Funky Folds Blog Hop #12

ANYTHING GOES WITH A FUNKY FOLD

Welcome to the twelfth Funky Folds Blog Hop.

We are a group of like-minded paper crafters who love to make cards with funky folds. Funky actually means "modern and stylish in an unconventional or striking way"... so we are featuring cards that are not your usual rectangle/square portrait or landscape style. Think 'easel', 'pop-up', 'gatefold', 'z-fold', 'shaped' or 3D cards etc. The list is endless. All Blog Hops have an 'anything goes' theme using any type of 'funky' card fold. 

I have a lovely friend who is turning 80 years old in the middle of the year and wanted to create something special for her. Here is the card:

 It may look like a standard Gate-fold card with a Belly Band, but there are some surprises. First, here is a close up of the focal feature on the Belly Band.

When you take off the Belly Band you get a sense there is something inside …

Here is what you see when the card opens.

And here is a semi close up of the central feature inside the card.

But wait, there is more. While I could have just added a panel of Basic White card-stock on the back of the card for writing a personal message, I took a leaf from Kylie Bettuchi’s playbook, ie a  card created by Kylie for a fun fold card class that she and Lisa Curcio held. To keep the personal message “personal” another gatefold was created on the back of the card. See below the back gatefold with the front Gatefold open.

And when the back gatefold opens, this is what you see, including a Basic White die cut where the personal message will be written.

Here is a top view looking down on the open card.

While a little bulky, the card still fits into a standard Basic White C6 envelope. A little decoration was added to the envelope to tie it in with the card it will hold. I do like to ensure it all coordinates.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around this month’s Funky Folds Blog Hop. I hope my card has given you a smile.

Up next is the lovely Tammy Fite, in the USA. I am looking forward to seeing Tammy’s funky fold and to hop around to check out everyone’s’ creations in this April Funky Folds Blog Hop. Just click on the graphic below to be taken to Tammy’s blog.

Here is the list of those participating in the Funky Folds Blog Hop for April 2025

1. Bronwyn Eastley - Australia

2. Cathy Pinchbeck - Australia

3. Andrea Sargent - Australia <You are here

4. Tammy Fite - USA

5. Cindy Mitchell-Clark ~ UK

#stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #wildflowerbirthday   #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam

1. Bronwyn Eastley - Australia

2. Cathy Pinchbeck - Australia

3. Andrea Sargent - Australia

4. Tammy Fite - USA

5. Cindy Mitchell-Clark ~ UK

CASEing the Catty #514 - CASE A Template from Mini Catalogue

CASE A Template from the Jan-April 2025 Mini Catalogue meets Storybook Moments

Hello, Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and #514 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from Julia Quinn, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps you’ve arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of this blog, I have linked to Rebecca Scurr so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the projects from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues and On-line Exclusives as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". 

This week we are CASE-ing the sketches found on page 12 of the 2025 Stampin' Up! January-April Mini Catalogue.

I selected a card sketch from the top line above - the fourth card sketch along from the left, as you can see below.

I love the clean and simple layout, although I couldn’t resist adding some detail. The card front layer was a piece of Two Tone Basic Beige card-stock that was embossed with the Pattern of Friendship die. This die gives subtle piercing in stripes on the panel. I love the effect.

The smallest square from the Stylish Shapes dies was used to cut the 3 little squares from Basic White card-stock. It is the perfect size to fit 3 squares across this portrait card. Two Tone card-stock from the Storybook Moments Two Tone cardstock pack was used to create the panel across the card behind the squares. Both Crumb Cake and Old Olive card-stock was torn on the top and bottom edges, layering the Old Olive card-stock over the Crumb Cake strip. Once the two layers were adhered together some Linen Thread was wrapped around the panel before it was adhered to the card background.

While I adore the little critters in this Suite, I wanted a card that I could use for a gardening friend, so went about fussy cutting various elements from the amazing Storybook Moments Speciality Designer Series Paper. I needed to select elements that would fit with the small squares, choosing boots, pots and a watering can. While quite fiddly, I also cut out some tools, seeds and a butterfly as well and they were arranged over the squares.

A sentiment from the Storybook Friends stamp set was Gold heat embossed onto a piece of Basic Beige card-stock and the embossed sentiment was popped up on Dimensionals. 

A double bow was tied with Linen Thread. This was added on top of the Linen Thread and under one of the squares near the sentiment. Some of the gorgeous Antique Pearls were scattered around.

A Basic White card inner was decorated with a strip of torn Crumb Cake Two Tone card-stock. Some extra fussy cut elements were added as well, together with another Gold embossed sentiment.

A Basic White C6 envelope was decorated with an edge fussy cut element to tie the envelope with the card design.

Thank you for dropping in to check out my interpretation of one of the Mini Catalogue sketches. I hope my project has given you some ideas.

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by our coordinator, the wonderful Rebecca Scurr. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which sketch she has CASEd - I am sure her project(s) will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to join in and share a project that you have created for this Challenge which has been inspired by the sketches in the January-April Mini Catalogue. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once anpproved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

 #ctc514 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #storybookfriends #storybookmoments  #twotonecardstock  #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam

 

CASEing the Catty #513 - CASE the Beautiful Bokeh Suite

CASE the Beautiful Bokeh Suite meets the Storybook Moments Suite

Hello, Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and #513 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from Rochelle Laird-Smith, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of my blog, I have linked to Monique Fielder so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the projects from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues and On-line Exclusives as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". This week we are CASE-ing the projects found on pages 38 - 41 of the 2025 Stampin' Up! January-April Mini Catalogue.

