Glossary

Acetate

Acetate is available in clear or coloured transparent sheets and can be used behind apertures, as an overlay, or for glass painting. 

Aperture

An aperture is a shaped hole cut from the front of a base card.

Applique

This is the technique of layering fabric shapes onto a fabric background.

ATCs

Artists’ Trading Cards are the artistic version of business cards. They’re individually decorated then swapped with other artists, with contact details on the reverse.

Brads

This is the American name for paper fasteners, with split pins that go through paper then pull apart and flatten on the reverse to secure. They’re available in lots of different designs.

Brayering

This involves applying ink to surfaces using a rubber roller to create stunning background effects.

Chipboard

This material is used to make letters or 3D embellishments.

Clear stamps

Clear stamps are a type of unmounted stamp. They are made of clear polymer and will ‘cling’ onto an acrylic block without adhesive.

Concertina card

This is made from a long piece of card that is folded first to the right and then to the left, so that it opens and closes in the manner of a concertina. It is also referred to as an accordion card.

Core’dinations card

A brand of card where the inside core of the card is a different colour to that printed on the surface. When you tear or sand it, the inner core becomes visible creating a two-toned texture.

Crackle Accents

Crackle Accents is a liquid which gives card and paper a really effective, aged, antique effect.

Cricut

This is a brand of digital die-cutter.

Crochet

Crochet uses a crocheting hook and thread to create fabrics. You can easily incorporate it into your cardmaking designs by creating little fabric embellishments.

Cuttlebug

This is a brand of traditional style die-cutter (see section on die-cutters, below).

Daubers

These are little bottles filled with paint or ink, with a spongy tip that helps you to apply colour evenly.

Découpage

This is the art of creating a 3D image from paper layers, where the smaller parts of a repeated image are cut out and layered on top of the original image to create a 3D effect.

Die-cutting

A die-cutting machine cuts out shapes from paper or card. The machine sandwiches metal dies (templates) over your chosen card, which is then fed through a roller by turning a handle on the machine. The pressure on the die creates the cut.

Digital die-cutters

These machines cut out shapes at the touch of a button, with no need for metal dies.

Downloads

This is where you download an image (often of patterned papers) from the internet. You can then print it out as much as you like to use on your cards. Downloads can be free or paid for, depending on the source. Download free patterned papers and lots of card ideas from Cardmaking & Papercraft and Quick Cards Made Easy here.

Embossing

Embossing adds a raised, textured shape, either as a pattern, a motif or a greeting. The traditional way of embossing is by hand, using either a stencil or an embossing board with an embossing tool. You can also use an embossing folder (see below) with a die-cutting machine to create the same effect.

Embossing folder

This is an accessory for a traditional die-cutting machine. It creates an embossed pattern on card when fed through the machine.

Embossing powder

These are grainy powders that melt when heated with a heat gun to create a shiny, raised finish (see heat embossing). They are available in a variety of colours and textures for different effects.

Eyelets

These are small metal embellishments with a hole in the middle. You attach them to cards with an eyelet setter, which punches a hole and then fixes the eyelet in place.

Flock

This is made of very fine velvety fibres sold in lots of different colours. It can be added to cards and papercraft projects in the same way as glitter. Click here to read our guide to flock.

Flower pressing

Traditionally created by pressing in a book, today there are more sophisticated methods of producing dried flowers, with a number of ready-made presses and also the microwave press available. Use tweezers to handle flowers and a cocktail stick to apply glue. A heat seal film is placed over the flowers to seal the blooms onto card.

Glass painting

This technique is traditionally practised by painting on glass, but you can also use glass paint on acetate, which is handy for cardmakers as it’s much easier to incorporate into projects.

Glimmer Mist

This is a water-based spray containing mica pigments. It gives a shimmering effect when sprayed onto paper or card.

Glossy Accents

A 3D gloss medium that can be used to highlight parts of a stamped image or card. It’s great for adding texture and can also be used like glue, to attach embellishments.

Heat embossing

This gives stamped images a glossy, raised finish. It involves sprinkling embossing powder onto an image stamped with pigment ink, and then heating with a heat gun, which melts the powder and creates the shiny, raised finish.

