Flower Pot Pop Up Card

It's challenge time again over at Fussy and Fancy and this fortnights challenge is "anything but square/rectangle".

We also have a design team call running too, if you're interested why not pop over and have a look?

We all make square and rectangle cards don't we?  So this time we're asking you to make alternate shaped cards.  Let's see how many different shapes we get shall we?

For my card I've gone for a pop up card, I saw this "hidden messages" example in the February edition of Craft Stamper magazine and found this example too, but I've put my own twist on it and also used one of the flower tutorials from there too.  I've put together a tutorial for my spin on this card along with the measurements that I've used as well.  I'll include this at the bottom of this post if anyone is interested.  Apologies for the length of this post as the instructions are quite lengthy :-)

I gave this card to my Mum for Mothers Day last Sunday as well getting 4 commissions for it too :-)  I also cut out all the elements for a local brownie group (all 19 of them!!!) and gave them it in kit form along with the instructions and they were going to be making them for their Mums too!  I think this card has been a "blooming" success, don't you, and I've loved making it :-)

Materials used:

Core'dinations card

Distress ink - vintage photo & spun sugar

Nestability - classic scallop circle small

Card for leaves and insert from stash

Buttons, pearls and ribbon from stash

Mulberry (look-a-like) paper (actually pineapple paper from Thailand)

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Crafters Companion - spring
Joanna Sheen - spring
Papertake Weekly - bingo (flowers/die cuts/gems)
Really Reasonable Ribbons - spring
Polkadoodle - mothers day - WINNER
Crafts & Me - spring
Scrapbook Sisters - anything goes
Hooked On Crafts - more than one fold
Karens Doodles - something special
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - spring - WINNER

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TUTORIAL

Materials needed:

1 x A4 sheet of terracotta card
Double sided tape/silicone glue
1 x A4 sheet of green card
Mulberry paper
Scraps of card for the main flower
Embellishments (for the flower centres)
Craft knife or scissors
Pencil
Ruler
Hougie board & scoring tool
Scalloped edge scissors
Ribbler (to crimp leaves)
Embossing tool & mouse mat
Ribbon
Scalloped circle nestabilities
Tim Holtz tattered florals bigz die

Instructions to make the flower pot:

1)  Take your sheet of A4 terracotta card (or the card to be used for your flower pot base) and cut a rectangle measuring 16cm x 28cm.  Place onto your Hougie board in a landscape orientation and working from the marrow edge at the left hand side score at 1.5cm, 12.5cm, 14cm, 15.5cm and 26.5cm (see diagram 1 below).  Alternatively measure the intervals with a ruler, mark with a pencil and use a scoring tool.

Diagram 1 (click to expand)

2)  Fold the card along the scored lines as shown in diagram 2 below.

Diagram 2 (click to expand)

3)  Place your sheet of card into a portrait orientation and work on the larger section of card between the 1.5cm and 12.5cm score lines.  Measure 3cm in along the 12.5cm score line from both the right and left hand side of the card and place a small pencil mark.  Now draw a line from this point to the outer edge on the 1.5cm score line on both the left and right hand sides (see diagram 3 below).

Diagram 3 (click to expand)

4)  Cut along these lines (which form the side of the flower pot).  Do not cut past the fold lines at this stage.

5)  Fold the card again along the score lines as per diagram 2 and using the lines cut in diagram 3, cut the remainder of the card to the same shape (see diagram 4 below).

Diagram 4 (click to enlarge)

6)  Place double sided tape or glue along the fold at each end, 5cm in from each side and stick to the other end (see diagram 5 below).  Ensure you leave the gap in the middle wide enough for your message strip to slide in and out.

Diagram 5 (click to enlarge)

7)  Cut a piece of terracotta card (or the same coloured card to match your flower pot base) measuring 15.5cm x 2cm.  Use a pair of scalloped edge scissors (or similar) to cut along one of the long edges.

8)  Fix to near the top of the flower pot and trim the excess off the right and left hand edge (see diagram 6 below).

Diagram 6 (click to enlarge)

9)  Cut a piece of lighter coloured card measuring 15cm x 5cm.  This will be the slider that will fit into the flower pot and will also hold your hidden message.

10)  Cut a circle with a diameter of 14cm from green card and cut this in half across the middle.  Stick the two halves of the circle together sandwiching 4cm of the narrow edge of the piece of card, from the previous stage, in between (see diagram 7 below).

Diagram 7 (click to enlarge)

Instructions to make the flowers:

1)  For the large flower I've used a couple of the Tim Holtz "tattered floral" dies and cut them from card.  This flower needs to be quite sturdy as it will overlap the flower pot base and needs to keep its shape when you pull it open to reveal the message inside.

2)  Cut two of the nine petal flower and one of the smallest flower (see diagram 8 below).