I adore the Storybook Moments suite but just realised that it had not seen ink as yet, so determined to use it this week. The Speciality Designer Series Paper is stunning with the beautiful water-coloured images. The DSP pack includes two sheets of die cuts and a couple of these were used on my project - so simple. I have CASEd two of the cards shown on page 38 of the Mini Catalogue, creating a simple shaker card with a white embossed background. Here is my card alongside the 2 CASEd cards:

I had so much fun creating this card. The Storybook Moments suite made it fairly simple. One of the gorgeous frames from the Storybook Friends set of dies cut a hole in the Basic White card front. The die cut frame was put aside for use later on. This panel was dry embossed using the Exposed Brickwork 3D Embossing Folder. A panel of Window Sheet, which had been cut to cover the die cut hole and to be adhered to the back of the card front panel.

One of the cottages, from the cottages design of the DSP, was trimmed out in an oval shape and it was adhered to the front of the Basic White Thick card base so that the cottage would show through the Window Sheet. Another 3 frames were die cut from Basic White card-stock. The frames were adhered together to give the frame a little depth and shape. The top layer of the frame had a little Basic Beige Classic Stampin’ ink blended over with a Mini Blending Brush and then touches of Gold heat embossing to give a sense of “antique”. The layered frame was adhered to the top of the Window Sheet. The cute Lady Lamby was added with Dimensionals as was the little leafy plant.

Some Champagne Iridescent Dots were added over the little DSP cottage. Adhesive strips were wrapped around the hole and then this card front was laid on top of the card base. 

A sentiment from the Storybook Friends stamp set was gold heat embossed onto a strip of Basic Beige card-stock, using Versamark ink, Wow Gold Embossed Powder, a Heat Tool and the Embossing Accessory Tool Kit.

A little bow was tied with some Gold Twisted Twine and tucked under the sentiment strip. A number of the Champagne Iridescent Dots were adhered around the sentiment and frame.

A Basic White card-stock panel was simply decorated with a fussy cut animal from the Storybook Moments Speciality Designer Series Paper. When I know how I will use the card another sentiment will be gold embossed onto this inner panel. The Basic White C6 envelope was also decorated with an image from the DSP, but this time an image from the edge of the DSP was used. It’s great to use the partial images from DSP edges when decorating card inners and envelopes.

Thank you for calling in on your way around the CASEing the Catty Challenge Blog Hop for Challenge #513. If you are interested in this Suite make sure you check the Stampin’ Up! website on or after 1st April to see if elements of this suite are retiring and going onto the Last Chance List. They may even be discounted.

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by the wonderful Monique Fielder. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which project she has CASEd - I am sure her project will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to share a project that you have created especially for this Challenge which has been inspired by the Beautiful Bokeh Suite. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once anpproved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

#ctc513 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting  #valleyinspirations  #Storybookmoments  #storybookfriends #beautifulbokeh  #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam

CASEing the Catty # 510 - CASE March On-line Exclusives

CASE March On-line Exclusives meets Heirloom Arrangement Kit

Hello, Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and #510 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from Facebook or from Kathryn Mangelsdorf, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps you arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of my blog, I have linked to Julia Quinn so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the samples from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues or Website as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". This week we are CASE-ing the projects showcasing the recently released March On-line Exclusives.

As I am time poor at the moment, but I didn’t want to miss this CASEing the Catty Challenge Blog Hop I choose a simple card to CASE.

To make it easier for me, I also chose to use a Kit that was launched last month - the Heirloom Arrangements Kit. It is goooorgeous. As it was relatively simple as I was using the ephemera from the kit, I couldn’t stop at one card, but created two. I hope you like them.

While one of the aspects that drew me to the card I am CASEing was the use of the Pattern of Friendship piercing die I chose to add texture to my first card background by using the Plaster Painting 3D Embossing Folder. I love the mix of plaster and woven textures.

I then cut a card base from the Heirloom Arrangements Kit to use as a layer beneath one of the labels also from the kit. A vellum leaf sprig and flower arrangement were pushed out from a couple of the sheets of the images, plus a butterfly.

A sentiment from the stamps in the kit was inked in Pecan Pie Classic ink (also provided in the kit) onto a sentiment strip. I couldn’t resist adding some extra embellishments that weren’t in the kit, ie a bow of White Ribbon and a few Antique Pearls. 

As usual, I added a little decoration to the card inner, ie a strip of the card that had been cut up, with a different sentiment and a cute little butterfly that were stamped in Pecan Pie ink.

CARD 2: 

For the second card I used Basic Beige card-stock for the card base and card front. The Pattern of Friendship piercing die was used for the background on this card, but was only pierced in one direction.

A number of different ephemera was selected from the Heirloom Arrangements kit, including a banner, hexagonal label, leaves and flowers and a butterfly. The arrangement was inspired by the CASEd card, though it looks quite different. A white bow was sitting with the box of ribbons, and it worked beautifully with the arrangement so I “used my stash”. Antique Pearls were also sprinkled around.

The set of stamps in the kit gives 4 thank you/appreciation sentiments plus a generic “For You”. There is also a crosshatch texture stamp and a cute little butterfly. The butterfly was stamped onto a Basic White C6 envelope in Pecan Pie ink, both first and 2nd generation stamping.

Thank you so much for spending time with me on your way around the CASEing the Catty Blog Hop for Challenge #510.

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by the wonderful Julia Quinn. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which project she has CASEd - I am sure her project will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to share a project that you have created for this Challenge which has been inspired by the March Online Exclusives releases. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once anpproved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

#ctc510 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #patternoffriendship  #heirloomarrangementskit #plasterpainting3d  #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam