Grandparents Day Diorama Card

It's Fun Fold Friday here on my blog and today's card is the 9th edition to my monthly series "Throwback Fun Fold Dies".  I don't even remember how long I have had this die set (Sizzix) but at least 7 years. When I ordered it (from where? Have no idea) I remember thinking it was pretty versatile. It not only creates this Diorama (or Tunnel) card, it also creates gatefold cards and has different drop in dies to create patterns on the gatefold flaps. For today's card I used the Diorama pieces and made a card for my Mother In Law.

I was able to use up the partial 12 x 12" sunflower sheet of patterned paper and also some older sunflower stickers from my stash. The butterfly sticker is also many years old and was the last one on the sheet. Perfect!

The Love You die is from Karen Burniston's Word Set 9 Love. 

I wrote the sentiment with a black marker and added the remaining sunflower stickers. I love the shine from those mirrored hearts too!

Having been asked how many cards I make I thought it would be fun to keep track this year. Many of my posts include more than a single card or project and below is my tally. 

Card Tally for 2023
January - 53 cards
February - 56 cards

March - 55 cards

April - 32 cards

May - 43 cards

June - 34 cards

July - 56 cards

August - 106 cards

September so far - 9 cards

I decided to cancel the subscription that provided linked thumbnails to what products I used on my cards. It was costing me out of pocket each month, so I’m back to listing what I used with a few affiliate links included.

Supplies:

Diorama Gatefold - Sizzix (old, from my stash)

Patterned paper - Spiced Cider, DCWV (old)

Stitched square dies - Your Next Stamp

Love You - Word Set 9 Love, Karen Burniston

Sentiment - Petal Palette, Stampin' Up

Mirrored Hearts - Kat Scrappiness

Sunflower stickers - old, from my stash

Brown fine point marker

Paper Pumpkin Alternate Cards with a Fun Fold

Hello! I have two more Paper Pumpkin Alternate cards to share from the October kit called Peaceful Christmas. I have a walkthrough of both cards on YouTube:

First up is the 'flat' card. I cut one of the Shaded Spruce card bases in half, which gave me the two green main panels to add to both white card bases. This one was cut with Karen Burniston's Crosshatch Rectangles. I also used it to cut down the Buffalo print rectangle that came in the kit, because I love the detail it gives the edge. The Merry Christmas and Shadow are both by Karen Burniston, and I used one of the SU snowflakes on some layered circles. Since most of the details were given in the video, I'll leave it at that for this card front.

Here is the inside of the card above, using some leftover pieces from my stamping table and one of the red banners from the kit.

Next up is the Fun Fold Card. After embossing the green panel I added the vellum trees etc from the kit to layered ovals as well as some of the snowflake Peel Off stickers.

While I did use dies to cut the tunnel portion inside, you don't need them to create a card like this. It's simply 4 equal panels and you glue down the outer panels to the inside card base as shown in the photo below.  NOTE:  Before adhering the sides to the card base, I die cut an oval from the front for a pee-a-boo feature and decorated the fold of the card with a larger die cut oval and snowflake. The holly leaves were fussy cut from one of the papers in the package.

This blog uses affiliate links whenever possible. This means, that at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through one of my affiliate links that I may receive a small commission from your purchase. I only link products that I own, love and use for my card making!

Supplies:

October Paper Pumpkin, Peaceful Christmas - Stampin' Up
Shimmer Spray
Softly Falling embossing folder - Stampin' Up (retired)
Patterned paper - Feels Like Frost, Stampin' Up (retired)
Stitched Oval - MFT (retired)
Mini Scalloped Oval - MFT (Retired)
Patterned paper - Holiday Bash, Recollections
Snowflake punch - Martha Stewart

Swan Trifold Card

Hello crafty friends ...

I'm on the i-crafter Blog today sharing a card I made using the Tunnel Card die which is part of the March release. Rather than make a tunnel card though, I used the dies to make a Trifold card.

Remember you can see all my interactive cards on my YouTube Channel HERE!

I sandwiched acetate between the kraft card stock and the patterned paper on both the first and second panels. When you open the first panel you see the one with the swan. The die embosses such lovely details on the swan! I look forward to playing with this die set some more.

