Gel (Water) Card

by Beate Johns

This is a wonderful touch and feel card. No one can resist to play with it for a bit! You will definitely WOW the recipient of this card.

Supplies

  • 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of cardstock for card

  • 4" x 5 1/4" piece of cardstock for card front (window piece)

  • 3 3/4" x 5" piece of cardstock for window border (optional)

  • 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" piece of white cardstock (for image)

  • Ziploc® bag (I used 3" x 4")

  • Hair gel

  • Coluzzle©

  • Double sided tape

  • Eyelet setter tools and eyelets

Step-by-Step

  1. Step 1

    Use your Coluzzle© to cut a window in your card front. You could also use your paper cutter, a punch or your hobby knife for this task.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the next size smaller oval into a complementary colored piece of cardstock to create a border for the window.

  3. Step 3

    Decorate your card front.

  4. Step 4

    If you have a border piece tape it behind your card front. Set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Squeeze some hair gel into your ziplocĀ® bag. Only add enough to cover the inside of the bag. Too much gel might cause the bag to "pop" later on.

  6. Step 6

    Press excess air out of the bag, close it and spread the gel evenly over the entire inside of the bag.

  7. Step 7

    Turn your card front around and tape the gel bag over the opening. Use double sided tape.

  8. Step 8

    Stamp the image you want to be seen through the bag on white cardstock.

  9. Step 9

    Center image behind gel window and adhere it to the window.

  10. Step 11

    Add eyelets to the corner of the card. Gel bags are heavy and tape alone won't be enough to keep it together unless you use Sticky Strip™.

    Tip: If you plan to send a gel card through the mail, use a padded envelope to prevent the gel bag from popping.




Variations

    A whole different hole
    As an alternative to punching or cutting an oval-shaped hole, you can also cut out the inside of an image of a container, such as the bag or jar stamps from the SU! "All Wrapped Up" set.

    Small stuff
    Place small items inside the gel.

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Gel (Water) Card. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!

Questions and Comments

We'd love to get your feedback or questions. Leave your comment below.

brilliant idea! Just love it!
Debbie Buckland  |  Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 11:06 AM
this card is too cute!!! Can't wait to try it. Very neat idea. It reminds me of the gel stickers I used to collect as a kid.
melanie keenan  |  Thu Apr 3, 2008 at 11:06 AM
I can't wait to try this card! However, I can't find the small ziploc bags. Where can I get them?
Melissa  |  Tue Apr 8, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Melissa,

I bought them at Walmart and Michaels before. Check the Jewelery section of the stores.
beate  |  Tue Apr 8, 2008 at 4:47 PM
I found the bags at Wal-Mart. Thanks! Do you have any tips for making the card more level? I end up with a big bump where the zip-loc part of the bag is. The bag and paper don't stick to that side as well and my eyelets want to pull out. Overall, it just looks and feels a little lopsided.
Melissa  |  Tue Jun 3, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Melissa,
Maybe you used too much gel in your bag? Did you try adding dimensionals behing your image to level the layers out? If you do that, use brads instead of eyelets to hold the layers together.
Hugs and smiles
beate  |  Tue Jun 3, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Wow! Thanks for the fun card tutorial. I made one and you can see it on my blog here:
http://raquites.blogspot.com/2008/06/birthday-fishes.html#links
Rachelle  |  Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I think this card is great but I am unable to find Ziploc bags without anything on them. Could you please let me know where I can get some from??
Kobie  |  Sun Jul 6, 2008 at 4:07 AM
Kobie,
you can buy these smaller bags in the jewelery department of Hobby stores.
beate  |  Sun Jul 6, 2008 at 7:31 AM
What other cards could you make besides fish and at the shore, etc.
I have done this on the scanner bed only with a little water in the plastic bag. It worked good.
Florence  |  Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 3:39 PM
florence- there is a fun one in the gallery that is used for water in a flower vase. You could also use it for the contents of coctail glasses or other beverages.
Rachelle  |  Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 4:49 AM

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