Christmas tri-fold with an accordion twist? + using up scraps

 Hi, friends! Welcome to still-way-too-hot-and-muggy Florida, where butterflies abound and birds serenade! Honestly, no complaints here about the weather, especially since so many others are dealing with far worse conditions. THANKS FOR POPPING BY!

WAXING SENTIMENTAL

Speaking of friends, I'd like to thank the MANY OF YOU who are kindly encouraging -- not just to me, but to most people you meet. As women, we experience feelings of insufficiency sometimes, especially when helping our families. YOU have made me feel accepted, cared for and supported.

Remember this:

We are always so much more than

          (and different from) 

                  what others perceive we are. 

We are also so much more than what we 

         believe ourselves to be. 

                There is a hidden part in our souls 

         free from the tyranny of mere perceptions. 

                     THAT is our authentic, faithful self.

From that beautiful place pours forth 

         Patience, 

              Hope, 

                   Strength and 

                         Love.   (dme)

Which brings me to today's card share -- inspired by my friend Ana at Toadily Handmade Designs. Remember WAY BACK WHEN we used to have PROGRESSIVE CARD SWAPS made by snail mailing parts of a card base to another person, then that person added something to the card? In turn, they mailed it forward to yet another person, who added THEIR touches, and so forth, until a card was finally completed and returned to the originating person who started the swap? There could be anywhere from two to ten players assembling these fun concoctions, and it was ESPECIALLY fun to see how the end product turned out with so many hands stirring the pot.

In this case...

Ana provided the SU! fun-folded designer paper card base and the SU! coordinating tag. I took it from there. Thanks, Ana! 

Does anyone know if this is a tri-fold card with a Z twist? I've heard it called a Side Gate Fold. It resembles this card design and this design.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

With some OLD gold confetti vellum, die cut as a tag backdrop, and a previously die cut happy, glittery background shape now outlined in Ocean Green Copic Marker to bring out the edges.

Two REALLY...

             REALLY...           REALLY OLD...

Christmas Stamps - one by Hampton Arts purchased at Michaels 20+ years ago and never used is shaped like a Christmas tree with the merriest of sentiments. I messed up by not paying attention. After heat embossing the white EP sentiment, I quickly adhered it, only to see messy specks of loose EP. Sigh. Rather than redo the whole thing, trustie clear WINK OF STELLA came to the rescue. The Christmas tree shape was colored in with the WOS, completely masking the errant white embossing powder! The 2nd old stamp is by Art Impressions H2871 JOY from a 2005 convention.

Dancing snowflakes cut from the tin-foil vapor-seal on my whey protein powder helped winter-up the design. I really enjoyed making this card. Except for the vellum tag, all the other pieces were "left overs" that finally saw life!

Opening the accordion front:

Fully opened interior:

Products: Base Card already folded by Ana. Dies: Spellbinders Labels 4, Surprise Creations Decorative Ovals, Sue Wilson Pierced Tags, Die-Versions Wee Petites Snow Flurries, "Papers": Recycled silver foil from protein powder, Vellum with Confetti, SU Designer Paper, SU Shaded Spruce, White Glitter Paper, Other: Ocean Green Copic Marker, Gold Wink of Stella, Deckle Scissors, White Embossing Powder, VersaFine Clair Rain Forest, Wink of Stella Clear Stamps: Art Impressions H2871, Hampton Arts, Hampton Arts Sentiment Tree

Thanks for hosting fun challenges:

1. Creative Creases #107 AG with a fun fold 10/2
2. The Holly and Ivy #191 Anything Christmas Goes 9/21
3. Christmas Bingo Challenges #15 Using the "N" column: tag, free, stamped phrase 10/15
4. Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64 AG Christmas 10/15
5. Aud Sentiments Challenge #329 Tags + a Sentiment (2 tags layered on the front and sentiment is on front, and in interior middle) 10/1
6. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2537 AG 9/22

Crafty Hugs,

Poinsettia Square Triad Skinny Cards - freebie sentiment

 Hello, friends! I hope you are doing well, and gearing up with sweetness for the upcoming holidays and festivities.

Many MANY years ago, before unmounted and clear stamps were the norm, and during a mega Stamp Show in Orlando, I purchased this beautiful poinsettia stamp from Mitra at Impression Obsession. It's a virgin, I'm shamed to say. Two cards are embossed in silver EP on dark blue cardstock. Two cards are stamped with VersaFine Clair and heat embossed with clear detail EP. Interestingly, in person, the clear EP cards look more fantastic than the silver EP! But through the camera lens, the Silver looks more majestic! 

After fussy cutting the embossed images, I "painted" with bleach so the colored cardstock would show through. Add extra bleach in the areas you would like highlighted. Be sure to use either very cheap brushes, or nylon brushes for this technique.

The magenta colored card was dry embossed and inked with distress inks.

The silver embossed cards are layered with black squares for extra drama. The turquoise layer is actually colored vellum, with edges folded behind white layers.

Card Interiors:

The digital sentiment is a freebie you can download in two versions.

My gift to you - Arrangements of the same sentiment for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well!

Enjoy!

Products: Stamps: Impression Obsession D4261 Poinsettia Square, IO Warmest Thoughts C5394 (interior of card), Colorado Craft Company Pine Cone and Branch BB264 (sentiment Merry Christmas), Silver & Clear EP, Bleach technique, Assorted colors of SU cardstock and TH distress inks, Turquoise and "white" vellum,  silver & turquoise glitter, Craft Essentials Diamond Tiles EF EFOB0013

Thank you for hosting challenges. I'd like to play in:

1. Jingle Belles 11-22-24 "Banner Holiday" inspired by the poinsettias and sparkles in the fun banner Lauren made!) 12/4
2. C.R.A.F.T. #741 Christmas - lovely poinsettias which are placed all over our home, and lots of sparkle for additional joy. (sep post) 11/27
3. Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #23 (poinsettias) 12/12
4. Christmas Bingo Challenges #10 Nov 1 - Using B COLUMN "Hand Colored with Bleaching Technique", "Slimline Cards", "Free" 
   
   
   
5. Merry Little Christmas Challenges #59 12/15

Wishing you beauty!

Fat Snowmen Last Longer

Hello, dear friends! Just a moment to thank you for visiting and leaving encouragement. We're coming to terms with my "new" limitations. Your kindnesses help me more than you know... so THANK YOU!

Here is another fat snowman, reminding why sometimes being fat might be beneficial - LOL - we all know THAT'S not true, but it's a good story!

This happy little guy was stamped and snail mailed by a friend for me to color and assemble. Cute stenciling for the background.

He is colored with Copic Markers and Distress Inks. A stenciled background was done with Iced Spruce ink. The dies (listed below) and papers are all from my ancient stash (giggle).

To create the sparkling snow, I applied VersaMark ink and clear EP. After that was melted, a VersaMarker was applied atop the melted clear EP. I dumped a ton of clear glitter on it, and re-melted the EP from the underside of the image. After putting a little more glitter on top of the melted EP+Glitter combo, I reheated it from the under side again. It's really sparkly and the embossing powder holds the extra glitter so it won't rub off!

Products: Cute Snowman from a friend, Clear Glitter, Clear Embossing Powder, Copic Markers, Distress Inks, VersaMark Ink, VersaMarker, Stencil for background, K&Co designer paper, Marianne Creatables Anja's Large Ovals die, Spellbinders Labels 23 Grand die, MS Starlight Punch

I'd like to play in the following challenge please (and thank you to the DTs who make the challenges possible):

1. 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Technique Challenge 8-24 EMBOSSING (To create the sparkling snow, I applied VersaMark ink and clear EP. After that was melted, a VersaMarker was applied atop the melted clear EP. I dumped a ton of clear glitter on it, and re-melted the EP from the underside of the image. After putting a little more glitter on top of the melted EP+Glitter combo, I reheated it from the under side again. It's really sparkly and the embossing powder holds the extra glitter so it won't rub off!) 09-07

Stamping hugs,

Butterflies and Snowflakes and a freebie

 Hello, blogging friends! It's the beginning of a new year, and I sincerely hope 2024 is good to you.

My cards today were inspired by a card from the very talented by Shwu-Miin Tang

She created a lovely gatefold card with monochrome leanings, borders and beautiful butterflies! Having been awarded this card at the recent TSA auction, organized by Lori Kobular, I showed it to some friends in November. Gasping at the beauty, they declared they most certainly could not make anything that pretty. But they did, when they came over in December, and I did a surprise class using die cuts. Apologies that the photos are not very clear.

The cards are 5"x7". We started out with plain white-on-white (monochrome will hide any mistakes). The card base is cut 7" x 10" and scored at 2.5" and 7.5". Each card then required 2 white pieces 6.75" x 5". We used Martha Stewart punch-around-the-page punches after dry embossing them, but any appropriately sized die or punch would work. One whole embossed piece is adhered on the interior and the other cut vertically for the 2 sides in front. 

Using white glitter card stock, solid butterflies were die cut. With white card stock, the filagree butterflies were attached in the centers of the glitter pieces. Butterfly "bodies" were also die cut with glitter card stock, and adhered. 

