Before I share today's fun fold sketch, I just wanted to remind you that time is running out to register for the Virtual Catalog Launch Party on June 6. You must register by Friday, May 29, so I have time to get your Make N' Take kit in the mail to you. (Click the photo to the right to register.) It's going to be a great day with lots of demonstrations of new products. You don't want to miss out!

Cutting dimensions:
Cardstock:

• 4 ¼” x 5 ½”
• 3 ¼” x 8 ½”, scored at 4 ¼”

Cardstock: Circle or Square approx. 2 ½ to 3” across
Whisper White or Vanilla cardstock: Scraps
Designer Series Paper: 4” x 5 ¼”
Coordinating Designer Series Paper: 3” x 4”

All of today's cards use the basic color scheme of Crushed Curry, Cherry Cobbler, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss, Old Olive, Pear Pizzaz, Sahara Sand, and Soft Suede. I used different color bases to give the cards a different feel.

This first card has a bouquet of flowers that have been stamped and cut using the coordinating die-cuts. Some flowers are glued flat while others are raised with Stampin' Dimensionals. The bouquet is layered on a piece of vellum cardstock cut with the Stitched Sew Sweetly dies. This is a layered on a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock that has been embossed with the Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder and then layered on a Cherry Cobbler base. 

For my second card, I arranged the stamped and cut flowers on a circle from the Sweetly Swirled stamp set to create a wreath. Again, some flowers are glued flat, while others are raised on Stampin' Dimensionals. I added a greeting using the Well Said stamp set and Well Written dies. The wreath is layered on a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock that has also been embossed with the Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder. This is layered on a Blackberry Bliss card base.

For my third card, I didn't use any dies except to cut out the wrapping that is around the bouquet. The flowers are stamped with Crushed Curry, the centers with Early Espresso, and the leaves with Mint Macaron ink this time. I used an old piece of Crumb Cake 6" x 6" DSP and embossed it with the Subtle 3D embossing folder before adding to the side of my card to create a backdrop. For a little bling, I added some gold metallic pearls.

Similar to the other cards, the bouquet is tied up with a piece of Linen Thread. 

For my final card, I stamped the bouquet stem with Early Espresso ink to create a tree trunk. I filled the trees with what, at the time when I stamped them last fall, I thought would be fall leaves. But, when I pulled out the image this spring, I decided it looked more like a tree filled with flowers, even if yellow and orange aren't normal tree flower colors. The flowers are stamped with Crushed Curry and Pumpkin pie ink. 

To create the background, I dabbed Crushed Curry ink onto one side of my Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder. When I embossed the piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock, it left darker lines where the mortar would be and on some of the bricks giving it a distressed look.

Stamping in Color
This first card has the graduation hats simply stamped in Poppy Parade, Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Pacific Point, and Gorgeous Grape in a line across a piece of Whisper White cardstock. I added the simple congratulations greeting under the stamped hats.

The piece of 5 1/4" x 4" Whisper White cardstock is then adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals to a Whisper White card base. Super quick and super easy.

Faux Watercolor
For the second card, I used a faux watercolor technique using a clear block. I used clear block H, a long skinny clear block, and applied the same 6 colors to it in the same rainbow order. The ink covered the whole block. Then I spritzed it with a little water, tilted the block in both directions to let the colors run a little, and stamped it down on my Whisper White cardstock. For this card, I chose to not let the colors go all the way across the card front.

After I added the faux watercolor background and let it dry, I stamped the graduation hats with Jet Black stazon ink. Again, I added the simple congratulations under the rainbow and adhered the whole card front using Stampin' Dimensionals to a Whisper White card base.

Sponge Daubers
For the last card, I started by stamping a line of graduation caps with Jet Black Stazon ink. Then I used sponge daubers to color spots of each of the same 6 colors. I finished the card in the same way as the other two. 

Owl Graduate
Finally, the surprise card! This card uses much of the same color scheme, but is completely different and much less simple, although not hard to make. 

Once again, I started with a piece of 5 1/4" x 4" Whisper White cardstock. With a light Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blend I colored a circle in the lower right corner. I added some dark Daffodil Delight to the center. Colored over this with the light Daffodil Delight again but didn't go all the way to the edge of the original Daffodil Delight circle. Then, I went over the whole thing with a color lifter a few times, especially towards the outer edges, to soften the color and help blend it out more into the white.

I started with a regular card base that is 8 1/2" x 5 1/2". I folded it in half. Then, I ran it through my embossing machine with the retired Polka Dot embossing folder. I only put the front half in the embossing folder so that only the front is embossed and not the back.

The balloons and the marquee are stamped and then cut with the matching dies.

The real fun happens when you open the card! I love the way the background paper makes it look like a sea of balloons while the individual balloons jumped off the page.

I added a liner of Whisper White to the inside of the card. This piece is 8 1/4" x 5 1/4". On the top half, I added a piece of the balloon patterned paper that is 5" x 3 3/4". The bottom has another piece of patterned paper that is the same size. 

Hint: the portion with the "You Deserve It" greeting can hold a gift card or money. I made it with a note card envelope. I sealed the envelope and cut it in half. Then, I used my 2" circle punch to punch out the half circle hole that you see. 

To create the pop up effect, I cut two pieces of Coastal Cabana cardstock that were 4" x 5 1/4". I scored these (along the 4" side) at 1", 2", and 3". These pieces will fold into an elongated cube. They won't close on their own, but when you glue them in place they create a four-sided shape. 

Glue one edge of one piece along the back of the card so that the cut edge lines up with the fold. Then, glue the other end on the bottom so that the other cut edge also lines up with the fold. 

​Here are the dimensions for the paper pieces:
Cardstock: 5 ½” x 7 ½”, scored at 4 ¼”
Contrasting cardstock:

• 1 ¼” x 8”, scored at 4”
• 2 ¾” x 5”

Whisper White or Vanilla cardstock:

• 2 ½” x 4 ¾”
• 3 ½” x ¾” (x2)
• 2 ¾” x 3 ½”

Patterned paper: 1 ½” x 5 ½”
Contrasting patterned paper: 1 ¼” x 5 ¼”

This card uses the Timeless Tulips stamp set from the 2020 January - June Mini Catalog. I'm so glad this set will be returning in the annual catalog! It also uses the Country Club DSP and the Brights 6" x 6" DSP.  I added some Baker's twine with a little bow to the sentiment and a few Noble Peacock rhinestones.

You can see how the card opens to reveal a second message below. There is additional white space to write your own personal message before sending the card. 

My second card uses the Parisian Beauty stamp set with the Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper. The stamps are from the 2020 January - June Mini Catalog and the paper is in the 2019-20 Annual Catalog. Unfortunately, both are being discontinued. I love this stamp with the soft colors of the paper.

Start with a piece of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock. (I used Calypso Coral.)

With the paper turned the long way, score at 5 1/2" so that you could fold your cardstock in half. 

With the paper turned the short way. score at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8". 

Following along the score lines, cut the upper two outer rectangles as shown on the diagram to the right. The cut out areas are shown in purple. 

Fold the sides of your card in towards the center. (They should touch in the middle. If they overlap, you can trim one side or let them overlap slightly.)

Fold the top down over these two flaps. (You may find that the tops of the flaps folding inward prevent the top of the card from folding down. If this is the case, trim the tops of the two side panels a little more until the top of the card can easily fold down.)

I stamped the little yellow flowers directly on the Whisper White circle. The other flowers, leaves, vase, and shelf are stamped on pieces of the Bird Ballad DSP with black ink. I punched the flowers, leaves, and vase using the Vases Builder punch. (While the stamps are retiring, the punch will still be around next year!) Likewise, I stamped the shelf, but then I cut it out with my paper snips. All of these pieces are attached with Stampin' Dimensionals to make them pop off the card front.

A Scrappy Tie:
Cardstock:

• Garden Green: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded
• Night of Navy: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16", 5" x 3 3/4", 1 5/8" x 11/16"'
• Whisper White: 3 1/4" x 1 7/8" cut with the Stitched Rectangle die, 1 3/8" x 9/16", scrap

Ink: Night of Navy, Poppy Parade
Stamps:

• Well Dressed (Sale-A-Bration)
• Check You Out (sentiment)

Accessories:

• Stitched Rectangle dies
• Noble Peacock Rhinestones
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

Scrappy Pens:
Cardstock:

• Garden Green: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half
• Night of Navy: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16", 5" x 3 3/4"
• Whisper White: 3 3/4" x 1 3/4" cut with a Stitched Rectangle die

Inks: Night of Navy, Garden Green, Poppy Parade

Scrappy Friend-A-Saurus:
Cardstock:

• Pretty Peacock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half
• Lovely Lipstick: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16", 5" x 3 3/4", 3 3/4" x 2 1/2" cut with a Stitched So Sweetly die
• Whisper White: 2 1/2" x 2" cut with a Stitched So Sweetly die, 3 1/4" x 2" cut with a Dino die

Rawrsome Scrappiness:
Cardstock:

• Pool Party: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half
• Lovely Lipstick: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16", 5" x 3 3/4", 3 1/4" x 2 1/2" cut with a Stitched Shape die
• Whisper White: 2 1/8" x 13/16", 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" plus another scrap cut with the Dino dies

Inks: Pool Party, Pretty Peacock, Lovely Lipstick
Stamps: Dino Days
Accessories:

• Dino dies
• Stitched Shapes dies
• Noble Peacock Rhinestones
• Silver Metallic Thread
• Stampin' Dimensionals

For this technique, I began by embossing the outline stamp from the To a Wild Rose stamp set in either white or gold. (For more directions about embossing, check out this blog post.) 

Then, I used my Whisper White craft ink pad to put some ink on a clear acrylic block. I used the clear block as a palette to do the watercoloring. Using an aqua painter, I picked up some of the white ink and colored in the flowers and leaves.

​If you've never used an aqua painter before, it is like a watercolor brush with a built-in water reservoir. You fill the end with water and then, give it a little squeeze to get the water flowing to the brush tip. You swish your brush in the ink just like you would a watercolor brush. When the ink is gone, you pick up some more. When you're done with a color, wipe the aqua painter on some scrap paper to get the white ink out of the tip. All the fun of watercolor, with a lot less mess. I used to give these to my kids when they were in upper elementary/middle school so I didn't have to worry about them knocking over glasses of water while painting.

Next, I put Gorgeous Grape and Granny Apple Green ink on clear blocks as well. I then scooped up some ink with my aquapainter and colored in the flowers and leaves. I put down more color in the areas that I wanted to be darker, like the centers of the flowers and along the stems of the leaves. 

I let everything dry and then finished off my cards. (Well, I finished off the cards months later.) 

Both of these cards use elements from the Dinoroar Suite: the Dino Days stamp set, the Dinoroar Designer Series Paper, and the Dino Dies. The cardstock colors match those of the Dinoroar DSP: Lovely Lipstick, Pool Party, Pretty Peacock, Sahara Sand, Mango Melody, and Whisper White. The inks coordinate with the patterned paper as well: Lovely Lipstick, Pool Party, Pretty Peacock, and Old Olive. 

The shapes were cut with the Stitched Rectangle dies and the Stitched Shapes dies. In addition, I used the Swirly Frames stamp set to create the rectangle frame on the card above and the lines of stitching on the card to the right.