Fun Fold Friday - Simply Elegant Lock & Pop Card

Had to use my Simply Elegant papers again before they go for good! Along with the Bouquet of Love dies.... and the retired Sweet & Sassy and Large Numbers dies dies (as I needed a larger heart for the numbers)

And it was time to re-size the Lock& Pop card shared here... so this is an A6(ish) version... but more on that another day...

And the view from the back....

Perfect card for our Silver Wedding Anniversary later this year!

Tuesday Tutorial - A6 Double Fan Fold Card

Quickly coming back to the True Love A6 Double Fan Fold card I posted last Friday... with the A6 recipe and measurements for the A4 cardstock users... 

Edited to Add...But before I start... Free Shipping tomorrow... for orders £35+... 24 hours only... starting at 11pm tonight for us in the UK... 

And I have added the links to more detailed tutorials at the end for those of you that haven't made a Double Fan Fold card before... I used Carole's tutorial as my base for this size as it is the most similar... and there are some very useful photos in her post to make the steps clearer... 

Recipe

Basic Black cardstock 14.8 x 19cm.
Basic White cardstock 6.5 x 14.3cm (for back of card)
True Love Paper Front Panel 6.5 x 14.3cm
True Love Paper Long Side Triangle 2.5 x 14cm (x2)
True Love Paper Short Side (Top & Bottom) Triangles 2.5 x 5.7cm (x4)

Tutorial

(1) Score Black card panel when LANDSCAPE (ie 19cm length along top) at 3, 6, 13 &16 cm

(2) Score - when LANDSCAPE (ie 19cm length along top) - from upper left corner (0) to bottom 6cm score line (ie 2^nd score line from left). Then score from top 6cm (2^nd) score line to bottom left corner (0)

(3) Now score from upper 13cm score line (ie 3^rd from left) to bottom right (19cm) corner. Then score from upper right corner (19cm) to bottom left 13cm (3^rd) score line.

Cut the paper pieces at a diagonal…

(4) For the 4 small Short Side triangles… When PORTRAIT (ie narrow 2.5cm side along top) - cut from upper left corner to lower right corner for 2 of the pieces. Then, cut from upper right corner to bottom left corner for the remaining 2 pieces

(5) For the 2 Long Side triangles… Mark the top centre at 7cm when LANDSCAPE (ie along the 14cm side) Cut from that top centre point to bottom left corner and then from top centre to bottom right

(6) Adhere all papers

(7) Die cut Stitched Stars, Gold Foil numbers (retired) and Stitched So Sweetly label

(8) Add Matte Black Dots and Gilded Gems to centres of stars

 

Click the links below for detailed tutorials ...

(1) Originator Sam Calcott at Mixed Up Craft's  7x 5 version (with video)

(2)  Tina Shaw's 7x5 version (with video)

(3) Carole Baumgartner's A2 version with photos... which is the one I used...
This size does also fit in a standard C6 envelope in case you were wondering...

Fun Fold Friday - True Love A6 Double Fan Fold

Quickly popping on with another of the Double Fan Fold cards I made with the True Love pack of papers... 

Though I have just realised that this one is my A6 version from A4 card... so let me know in the comments if you are interested in the recipe and instructions... but I'll have to come back another day with those...

But for a young man this time soI didn't want any flowers... but as always ... the Stitched Stars dies came to the rescue... where would I be for the menfolk  - and for congratulations cards - without them!! Oh and the retired Large Letters of course - definitely can't be without those!

So it's a very happy 21st birthday Tom... from us to you... 

And remember I have put a True Love co-ordinated Paper Kit together for those of you that want to try without buying everything! Next Close date 22 March. Click here for more details... and scroll down...

Noble Peacock Pop Out Panel Birthday Card

Another of the Pop Out Panel Cards... featuring Noble Peacock 

Wish I had remembered to take a photo of all of them... As we have had options so far ranging from 16 to 80... 

And a 100 may even be on the cards by the end of the week!  Or should I make that a LARGER card!!! As 100 is so special after all...

Fun Fold Friday - Ellie's 30th Floral Romance Pop Up Front Step Panel Card

I have been particularly gutted to lose 5 days this week because of "the neck thing"... as I had engineered a free week so that I could create some special cards for special people in my life who have special birthdays coming up...

But hey ... today I finally felt SO much better... and so I managed to create something new for Ellie... who I just can't believe is coming up to 30... her 21st seems minutes ago...

Sadly everyone else this week got cards selected from stock... though they were all special too... but I just wanted to go back to that original feeling of making something specifically for someone... as that is still as special as it ever was... 

I will be back when I can with further details on this card fold... but in the meantime... these papers are the Floral Romance papers and click here for more details of the other products used ...

Oh and the decorative flowers are cut from the vellum papers in the pack... as unfortunately ... although I won the Wonderful Romance rubber stamps in the On Stage Prize Patrol (hoorah)... I swapped them for something else at the time (boo!)... 

And now I hope I can get back to normal blog service very soon... speak tomorrow!

Amanda's Quick Links

Just click on the relevant pictures below for catalogues and/or more information... 

If you are ordering today... do remember to add the Host Code shown below to earn yourself a gift and help support The Craft Spa at the same time... 

Please note that this host code is relevant to today's blog post date... it does expire and change over time... but the current code is always shown at the top right hand side of my blog...

Just click on the relevant pictures below for catalogues and/or more information...

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Earn free Sale A Bration products for every £45 spent (note that some require £90 orders to redeem). Promotion ends 31st March 2019. 

See them all in the Online Store here... or here are the 3 leaflets to flick through...

SAB 1

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SAB 3

Current Catalogues & Products

Retiring List - So very sad to see these going!

I have been asked by a few people to highlight products I am very sad to see going from the Stampin' Up! range... so I will attempt this over a few parts...

First up... some products that I know I will struggle to create without in the future ahead!! Call them my Top 10 of Retiring Must Haves! Not including any stamps...

Now most of my ladies already have most of these... but if not... please do think about ordering them now... as they will soon be gone... All still available now... but only while supplies last (or 31st May latest) And for my locals... I will be placing my next orders late tonight Monday, 23rd April and then 2nd May...

Just click on the product photo to go straight to the item in my Online Store...

Stamp A Ma Jig... 

What no stamp positioner to use with our Wood Mount stamps!! 

The new Stamparatus tool is brilliant... but it does not replace the Stamp A Ma Jig for wood mount OR for a one-off greeting... Whilst it will not disappear from use in my classes... life with your stamps at home will not be the same without it!!

And fellow demos... please feel free to add your voice to the Product Sandbox for this tool to continue... I know many of us have already...

Large Numbers dies

Most used dies in classes... and most used by my ladies at home too... what is a special card without shouting out the age or number of years after all!! And the Large Letters will still be available... so if you like to have everything matching... then please get them now...

And fellow demos... Sandbox!? Again many of us have already...

Hearth & Home dies

GULP!!! Personally my most creatively used dies over the years... a round-up post on these would be very long! Though may have to be attempted before they go!! In the meantime I have linked a few in the sentence below!!!

Not just for Windows (of all shapes & sizes) ... but also for Doors... and Fireplaces... and Wardrobes... and Gates... and iPads... and Tardis... and Telephone Box... and Chests of Drawers... and Super Extra Large Letters!! GULP AGAIN!! Very SAD face on here...

Love these ... and used these... so much... that I actually have 2... can't believe I am going to have to create for classes etc without them... Actually I think I may have to Sandbox again!! Though I think this one is a more personal loss!!!

Brick Wall embossing folder

Gulp again! Perfect for so many of my architectural and flowery creations over the years... and for those wonderful Graffiti cards for the men and boys...

Bow Builder Punch

So perfect for doing the bow-creating job it does... it will be so missed...

Glimmer Paper

Now I didn't spot this one straight away... but suddenly I saw a few bulk buys going on!! Yes... the Glimmer Paper as we know it is retiring...

But not all is lost with this one... as there is an alternative coming... described as "thinner"... mmm time will tell... and I will keep you posted as and when I can... but in the meantime... feel free to stock up too... Gold and Clear (Dazzling Diamonds) still available... and the Myths & Magic multi-pack ... but Silver already all gone...

Bloomin Heart dies

Very special... and beautiful... making for easy cards for all occasions... and I know they are still on a few Wish Lists... 

Sweet & Sassy dies

Can't tell you how useful I found these recently... again make for super easy cards for all occasions... and I know they are still on a few Wish Lists...

1 3/8" Circle Punch

One of my very first Stampin Up! buys... and yes I know that there are dies... but they are just not the same as a punch when you just need to quickly punch and go! Mine is still in constant use every week...

Fast Fuse adhesive

Whilst this is not my personal favourite... I know that there are a lot of you that are going to REALLY miss this glue system SO much... so please don't delay in stocking up if you have come to love it... Holder and refills still available for us in Europe... though not elsewhere in the world I believe...

Year of Cheer Anniversary Cards

Remember this card... well here are a couple of alternatives made by friends...

They were so happy to get some anniversary cards made when they were expecting all Christmas makes!  Especially Heidi whose 26th Anniversary was that day!! Phew...

Click here for more details on the card including the links to the Tutorials for the Card Fold... 

Happy 18th Birthday Joe....

Wow! 18 years of Joe today... how did that happen!!?!

Long term blog followers will know that today is normally my annual Real Red Card day... but he is all grown up now... so Cherry Cobbler seemed more appropriate this time!! Along with Basic Grey and Black still of course!

The old favourite Scallop Tag Topper Punch Concertina Card came to the rescue (long story at the end!!)... which is great as I now have a cunning plan with it for another day!

Click here for the Tutorial...

And the specific details...
Basic Black papers from the Neutrals 12x12 Designer Series Paper Stack.
Cherry Cobbler, Basic Grey and Whisper White card...

Lots of dies used!! Large Numbers, Large Letters, Stitched Shapes, Layering Circles & Lots of Labels

Difficult to see in the photos (clearest on the number 18 on the front)... but makes a huge difference in the flesh... I overstamped my Basic Grey die cut letters and numbers with the hexagon pattern stamp in Butterfly Basics using Craft Whisper White ... and then a Basic Grey postmark too...

And I have just realised that I have "forgotten" to add the stars I had planned as the final decoration...so please imagine those all over!!! The card is safely sealed in the envelope and it is time for bed... I will add them when he is at school... he'll never notice!!!

So the back story.... So his card was going to be this... then that.... then the other... then I finally made a decision ... something special I saw a while ago that had stuck in my head.....

So then I tried desperately to find a written tutorial (with maybe some photos) for what I wanted to make... and failed... although I had to laugh at how many of my own card designs popped up in my search... but they are nothing like what I was searching for...

So then I had to follow a video tutorial... and failed!!! Not for the fault of the video/creator.... I think it was probably a good one... Maybe I just don't have the patience for that method of delivery... I did REALLY try though.... as I never (usually) give up on a card fold... and I do have to admit that an essential part of the card fold wouldn't be explainable just in words in any case...

So onto Plan B... great start... great new card fold... but major fail at the last stick of paper!!! In the bin...

So then I was back to this, that and the other.... having rather lost the will... and far too many hours... and then I remembered the wonderful Concertina card... moment saved! A card special enough for my 18 year old... even though a photo never does them justice....