friends of the ocean h spanner fun fold card

friends of the ocean h spanner fun fold card

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge screams warm weather in hues of spring grass and sunsets of Melon Mambo, Calypso Coral and Lemon Lime Twist.

I have seen this type of fun fold called many things – front flap fun fold card, front flap H fold, Spanner card etc. whatever you name it this is a winner… easy to replicate and make – it is an easy WOW card!

Pair this fun fold with the Friends of the Ocean Suite of products and well – I am SOOOO ready for spring and summer on the water! LOL!

Measurements:
BASE: Melon Mambo CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, (1) 3/4″ x 5 1/2″
scraps for die cuts
Basic White CS: (4) 1 1/8″ x 4 1/8″
(2) 2 7/8″ x 4 1/8″
scraps for stamping and die cutting
DSP: (4) 1″ x 4″, (1) 2 3/4″ x 4″ and
(1) 5/8″ x 5 1/2″
Lemon Lime Twist CS: scraps for die cuts

Score your base card at 4 1/4″.
Cut the front flap of the card base at 1 1/4″ from each side from the score line to the edge.
This will make a 1 1/4″ flap on each side of the card front.
Adhere the 1″ x 4″ DSP pieces to the Basic White 1 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ cardstock layers.

Adhere two on the outside of the side panels.

Adhere the 2 3/4″ x 4″ DSP piece to the 2 7/8″ x 4 1/8″ Basic White layer and adhere that to the middle outside flap in between the two side panels.
Adhere the other two smaller DSP panels to the inside of the card. These will go on the outside edges leaving 1/8″ border on the top, bottom and outside edge.
Adhere the other 2 7/8″ x 4 1/8″ Basic White layer in between the two smaller DSP layers as shown in the photo below.
Stamp the hello friend sentiment from the Ocean Friends stamp set and the bubbles across the 5/8″ x 5 1/2″ strip.
Mount to the 3/4″ cardstock strip.
Stamp the two step stampin’ crab in Melon Mambo ink – stamping the base in the ink and then stamping off on a scrap piece of paper before stamping on your cardstock – creating a lighter base image.
Stamp the detailed crab full strength in Melon Mambo ink over the base image.
Die cut the crab and adhere to the middle panel.
Die cut the small starfish in Melon Mambo cardstock and adhere around the crab.
Adhere only the ends of the cardstock strip so that the strip is ONLY attached to the side panels of the card front!
Die cut the edging die in Lemon Lime Twist cardstock and some more small starfish.
Adhere under the spanner sentiment careful to only adhere to the side panels (or you will glue this fun fold closed)
Adhere the Lemon Lime Twist starfish to the card front.
Color some small pearls with Melon mambo Stampin’ Blends and adhere to the card front.
I decided I wanted a little more Calypso Coral in the card other than just in the DSP so I stamped a lobster in Calypso and adhered the tail under the spanner and the claw on the right hand side panel.
I stamped another crab on the inside middle panel of the spanner fun fold and the LOVE YOU sentiment above the image to complete the third level of the card!
A spanner card has three little layers, the crab and lobster show up when the card is completely closed but when you lift up the spanner portion of the card you get to see the crab on the middle panel without the lobster and then you pick up the middle panel and get to see the inside of the card!

Try this fun fold with a set you have in your stash! Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

stamp and spritz watercolor technique

stamp and spritz watercolor technique

Watercoloring techniques are many and varied.
This following technique is called Stamp and Spritz. It creates a soft stamped image.

Measurements:
BASE: Pretty Peacock CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
scraps: for sentiment mattes
Lemon Lime Twist: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Watercolor paper: 3 1/2″ x 5″
Basic White: scraps for the sentiments

Stamp one of the base foliage stamps in Lemon Lime Twist ink. Spritz the stamp surface with water. Stamp the images on the half sheet of watercolor paper.

Stamp in Garden Green ink with the top stamp of the two step stamping over the Lemon Lime Twist ink.
Stamp the bottom foliage stamp in Lemon Lime Twist ink and the top stamp in Pretty Peacock ink.
Stamp the sentiment in Pretty Peacock and Lemon Lime Twist ink. Fussy cut the sentiment. Mount the sentiment onto Pretty Peacock CS.
Pop the sentiments up onto Stampin’ DImensionals.
Emboss the Lemon Lime Twist with Birch Wood 3D embossing folder.
Adhere the embossed layer onto the Pretty Peacock cardstock base.
Adhere the watercolor paper onto the embossed layer.
Adhere the Pretty Peacock sequins from the Adhesive-Backed Sequins Trio to finish off the card.

Try this watercolor technique the next time you create some artwork of your own.

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

happy world baking day planted paradise out of the box stamping

happy world baking day planted paradise out of the box stamping

Did you know that today is World Baking Day – I love to make chocolate chip cookies and make a batch of my pan cookies for my open houses a few times a year as well as for my family more often. I wanted to make a cookie card for World Baking Day, so I starting looking over all of my stamps to see if I had anything that I could use for a cookie shape.

One of the cool types of stamps we have are the reversible stamps. Able to use both sides there are distinct advantages to this type of two-step stamping style.

During a past demonstrator only event I received the Planted Paradise stamp set – this is one of our reversible stamp sets and there were a few possibilities in this set!
One of the pots looked like a flattened Chocolate Chip cookie and I could use a tip of the foliage for a chip like shape.

Measurements:
Base: Early Espresso CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
scrap for the sentiment pieces
Basic White CS: 4″ X 5 1/4″
scrap for the sentiments

Using the rounded pot on the reversible smooth side, stamp in Crumb Cake ink along the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer. Stamp with the flat side at the edges of the layer, stamp multiple images on the Basic White layer.
Stamp the tip of the pointed single leaf in Early Espresso ink and stamp chip like images on the rounded Crumb Cake images.
Stamp several Yum Yum words from the Ice Cream Swirls on scrap paper.
Cut the words apart and adhere to scraps of Early Espresso cardstock.
Stamp “Hope your day is sweet” sentiment from the Ice Cream Swirls stamp set in between the cookie images.
Adhere the Basic White CS layer to the Early Espresso cardstock base.
Adhere the Yum Yum sentiments around the cookie images randomly around the card front.
I added embellishments to finish off this fun out of the box stamping with the Planted Paradise stamp set.
Here are a couple more traditional cards with this delightful set.
Try using your stamp sets in unique ways or more traditional – but now it’s your turn to create some art work of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’,
Natalie