Friday, March 13, 2009

A Spring Card From the Dead of Winter

Inspiration
Well, I’ve made quite a few cards this weekend, but I got a request for a “how-to” for a card from my SCS gallery this morning and when I looked it up I found it to be a very “Spring-y” card that I made in December, so I thought it would be a good post for this weekend. 
20081207_BirthdayFlowers
The larger picture is the card standing open, and the inset gives you a view of the card when it is closed.
I started with a basic Gate Fold pattern.  Instruction for a basic gate fold card can be found on SCS here.  This one is modified from the basic card by adding an extra fold.  The Scor-Pal makes it pretty simple.
This design starts with a 12” x 5 1/2” piece of paper.  Do a score line at 2”, 4”, 8”, and 10”.  Fold inward on the 4” and 8” lines to the middle, the outward on the 2” and 10” lines.  Then it’s ready to decorate however you’d like!  The card ends up being 5 1/2” x 4” – a little smaller than a standard A2 card, but this way you can get 2 cards out of a single 12” x 12” sheet of cardstock.
I used a quick method (Shapeabilities from Spellbinders) to create a bouquet and layered the flowers so that it would look like 3 flowers when closed, and still be balanced when open.
Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery (DSP); Striped paper (unknown); Orange cardstock (unknown)

STAMPS: birthday sentiment (Rubber Cottage)

INK: Certainly Celery (SU!)

ACCESSORIES: SU! Markers (Only Orange, Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery), misc light green ribbon (Michaels), Daisy Heads Shapeabilites (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (ProvoCraft), Crop-A-Dile (We Are Memory Keepers); yellow eyelets (unknown); Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), Rotary trimmer with straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions
BASE CARD:  Create the modified gate fold card described above, using the orange card stock.  Cut the striped paper into 3 pieces: 2 that measure 5 1/4” by 1 3/4”, and 1 that measures 5 1/4” x 3 3/4”, and mount them onto the base card panels.  Stamp the sentiment on the inside of the large panel.
FLOWERS:  Using the Cuttlebug, create the flowers and petals from the cardstock in spring colors. For each flower and leaf, run it through the die cut machine once to cut, then again to emboss.  Before you remove it from the die, use a marker and color the open areas to create the stenciled outlines.
FINAL CARD ASSEMBLY:  Finish out the card:
  1. Punch holes for the eyelets near the outer edge of the front panels and mount the eyelets.
  2. Cut a long length of ribbon (about 12”) and thread it through the eyelets.  Tie a knot in each end to keep the ends from slipping through the eyelets.
  3. Mount three flowers and 2 leaves on the left front panel over top of the ribbon.  
  4. To place the flower and leaves on the right panel, close the card, and lightly mark the position of the outermost flower with a pencil.  Then mount the flower on the right and place the leaves around it.

It’s raining in Dallas – has been for 3 solid days, plus the temperature has dropped back down into the 30’s.  Not typical March weather at all, but it may be just what’s needed to bring out the spring flowers in a couple of weeks.  Maybe this card will give you a preview of the beauty of spring that is just around the corner…

Thanks for stopping by!

1 comment:

Belle said...

I am certainly ready for springtime!
The colors, the flowers, and even the the tri-fold design seem to scream "Spring" is here. This would make a perfect Easter card or thinking of you card, too.

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