Funky Folds Blog Hop #2

 ANYTHING GOES WITH A FUNKY FOLD

Welcome to the second 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.

Here is my Funky Fold card for April. I had other plans but recently saw a friend post the fold I had in mind so I decided to try a different fold. The Thick Basic White card-stock pieces for this fold were already cut to size on my work-station so decided to take it in a different direction. I hope you like my Gorgeously Made Funky Fold. No, I’m not blowing my own trumpet - the card features Stampin’ Up!s Gorgeously Made bundle and coordinating Masterfully Made Designer Series Paper. Sadly this delightful suite is retiring as it hasn’t carried over into Stampin’ Up!s new 2024-2025 Annual Catalogue that is commencing this coming May.

As you can see, this fun fold has a back panel and then smaller panels that layer on each side standing to the front. Each panel is covered with a slightly smaller piece of the beautiful  Masterfully Made DSP.

The two smallest front standing panels were decorated with various elements. The left front panel has a piece of Basic White card-stock that was cut on one side with the wonderful page binding die from the Gorgeously Made die set and 2nd generation stamping of worn text from the Gorgeously Made Stamp Set. A sliced in half piece of Silver & White Sheer ribbon was wrapped around the white panel and tied into a double bow. A sentiment from the stamp set was white heat embossed onto a small piece of Fresh Freesia card-stock and fussy cut out.

The other front panel was decorated with numerous leaves and flowers. The bottom leaf was die cut from Vellum (retiring) using the fuller of the Gorgeously Made dies. The other leaf die from the same set was used to cut a few leaf sprigs from Basic White card-stock. The other flowers and leaves were die cut using the Paper Florist dies - sadly, also retiring. The petals were die cut from a section of the DSP while the leaves were cut from Basic White card-stock. Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin’ ink was added to the DSP petals with a Blending Brush; while Pretty Peacock ink was lightly applied to the leaves/stems.

While the back panel could be left blank for writing the personal message, it has been decorated to enhance the overall effect of the card when standing on display. A sentiment from the continuing So Sincere stamp set was white heat embossed onto Fresh Freesia card-stock. It was cut into 3 before being added with Dimensionals near the centre so the words could be read while the card is standing. A white Gorgeously Made die cut leaf was tucked in behind the sentiment pieces. Some beautiful Iridescent Rhinestone Jewels (retiring) added a touch of shimmer around the sentiments and floral arrangement on the front and back panels. 

The back of the card was simply decorated as a panel for writing one’s personal message. A C6 Basic White envelope was stamped in Fresh Freesia ink and then lightly blended over the edge with the same colour ink.

And ‘yes’, this funky fold still fits within a standard C6 envelope.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the second Funky Folds Blog Hop. Thank you so much Bronwyn Eastley for instigating and coordinating this funky blog hop.

Up next is the lovely Monique Fielding from Stamping with MoniQ. I am looking forward to seeing Monique’s funky fold and to hopping around to check out everyone’s’ creations in our second Funky Folds Blog Hop. Just click on the graphic below to be taken to Monique’s blog.

If you love to make cards with creative folds and would like to join in with our monthly Funky Folds Blog Hops, you are welcome to head on over to our community group on Facebook to be part of the fun.

facebook.com/groups/funkyfoldsbloghops

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the new Stampin' Up 2024-2025 Annual Catalogue, then let me know. I will be delighted to send it to you and to be your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.  Please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about this project or Stampin' Up!. 

#stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #gorgeouslymade  #sosincere   #paperflorist   #masterfullymade

AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #16 Calypso Coral

Calypso Coral with Bird’s Eye View and some Stampin’ Blends & Blending

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Blog Hop. We are working though the Stampin' Up! colours in alphabetical order, focussing on one colour each week.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a softer orange called Calypso Coral. Calypso Coral is one of the Subtles Colour Family and while I would not call it a true subtle it is paler that an orange  orange. This colour would be a lovely when used for flowers, coral, fish and birds and so much more.

Calypso Coral is produced in Stampin' Up!'s card-stock, both A4 & 12"x12"; Classic Stampin' inks (ink pads & re-inkers); Stampin' Write Marker; Stampin' Blends Combo; Watercolour Pencils (Assortment 1); Subtles Designer Series Paper as well as Les Shoppes, Delightfully Eclectic, Let’s Go Fishing, Inked Botanicals DSP, plus Friends Forever & Colourful Kaleidoscope & Wreath of Blooms Kits; and Ombré Matte Decorative Dots & Iridescent Pastel Gems. That is quite a list.