I can't believe it's been that long, but over 20 years ago I used to go into our kids classrooms and teach the children the technique of cutting a cloud mask and creating sky backgrounds like this. While there are plastic cloud stencils available now, I still turn to my hand made template/mask to create cloudy skies now and then. Oh, I also taught them how to make explosion cards and basic popups, and to create a grass/ground mask too. I'd haul in a bunch of stamps and ink pads and one year I saw a science fair project that one of those students had made and she has created a lovely inked scene using what I taught her years before. That sure made my heart happy!

I used a label maker to add the Happy Birthday, and mounted it to the centre panel with some fishtail banners. I'll write our birthday greeting below the swan, probably in a white gel pen.

I hope I've inspired you to use your dies in different ways!

Supplies:
Kraft and white card stocks
Patterned paper - Farmhouse, Craftsmart
222004 Tunnel Card Base, Swan - i-crafter
222010 Zip Git Tags (for you) - i-crafter
Acetate
Makeup Brushes
Copic markers
Catherine Pooler Inks
Brother labeller
Sequins - stash
Spectrum Noir Glitter Pen

Card size - 4 x 5", fits in a standard A2 envelope

Thanks for stopping by today

3D Pop Up Birthday Card

Hello my crafty friends

Now that Christmas is over, I'm ready to play with some different papers and colours.

I get a lot of use out of the 3D Pop Up Drop-In die set from the Stamps of Life, but my preferred way to use it is with a couple of extra folds and cuts. One of my followers (Rebecca) asked if I had a template, so with this post I do have one for you. But first the card ... which is for Fun Fold Friday here on my blog.

The stickers have some sparkle on them anyhow, but I added some Stickles for some additional shine.

Here is a peek at the inside - I just love all the dimension you get with these extra folds!

I used some paper and stickers that I picked up last year (or the year before). I'm bound and determined to use up some of what I have here rather than keep adding to my stash. My room is full and it is frustrating to try to find homes for new items. Using up older stuff will give me some space again.

Now for my tutorial:

Step One - Die cut the 3D Pop Up Drop Ins die from whatever card stock or patterned paper you choose for the inside of your card. You can see more details about this die set HERE at the Stamps of Life. NOTE - this is sized to fit inside a standard A2 card with a small border around the outer edge. 

The die cuts the outer edge and scores the two side panels as shown below. I went over the score lines with a black pen so you can see them better.

NOTE - You can click on any of the photos to open them larger in a separate window.

Step Two - Line up the two outer corners and fold the panel in half. Below I show it with what would be the pattern paper design on the outside. Reverse the fold so the design is now on the inside. This starts to train the centre fold. You want to be working on the back side of your patterned paper or card stock so you don't see any pencil marks on your finished card.

Step Three - This is where you will add the additional fold lines. Keep the card in the closed position!  Now if you follow my blog you know I like things to be easy and I don't like math. So I rarely measure things, preferring to eyeball it.  I usually draw a pencil line parallel to the score line, about 1/2" away from that score line. 

NOTE -  I kept the template nice and neat for the photos, and I used a black pen so you can see the lines easier. Feel free to use a pencil and have your line go from the top edge to the bottom edge, 1/2" away from the score line. That's much easier.

Step Four - I have a 6" metal ruler that I use, and it's almost 1" wide. I usually just line that up along the bottom edge of the card, drawing a pencil line from the centre fold up to the pencil line from Step Three. Repeat at the top edge. 

NOTE - you are drawing your lines from the centre fold line, not the outer edges.

Below is the same photo as above, just in a different orientation.

Step Five - Now use scissors and cut through both layers on the two cut lines as shown below. Do Not cut past the score line you created in Step Three

Step Six - score on the line you drew in Step Three, but only between the cut lines. Do Not score above or below this line! This is important to remember if you just drew in your pencil line from the top edge to the bottom edge. You only want to score the line between your two cut lines.

Step Seven - Fold the panel you just cut upwards on the score line, then fold it in the other direction. 

 Step Eight - Carefully open up the card and turn it over to the patterned paper (or good side) and this is what you will have. The pencil lines are in behind.

Step Nine - you now have all the score lines you need, but you will need to reverse the centre fold line between the two narrow strips as shown below. In the photo above the entire centre fold line is a mountain fold. Keep the upper and lower strips as mountain folds, but make the centre area a valley fold. Honestly, it's harder to write out than it is to do it. I did the writing on the front, or good side of this 3D Pop Up Drop-In piece, the fold lines and notes from above are on the back side.