Diagram 8 (click to enlarge)

3)  Score down the centre of the two larger flowers and fold upwards (see diagram 9 below).  I've used distress ink around the edges and a fine liner to add a line down the score/fold line to match the colour you've chosen for your flower.

Diagram 9 (click to enlarge)

4)  Glue one on top of the other so that the petals of the bottom one fit in the gaps of the top one (see diagram 10 below).

Diagram 10 (click to enlarge)

5)  Take your smaller flower, your embossing tool and a mouse mat and with the wrong side facing upwards, use small circular movements on each individual petal gently until the petals curl up.  Repeat in the centre of the petal until it forms a cup shape (see diagram 11 below). 

Diagram 11 (click to enlarge)

6)  Fill this with silicone glue and fix to the centre of the larger flower (see diagram 12 below).

Diagram 12 (click to enlarge)

7)  You need to use mulberry paper for the rest of the flowers and the three smallest sizes of the scalloped circle nestabilities and die cut four of the smallest size, three of the next size up and 2 of the larger one.  To form the flowers for all sizes the instructions are the same.

8)  Find the centre of the flower by folding in half one way, unfolding and then folding in half the other way and then placing a dot in the centre of the flower.  This will be covered up with your embellishment once completed.

9)  Cut towards the dot in the centre of the flower but not completely at the bottom of every alternate scallop (see diagram 13 below).

Diagram 13 (click to enlarge)

10)  Repeat this process for all of the mulberry flowers in all sizes.

11)  Turn the flower over so that the wrong side is facing up and place onto your mouse mat.  Using your embossing tool work in a circular motion at the ends of the petals on both scallops.  Then emboss down the centre of the petal running from the end of the petal towards the centre of the flower (see diagram 14 below).  Repeat this for each petal.

Diagram 14 (click to enlarge)

12)  Turn the flower over so that the right side is facing upwards and using a circular motion emboss the centre of the flower.  This should now curl up to form the flower (see diagram 15 below).

Diagram 15 (click to enlarge)

13)  Cut fourteen leaves from green card (mine measure 3cm approx in length and 2cm approx in width) and score/fold down the centre.  To make the markings on the leaves put them through the ribbler placing them in diagonally (see diagram 16 below - apologies additional picture to be added as the ribbler is still with the brownies).

Diagram 16 (click to enlarge)

14)  To assemble your flowers place the insert inside your card base and starting with the larger card flower in the middle, glue this so that it is in the centre of the semi circle and overlaps the flower pot rim enough so that when it is closed there are no gaps.

15)  The placement of the mulberry flowers and leaves can be seen from the picture below of the finished example.

16)  I have filled in any gaps with pieces of matching ribbon which have been folded into a loop and glued into place.

17)  The only thing you need to do now is to embellish the centre of your flowers with buttons, sequins, pearls or whatever else you want to use.

I hope that these instructions, diagrams and pictures have been easy enough to follow and that you enjoy making your own pop up flower pot cards.  I would love to hear your comments.

Please feel free to reference this tutorial, along with your project, on your blog and any craft sites but PLEASE spare a thought for the time and effort that has gone into producing this and a link to this tutorial would be very much appreciated :-)

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Positively Pampered

It's challenge time again over at Fussy and Fancy and for the next 2 weeks our challenge is "FAIRIES".  I know we don't need much of an excuse to get covered in glitter, I know I certainly don't, so join in the challenge and you never know you might be our next guest designer!

Here's my card for inspiration, but our design team have also done wonders this time too, so why not pop over and have a look:

Materials used:

Image & sentiment - positively pampered

Coloured with promarkers

Papers - desert blooms

Nestability - labels 11

Distress ink - shabby shutters

Pearls

Liquid pearls - mint green

Glamour dust - crystal

Doily & ribbon from my stash

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers - ribbons and bows
Passion For Promarkers - mum / female relative
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Emerald Faeries - embossing
Charisma Cardz - ribbon
Papercrafting Journey - anything goes
Crafts And Me - things with wings
Divas By Design - favourite things
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - things with wings
Allsorts - spread your wings


xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

A little bit of water colouring

I thought I'd try something that I haven't done for ages and that's water colouring!!  I'd forgotten how relaxing it was and also how quickly time goes as well!

Hasn't this last week been a lot warmer?  Well it has here anyway!  With the nights pulling out now it's starting to feel a bit closer to spring with the some of the bulbs already in flower :-)

Anyway back to my card, I've used a selection of my Art Impressions stamps and my Marvy Le Plume and Whispers pens mixed with water to colour the images and voila - here's the finished article.  I've left the sentiment until later when I decide what ocassion this is going to be for as it's so versatile.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Joanna Sheen - spring
Crafters Companion - spring
Cupcake Craftroom - spring
Delightful Challenges - spring
Scrapbook Sisters - spring flowers
Crazy Challenge - anything goes

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Napkin Fold Tutorial

Good morning crafters (said in true Robin Williams, Good Morning Vietnam style :-)

As usual on the weekend I couldn't sleep so I decided to pull together this tutorial for you as promised in my last post for the napkin fold card.  It's not an easy one to put into diagrams, but here goes and hopefully you will be able to make something of them, if not I apologise now ;-)  One word of advise though (learnt from experience of course), the better you score your folds the easier it is to form the shape!

