September 10, 2021

Video: How to make this unique fun-fold card

Amy Jasper Fun Fold, Personal, Techniques, tutorial, Video 2021, charity, daisy punch, fun fold, great cycle challenge, playful alphabet dies, technique, technique class, video, window sheets 0 Comments

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.

June 29, 2018

The Great Cycle Challenge

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I don’t have a card for you today. It has been a busy month, with the end of the school year for my kids, it has meant extra things to occupy our time.

My daughter did an epic Book Review project for a presentation at school that involved making a spinner to display some of the different characters in the story. She worked really hard on it with the help of her grandpa (Papa) and me. My husband had his convocation ceremony for his Masters of Nursing Degree! My youngest daughter learned to ride a bike!! We had music performances to attend and my son’s Presentation of Learning for Grade 8.

Wow, it HAS been a busy month!

But the thing that has really made June busy, is something called the Great Cycle Challenge. This is a fundraising event that takes place during the entire month of June to raise awareness and donations for Sick Kids Foundation. The donations provide funding for research to help kids and their families fight childhood cancer. It kills me to think what these kids are going through – what these families are going through! I want to imagine a world where there is a cure and I want to live in a world where there is hope!

I initially pledged to ride 200km through the month of June and hoped to raise $200 for the kids. My first three donations were from my very own Stampin’ Up! customers! I was overwhelmed as donations increased beyond my goal, so I decided to raise my riding goal to 300km and my fundraising goal to $1000. I wanted to be able to ride farther than I thought I could, to honour those who were donating. I wanted to try to match their generosity with my hard work.

Now you need to also understand that I don’t own a bicycle. I borrow my Dad’s old mountain bike when I join my friend’s for a cycling weekend wine tour or the occasional scheduled bike ride on the rail trail. I borrowed his bike last year for this same Great Cycle Challenge and rode 100km in June 2017 and raise absolutely zero dollars for sick kids! (I didn’t really advertise last year). What I’m trying to say, is that I’m not a cyclist by any means.

I’m not totally out of shape, though – I had been jogging through the spring and managed to be able to run 4km without walking before this cycling challenge started (and took over!).In the first couple days of June, I was honoured to earn the Great Cycle Challenge jersey, awarded to anyone who reached a $500 fundraising goal. I wear that jersey for almost every single ride so I can be a walking (riding) advertisement for the cause. As I was getting my bike out of my vehicle in the parking lot one day, preparing for a 20km bike ride, I was stopped by a woman who did a loop around the parking lot before she stopped where I was putting on my helmet. I thought she was lost. This woman rolled down her window to talk to me. She said, “Thank you”. She told me about her daughter who was now 18 years old, who had leukemia when she was 10. She saw my Great Cycle Challenge jersey and wanted to thank me for riding – for raising awareness – for supporting sick kids. I was overwhelmed. What a privilege to be able to ride for people like her and her daughter. And what a joy to know that the medical knowledge we already have makes a difference – just imagine how much MORE we could do if scientists have a chance to make new discoveries!My ride that day was spent nearly in tears as I thought of that girl at 10 years old. I thought about her struggling through treatments with all the terrible side effects. I thought about her mom and her family as they fought along side her – as they worried, as they cried, as they feared the worst, as they one day were able to cheer when she was finally in remission – then when they were able to receive the best news – that she won! That she was well. That she would be able to graduate from high-school!

What a thought! What a blessing! What joy!Half way into my month of riding, I realized, I was doing better than I ever thought I could do. I was feeling overwhelmed by the verbal support and the donations offered to cheer me on in my quest. I made the decision to increase my riding goal to 500km because the donations far surpassed my initial goal, I wanted to be able to far surpass my riding goal.There are only 2 days left in June – today and tomorrow. I only have 30km left to ride to meet my goal of 500km. I am exhausted. My legs ache. I would much rather rest or stamp or eat (riding makes me hungry!). But I will keep on riding. I am riding for the kids – Your kids. My kids. I pass by children during my rides and I think, “Hey, little one, I’m doing this for you!”

If you have a heart for kids and you want to make a difference in their future, maybe you would consider donating. You can donate today or tomorrow to support my ride by going to this link:

https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/amyjasper

If you are reading this after June is done, you can donate to the Sick Kids Foundation anytime. We can help kids and their families to fight their battle.

Science is the sword – your donations are what wield it!!