Peaceful Dock Father’s Day standing front panel card

Ah life has been extra busy these past few months so…whoops…forgot to finish posting several blog entries! Including a perfect Father’s Day card! I love fun folds but they don’t have to be complicated and this one is a simple one that stands up nicely and yet folds flat into an A2 sized envelope.             

To make this card, the card base is 8.25” x 5.5”  (note that this is .25” shorter than the standard 8.5” page width! I’ve made this card several times and tend to forget to remove .25” off of that end each time!!!). Then score the card base at 2”, 3” from each edge. Fold the 2” score as a valley fold (a “V” shape) and the 3” score as a mountain fold (the opposite direction). And then use a bone folder to get a crisp fold. The folded card base should fit easily in an A2 envelope.

I used an older DSP in my stash that looked “masculine” but don’t know the exact name. I adhered two panels on each side that measured 1.75” x 5.25”. The background of the front is 1 5/8” x 5.25” and the slim panels between the sides and front (which you can’t see in these photos!) is 3/4” x 5.25”.

The front panel is 3.75”x3.75” and I stamped it with the row boat from the Peaceful Dock stamp set. 

And on the back I’ve adhered a white panel 4 x 5.25” and attached it only on one side of the back so that it will allow the card to stand freely, but also fold and fit into the envelope:

I’ve made this card design several times and even made a bunch for donation! It’s easy and it’s fun. I hope you try it! 

Kayak birthday card - Adventurous Journey

Sometimes I buy a stamp set that’s so unique that I need to get it. But then the need to use it doesn't happen for a while. LOL That is this set called Adventurous Journey! And then the need for a special birthday card came up and ... the perfect match!

The Adventurous Journey stamp set includes a kayak, row boat, paddle, lily pads & a fish, and rings of dispersion from a water drop (like when you paddle and water drops from your oar). 

So the birthday card was for a kayaker so this was the PERFECT occasion to use this set! And this is what the card looked like:

I used a blending brush to add some soft color to the water under the kayak and Azure Afternoon ink for the water rings. I actually stamped the kayak on scrap paper, used alcohol markers to color it, and then cut it out. I also (amazingly) had the perfect sentiment for the front of the card, which came from a set called Etched In Nature. 

As an additional dimensional element, I glued one edge of the kayak onto the card front then used Dimensionals (foam stickers) to lift the other side, as if the kayak was leaning over (as it would when paddling). Here’s a closer look at the angled dimensional effect:

And here you can see the shadow under the paddle at the top of the card:

Here’s a close up  of the waterlily pads and fish:

And last but not least, I use the Bark 3D Embossing Folder to create the look of ripples on the water’s surface:

The “ it’s your day enjoy it!” sentiment is from the Happiest of Birthdays stamp set. And the Happy Birthday (note the different fonts and font sizes) are both from the Adventurous Journey stamp set.

And that about sums up this card. I hemmed and hawed about starting it but once I started, it came together really quickly.