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.

Love is in the Air

I’ve been away for a while and will slowly be moving back into full swing in these next few days. It’s been an incredibly busy summer with August being the busiest of all! School will be starting soon and my husband will be moving out of my craft room and into his office at work again. This will be a game changer for me and my productivity!

The card that I have to share with you today is designed for the As You See It Challenge Blog.

We have a theme challenge today!

Well, the first thing that I thought of was love! Love is in the air!

One of the dies among the Basic Borders Dies has a stitched cloud shape. I used this a few times on Basic White cardstock and layered them together with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

A Blending Brush and some Coastal Cabana ink was used to add a hint of colour behind the Playful Alphabet letters. I love the Ombré Specialty Paper for these letters! So fun!

The Tasteful Textile embossing folder was used with Basic White cardstock in the Cut & Emboss Machine to create the background. This adds some interest without taking away from the main focus of the design. I think the Crumb Cake cardbase helps to balance all that white while allowing the letters and the Black & White Gingham ribbon to keep the spotlight.

As a final touch, the yellow Decorative Matte Dots bring a little extra somethin’-somethin’.

You can find all the products used on this card on my online store. If you’re in Canada, you can order from me anytime! I’d love to be your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. 🙂

You’ll Love the Beautiful Effect of Layered Vellum

The As You See It Challenge Blog has us sharing our favourite animal as the starting point for our designs today. I don’t know about you, but I had to work within the limits of my supplies! There aren’t any images of moose among the current Stampin’ Up! products!

Since my favourite animal is under-represented at the moment, I chose to go with my close second favourite animal, instead. A deer!

The Layers

This card shows off a layering technique with vellum to create the feeling of distance on a misty morning.

I stamped the cabin first on a piece of Basic White cardstock with Tuxedo Black Momento ink. The cabin image is from a new stamp set called Peaceful Cabin that was just released along with the new Mini Catalogue! It’s so exciting to be able to play with new products! I used Soft Suede and Crumb Cake Blends Markers to colour the cabin, then coloured the area around the cabin with Old Olive and Balmy Blue to give a little bit to the earth and sky.

The next layer is vellum, on which I stamped the trees from the same stamp set. I used black ink again, then coloured behind it with an Old Olive Blends Marker. I also added some Smoky Slate with my Blends Marker to create a bit of a shadow under the trees.

Next, I stamped the deer from the Nature’s Beauty stamp set on a second piece of vellum, colouring it with my Soft Suede and Bronze Blends Markers (on the back of the vellum. I added the grass image at the deer’s feet, using the olive Blends Marker to accent the grass.

Each layer was adhered behind the Early Espresso frame, created with one of the Rectangle Stitched dies. I cut a narrow Basic White matte to go behind the frame and attached it to the Crumb Cake card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Finishing the Card

With all my vellum layering complete, I then stamped the sentiment from the In Your Words stamp set on Pool Party cardstock with black ink. This stamp set is only available for FREE during Sale-a-bration to anyone who hosts a qualifying workshop or personal order over $375. I was surprised at how nicely the Soft Succulent paper works with the Pool Party.

The two paper strips were flagged on the ends with scissors and attached together before adhering them to the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Finally, I added the Linen Thread bow and the adhesive-backed dots from the new Decorative Matt Dots embellishments.

If you made a card for this challenge, then what animal would you use? Why not share it with us at the As You See It Challenge Blog! We love to see your beautiful creations!