Recycling the tin seal from the inside of Whey Protein Powder, lots of delicate snowflakes were cut. Using a Japanese Screw Punch two snowflakes were hole punched. Then the butterflies' center of the 3 layers was punched. A brad was looped into the snowflake center, and then through the butterfly center. One butterfly was adhered to each side of the gate fold.

Pale Pink Copic Markers (any alcohol markers will do) changed the white glitter to pale pink.

While it is easier to open and close the cards where the butterflies were adhered "straight", we found it more forgiving and whimsical to place the butterflies on angles. Some of the cards were inked around the edges, while others only slightly tinted the butterflies. Here are a few color options:

Lavender and Pink (inked around the edges):

Blue and Pale Gray without any other ink:

The interior has a heat set stamped sentiment embossed in silver to coordinate with the snowflakes. I made up another sentiment we printed on vellum, which is now available to you as my gift at the bottom of this post:

I am deeply, humbly, gratefully blessed by dear friends such as yourselves. Your cards, IMs and phone calls helped me through a very difficult 2023; though the sentiment seems "sappy or corny", it is the truth, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you, Shwu-Miin Tang, for the inspiration. And many thanks to dear friends such as yourselves for lifting my spirits on many a difficult day.

These are going to a few friends. Wish I could send at least 50!

My gift to you - 

For use on the inside or outside of your projects: Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope you enjoy! 

Products: Dies (Die-Versions Wee Petites WP-004 Snowflakes, Memory Box Lydia Butterfly, MB Sorona Butterfly, MB Delia Butterfly, Spellbinders Labels 23-for the decorated interior-- Martha Stewart Punch-Around-the-Page Lace Flowers), Coloring (Copic Markers atop glitter cardstock, Oxide ink, Distress ink), Papers (110lb white, clear and silver glitter, recycled silver metal foil from Whey Protein Powder, white and pearl vellums, ) Embossing Folder: Couture Creations "Flamingos & Hedgehogs"

I would like to play in the following challenges please:

1. Crafty Animals AG with Animals or Insects  2/1 
2. Triple B Challenge with Mood Board 2/2  (see the pretty frosty mood board below)
3. Craft Rocket Challenges  #10 Use Embossing (background is an embossing folder and interior background is an EF. The die cut butterflies are also dry embossed. On the interior, the top sentiment is heat embossed. 1/28  2/1
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Anything Goes 1/18
5. Creative Inspirations #9 Anything Goes 1/25 (2-1)

Stamping Hugs,

A Little Christmas -

 Hello, my friends! I can't believe I've actually finished a card (5 months in the making) and that I'm posting it as well. 

Many thanks for all your cards of encouragement. Once Jack and I learned that I am at my Maximum Medical Improvement (meaning a continued "down hill" trend), and that symptoms will continue worsening, it became easier to accept. We have left "no stone unturned". With each layer of loss, I need to accept the new level. This is a neuro-immune disease that begins in the brain, filtering into all the body's functions and organs, thus causing one event after another. About 1/2 of a percent of the world's population contends with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Some have it mildly, others have it severely. I've dealt with this since early childhood, and have gratefully lived longer than anticipated. 

YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT in the form of Love, Support and Acceptance is the best of all gifts! Life is much easier to enjoy when friends are by your side, so that the sick person doesn't have to constantly fake that they are "better" or that they will get better. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for your precious gift. 

Today I'm presenting a sweet snowman image stamped and snail-mailed to me by friend Brenda Smalle. (Thanks, Brenda!) Brenda and I used to work together at Sparkle N Sprinkle, and I learned so much from her!

Interior:

After coloring with Copics, I stenciled the background clouds with MFT stencil and masking a few "ski slopes" surrounding Mr. Snowman. The dark green layer was die cut then embossed with a dotted EF, and inked with Pink Pearlescent inks and Black Soot DI. It was fun playing with a wee bit of glitter, too - all done in non-traditional Christmas colors because pink is THIS snowman's color of preference.

Products: Cute Snowman Image from friend, sentiment from Heartfelt Creations, Copic Markers, Craftwell Delicate Dots EF, Marianne Creatables, Tonic & Spellbinders die cuts, INKS: Orchid Pearlescent, Spun Sugar DI, Salvaged Patina DI., Worn Lipstick DI, MFT stencils, silver and clear glitters, MS border punch.

Playing in the following challenges:

1. Classic Design Challenge #11 (11/15 - 12/15) AG 12/15
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2345 AG 11/21

Thanksgiving Hugs to you!

Heart and Home (Christmas Bingo Challenges)

Hello, dear blogging friends! A New Freebie Sentiment for you - just scroll to the bottom of my post!

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Our second challenge at Christmas BINGO Challenges, is for Christmas lovers all year long! 