That's it! You have your 3D Pop Up Drop Ins insert with some extra folds and dimension. I made one from scrap card stock and keep it with the die set, so I don't have to think about what I did to make it work the last time. You can also make any notes you want on this template. Adhere it inside a folded card base keeping it centred so there is an even border around all outer edges. You will be adding adhesive to the two outer panels, not the centre ones we were working on. Stephanie Barnard shows you how to do this on her website HERE.  

If you want to add patterned paper to your pop up insert, simply measure each section you wish to cover and then decide on how much of a card stock border around the edge you want. Cut your pieces accordingly. I don't have measurements for you as I generally just wing it and decorate different areas each time. Often the scraps of patterned paper I have sitting on my stamping table determine where I will add patterned paper. There are lots of samples over at the Stamps of Life, and in their gallery there.

TIP:  Be careful what size of element you add to the interior centre folds as you probably don't want them to stick out of the card perimeter. Check each one before adhering permanently!

Supplies:
3D Pop Up Drop In - Stephanie Barnard, the Stamps of Life
Pink, white and yellow card stocks
Patterned paper and coordinating stickers - American Crafts
Baby powder (to brush onto the sticker backs to remove tackiness)
Stitched scalloped rectangle die - Your Next Stamp
Stitched rectangle die - Your Next Stamp
Simple Strips Birthday stamp and coordinating die - Taylored Expressions
Happy Birthday - LJD Birthday Greetings, MFT Stamps
Nuvo Drops
Stickles

Card size - Standard A2 (4.25 x 5.5")

Thanks for stopping by today

Butterfly Tunnel Card

Hello my crafty friends

Today I'm sharing another Butterfly Pop Up Card, this time as a Tunnel Card. I've had this patterned paper for years, so pulled it out to use a bit more of it up. The cut-parts and stickers were included in the pad but I glued the butterfly sticker to white card stock and fussy cut it out to use as an element.  I can always use Thank You cards, so added the die cut Thank You by Karen Burniston to the front.

Here is a look at the inside. I used the new 3D Pop Up Drop In die set by Stephanie Barnard at the Stamps of Life. I have no idea why this die set appealed to me so much, but it really did and I had to add it to my collection last month.

It cuts the interior of the card as 4 solid panels, which you can use as is or die cut a shape from the centre which is how I've used it here. To add even more dimension, I used Jennifer McGuire's Pop Up Panel Video and a punched, layered butterfly inside to pop up and show through the circle window. That video is linked in the supply list below, if you are interested and is what I used for yesterday's Butterfly Pop Up card as well.

I added some distress stickles to the background around the butterfly - it reminds me of 'fairy dust'.

The flowers on the inside were fussy cut from a scrap of the same patterned paper I used on the card front.

I will include a short YouTube video so you can see what this card looks like as you open and close it.

Supplies:
Patterned paper, stickers and cut-parts - Chickaniddy Crafts (old, from my stash)
3D Pop Up Drop In - Stephanie Barnard, the Stamps of Life
White  & green card stocks
Distress Stickles
Nuvo Drops
1042 Spinner Square Pop Up (scalloped square) - Karen Burniston
1066 Thank You - Karen Burniston
Butterfly punch - Stampin' Up
Jennifer McGuire's Pop Up Panel video - click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today

Anniversary Tunnel Card

Hello my crafty friends

 I have a different sort of fold to share today - a Tunnel Card. I've been trying to use things up my my craft room and these pretty patterned note cards have been hanging around for over 18 months. I love the gold foiled bits on them! I actually used two of them to make this card, and also used up several Peel Off Stickers that have been hanging around for too long.

Once I got the hearts adhered where I wanted them, I realized they were sticking out of the card at the side. An easy fix was to add a strip of teal card stock down each side, extending the card by 1/2". I added some gold peel off stickers to hide the seam and ended up being quite happy with how the card turned out.

Since it's hard to see the tunnel detail in the photos, I've included a short YouTube video for you:

Supplies:
Two A2 patterned cards - Recollections
Stitched Nested Label dies - Stampin' Up
Stitched heart dies - Elizabeth Craft Designs
Teal and white card stocks
Sakura gold gel pen
Gold foil card stock - Stampin' Up
Peel Off's - Elizabeth Craft Designs
Words inside - Petal Palette, Stampin' Up

Card size - 4-3/4 x 5-1/2", fits in an A6 envelope

Thanks for stopping by today