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Have you tried your hand at paint scraping yet? It is such a fun technique! It’s been a little while since I’ve done it, but when I was looking at our copy of 8 Little Planets the other day, I realized it would be the perfect way to craft some really neat looking planets! With Valentine’s Day on the brain, I knew I could use these planets with the classic line “you’re outta this world” and these DIY valentine’s day cards were born. Paint scraping is seriously so much fun – give it a try and I know you’ll love it as much as I do. Paint spattering is also super satisfying and is a great simple technique for making the starry sky in the background.
what you need:
- Cereal box cardboard
- Paint
- Painbrush
- Glitter paper
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Marker
- Ruler
- Old gift card
- White glue
- Star stickers (optional)
how-to:
Step 1
Start by painting your cardboard a shade of dark blue. I actually used illustration board for this instead of a cereal box just because I had some on hand. You could also use corrugated cardboard too! Let dry.
Start by painting your cardboard a shade of dark blue. I actually used illustration board for this instead of a cereal box just because I had some on hand. You could also use corrugated cardboard too! Let dry.
Step 2
Once the background paint is dry, mix white paint with a little bit of water. Dip your paintbrush into the paint and hold the brush parallel to the worksurface with one hand and use your other hand to tap the brush (right below the bristles) to make a nice spatter of stars over the night sky. Repeat this until you’re happy with the look and set aside to dry completely.
Once the background paint is dry, mix white paint with a little bit of water. Dip your paintbrush into the paint and hold the brush parallel to the worksurface with one hand and use your other hand to tap the brush (right below the bristles) to make a nice spatter of stars over the night sky. Repeat this until you’re happy with the look and set aside to dry completely.
Step 3
When dry, cut into rectangles – these ones are 4 1/4″ by 5 1/2″ but you can customize yours as needed.
When dry, cut into rectangles – these ones are 4 1/4″ by 5 1/2″ but you can customize yours as needed.
Step 4
To make the planets, you’ll want to use cereal box cardboard that is white on the inside if you can – the ones I used here actually came from a cracker box. Pick out a few colors of paint and apply small blobs in a row along the edge of the cardboard. Press the edge of your gift card onto the cardboard above the paint blobs, and drag it over the paint, pressing the card edge along the cardboard as you drag, bringing the paint with it. This can take a few tries to get the hang of, but the great thing is that even “imperfections” are totally great here since you are going for the look of swirly, striped planet. You may find that after you’ve pulled the card all the way along the cardboard and lift it up, paint will have stuck to the card. You can place the edge of the card directly onto a blank spot of the cardboard and drag it along again to use the paint that’s already there!
To make the planets, you’ll want to use cereal box cardboard that is white on the inside if you can – the ones I used here actually came from a cracker box. Pick out a few colors of paint and apply small blobs in a row along the edge of the cardboard. Press the edge of your gift card onto the cardboard above the paint blobs, and drag it over the paint, pressing the card edge along the cardboard as you drag, bringing the paint with it. This can take a few tries to get the hang of, but the great thing is that even “imperfections” are totally great here since you are going for the look of swirly, striped planet. You may find that after you’ve pulled the card all the way along the cardboard and lift it up, paint will have stuck to the card. You can place the edge of the card directly onto a blank spot of the cardboard and drag it along again to use the paint that’s already there!
Continue paint scraping until you’re happy with the look. You can add layers on top if you like! Set aside to dry.
Step 5
Trace a circle-shaped object (like a drinking glass) onto the dried paint scraped art and cut out.
Trace a circle-shaped object (like a drinking glass) onto the dried paint scraped art and cut out.
Step 6
Trace the circle onto the back of glitter paper to use as a guide. Draw a ring around the planet and then cut out the ring only and glue it onto the front of the paint scraped planet. Glue the whole planet onto the painted night sky.
Trace the circle onto the back of glitter paper to use as a guide. Draw a ring around the planet and then cut out the ring only and glue it onto the front of the paint scraped planet. Glue the whole planet onto the painted night sky.
Step 7
On the back of your card, write “You’re outta this world!” and put on a few star stickers if you like!
On the back of your card, write “You’re outta this world!” and put on a few star stickers if you like!
Happy Valentine’s Day!