Heat gun

This tool gives a jet of heat (like a hairdryer without the airflow) to melt embossing powder and heat shrink plastic.

Iris folding

This involves building up an image using folded strips of paper. It’s a great way to use up any paper scraps.

Metal embossing

This is the same technique as embossing, but metal is used instead of card to create a slightly different effect.

Nestabilities

These are dies that cut out shapes like circles, scalloped circles and rectangles, which are very useful for framing images on cards. They are sold in sets with different sizes that fit inside each other. They can be used with a variety of die-cutting machines.

Origami

This is the traditional Japanese art of using paper folding to create 3D shapes. They look great alone or added to cards.

Parchment craft

Parchment craft is the art of embossing and piercing specialist paper to create a pattern.

Peel-offs

These are a popular style of sticker, with simple outlines or greetings that peel off from a sheet.

Pigment ink

This is a slow-drying ink, recommended for use when heat embossing as it remains tacky for longer so the embossing powder has time to stick.

Modelling clay used to create 3D embellishments.

Pop-up cards

This is the technique of attaching an image or lettering inside a base card, so that it springs up when opened.

ProMarkers

These are a brand of alcohol-based, blendable marker pen. They are hugely popular for colouring in stamped images to give professional results.

Punches

These are used to punch out little shapes to decorate cards. There is a huge variety available, including border punches and nesting punches. You can use the punched out shapes as embellishments too!

Quilling

This involves using a quilling tool and special strips of paper to create swirls and coils to make an eye-catching 3D image.

Repositionable glue

A specially formulated adhesive that allows items to be removed and repositioned without damaging the surface – even after the glue has dried.

Rotary trimmer

A rotary trimmer is a manual paper cutter with a round blade that rotates as it cuts (see trimmers below).

Rub-ons

These are a type of transfer that work much like stickers. Remove the backing and rub down with a tool or lolly stick to transfer the image onto card.

Shrink plastic

This is sold in sheets that, when heated, shrink to a fraction of their original size. You can stamp, colour and cut it into shapes before shrinking with a heat gun to make embellishments for cards.

Sizzix

This is a brand of traditional die-cutting machine used to cut out shapes from paper and card.

Slider cards

These are special cards with a moving element, which reveals a hidden message to the recipient.

Stamping

Rubber stamps are used with coloured inks (any type will do) to create a perfect outline every time. Stamps can be wood-mounted in the traditional fashion, or unmounted (see unmounted stamps).

StazOn ink

This is a permanent solvent-based ink that will stamp on almost any surface. It is recommended when stamping onto shrink plastic and acetate or glossy card and paper.

Stencils

These are versatile tools which can be used with inks, paints or chalks to create an outline on paper, or with an embossing tool to give a raised outline to your chosen design.

Sticky fixers

These are tiny, sticky foam pads used to give a 3D effect when attaching panels to a base card, or between layers of découpage.

Trimmers

Trimmers are a must-have for any serious cardmaker. There are two categories – guillotines and rotary trimmers. Guillotines have a long blade which slices down and rotary trimmers have a rolling blade.

Twinkling H2Os

These are a brand of extra-special watercolour paints, which have mica pigments embedded in them to create a shimmery finish.

Unmounted stamps

Unmounted stamps are sold without the traditional wooden mount. They come in two main varieties – opaque rubber, or clear polymer. Both varieties are generally cheaper and easier to store than wood-mounted stamps. To use them, you need to attach them to a clear acrylic block. These are inexpensive and sold separately.

VersaMark ink

This is a clear pigment ink that creates a ‘watermark’ version of the stamped image when stamped onto coloured card. VersaMark is also ideal for heat embossing, as embossing powder is sprinkled onto the clear stamped image and sticks to the tacky ink, before being melted with a heat gun.

Watercolour 

A paint that’s mixed with water and used to add colour to pictures.

Waterfall cards

This clever technique allows you to pull a tab on the front of a base card to make several panels flip over in succession, creating a waterfall-style cascade.