Pop-Up Leaves Birthday Card

Hello Card Makers,

Today's post features a card that I taught in my class earlier this week. There's a nice surprise for the recipient when the card is opened as the leaves pop up and kind of float across the card. I made several using different sentiments along the fall/autumn theme. It is one of those cards that look likes it took a long time, but is really easy to make.

Wishing you a great week of card making.
Blessings,
Annie

Directions
1.         Score and fold the leaves in half lengthways.  With the three leaves, glue together only by the very tips making a string of leaves.  Set aside to dry.

2.         Adhere the two triangles to the base card, thus making a background.

3.         Stamp the sentiment on the inside of the card in the upper right portion of the card.  Set aside to dry.

4.         Stamp the “Autumn” word onto the small cream rectangle.  Layer onto the lighter green, then onto the dark green. 

5.         Wrap the layered panels with the green twine two times and tie in a knot at the top.  Adhere to the card front.

5.         Glue 3 small punched leaves along the diagonal line made by the two decorative pieces of card stock.

6.         Adhere the string of leaves to the inside with a really strong medium, making sure that the leaves will easily fold together.  Spacing will be determined by how much give there is in your leaf string.  The left leaf tip will probably be about 1 ¾” from the crease; the same for the right leave tip.  Glue the right tip first and close the leaf string; add glue to the left leaf tip and close card.  Hold closed until leaves are secure.

 Supplies

8 ½” x 5 ½” cream card stock, folded

5 1/4" x 4" - Cut two using coordinating scrapbook paper.  Cut each one in half diagonally.  You will have enough for two cards.

13 inches of green twine

3 medium die cut leaves

3 small punched leaves

Camouflage Background Technique

This is a really fun and easy technique that only takes a couple of minutes.  It creates a quick background for a variety of images or die cuts.  I've been wanting to use my deer head punch and this cute little sentiment that perfectly goes with it, so this is what I came up with.

Here are the card measurements, supplies, technique directions:

CAMOUFLAGE BACKGROUND WITH DEER HEAD CARD

Brown card base         8 ½ x 5 ½ , folded

Beige/Cream Layer    5 ¼ x 4 – emboss with Sizzix Bricked EF

Brown Rectangle                    3 ¾ x 2 5/8

Olive Green Rectangle           3 ½ x 2 3/8

Beige/Cream Rectangle          3 ¼ x 2 3/16 – this piece is for the Camouflage Background

EK Success Deer Head Punch – punch from brown card stock

¼ Hole Punch – punch 3 circles from brown card stock

Dew Drops – Mowed Grass – glue the Dew Drops to the brown circles

Amuse Art Stamps “Deer Friend”  8-8451B

DIRECTIONS FOR CAMOUFLAGE BACKGROUND

1.         Crumple a solid piece of background paper into a ball. Straighten out the paper so it’s mostly flat again, and then crumple it a second time. This will produce a finer texture on the paper.

2.         Flatten the paper, then lightly drag the Dune Pigment ink across the surface of the paper. Don’t press down with the pad—just lightly drag it over the surface of the paper.

3.         Crumple paper again, flatten it, and drag the Crushed Olive ink pad across the surface.

4.         Crumple and flatten again then drag the Walnut Stain ink pad across the surface.

5.         If you want more color, lightly tap with the ink pads until you’re satisfied with the amount of color.

Give it try and see how much fun it is to watch the background come alive.

Blessings,
Annie

Clear Card with Strawberries

Hello again,
Fresh strawberry season is almost over and I so wanted to make this card earlier in the season, so I could send out a few.  Alas, it kept getting putting aside.  Finally I have completed a couple of them and plan to mail them tomorrow.  I saw a card similar to this on Pinterest, which first got me interested.  I had no idea how to make an acrylic sided card so I was very thankful for the video that was provided.  That video can be found here.  However I made several changes that made it easier for me to put the card together.  Here is my version of the card and directions follow.

1. White cardstock – Cut a piece 6 1/2 x 4 1/4.  Score at 1 inch. 

 Fold at the score line.

2. Clear acrylic – Cut a piece 5 1/2 x 4 1/4.  Adhere to the top of the 1” flap of the white cardstock.

3. Cut 4 pieces of coordinating designer paper 1 x 4 1/4 inches. Adhere one to the front 1” flap and the 2nd piece to the inside of the 1” top flap, so that they are back to back.

4. At the bottom of the acrylic sheet, adhere the 3rd piece on the front and the 4th piece on the inside, back to back.

5. Adhere one large and one small strawberry and the leaves to the acrylic sheet on the left side.  

6. On the front and back of the acrylic sheet glue the matching 

strawberries and leaves, matching up the shapes. 

7. Stamp your sentiment on a small white decorative piece of card stock and attach to the right side of the card base.  Make sure the placement is pleasing to the eye and not behind the strawberries.  The sentiment should be seen through the acrylic sheet when the card is closed.

8. Or, you can stamp the sentiment directly onto the card base.

Hope you will give it a try and find that the directions are easy to follow.

Blessings,

Annie