Anniversary Z-Fold Card

I used the March 2024 Paper Pumpkin kit for this card but of course changed it up from the kit instructions. I'm always a fan of the envelopes that are included with the Paper Pumpkin kit and this one is printed inside and has a rounded flap.

I stamped the sentiment on a stitched circle die cut which was matted with a crosshatch circle die cut from vellum. I added three mirrored hearts above and below the sentiment.

Here is a look at the inside. The patterned card base was turned inside out, so it was white on the outside front & back and all the pattern was inside. The centre score line was already there, so I just scored a second line on the left side of the (opened) card in the centre of that panel. Then, simply fold as shown! I used a corner rounder to punch the top two corners which ties in with the rounded flap on the envelope.

The greeting was stamped on a same size stitched circle as on the front, and placed so it cannot be seen when the card is closed. While I could have stamped the greeting directly on the card base, I liked the look of the stitched circle better.

One more look ...

Supplies used:

March 2024 Paper Pumpkin kit "Memorable Meadows", Stampin' Up

Circles Crosshatch - Karen Burniston

Stitched circles - MFT Stamps

Vellum - Stampin' UP

Word stamps - The Inside Scoop Anniversary, Taylored Expressions

Mirrored hearts - Kat Scrapiness

Corner Rounder - Amazon .ca

Four Boyish Birthday Cards

It's Masculine Card Monday here on my blog, and today I'm sharing four more cards using an older 6x6" paper pad I'm trying to use up. The two with the star paper will be donated to my Mom's old nursing home and I'm keeping the two with the game controllers for my stash.

I used the June 2021 Sheetload of cards for the sketch and cutting guide for these cards, and linked it below for you.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Boy Oh Boy, Carta Bella (6x6")

June 2021 Sheetload of Cards, Call me Crafty Al

Stitched circle dies - MFT Stamps

Game Controller die - Marianne Designs

Scrap of blue patterned paper

Small Happy Birthday - March 2021 Paper Pumpkin 'Here's to You', Stampin' Up

Inside stamp - Happy Birthday4HSN, the Stamps of Life

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Birthday Balloons Pop-Up Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog! I finished off another one of those July Sheetload cards** and made it a pop-up. Same balloons as on a previous card, but a simpler layout with more white space. White space is slowly becoming my friend - who knew THAT would ever happen! 

**I made all eight of the July Sheetload of cards, doing the fronts only. I wanted to take my time and finish off the insides for cards that I know I will need coming up, rather than finish all eight at the same time. These ones will be for my stash and not donated to the nursing home.

I used the Katherine Label Pop Up, again in a horizontal position. I covered the pop-up platform with a stitched circle before adhering the balloons. I love balloons, so of course I had to purchase the balloon washi tape (Pinkfresh Studios) when it came out. I applied the entire roll of washi to white card stock so I could fussy cut the images as I needed them. There are coordinating stamps and dies as well, but I only purchased the tape.

I love all the dimension you get with the Katherine Label Pop Up - but it's quick and easy to assemble. 😊

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Katherine Label Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Stitched circle dies - Divinity Designs

Happy Birthday - Bee Happy Cardmaking Kit, Paper Rose

Front Sentiment - Bitty Birthday Wishes, MFT Stamps

Inside sentiment - Essential Birthday Sentiments, LDRS

Rainbow Chihuahua Pop-Up Birthday Card

I wanted to play with some bright & happy colours, so pulled out another one of those rainbow dog panels and made a pop-up birthday card for my stash.

If you would like to learn more about these rainbow dog note cards, I did a YouTube video HERE a few months ago. This panel was from one of the note cards, which I cut down & matted it with black cardstock. I added it to a card base after covering the front of the base with rainbow patterned paper. I wanted to add a little somethin' something so Nuvo Drops made the nose raised and shiny.

Inside I used Karen Burniston's Lorna Label Pop Up. This was a re-release of one of my favourite dies from when she was with a different company. Back then the die 'cut into' the inner card but now it's a 'glue in' which is much more versatile. Ironically, this is a top folding A2 card which is what worked best with the old die set. 

