonster panel to the card front with low profile pop dots for just a little bit of dimension.

To complete my card I added more pretty magical shimmer by painting Pearl's eyelids and the pearl she's hugging with a Spectrum Noir clear sparkle brush glitter pen.  It's always hard to capture just how pretty the sparkle is in real life but the next pic gives you a good idea!  I then added magic transparent white Viva Pearl dimensional gel to the bubbles.

 

 

The  "Mermaid Scales" Vertical Slimline Make-a-Card SVG Cutz with Pearl Balleigh MerMonster makes such a striking slimline card full of FINtastic layered texture.  The 30 piece slimline card kit may look daunting at first glance but my kit make it really easy for you to cut out and assemble for lots of fun mermazing card making🧜🏻‍♀️

 

Our challenge for May is underway, come play in Challenge #5 MerMay, details and linky party are in the MAIN CHALLENGE POST🧜‍♀️

 

The FantaSea Collection is available at LeighSBDesigns Boutique on special release sale through May 12th plus all my Mermaid themed collections are on sale for the entire month of MerMay too!

Sale ends at midnight pacific on May 31st!

 

  You can shop for the Villainous Potion Distress Ink and Waterfall Stickles glitter and more at Scrapbook.com via my affiliate link at no extra cost to you.  Thank you for supporting LeighSBDesigns Inspiration Blog while getting awesome deals on your fave products!

Happy Creating!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN