Pocket Card Tutorial - Happy Valentine! Fuse Tool!

What happens when you use the fuse tool on a 4X4 mini album pocket page? Fabulosity!!

The three "layers" of the pocket card were stamped and glued first. The bottom layer is the happy die cut and the small heart die from the heart die trio. They're glued to a piece of cherry cardstock. The quickie glue pen is PERFECT for this step.

The top layer is using the stamp set Punny Valentine on vellum cardstock. I love the variation with the black card base, the cherry and the vellum.

The middle layer is clear sequins and more mini hearts cut with the heart die trio. I have three sets of those heart dies because there are many, many times I want to cut multiple hearts and they're so economical, it was easy to add the three sets to my collection of dies.

The cardstock width is 3-1/2" so that even with the seals, it will fit on a standard A2 card.

Once I had all the pieces and parts for my pockets, I went to my fuse tool. The fuse tool needs at least 15 minutes to heat up. You want it to be good and hot and ready to go when you start making your pockets.

"How do you make the pockets?," you say. "I'm so glad you asked! Let me show you!"

1. Prepare your items for your pocket. And, place the pocket that you're ready to seal on a stack of paper (if you have grid paper you'll help yourself out tremendously!) and a hard surface. Do not use your silicone cutting mat or any plastic surface as you'll change it forever...don't ask me how I know *headsmack* LOL! and sigh! ;)

Line up the filled pocket on the grid lines. (this pocket has some of our patterned paper and some of the Valentine heart sequins).

 2. Use the fuse tool ruler and line up the opening over the grid line where you're going to make your seal.

3. Place your heated fuse tool over the pocket and pull towards you to seal shut. You'll want to experiment with different thicknesses to know how slowly to pull your tool to seal the pocket. And, it has to be really warmed up to work effectively.

There are some really great YouTube videos on using the fuse tool if you want more guidance or more ideas on using the tool.

Here's the inside. Super simple and you can see the teeny staples that are holding the pocket to the card.

Here's a side view of the pocket. After I fused the pockets, I added a little bit of the cherry cotton ribbon from the January collection and used the tiny attacher (another awesome tool!) to adhere it to the card. Doesn't the pocket look great on the washi strip! (tuxedo collection)

So, what do you think? Definitely add the fuse tool to your collection of stamping and scrapping tools. You'll have so much fun creating and making pockets as it has a heated slit tool as well to add pockets where they weren't before!

All of these supplies are available in my webstore: www.amusestudio.com/seleise

And, if you use the code JANUARY10 before the end of the month, you'll get 10% off of your order!! Woo hoo!!

Have a wonderfully creative day!!