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Monday, April 4, 2016

Ballerinas on Stage - Mechanical Card

Mechanical Cards are so cool, I had to try it at least once. After this card, I know I'll be making a lot more.
This is along instructional post.
I'm not going to lie to you, this card is a bit hard to make. There are so many pieces, you might need an afternoon or to to put it together without going crazy and wrinkle the whole thing a time or two like I did 😒.
The girls are from OAK Tree Stamp's Moody Ballerina Stamp Set, colored using watercolor pencils on Neenah Solar White 110 lb Cardstock. Caran Daceh pencils are so good, you can achieve rich, brilliant colors without ripping your paper.

First thing is first, let's name the parts. 
Card Base: These are the parts you have to assemble and hold the characters and the mechanism of the card.
Mechanism: This is the actual stage, when you put these together, they will activate the movement of the card.
Building Front: This is a PNG file that has to be printed and then cut as a separate piece and then glued to the front base. I added the width measurement to which the image has to be resized in the file name (Ballerinas on Stage - Building Front - 5.43 in.png), so you have to look nowhere else for the info. The bricks map comes from here https://www.flickr.com/photos/seier/4340689010, a free texture Seier+seier gives for free on Flicker. (check out his other free textures and start getting ideas).
Please always give credit if you are using someone else's work
Courtain Texture: This map has to be uploaded as a pattern to Design Space, and then has to be applied to the stage pieces (side stage, stage back and back frame). Finally, print the pieces in red cardstock and then cut them. I made the texture in black and white so I could save ink, this way I used my laser printer toner, which is faster and cheaper.

Assembly:
  • Glue the 4 insert reinforcements to the insert bases using some kind of liquid glue. I prefer to use liquid, fast drying glue like Aleene's Tacky Glue Pen, because it actually strengthens the cardstock and allows for proper movement and action on the card.
  • Glue your characters and stars to the inserts, keep in mind the inserts in the front have less room for character placing, as the closing sides shorten the distance from slit to slit. Considering this, I decided to glue one end of the character insert to the Stage side on the left and the other to the right, keeping the other end loose. Also the front insert is loose on both ends. This allows for proper mechanics and gives the illusion that the ballerinas are moving on the stage.
    Middle insert glued on the left side.
    Back insert glued on the right side

  • Score the folds on the Stage Sides. Even though the design has dashed lines that are cut to make the folding easier, I like to score them using a bone folder to make them crisp.




  • Fold the Stage Sides creases. Put some glue to hold the pull tab together. Then, glue the Stage Back to the Stage Sides. Finally, put the Stage Back frame and Inserts through the slits on the sides. 
The inserts have non colored characters attached and have a different color just for instructional purposes.
  • For the card base now, Glue the Building front to the white Front Base.
  • Score, fold and glue the top and bottom flaps of the white Front Base. Again, use liquid glue, this prevents the bending of the card, so make sure to let it dry completely before continuing.
  • Finally, place your stage and glue the Mechanism Holders to Front Base, make sure to align them to the marks on the base. Avoid glueing the mechanism to the base. And finish it off glueing the Base Back to the back of the stage.
    Click to enlarge and see the details
Here are a couple more pictures for you to understand how this is put together, good luck! and please let me know how your projects turn out, by posting them on the Facebook page.


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40 comments:

  1. Looks absolutely great, am already an email subscriber can I get your file pretty please Omar. You alway seem to do what I have been looking at and you've done it again but oh so awesome as usual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course Flo, It'll be sent on fridays newsletter.
      <3

      Delete
  2. Love mechanical cards. I too am already a subscriber but use a different email address for the feed. I would love the file. How can I get it please. Subscribed email is marionddavis@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would also love this file. How do we get it? thank you so much, it is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This card is amazing! How do we find the svg for the card?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm not seeing the download link for the svg file either...am I missing something?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, you are not toppingbeth, The link to the file will be sent on friday to all newsletter subscribers

      Delete
  6. the cutest thing! i cant wait to try it! thanks

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very beautifully done. I made something similar once. Took me several trys to get it right. Dont think Im ready to try again, but loved looking!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I adore mechanical cards!! So fun to make and so fun to watch when they are received. They are always more special than plain flat cards. This is definitely a new jog for you. I am already a subscriber and would very much like to get the files for this one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love this, For me at this time it's more than I can handle. But interactive cards are my specialty.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome.. would love to try this challenge.. How do I receive the file..I am a subscriber..TFS

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is a great response! Thanks to everyone. The file will be sent along Friday's newsletter.
    Much love

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would love this Mechanical card please, I am already subscribed, so how do I request the file please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Christine, the link for the file will be sent on Fridays newsletter
      <3

      Delete
  13. I would love this file could you please send it to me I am a subscriber but I missed Friday's newsletter

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Omar, I have received 2 newsletters now and have clicked on the links but I cannot find the SVG for the ballerinas on stage mechanical card. Am I missing something somewhere?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Omar, Thank you so much for the link. I will make this for my Granddaughter for her birthday. Thank you again.:D

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very beautiful! Love it. I try to subscribe , but it dos not let me. It says "please enter value" in the email field and its there. THanks anyway. Love your work.

    ReplyDelete
  17. A very interesting design. I signed up for your mailings. Send me please THIS file.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I like this card. Thank you very much for the detailed tutorial. I signed up for the newsletter, I will have time today to SVG file?

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Omar. I love your work. I just subscribed to the newsletter and I tried to subscribe to the Ballerinas on Stage - Mechanical Card but it would not work.

    Could you please send me the file if possible. If not no worries. Thank you for your work and your time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sent you an email Livi
      Thanks for the support.

      Delete
  21. Hi Omar thank you for all your hard work.I also tried the link in the email but it does not work.:-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi there - I love your site, your creations are adorable! I subscribed to the newsletter and actually can't wait for your next one. Could you send the file to me? Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!
      Please send a mail to omar@awesomesvgs.com so I can email the link to you.

      Delete
  23. could you please send this card to me too. Mahilioutsava@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow i love mechanical cards.could you please send it to me?

    bdadit@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi! Would it be possible to have this file sent to me? I'm a subscriber but I wasn't at the time where this was sent so I didn't receive it... Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hello, I would like to register but the bulletin tells me to put a number to my email address, it does not work ??? MY EMAIL IS lydiadom@aliceadsl.fr, I would like to get the template Ballerinas on Stage - Mechanical Card THANK YOU VERRY MUCH
    LYDIA

    ReplyDelete
  27. Bonjour, j'aimerais bien m'inscrire mais le bulletin m'indique de mettre un numéro à mon adresse mail, ça ne marche pas ??? MON E-MAIL EST Lydiadom@aliceadsl.fr, je souhaite obtenir le gabarit Ballerines sur scène - Carte mécanique MERCI BEAUCOUP
    LYDIA

    ReplyDelete
  28. This is awesome. I would love to have this file please, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am already a subscriber. Can you please send me the svg for the moody ballerina stage card?

    ReplyDelete
  30. A great job...all your blog!! Can you send me this file? Perhaps I,m late. I view others cards like that but that is a so clever use... Thanks for sharing your work.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'd love this file if possible! You have an amazing set of svgs, thank you for sharing them.

    ReplyDelete

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