Mediterranean Moments & Serene Scenery Double Z Fold Card

Feels like ages since I made a  Pop Up Z Fold (or Double Z Fold) Card... but this was the perfect card fold for this layout... Just Click here for the Small Square Pop Up Z Fold card tutorial I used.

But before I start on today's card...remember that today is the very last day of the Sale A Bration promotion... cut off at 10.30pm tonight, Friday 31 March... but please don't leave it till 10.30pm - you never know what might go wrong...! Click to order here...

So back to today's card... Images from Mediterranean Moments... Greetings from Beautiful You... Sky papers from the Serene Scenery 6" Stack... and Shimmery White card & Watercolor Pencils used for the watercoloured panels

I started off trying to fussy cut the whole cafe & chairs scene... but too hard for general consumption!!

So instead I started off with a 9.9cm wide x 3.5cm high (4 1/8"W x 1 3/8"H for my US readers) piece of Shimmery White... stamped the cafe scene in the centre... cut from the left to the left hand chair... and from the right to the right hand side of the sign... which left me with a very small amount to fussy cut... much simpler and quicker...

Think I might have to make another of these... love how it turned out!

Double Z Fold Staircase Card

Love how this one has turned out!

Can't tell you how many years I have been doing a staircase card...but never quite got round to it... well now I have ... definitely a case of when the right products and the right card format collide....

EDITED TO ADD:- Tutorial now posted. Click here.....

Holly Berry Happiness meets Hearth & Home meets Greetings From Santa... with the Seasonal Decorative Masks thrown in...

And the oh so cute Christmas Trinkets Embellishments...

Back to this card another day... as this is definitely just Mark 1... though I think my ladies would have hit me for Mark 2 as it would have taken quite a long time more... and Mark 3... well that could be another story!!!

And here is the window detail...

Double Z Fold Panel Card Tutorial

Time for another Floral Affection and Affectionately Yours Double Z Fold Panel Card... Last week's original shinier foil version shown here... 

In the flesh this looks very similar to my Double Z Joy Fold card... but it uses less cardstock... and it opens out fully...

And seeing as it is Friday... yup... a Fancy Fold Friday Tutorial for you...

(1) Make one of these....

NOTE that you want to stick the back square paper piece...then the arm... then the front left paper piece this time...

(2) Add a 9.5cm/3 3/4" Square matted panel to the front with the bottom of the square panel lined up with the bottom of the pop out arm of the card (mine is 9.5cm Square Crumb Cake; 9 cm Square Mint Macaron and 8.5cm Square Whisper White - or 3 3/4" Crumb; 3 1/2" Mint; 3 1/4" White)

(3) Add images off to the right hand side of the arm to cover it all up...!

And some decorative details for this card...

- greetings from Stylised Birthday and Confetti Celebrations

- large and small flowers stamped in Night of Navy on Crumb Cake and Whisper White and cut out by hand

- Mint Macaron marker pen highlights on the leaves of the left hand paper

- White gel pen small flower centre highlights on the left hand paper

- Mint Macaron & Crumb Cake marker pen colouring on the dots of the back square piece of paper (and I have to laugh...this was supposed to be random... but it all ended up with a uniform pattern!!! Such is my way!!! And still with a diagonal line of white dots....  Ho Hum...)

And oh ... my favourite bit of detail... but unfortunately no detail photo taken... so probably difficult for you to see... 

Botanical Builder die cut Mint Macaron fronds... stamped with Mint Macaron Touches of Texture fine splat spray!!! Fabulous!!!! Incredible difference... so much more life like... try it and see....

Tutorial for Small Square Pop Up Z Fold Card

I had so many messages and comments asking me how to make the smaller version of the Square Double/Pop Up Z Fold card  I posted yesterday with my collection of Bears playing new In Colour Dress Up... that I thought I had better post the Tutorial straightaway....

But if you are looking for the Large Square Double/Pop Up Z Fold Card...then go here for the Tutorial... 

I love that these cards are so quick and easy to do... definitely a staple card in my card making arsenal... and I get to make 2 at a time... 

Edited to Add:- If you only want to make one at a time ... then start off with a 13 x 21cm piece of card instead of the full A4... or 8 1/2" x 5 1/4" US instead of the full 8 1/2 x 11". Scores the same... cut the first section 10.5cm or 4 1/4". Done!

So for those of you using A4 card first... followed by the US standard 8 1/2" x 11" card in blue text afterwards...

1. Grab a piece of A4 card

2. PORTRAIT. Score at 5.25cm & 10.5cm.

3. LANDSCAPE. Cut one card blank off at at 10.5cm, then push your piece of card along the Top Bar and cut another at 10.5 cm again

4. Still LANDSCAPE. Cut 2 sections at 2.5cm  (and you will have another 2.5cm left for another card too)

And a Quick Top Tip for you that don't know it... it is much easier to line up and cut those narrow 2.5cm strips on the right hand side of your trimmer... 

5. Add 10 cm Square papers to the back section 

6. Concertina fold your card and strip (stamp that right hand side of the strip first mind!)

7. Adhere right hand side of the floating strip to the back right hand side 

8. Adhere left hand side of the floating strip to the front left of the card (TIP - think about where you do not want your glue!!! I found that there was a feint line produced from the bone folding so easy to spot the half way point to not go over with the glue!)

9. Adhere Card (or Paper etc) 4.75cm wide x 10cm high to the front Left Hand side

And for those of you using 8 1/2" x 11" card... (note the photos are using A4card/centimetres!) 

1. Grab a piece of 8 1/2 x 11" card

2. PORTRAIT. Score at 2 1/8" & 4 1/4" 

3. LANDSCAPE. Cut one card blank off at at 4 1/4", then push your piece of card along the Top Bar and cut another off at 4 1/4" again

4. Still LANDSCAPE. Cut 2 sections at 1"  (and you will just have a 1/2" strip leftover - rather than the extra arm plus a bit with the A4 card pictured...)

And a Quick Top Tip for you that don't know it... it is much easier to line up and cut those narrow 1" strips on the right hand side of your trimmer... 

5. Add 4" Square papers to the back section 

6. Concertina fold your card and strip(stamp that right hand side of the strip first mind!)

7. Adhere right hand side of the floating strip to the back right hand side 

8. Adhere left hand side of the floating strip to the front left of the card (TIP - think about where you do not want your glue!!! I found that there was a feint line produced from the bone folding so easy to spot the half way point to not go over with the glue!)

9. Adhere Card (or Paper etc) 1 7/8" wide x 4" high to the front Left Hand side

Right I am off to make a load of these as Thank You cards going out with the next orders.... 

Baby Bear in Blue

OK I can't wait any longer to share my number 1 favourite stamp set in the catalogue... Introducing Baby Bear... Can't you just see why my Ted and I were so happy to see him in the SU catalogue.... and I wasn't alone when Stampin Up! unveiled him at the On Stage event... he definitely got the biggest reaction! He is going to be VERY popular.....#bringingback the bear ...

Baby Bear turned up yesterday in my Display Stamper "thank you" box from Stampin Up! - and I was SO happy to meet him.... and to put him to work straightaway with a card for a friend (with 10 minutes notice!! But hey this time I was quite happy to oblige...)

Obviously it was going to be another Pop Up Z Fold card... well I only had 10 minutes after all!! And of course I don't have lots of pretty papers yet as they are travelling over from Germany as I write.... so the Subtles paper stack came to the rescue....

The bears are a 3 step stamp set... stamp each of them over each other and you end with a very realistic looking furry bear....  I was lucky enough to have a play at our Monthly Training and a team Social Stamping event... so I knew which colours I wanted to use.... and how to best stamp my little friend ( I had started off with quite a few mis-stamped - or fuzzy bears!)

My number 1 tip is to use the Thick Mat to stamp on!!! I could not get the image right without....

I also find it much easier to stamp the bears the reverse way round to that intended.... starting with the detail (no 3) in Tip Top Taupe; no 2 in Crumb Cake and finally no 1 (filler) in Sahara Sand. Much easier to see through the clear block & stamp and therefore to line things up....

I did stamp 2 images...and shock horror... cut off one head!!! Ouch... But it was worth it as he has rather come to 3D life as a result.... And I did "stretch" the bow and the card around his feet so as to add more shape... again bringing him to life a bit more....

And I ink up and stamp the 2 bow parts as follows.... neat Pool Party detail stamp first...followed by stamped off Pool Party to fill...  I would have also added Fine Tip glue to his eyes and nose... but... yup I only had 10 minutes... no drying time..

And hey my friend was VERY impressed... may make her a stamper yet....

And then I spent the whole day playing with my bears!!! Such fun..... Check some more out here tomorrow.... along with a Blog Hop too... 

Stampin Up ! Products used
Click on the links for more product information on my On Line Site...and feel free to pop him in your basket... as I do perfectly understand if you want him straight way!!!
Baby Bear
Ink Pads - Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Tip Top Taupe, Pool Party
Card - Tip Top Taupe
Papers - Subtles 12x12 Paper Stack
Other - Thick Stampin Pierce Mat

Happy 80th Birthday Hilda

Oops did I let the cat out of the bag! Couldn't share this card on here before as it had to arrive at it destination first!

Another Square Pop Up Z Fold Card.... but a much prettier version in the Birthday Bouquet papers... as I know these are Hilda's favourite papers...

Hope you liked the card!

Square Pop Up Z Fold Card Tutorial and Going Places Round Up

So here is the group shot to round up my Going Places Cards for the Men series... 

Having searched around to find the originator of this clever card format... whom I believe to be Frenchie (France Martin) with this card and tutorial (including a video) here back in February... I now realise that there are a few names already attributed and lots of tutorials for the A6(ish) version on the web... so I will quickly disinherit my Swing Arm card name I made up... as I think the following are better card names ....  Z Fold Pop Up Card, Floating Strip Z Fold Card, Double Z Fold Card, Floating Strip Card being the 4 names I found already out there....

But here is the how to quickly produce a square version of the card with the pop out (or floating or swing or pop up) arm the same colour as the main card blank... 

1. Grab a piece of A4 card (or trim down to 17.8cm x A4 L)

2. LANDSCAPE. Score at 7.4 & 14.8cm

3. PORTRAIT. Cut at 14.8cm and cut the remaining narrow strip PORTRAIT at 3cm (you will have another arm left for another card too)

4. Add papers as per following recipe or as you desire....

5. Concertina fold your card and strip

6. Adhere right hand side of the floating strip to the back right hand side 

7. Adhere left hand side of the floating strip to the front left of the card ( TIP - think about where you do not want your glue!!!)

Standard Metric Recipe for Papers

Back 14.3cm Square

Front Left 6.9 x 14.3cm

Pop Out Front 14.3 x 2.5cm

Pop Out Back/Greeting 6.9 x 2.5cm

Or for my American followers... as usual not tried and tested so Crafter Beware!

1. Grab a piece of 8 1/2 x 11" card (or trim down to 6 3/4" x 11")

2. LANDSCAPE. Score at 2 3/4" & 5 1/2"

3. PORTRAIT. Cut at 5 1/2" and cut the remaining strip PORTRAIT at 1 1/4"

4. Add papers as per following recipe or as you desire....

5. Concertina fold your card and strip

6. Adhere right hand side of the floating strip to the back right hand side 

7. Adhere left hand side of the floating strip to the front left of the card ( TIP - think about where you do not want your glue!!!)

Standard Imperial (inches) Recipe for Papers

Back 5 1/4" Square

Front Left 2 1/2" x 5 1/4"

Pop Out Front 5 1/4" x 1"

Pop Out Back/Greeting 2 1/2" x 1"

I will be back sometime soon with a slightly different recipe for the card with the floating arm a different colour to the main card blank - using less card.... but with  extra scoring...