How to use crystal effects to give a glossy finish to cupcake card

Good morning crafty friends and today I recommend you have a cup of tea to hand before looking at my latest creation - a cupcake card!

Doesn't it look heavenly with its glossy chocolate coating & juicy cherry?

I have used the new More Amore designer series paper (129309 £11.50 for 10 sheets 12"x12") for this card as it is headed to be one of my children's Valentines cards (with 4 girls I am sure in future years our post box may well be full, but for now I like to be the one to send the cards round here!).

I wanted to keep it as simple (and sweet ;)) as possible so I folded a 6"x 4" piece of heart patterned paper into half then from the folded end I cut up to the corner on an angle to remove a piece. Turning this upside down then makes the cupcake shape base - genuis huh?

For the chocolate top, I cut a scallop circle using the scallop circle die (113468 £16.95 11.3cm) with Chocolate chip cardstock (108599 £6.25 for 24 A4 sheets) and then cut it into half (so i have another chocolate top ready made for another day :)) I then punched the "cherry" from a piece of red glimmer paper (121790 £4.50 for 2 x 12"x12" sheets) and popped it into position. 

Now comes the fun part! I got my bottle of crystal effects (101055 £5.25 for 57g) and simply spread it all over the chocolate chip cardstock and the cherry then had to leave it on the side to dry (it took approx 2 hours!), but was well worth the wait as when it is dry it leaves a wonderful glossy finish and texture - good enough to eat! 

I decided on a simple sentiment for the inside and used one from the Bloomin Marvellous Sale-a-bration freebie sets which you can choose when placing any order over £45 for a few more weeks yet. The sentiment was inked with Melon Mambo (126948 £4.95) onto whisper white cardstock (106550 £6.25 for 40 sheets) and then mounted onto a coordinated chocolate scallop edge oval punch shape (119856 £15.50). It certainly would be a happy day if one of these cupcakes came my way!

The background paper in the photograph is another design from the More Amore paper series and features cute little bows - now you'll have to excuse me as I need to make another 3 of these and quite possibly reach for the cookie jar as well now ;)

If you'd like to purchase any of the products I have highlighted today or in any of my other posts then please feel free to contact me on lisa.barton@hotmail.co.uk - remember every order of £45 receives one of the amazing free sale-a-bration goodies from a range of 17 amazing products! Now is definitely the time to get crafty ....