Calypso Coral card-stock, ink, Stampin’ Write Marker and Stampin’ Blends combo have been used in the creation of these projects plus a range of non-Calypso Coral bits and pieces.

I love Calypso Coral so there was a plethora of possibilities for my project. I decided to choose something that hadn’t seen ink yet and decided on the oh so cute Bird’s Eye View stamp set. I was thinking of a simple layout but ended up using 4 different stamps/bundles and an embossing folder - ended up not so clean and simple!!!

I started by stamping 3 of the little birds on Basic White card-stock with Versamark ink, Gold Emboss Powder, the Embossing Accessory Kit and a Heat Tool. The birds were coloured with Stampin’ Blends, ie Calypso Coral, Petal Pink, Crumb Cake combos, a little Light Lemon Lolly and the Colour Lifter. I later decided to add some gold embossed flowers from the Petal Park stamp set that were also coloured with Light Calypso Coral, Petal Pink combo and Light Lemon Lolly Blends. The birds were fussy cut as they were from a stand alone stamp set. The flowers should have been punched out but I couldn’t find my punch so needed to fussy cut them - just as well I like fussy cutting.

With a Basic White Thick card-stock card base, a Basic White card-stock layer was cut in two - roughly divided into a third/2 thirds. The larger piece was embossed with the Exposed Brick 3D embossing folder and a little Calypso Coral was splattered over with a Stampin’ Write Marker. The smaller piece of white card-stock had Balmy Blue Classic Stampin’ ink blended over part of it using a Stampin’ Blending Brush. It doesn’t really show in the photos as it became very lighter the further up - but I know it’s there. Foliage was cut from extra Basic White card-stock using one of the Gorgeously Made dies. Some Lost Lagoon ink was blended over sections of the foliage.

All the pieces were arranged (and re-arranged) over the area where the 2 background layers converged and adhered in place with either Multi-purpose Liquid Glue, Mini Dimensionals or Glue Dots.

A sentiment from the Layering Leaves stamp set was gold heat embossed on Basic White card-stock and fussy cut. First I had tried a white embossed sentiment on Calypso Coral card-stock but it was too strong in colour and detracted from the subtle colours. When positioning the white/gold sentiment I remembered I had the Calypso Coral sentiment so I layered it slightly off-set under the gold embossed sentiment. This gave a subtle Calypso Coral shadowing. Some Basic White Herringbone ribbon was cut in half down the centre lengthwise and one piece was tied into a bow before being being partially tucked under the ‘Th’ of the sentiment with a few Glue Dots. The final touch was the addition of some of the Calypso Coral Ombré Matte Decorative Dots.

A Basic White card-stock inner had a thin strip of Calypso Coral card-stock at the bottom. A few leftover coloured pieces of leaves, flowers and a little bird decorated the inside of the card. A C6 Basic White envelope was gold embossed with some flowers.

Thank you for dropping in to check out my Calypso Coral card. I so appreciate you.

There is more Calypso Coral creativity so continue with the blog hop. Just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Diane Furniss. I am looking forward to checking out Diane’s creation. I do love seeing everyones' projects - there is always so much inspiration. It is wonderful to see different ways this colour can be used.

I do hope to see you next week when we will be featuring Cherry Cobbler as we continue the weekly 2023-2024 Colour Creations Blog Hop series. 

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Tina Gillespie’s blog. Tina is our wonderful Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Guest Coordinator.  She is an amazing lady. Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the new Stampin' Up 2023-2024 Annual Catalogue and or the coming September-December 2023 Mini Catalogue, then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you.  Please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about this project or Stampin' Up!. 

#colourcreationsbloghop  #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #birdseyeview   #layeringleaves  #petalpark  #gorgeouslymade 

AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #15 Cajun Craze

Cajun Craze with Cheerful Daisies

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Blog Hop. We are working though the Stampin' Up! colours in alphabetical order, focussing on one colour each week.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a rich burnt orange called Cajun Craze. Cajun Craze is one of the Regals Colour Family and is rusty colour. This colour is lovely when used for terracotta pots, flowers/flower centres and is a great colour when creating with a fella in mind.

