window sheets

Video: How to make this unique fun-fold card

Hey all! I’m really excited to share this super cool spanner panel fun-fold card design with you today!

I’m not only excited because of it’s fun layers and playful colours, but also because I haven’t shared a technique video with you for over a month!

I missed you!!

Before I give you all the details on this card and the video tutorial, I want to tell you a bit about what I was up to in August. It was an adventure that consumed every ounce of my energy and effort.

The Great Cycle Challenge

This was the 5th year that I’ve participated in the Great Cycle Challenge and it was the toughest year yet! I pledged to ride my bike a total of 1000km through the 31 days of August. By doing so, I hoped to raise $5,000 to help kids fight cancer. I didn’t plan to cancel my life for the month, but soon realized that I had to let a few things drop.

I stopped trying to keep up with my blog and social media, I canceled classes, and my craftroom was lonely and neglected.

62 hours

Approximately 62 hours were spent on my bike. I rode during the heat waves, the wildfire smoke, and the rain. My longest bike ride was 110km! When I took a selfie, I smiled for the camera. When I didn’t take photos, it was because I was too focused or too depleted to put in the effort.

Not only did I reach my $5,000 fundraising goal, but blew by it, for the whopping total of $8,420 in donations!! I am delighted by the amount of support and encouragement I received from family, friends, customers, and even strangers!

31 days of exhaustion. My wrists, legs, butt, and neck were always stiff and sore. My heart was often heavy as I thought of all the kids who are fighting for their lives and all those who lost their fight far too soon. I thought of the parents and siblings. I thought of the aunties, uncles, and grandparents. No child should be stolen by cancer. Ever.

I gave up a month for them. One month. That is absolutely meaningless when you hold it up against what the families have to give up when cancer forces its way into their homes.

Donations are still being accepted toward my fundraising efforts all through September. Perhaps you’d like to show your support and make a difference in the little lives and their families. You can see more details and donate on my Great Cycle Challenge fundraising page. Funds go toward childhood cancer research with the SickKids Foundation.

Now that my cycling adventure is done, the kids are at school, and my husband is back in his office at the university, I am enjoying my quiet productive time at home once again. I can get back to sharing my passion for papercrafting with you!

Back to the card!

This fun-fold design shows off some of the cheerful paper from the Pattern Party Designer Series Paper (only available to hosts!).

The front of the card is split into three panels, with a spanning piece between the two side sections. I used a Window Sheet to span the space between, but I’ve also seen this type of card with paper across the front instead of the acetate.

One thing I really like about this kind of card design, is that you have the opportunity to fit in some little extras in the layers. I chose to have the “hello” on the front of the card cover up another sentiment. That way, when you lift up the front, you have something to surprise you!

Finally, you flip up that middle section to reveal the area where you can write a personal message.

Isn’t it delightful!

Supply List

Watch the video for all the details

You can follow along with me in my video tutorial to see exactly how to make this card. You might not have the same products as I did, but you’re clever. I know you’ll be able to make something beautiful with your favourite supplies.

Of course, if you like any of the items that I used on this card, you can always order them from me here in Canada on my online store.

Winter Wonderland Sleigh Ride

Busy busy busy.

That’s my little life in September every year and EVERY year I forget that I shouldn’t plan any extra activities. With the kids back in school, there’s plenty of tasks to do that keep me hopping. I don’t need to add more… yet that’s what I do every year, lol!

Being busy is a good feeling. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is NOT. It can be difficult to find a balance. So, last week I didn’t do the As You See It Challenge and didn’t post to my blog. What I did instead was continue planning for the fundraising event for which I have volunteered to sponsor and teach a class. This is a new experience for me and is very unfortunate to be occurring in September when life is already so busy. My hope is that it will be a rewarding experience and that I will come away from it ready to plan for the next one! As long as I can get through the next couple weeks!

The As You See It Challenge blog has an assortment challenge this week.

IMG_6664With my current level of stress, I’m not surprised that I chose this colour scheme, these images, and this sentiment. I’d be able to handle things being a bit calmer and a bit brighter. Who wouldn’t!?

Winter sleighI’m not sure if I captured the true meaning of “negative space” in this project. I looked it up to make sure I understood it, but I think it’s a pretty abstract concept that is open to interpretation anyway. So I’m using the cutout circle AND the silhouette of the sleigh for my negative space.

I used a brayer to create the ombre effect in the background with Pool Party ink over Whisper White cardstock. A piece of Window Sheet has been stamped in White Stazon ink with the tree image from the Winter Wonderland stamp set and covers the circle cutout. The lovely Sleigh Ride Edgelits create this winter scene with the houses in the background and the sleigh in the foreground.

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One of my favourite colour combinations for the winter is Pool Party and Real Red. It somehow portrays the peaceful coziness of those frosted days.

What colours make you think happy thoughts of winter?

Amy.