Decoupage is a paper craft many card making enthusiasts use to decorate their homemade cards. It is the technique of layering pictures or decoupage prints on top of each other using silicone glue or 3d foam to create a gap between each layer, and therefore giving the print a 3d appearance.

Sheets of decoupage paper are sold in most craft stores and there are styles and prints to suit every occasion. I am going to show you how to decoupage and create a few cards using different types of decoupage prints.

Decoupage Prints And Ideas

This is the most common type of decoupage paper you will find in craft shops. The decoupage sheet has many prints on it ranging in size and detail. The largest print on the sheet labelled number 1 will be the main image which forms the first layer. of your project. The second image, labelled number 2 will form the second layer. The second print is similar to the first but certain details from the first print will be missing. The third layer will have even more detail missing from the first and second layers and so on. Once more layers are added the image will become more prominent and full bodied in appearance.

The images on this sheet of paper are designed for a wedding card and are probably one of the most simple to put together because each layer is numbered so you really can’t go wrong.

Begin by cutting out image number one. This will be the full image with no missing parts. The main image normally has a background so you can cut it out using a scalpel and ruler.

The second print will have some of the detail missing, in this case some of the cake is missing. For any fiddly bits that need removing from the centre of the image I would recommend using a scalpel as scissors will be difficult to use and can make the image look tatty, especially if you are trying to remove a small part.

The rest of the image can be cut out using your normal craft scissors.

You then need to attach 3d foam to the back of the second print ready to be mounted onto the first. Some people prefer to use silicone glue, however this requires a certain amount of drying time so I find 3d foam much quicker and easier to use.

Place the second layer onto of the first taking extra care to get the positioning absolutely right, once you have let go you will not be able to reposition the second image as the 3d foam will stick quickly.

Continue to build up each layer following the numbered order of your prints until the decoupage image is complete.

Now it is time to make the card, start by folding a sheet of light pink A4 card in half.

Mount your image onto a darker pink card using double sided tape or sticky dots, whichever you prefer to use.

Cut around the image leaving a small solid border.

Place the mounted image onto the right hand side of the card and secure it in place using double sided tape.

Find some organza ribbon in your card making supplies. Preferably around 4cm thick and the same colour or as close as you can get to the dark pink card you used to mount your picture onto.

Cut a small slit in the fold of the card to allow your ribbon to pass through.

Then tie a large bow at the front of the card and use a large sticky dot to hold it in place.

An insert for the card can easily be made by folding a sheet of A4 paper in half then trimming each side apart from the folded edge, so it is slightly smaller and fits inside the card. You can then print or stamp the wording or your card verse ideas before attaching it to the inside of the card using double sided tape.

This homemade card is now complete and perfect for a wedding. You could add some additional wording to the front such as ‘congratulations’ or any personal wedding verse you have in mind.

The second example I am going to show you is different from the first as the prints are not numbered and therefore the choice as to how to build it is left to the card maker to determine what parts of the decoupage prints will be used and what parts and details will remain 2d. This sheet has four images printed onto it that are identical.

It is always a good idea to spend a bit of time deciding which parts you are going to cut out, once they are cut you will not be able to undo what you have done. Try to envisage what your card will look like once finished and how you want the layout to be.

Even if it takes you an hour or more it is good practise to visualise the end result in your head. Try playing around with the layout before fixing things into place. A good tip is to sketch the card onto paper to get a rough idea.

The most important part is the first image. Always cut out the largest print first and then begin to cut out the parts you wish to mount using your 3d foam or silicone glue.

You can purchase specialised scissors however if you do not have these to hand normal scissors will work as long as they are nice and sharp.

Although this image has a background, it is not necessary that you keep it as it may not fit in with the rest of your card. In this case I have cut away the green and yellow background.

This has left the main print with all its detail intact. I can now create my own background.

To make this homemade card you will need to find a piece of blue pearl card to make the base of the card.

Make sure the card is A4 size and then fold it in half to create an A5 size card.

I used a score board and bone tool to make the crease, if you do not have these items in your card making supplies then simply fold the card with your hands and press down firmly to create a clean fold.

Select a sheet of blue spotty scrapbook paper and cut it slightly smaller than the front of your card.

Use decorative scissors to create a nice edge along one side of the paper.

Attach the spotty paper to the front of the peal card using double sided tape. Ensure that you leave a small gap from the fold and an even larger one along the decorative edge.

Cut two strips from the blue pearl card making sure one is wider than the other. I used a metal edge ruler and scalpel to do this however a paper trimmer would work just as well.

Place both the strips along the left edge. Because the strips are quite narrow you may need to purchase some very thin double sided tape. If you are going to use a wet glue then take care not to add too much as this has a tendency to squirt out the sides when being pressed down.

To make the embossed images on the right hand side use any scraps of the blue pearl card and emboss the baby themed images using embossing tools. If you do not have any baby related embossing stencils then a pattern will work or just leave this part out.

Cut out the embossed images using a sharp pair of scissors.

Attach the images to the edge using sticky dots, double sided tape or even 3d foam if you wish these images to be prominent.

Then it is time to attach your decoupage prints to the front. As the image can be quite heavy once put together, it is worth using a strong double sided tape to ensure it does not fall off.

You will then need to cut a name plate from the same blue card that you used for the base. I used a ‘Sizzix machine’ for this however the shape is something you can draw yourself using a ruler.

Because this is a new baby card I wanted to place the words congratulations in the centre of the name plate. You can use a stamp if you wish or print the word from a computer as I have done so here.

Printing the word from a computer gives you the added option to change the font and size of the font to whatever you prefer.

Place glue or double sided tape onto the back of the name plate before placing it where it needs to go, making sure your wording is centred.

You can then use a scalpel to cut around it.

Use a ‘pokey’ tool to pierce two holes at either end of the name plate. It is a good idea to place a rubber or sponge behind the area you are piercing so that you do not poke through your cutting mat or worse, your finger!

Select two brads from your card making supplies and place them through the holes. I have used blue spotty brads to match with the background paper.

You can then place the name plate on the front of your card using double sided tape.

You could decide use the brads to secure the name plate in place. However this will expose the other side of the brads once you open the card. You will need to cover these over so they will not be seen.

This last example is really good value for money because it consists of more than one decoupage. This means you can come up with several different ideas for your homemade cards. You may even decide to use all the images and create a single larger card.

Begin by cutting out each image on the sheet. In the above picture can see clearly how each image has a small part missing. The prints on this sheet are numbered so you can quickly see which ones should be placed on top of the other. As before use 3d foam or silicone glue to mount each image.

Fold a sheet of card in half and cut it so it forms a DL size. It does not matter what colour as you are going to cover the front of it in scrapbook paper.

Cover the front in stripy paper that matches the image you are going to use.

Next mount your prints onto brown textured paper.

Cut the card into a rectangle using a scalpel and metal edge ruler.

Use sharp scissors to cut strips at each end of the image.

Fan the parts that have been cut so that they no longer lay flat and give a woodland appeal.

Attach this to the top using double sided tape.

Using a rubber stamp or by printing from a computer, print the words ‘Thinking of you’ onto some white card. Mount the words onto some of the stripy paper you have left over using 3d foam.
Cut around the wording leaving a small border of the stripy paper.

Then mount the wording onto the brown paper you used to mount the decoupage prints onto, and cut again leaving another smaller border.

Place the wording onto the front of the card using double sided tape. You could at this point change the wording to ‘happy birthday’ or any greeting or verse you want.

To finish it off, have a look and see if you have any brown coloured brads you can use. Place them in the top left corner of the card.

As this decoupage image is a fair size it can be used as the focal point leaving you very little else to do to finish off the card.

You can also use decoupage to create embellishments and tags. Here I have used one of the smaller prints to create a tag.

You will need to use a large tag. This tag is a large travel tag however you can easily cut this shape from your own card stock.

Distress inks are a great way to colour your homemade card ideas. Select colours that match the prints you are going to place on the front of the tag.

You will need to use a small sponge to dab into the ink and then onto the card.

Apply the ink using small circular motions. Try not to put too much ink on the sponge, you can always add more colour but you cannot remove it.

Place the tag onto a sheet of paper so you can go right up to the edge without making a mess of what you are leaning on.

Alcohol inks can be used in conjunction with the ink pads. Place a few drops of the colour you want onto the application tool along with a few drops of blending solution.

Dab the alcohol ink all over the tag until you are happy with how the tag looks.

Dust over some perfect pearls to give the tag a metallic sheen.

Place your decoupage prints at the bottom of the tag and secure it in place using strong glue.

Find some wording to place on the tag. This is actually something cut from an old birthday card but you could use peel off stickers or even print a verse yourself.

Cut the wording into the desired shape.

Use strong double sided tape to fasten the wording above the decoupage prints.

Place some ribbon through the hole in the top of the tag.

This tag can then be used for any of your handmade card ideas. To change the occasion, simply change the wording on the front.

Decoupage is a really relaxing past time and can be very rewarding. Quite often I will sit in front of the TV of an evening cutting and putting together my decoupage prints. It really is quite therapeutic and something I would definitely recommend to others.

The application of decoupage is not just restricted to card making and scrap booking but can be used on a variety of things such as furniture, clothes and food.

You can also buy printable decoupage sheets that can be printed off at home. Personally I feel the time and cost of ink and paper in making your own printable decoupage does not outweigh buying ‘off the shelf’ decoupage sheets. However if you do decide make your own printable decoupage sheets you could come up with some lovely and unique designs.

I would love to see what decoupage prints and ideas you guys can come up with.