Materials needed:

A4 sheet of card
Scoring board (one with cm's on)
A bit of patience :-)

Instructions:

1)  Take your A4 sheet of card and cut to a 20cm square

2)  Score around each of the four sides at 5cm (see diagram 1 below).  Turn the card over and repeat on the other side.

Diagram 1 

3)  Fold/score along the 5cm score line on the left hand side towards the centre of the card (see diagram 2 below)

 Diagram 2

4)  Keeping this folded section on your left, take the top right corner and fold/score it over into the centre of the page using the folded straight edge to butt up against (see diagram 3 below)

 Diagram 3

5)  Repeat with the bottom right hand corner (see diagram 3 above)

6)  Unfold the left hand edge (see diagram 4 below)

 Diagram 4

7)  Fold/score both the top left corner and the bottom left corner in towards the centre mirroring the right hand side (see diagram 5 below)

 Diagram 5

8)  Take the corners at the centre and fold/score them back towards the outer edge of the card (see diagram 6 below)

 Diagram 6

9)  Unfold and lay the card flat (see diagram 7 below).  This also shows all of the folded/scored lines you have (hopefully) made.

 Diagram 7

10)  Now comes the more difficult part of trying to explain how to form the fold!  Hold onto your seat, we may be in for a bumpy ride

11)  Working on the left hand side first, take the point at the middle of that side and push it towards the centre of the card (see diagram 8 below).  Repeat for the right hand side.

Diagram 8

12) This will automatically lift up your next fold/score lines (see diagram 9 below)

Diagram 9

13)  Repeat step 11 for the other two sides

14)  Finally take the corners in the centre and fold/score back towards the outside (see diagram 10 below)

 Diagram 10

15)  Your finished fold should look like this (see picture below).  Obviously mine has been mounted onto a card, but you can see the folds clearly from this picture

16)  To complete, cut a piece of card (approx 9.5cm square) to fit inside the fold and decorate.  Please note that once it is inside the fold only the centre of the insert is visible (see pictures below)

 Once you have mastered this technique you can play around with the sizings and make it larger or smaller.  I have made this to fit onto a 6" x 6" card, but you could make it larger and tie a ribbon around the centre (this was how it was demo'd to me).  You can add different coloured card to sections to highlight them or use double sided card - the ideas are endless.

I hope that these instructions, diagrams and pictures have been easy enough to follow and that you enjoy making your own napkin fold cards.  I would love to hear your comments.

I am not claiming to have invented this fold, just adapted it for my own use and hopefully assisting others.  Please feel free to reference this tutorial, along with your project, on your blog and any craft sites but PLEASE spare a thought for the time and effort that has gone into producing this and a link to this tutorial would be very much appreciated :-) 


xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today

It's challenge time again over at Fussy and Fancy and this fortnights challenge is "more than words".  We want you to use your long sentiments or verses for your projects this time so no "happy birthdays", "get well soons" or "good lucks"!

I've used a sentiment from the talented Barbara Gray's collection at Clarity Stamp and a new fold (tutorial in seperate post) that I learnt at a recent craft retreat, from a demo held by Nat.

Materials used:

Sentiment - Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today 
Nestability - large deckled rectangles

Pearlescent card

Backing papers - First Edition - Desert Blooms

Distress ink - antique linen
Ribbon from my stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Do You Stack Up - distress
Southern Girls - distress
City Crafter - it's all natural
Crazy Challenge - die or punch
Allsorts - anything goes



xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

With All My Heart...

Well it's nearly Valentines Day girls!!!!!  Have you got your cards ready for your husbands, fiancees, boyfriends or just someone you wish was, tee hee :-)

Over at Fussy and Fancy our challenge for the next 2 weeks is "With All My Heart".  I hope you'll join us and share your cards and projects with us and show us some love.  I wonder how many hearts we'll see?

Here's the card that I've made my Valentine (Mark) and I've also made a box for it to go into as well, hope he likes it :-)  It's been a real struggle trying to hide it from him as he loves looking at my work and when I had a friend over to help her make one for her husband he was banned from the room, bless him!!  Hope it's all worth it in the end!!

For more inspiration pop over to the Fussy and Fancy challenge blog and check out what the talented girls on the design team have done.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers - love is in the air
Crafters Companion - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Whimsy Stamps - love themed
Little Miss Muffet - valentines and love
Bling It On - love is all around
My Mum's Craft Shop - love is in the air
Outlawz - love - drawn end of February
Joanna Sheen - love is in the air
Dream Valley - valentine


xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx