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!

Santa's Sleigh in the Sky...

Special card made for my All Day events this week... 8 reindeer flying into the sky pulling Santa's Sleigh...

Now I have to admit that the reindeer pulling a sleigh on a Double Z Fold card was not my original idea... I was completely inspired when I saw this stunning card shared by Kathy Wayson back in August. So I immediately put the Santa's Sleigh stamps and dies on my next order...

And I was definitely not alone in adoring this card... as many other Stampin' Up! demonstrators have been inspired to make their own version... so there are many beautiful Santa's Sleigh Double Z Fold cards out there if you Google it.... or search on Pinterest...

But I had a few other ideas of my own!

I knew I had to make the reindeer fly up into the air! So it had to be a Large Square Double Z Fold Card and my Staircase Double Z Fold card method ending up coming into its own for a second time! See points 4-11 for the acetate part - you need a 6.2cm A4 piece of acetate scored at 14.8 & 7.4cm  and note that you need to line up at 2.5cm to the LHS in point 6 as the fold stands the other way round - or 3" x 11" for US measurements - scored at 2 3/4" & 5 1/2" - lined up at 1" to the LHS) 

I had to have the full compliment of 8... as in "On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen, On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!" Quickly achieved by turning the Double Z Fold card in the opposite direction to the usual... Though I have now thought of a way to add Rudolph at the front too... Maybe another day!

And I was definitely using my favourite Fancy Frost papers to create a snowy little scene as the background...

And the trees had to be stamped on the Presents & Pinecones Mint Macaron paper as I had stocked up on that already!

So there you have it... a card that has been causing a real WOW in the flesh... thank you Kathy Wayson for inspiring us all....

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...

Affectionately Yours Small Square Double Z Fold Panel Card

Another one of these cards using different colourways of the Affectionately Yours papers... 

But with an even simpler Mint Macaron Pansy Punch flower finish!  Just decorated with a copper embossed Love & Affection flower centre and a larger Layering Circles die cut scallop/circle panel.

Greeting care of the One Big Meaning stamp set

Apologies again for the short post ... but Jon's hospital visit took up rather a lot of today! He is back in a pot and on crutches... and will now be at home for at least the next month... so my August is about to be re-planned!

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for the Monthly Jems Blog Hop... you will be in for a treat (or two!!)

Sweet Cupcake Large Square Pop Up Z Fold Card

Flip the Pop of Pink papers around from yesterday's card... and this is what you get.... perfect for another card requested by my ladies... 

Decorated with a cupcake this time... sitting on half a new delicate white doily as it just needed something extra (which was a fabulous idea inspired by this card made by Julie at our last Team Social Stamping event)

Almost looks good enough to eat... thanks to the Sweet Cupcake stamps and the Cupcake Cutouts dies. Truly a great cupcake!

Class of 2016/Graduation Large Square Pop Up Z Fold Cards

Another card we have been making at classes this week to share. I had a special request for a couple of graduation cards - so the Large Square Pop Up Z Fold card came to the rescue again... Tutorial here...

This is the version I made as the class inspiration...

And this is the version then created by Heidi to reflect the female recipient of the second she needed... And then we all had to laugh... we were all swooning at the Melon Mambo mortar boards and card! ...  and none of us are exactly into the pinks... Maybe the universities should become more daring and go for colour co-ordinating mortar boards after all!! Great card Heidi....

The CLASS letters are all stamped (using the new Letters For You stamp set) and then gold heat embossed. I didn't think this would work as the stamps have a mottled effect within them.... but a slight extra heating of the embossing powder seemed to give an extra flow/filling in... then they are all die cut (Large Letters dies)  Letters For You bundle with 10% off here...

The other Large Letters and Large Numbers are just all die cut...

The mortar board is simply a die cut square (using the new Layering Squares dies). Picked up with tweezers and each edge inked up direct on the Whisper White craft ink pad.

The tassel is stamped (from the Celebrate Today stamp set) and then die-cut (using the Balloon dies). And the Congratulations GRAD! wording is from the BYOP stamp set

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!