Cajun Craze is produced in Stampin' Up!'s card-stock, both A4 & 12"x12"; Classic Stampin' inks (ink pads & re-inkers); Stampin' Write Marker; Stampin' Blends Combo; Watercolor Pencils; Regals Designer Series Paper as well as One Horse Open Sleigh, Les Shoppes, Delightfully Eclectic & Fresh as a Daisy DSPs; Dry Brushed Metallic Speciality Designer Series Paper; Timeless Greetings Kit; Cosy & Bright Kit; and the Wreath of Blooms Kit.  That is quite a list.

Cajun Craze card-stock and ink have been used in the creation of this project plus a range of non-Cajun Craze bits and pieces.

When thinking about the project I would create to hero Stampin’ Up!s Cajun Craze, I attended a Zoom Session with Emma Goddard, a UK Demonstrator and past Artisan. One of the projects she created was an upright flower pot. This sparked my imagination and I have been pondering how I could CASE the project, yet make it my own. Thank you Emma for sharing yourself and being so inspirational.

Changing dimensions, I created a wide-ish low pot from Thick Very Vanilla card-stock. The curved sides were shaped using the curved Basic Border die. An extra strip was cut to give the pot’s top extra depth. Cajun Craze Classic Stampin’ ink was applied to the front of the card with a Blending Brush. Colour was also applied to the extra strip. The patchy text stamp from Gorgeously Made stamps was partially stamped near edges of the “pot” and the strip with 2nd generation Cajun Craze ink. The strip was added with Dimensionals. Some water was misted over the pot to add a little extra texture. A Stampin’ Mister was used so water droplets were fine.

Using the Stampin’ Trimmer, a slit was cut in the top fold leaving 1.5cm un-cut on each end. A piece of Cajun Craze card-stock was cut wide enough to fit through the slit and was taller than the “pot” so it poked out at the top. I needed to shape the lower edges so the inner panel would not stick out from the shaped pot. A piece of Very Vanilla card-stock was cut slightly smaller.

I initially planned to create a pot of pansies but as I was about to die cut many pansy pieces to water-colour and form numerous pansies; but then … I remembered I still had a number of die cut daisy pieces that had been prepared for a demonstration of ‘water-colouring die cut pieces’. I only needed to die cut a few more pieces using the Cheerful Daisies dies. The daisies were wet on wet water-coloured with either Lemon Lolly and a little Daffodil Delight inks or Petal Pink ink. The leaves and twigs were water-coloured with Mossy Meadow ink. They were left to air dry.

All of the die cut and water-coloured pieces were formed into layered daisies and arranged using either Dimensionals, Glue Dots or Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Some of the arrangement was adhered to the pot and other pieces were adhered to the inner section so that flowers would decorate the card inner as well as the pot.

The other consideration was to ensure the finished card would fit into a normal C6 envelope.

A sentiment from the Cheerful Daisies stamp set was white embossed onto Cajun Craze card-stock, using Versamark ink, White Emboss powder (from the Basics Embossing Powder set), the Embossing Accessory kit (this is brilliant) and a Heat Tool. The sentiment was fussy cut into 2 pieces. A triple Linen Twine bow was adhered between the daisies with Glue Dots and numerous Iridescent Basic Rhinestones were scattered for touches of sparkle.

The inner section is to be used for writing one’s personal message. The only problem is - as it is so pretty with the water-coloured daisies I’m not sure if I could add my handwritten scrawl. A Very Vanilla C6 Envelope was stamped in Cajun Craze ink with the small daisies stamp from the Cheerful Daisies stamp set.

Thank you so much for calling ink to check out my Cajun Craze pot of daisies. I so appreciate your visit to the Valley Inspirations with Andrea blog.

There is more Cajun Craze creativity so continue with the blog hop. Just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Christine Blain. I am looking forward to checking out Christine’s creation(s). I do love seeing everyones' projects - there is always so much inspiration.

I do hope to see you next week when we will be featuring Calypso Coral as we continue the weekly 2023-2024 Colour Creations Blog Hop series. 

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Catherine Proctor’s blog @ What Cathy Made. Cathy is our wonderful Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Coordinator.  She is a special lady. Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the new Stampin' Up 2023-2024 Annual Catalogue and or the new Sept-December 2023 Mini Catalogue then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you.  Please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about this project or Stampin' Up!. 

#colourcreationsbloghop  #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #cheerfuldaisies   #gorgeouslymade  #basicborders