I pulled out KB's Baking Borders and die cut the bases from a scrap of the rainbow paper and the tops from rainbow holographic cardstock. As I said in the original video, the note cards came with coordinating envelope seals which I usually save for the envelopes. For this card though, I added the seal to one of the decorator dies that comes with the Lorna Label die set so I could use it inside the card. 

Since I'd trimmed the cupcake border to fit on the bump out, I had a small strip leftover. I trimmed away two of the cupcakes and added one to the sentiment panel and saved one to decorate the front. As usual, I finished off the inside of the card before going back to complete the front.

Supplies used:

Rainbow dog notecard - amazon. ca

Patterned paper - JJ's Rainbows, Waffle Flower

Lorna Label Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Baking Borders - Karen Burniston

Squares Crosshatch - Karen Burniston

Happy Birthday & celebrate - It's Your Day, MFT Stamps

Sentiment - Inside Out Birthday, Catherine Pooler

Rainbow Holographic cardstock - Recollections

Nuvo Glaze

Mini Slimline Snowflake Tri-Shutter Card

I plan on making at least one holiday card each month, & this is the one I made for July. Here in Southern Alberta we are in a heat wave ... and my craft room is the warmest room in the house. Obviously I'm not getting a lot done in there these days! We don't have AC so when it gets to be over 30ºC (86ºƒ) the house can get a little uncomfortable. I am happy to sit outside on our back deck, where there is enough shade and a bit of a breeze to cut the heat but I don't haul a bunch of crafting stuff out there to work on.  Having RA and limited mobility - that is waaaaaay too many steps to bring it out and then back in to put away. I'd rather sit and listen to a podcast or audio book. It's also why I didn't do a full video for this card --- it's just too hot!

I wanted to make a fun fold card, so pulled out this Mini Slimline Tri-Shutter die set by Divinity Designs. The card base die can fit through a regular die cutting machine and you don't even need extended pads if you use removable tape. Just run it through on one end, turn the die/cardstock around and run it through the rest of the way. However, I do have a Big Shot Plus that I can use for larger dies like this. If I'm going to cut one using the big machine though, I usually cut a couple more and add the die cut bases in with the die set to use the next time. 

I've had this silver foiled snowflake paper (12 x 12') for a couple of years but realized after I die cut the layers and added them to the white card base, that I covered up the sticker on the back so I have no idea who makes it!

After I finished the stamping and the card was 'finished', I had a look through my small snowflake dies to add a few extra as embellishments. But you know what? I decided that I liked it just the way it was. 😊  One more card for my holiday stash.

Note, the measurements for the matted rectangle inside the card are:  3 x 2.75", and 2.75 x 2.5"

Supplies used:

Mini Slimline Tri Shutter Die Set (with Layers) - Divinity Designs

Patterned paper - unknown

Rainbow Holographic cardstock - Recollections

Snowflake die - Elizabeth Craft Designs

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Front sentiment - Snowflake Season, Penny Black

Inside Sentiment - Christmas Classics, Stampin' Up

Six Sheetload Birthday Cards

It's Masculine Card Monday here on my blog and today I have a Sheetload of Cards to share today. Several weeks ago I was making a birthday card for our Grandson and realized that there weren't many sheets left in the older 6x6" package of paper. I decided to just work on it until it was finished, and have been sharing the cards made with them. I still have a couple more to share and I DID finish off that paper pad!  I pulled out three sheets for the November 2020 Sheetload sketch and made birthday cards that can be donated to my Mom's old nursing home.

The cards are all the same inside, with a stamped sentiment and small fishtail banners from any leftover scraps I had. I like how nicely the Magic Message stamps from Lawn Fawn fit inside a punched circle, so I added the Happy Birthday one to these cards.

Supplies used:

November 2020 Sheetload of Cards, Call me Crafty Al

 Patterned paper - Boy Oh Boy, Carta Bella (6x6")

Happy Birthday - Magic Messages, Lawn Fawn

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

1-3/4" Circle punch - Stampin' Up

Inside sentiment - Large Birthday, Technique Tuesday

Sending Hugs Pop-Up Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog!  I finished off another one of my floral Sheetload cards, and made it a pop-up using Karen Burniston's Katherine Label Pop Up die set. This is my second play with the July Sheetload, and this time I made all eight cards but didn't finish off the insides. I wanted to take my time and make them into cards I will want/need in the coming months, and also make some of them into pop-up cards. You can see my original post HERE.   This is a fun Sheetload sketch, and I especially like that it's made for a 5x7" card size. I'll be using it again and again!

For today's card, I made it to send for Happy Mail. I did some hot foiling several months ago, putting the sentiments etc into a little plastic bin. So I rooted through the bin for the sentiments used on today's card.  (My Spellbinders Glimmer Foil machine is REALLY difficult to use - the platform that needs to be moved after heating up is extremely stiff so it isn't something I do very often.)

I've realized that I don't often use the Katherine Label Pop Up in the horizontal position, but it's something I'm going to do more. It's probably my most used die set - it's quick and easy to use and you get great dimension and lift to your pop-up.

The friend sentiment is also foiled in the same rainbow foil as the words on the front, and I stamped another sentiment on the signing block inside.

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Katherine Label Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Spellbinders Glimmer foil machine

Sentiments - my stash 

Glitter Dot stickers - Ecstasy Crafts

Happy Thoughts - Stampin' Up

Trio of Birthday Cards with Bees & Flowers

When I finished yesterday's Slimline Diamond Z Fold Card, I had some patterned paper leftover. It was a 12x12" sheet and I wanted to use it up rather than hang onto the leftover pieces. These are the three cards I came up with.

The gold foil bee stickers were adhered to white card stock then fussy cut, which allowed me to pop them up with foam tape. The blue polka dot print is actually the reverse side of the floral paper so I was able to make good use out of those leftover pieces! The cards will go to my Mom's old nursing home.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Bee Happy, Echo Park

Gold foil bee stickers - Amazon .ca

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Lots of Birthday2Stamp - the Stamps of Life

'Sweet Friend' Slimline Diamond Z-Fold Card

I have a couple of friends dealing with health issues, so I've been making cards to send for Happy Mail. This is one of them ... a Slimline Diamond Z-Fold Card. I made a number of this type of card back in 2022 in a 5x7" size. I loved making them, so I also came up with the measurements and a tutorial for making this Slimline size. You can find that tutorial HERE, and the measurements are at the end of my post.

I usually have a Wish List for Stampin' Up items but rarely order everything on that list. Sometimes I wait and wait and by the time I decide I'd really like/use a set, it's either discontinued or out of stock or .....     So I keep an eye on a Facebook group for Canadian's selling retired SU products. This Honey Bee Bundle is one of those sets - it had been retired for a while before it popped up on that group and I claimed it right away. I've had it for over a year now, and it's one of those sets I get a lot of use out of. 

The stamped & die cut bees were coloured with alcohol markers and I added Wink of Stella glimmer paint to their wings. On the inner diamond, there is the honeycomb die cut as well as a small sentiment (from a different set). I will sign on the blank white diamond when I go to send the card.

While I prefer a Slimline card to measure 3.5 x 8.5", this one is a full 4 x 8.5" to give me room to make the diamonds this size. It fits perfectly in a #10 business envelope for mailing, and this one will mail for a single stamp!

Measurements for Diamond Z-Fold Slimline Card by Karen Aicken 

Card base - 8 x 8.5". With the 8" side at the top, score at 2" and 4". The 4" scoreline is the center, so fold your card in half along that scoreline. Then fold the front right flap back to the outside along the 2" scoreline.

Patterned paper - TWO 1.75 x 8.25" pieces and ONE 3.75 x 8.25" piece. I don't always use the two smaller ones, often just adding one to the front and leaving the inside one undecorated. It's entirely up to you.

Diamonds - TWO 2.75" squares and ONE 2-1/2" square

Patterned paper (BE MINDFUL OF THE PATTERNED PAPER IF IT HAS A DIRECTIONAL PATTERN) TWO 2.5" squares and ONE 2.25" square.

Signing block - 2.25" cardstock square with a 2" square of white or light cardstock of your choice.

Pop Up strip - 4 x 3". With the 4" side at the top, score at 1, 2 & 3"

Assemble as shown in the video.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Bee Happy, Echo Parl

Honey Bee Bundle - Stampin' Up

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Alcohol markers

Tasteful Label dies - Stampin' Up

1-1/2" square die - Hero Arts

Inside sentiment - Hand Delivered, Stampin' Up

Nesting circles - Hero Arts

Blending sponges

Wink of Stella

Everybody Say HAPPY Birthday Cards

Welcome to Masculine Card Monday here on my blog!  When I was making our Grandson's birthday card, I pulled out a pad of 'boy themed' 6x6 papers. There weren't many sheets left and there were lots of smaller scraps. I had decided to just USE IT UP and here are two more cards. Others will be shared in the coming weeks.

These are a little more CAS (Clean And Simple) than I'm used to doing, but anything I laid on the front to see how it looked didn't add anything to the card. So I left them as is, and just added some Nuvo Drops in black.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Boy Oh Boy, Carta Bella (6x6")

Everybody Say Happy stamp set - Catherine Pooler

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Tasteful Label dies - Stampin' Up

Nuvo Drops - Tonic Studios

 

Pop Up Birthday Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog!  I finished off another one of the July Sheetload of Cards - this time it's a fancy-dancy pop-up Birthday Card. 😊

I added a foiled sentiment strip to the front. I haven't used my glimmer machine in months - it's REALLY difficult to remove the hot tray from the base so I tend not to want to use it. I actually wrenched my shoulder one time using it and was in pain for a few days. However, I did do a batch of foiling the last time I had it out and this sentiment is from the little bin of foiled words I have. 

Inside I used Karen Burniston's Little Labels Pop Up - and added it to a simple box pop up to raise it up a bit inside the card. This is totally Karen B's idea - I think she taught in in a class last year and I have wanted to try it ever since. I tried to find the link for you but I have no idea where I ended up finding it when I was ready to make this card.

I added more of the patterned paper inside the card, and realized that the Washi Tape Balloons from Pinkfresh Studios matched the patterned paper AND the theme of the card. The entire roll of Washi Tape had been adhered to white card stock last year so I simply fussy cut the ones I wanted to use. I added another foiled sentiment, and a washi tape flower from a different PFS roll. Oh, and I added a stitched, scalloped circle to the centre label of the Little Labels Pop Up for a different look.

The final sentiment was stamped on one of the Labels Crosshatch and I added it inside the card, trimming off the bottom edge. 

If you are curious about the pop up box, I used a strip of patterned paper that measured 6.75 x 3".  It was scored at .5", 1.5" and 2.5" then adhered inside the card. When it was dry I added the Little Labels Pop Up on top of it. Definitely a technique I will use again, since I love this die set with a 5x7" card.

I will keep working on finishing off this second Sheetload of cards and sharing them as I do.

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Little Labels Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Labels Crosshatch - Karen Burnistson

Balloon Washi Tape - Pinkfresh Studios

Floral Washi Tape - Pinkfresh Studio's

Foiled sentiments - my stash

Glimmer Foil machine - Spellbinders

Birthday Wishes - Honey Bee

Alcohol Markers

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Sympathy Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Today I'm sharing the first finished card from the July Sheetload of Cards that I shared yesterday. I will be finishing them off one by one, until I have eight completed cards for my stash. I thought the purple background to the gold floral cluster leaned itself well to a sympathy card and since I always like to have some of those on hand that is what I made.

I added a couple of butterflies punched from gold foil paper and matted the stamped sentiment on a gold foil paper scrap. Finally, a few glitter dots to finish it off. 

I don't usually do pop-ups inside a sympathy card but I do like to finish off the inside. So, using a different paper piece from the pad I cut a 4x6" piece. This mimics the 1/2" border all around the front panel. Another scalloped circle, this time from white cardstock and I stamped the sentiment with a plum ink. Then I added a pair of punched butterflies and my card was done.

I especially like the 5x7" size for sympathy cards.

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned Petals Bundle, Stampin' Up

Butterfly punch - Martha Stewart (old, from my stash)

Glitter Dot stickers - Ecstasy Crafts

Here for you - Waffle Flower

Inside Out Sympathy - Catherine Pooler

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

July Sheetload of Cards - Floral Themed

Today I'm doing something I haven't done here on my blog before - sharing incomplete cards. I am loving this month's Sheetload of Cards, and this is the second set. But they are taking me a lot longer to complete than the camping themed ones I shared last week. The floral cluster was die cut from gold paper that had double sided adhesive on the back. It took me longer to weed out the little bits inside the outline than it did to cut and assemble all the patterned papers! 

But those clusters are really pretty, and just what I wanted for the card fronts. I will decide on sentiments etc as I make the cards, and will hopefully have one or two finished off to share later this week. I tried the first floral cluster on white card stock and didn't really like it until I inked the edges. Then I tried it on a purple slightly patterned paper from the same package and wasn't crazy about that so it's a one-of. Then I tried it on a scrap of yellow cardstock I had on my desk and I really liked that, so six of the cards have the yellow which I also liked better once the edges were inked. 

I stayed true to the sketch, except that I added narrow gold foil tape in between the two paper strips and added a full circle instead of the semi-circle on the sketch. The stitched/scalloped circles on my cards were cut from vellum for a light, airy feel that doesn't detract from the floral element. The gold is hard to pick up in photos, but it's so nice and shiny! As is the pearl bits on the yellow patterned paper.

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Moose Birthday Card

Welcome to Masculine Card Monday here on my blog. There were some strips leftover from the Canada Day card duo I shared last month (see those HERE) and I wanted to use them up. I could have put them back in the paper package to use another day, but I was inspired to create a masculine birthday card instead.

The matted woodgrain strip hides the join of the two plaid maple leaf pieces, and I added a punched moose on a punched label. Both were popped up with foam tape. Using torn paper and a blending sponge, I added the ground line on the label (BEFORE adding the punched moose) and then did the same on the inside panel. 

Since the card base isn't really heavy, and there are layers on the front - the card didn't feel balanced inside until I added that white panel. This is something I usually do and often forget to mention. 

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Moose Crossing, Catherine Pooler

Label punch - Stampin Up

Moose punch - Stampin' Up

Blending sponge - Tim Holtz

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Happy Birthday - Happy Cat, Your Next Stamp

Inside - Birthday Blowout, Poppy Stamps

'Game On' Birthday Card

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog! 

I had bought the Z Fold With Layers die set (Divinity Designs) as soon as it came out several years ago, and love to get it out. While it's probably easy enough to create this type of card BASE without the dies - this one comes with the layering dies so all the patterned paper pieces fit perfectly. No math or measuring required and that makes it fairly quick and easy to put a finished card together.

The only thing I am not crazy about is the name ... while it IS technically a Z Fold card, it's very distinctive with that Diagonal cut line, so I always refer to it as a Diagonal Z Fold, or Diagonal Trifold card. 😊

Our grandson has a birthday coming up and since he is getting older, 'cute' images aren't really appropriate for him right now. I mean - he is taller than I am! I got this Game Controller die last year knowing it would work for 'boy' birthday cards, so I pulled it out for his card. Then I flipped through a 'boy' themed 6x6" paper pad and saw the game controller print in it. Woo hoo!

There is just enough room for hubby and I to sign our names on the inner circle piece. Oh, and the sentiment is one of the leftover sentiment strips from Paper Roses' BEE HAPPY cardmaking kit. There are a lot of them left - they were very generous with the sentiments in the kit.

When my card was done, I got flipping through the remaining sheets & scraps in the (old) pad and decided it wouldn't take much to actually use it up! So I have been busy making birthday cards to share in the coming weeks. (And I did finish off that paper pad, since there were only a few sheets left 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻)

Supplies used:

A-2, Z-Fold With Layers die set - Divinity Designs

Patterned paper - Boy Oh Boy, Carta Bella (6x6") - OLD!

Game controller die - Marianne Designs

Pops of Color - Scrapbook .com

Stardust Glitter Pen - Sakura

Stitched circle die - MFT Stamps

Happy Birthday strip - Bee Happy Cardmaking Kit, Paper Rose

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Water brush

Inside - Everybody Say Happy, Catherine Pooler