  

A new bingo card is available for each challenge. But this bingo game is a bit different. Only columns may be used (not rows or diagonal choices). Each column includes a FREE SPACE, which you may also use. Please utilize three or more squares in the column of your choice. (more details on blog)

In this case, I have selected the letter "N" and included Pearls, Pink, Teal, and FREE (yes, you may include the FREE space as one of your three items in a row.

This darling little Besties Winder Dreams has long been printed in my "to be colored" drawer, awaiting some medium application, so she has been turned into a cute Christmas card.

What's not to like about pink and teal with all the variations? 

After assembling this card, some white flocking with a little clear glitter was added to the fuzzy tassel on the little bird's hat, and on the little girl's ear muffs, furry cuff and furry skirt trim.

I was a little heavy handed with the pinks, but hey, can you REALLY have too much pink?

(giggle)

Products: My Besties Winder Dreams #380, SU! Cardinal Christmas (sentiment), Copic Markers, Spellbinders 5x7 Elegant Labels 4, Spellbinders Labels 4 (to make the teal frame), Classic Ovals Large (sentiment), INKS: VersaFine Clair Charming Pink, Oxides in Pine Needles, Kitsch Flamingo, Vintage Photo, Picked Raspberry, Spun Sugar, X-Press It Blending Cardstock, Pink Pearls, White Flocking with Glitter, Bazzill Pink and Teal Cardstock

FREEBIE GIFT:

The interior of my card uses the following sentiment, which I share with you: for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well! Enjoy!

Playing in these fine challenges:

1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #6 AG (entry x of 3) 7/12 (2nd entry)
2. Ally's Angels #71 Anything Goes 7/10 (2nd entry)

Wishing you and yours a fabulous summer of fun activities and healthy times,

House Mouse Gingerbread Decorating {Christmas Bingo Challenges}

NOTE: My Jan's Digi Stamps design team project is also published today here.

Yippee! I'm so excited to share a brand new Christmas Challenge for blog land!

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! A brand new challenge blog for Christmas lovers all year long! 

Named Christmas BINGO Challenges, a new bingo card is available for each challenge. But this bingo is a bit different. Only columns may be used (not rows or diagonal choices). Each column includes a FREE SPACE, which you may also use. Please utilize three or more squares in the column of your choice. (more details on blog)

In this case, I have chosen the "B" column.

Tags (in the upper right of my card)

Dots (in the background papers)

Green (papers are pine needle green)

Stamped Image (House Mouse & Hero Arts)

and I even can say "free" because I've used some other "stuff" on the card (giggle)

Remember, you only have to use 3 squares in one column, and FREE can be one of your choices!

Colored with Copic Markers, this darling House Mouse stamp is now retired. Fortunately, I had stamped a few from a friend several years ago.  

The sentiment is stamped in Rain Forest VersaFine Clair and heat set with clear detail embossing powder. 

The House Mouse line is one I never tire of coloring. 

How about you? Do you have certain favorite stamps or stamp lines that you enjoy? Or do you find yourself going through cycles of certain styles and techniques?

I tried balancing the gold glossy die cut with the brass bell in the image:

Come on over and show us what you can do with the bingo card at Christmas BINGO Challenges.

Products: Stamps: Stampendous House Mouse Frosting Gingerbread Man from 1997 (it's long been retired),  Hero Arts Clear set CL722, Green Digital Paper by LianaScrap (free, thank you), Dies: Tonic Mixed Edge Rectangle set, Surprise Creations Double Stitch Tags die set, Tutti-123 Arched Fir Branch die, Memory Box Precious Gingerbread Men Inks: Rain Forest VersaFine Clair, Oxides in Pine Needles and Lucky Clover, Copic Markers, Clear Detail Embossing Powder 

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. Outlawz Twisted Thursday AG with theme COLOR IT (colored with Rain Forest VersaFine Clair, Oxides in Pine Needles and Lucky Clover, Copic Markers) 5/4 (3 of 5 allowed entries)
2. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #4 AG (entry 3 of 3) 5/12
3. My Favorite Things Christmas Challenge (April 20) ends May 17
4. House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge (5/1) AG HM ends May 13
5. Classic Design Challenge #5 AG 6/1
6. A Perfect Time to Craft #5 AG (check 7/1)
7. Girlz Creative Christmas Challenge #18 Everything Goes 5/6
8. Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #38 AG option mood board 5/4 (D&D - I hope I understood the challenge properly) 
9. Christmas With The Cuties #69 Something Hand Colored ends May 14 check 5/29
10. Critter Crazy Challenges #74 FEATURE a critter 6/1
11. Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog #50 AG Christmas 6/15

Stamping Hugs,