Month: May 2018

Good Friday morning, Everyone! I hope you have a great day and an even greater weekend. My plans to blog every day didn’t last very long.  I think, with gardening and trips and photographing the owl family, that blogging three times a week is much more realistic.

Today’s card was inspired, again, by Jan B, a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator in the UK. She does videos, which are very easy to follow.  I will not be doing videos any time soon. That would terrify me! I will give details as to card cuts, but for the technique, please watch her video here.

I don’t know why it is called impossible, as it clearly isn’t impossible, and is actually quite easy to make IF you follow the instructions.

There are other videos out there on making this type of card, but after watching several, I think Jan’s is the easiest to follow.

I began with a card base of Mint Macaron, which has made a comeback in the new catalog. Also returning are Blackberry Bliss and Mossy Meadow, but I digress.

The mats are Tranquil Tide and the Designer Series Paper with leaves is new. It is part of the Share What You Love suite, available now as a pre-order. The DSP with dots is from Delightful Daisy and is retiring at the end of the month. If you want any retiring products, now is the time to order them as they are only available as long as supplies last. To order, click here.

The stamp set is Petal Palette for the bird and flowers, and Perennial Birthday for the two sentiments and the little design by her name. The name is stamped using the new Make a Difference stamp set, available June 1.

My card is a 5″ x 7″ card, but you can also make an A2 size or a 6″ square card. MayMay has measurements for these on her blog, which you can find here.

First cut the card base at 5″ x 7″, then score horizontally at 2-1/2″. This makes it easier to accomplish the ‘impossible’. Using your Stampin’ Trimmer, and with the card horizontal, cut at 1-1/2″ down to the score line. Move card over to  5-1/2″ and cut down to the score line. If this is confusing, please refer to Jan’s video.

Turn the card 180 degrees (upside down) and make a cut at 3-1/2″ down to the score line. Now, THIS IS THE IMPOSSIBLE PART, but is isn’t really. Simply hold the card with the center cut down, and fold the right half up. This will put the narrow leg on the right, down, and the narrow leg on the left, up. There will be a wide piece in the middle that will stand up. SEE? Easy-Peasy. If my instructions aren’t plain, refer to the video.

Moving on to the mats, cut 2 in Tranquil Tide at 3-3/8″ x 4-7/8″, 2 at 1-1/4″ x 3-3/4″, and one at 2-3/8″ x 3-7/8″. For the larger pieces, and using your Stampin’ Trimmer, place vertically at 1-3/8″ and cut down 2-1/2″. Rotate 90 degrees and place at 2-1/2″. Cut down to the previous cut. You have essentially cut out a piece that is 2″ x 2-1/2″, leaving an L-shape that is fatter on the bottom. Repeat for the other piece. (Looking at the image above, if you cut along the score line from center cut line to left cut line, that is the shape)

For the DSP you will need the same shape and the measurements are 3-1/4″ x 4-3/4″, with the same 2″ x 2-1/2″ cut out. NOW, pay close attention to Jan’s video if you are using a directional DSP as I did. You will want to make a template for this so you don’t make a mistake. If your DSP is non-directional, it isn’t an issue. Both pieces will be the same for non-directional DSP.

Using Liquid Glue, adhere the DSP to the Tranquil Tide mat. Now adhere the matted DSP to your card base. It really is easy. The difficult part is if you are using a directional DSP, but if you make a template, that, too, is easy. Everyone will be impressed with your skill!! And, you don’t need to tell them it is really easy.

Your Stampin’ Up! Grid Paper makes getting everything straight very simple.

Cut contrasting DSP (I used the retiring Delightful Daisy). You will need 2 at 1-1/8″ x 3-5/8″. Liquid Glue these to the 1-1/4″ x 3-3/4″ mats. Using the grid marks to be sure your card base pieces are straight, Liquid Glue the matted DSP to the card base across the opening at top and bottom. This will stabilize the card.

I used the Petals and More die to cut the sentiment banners from Whisper White and stamped them in Tranquil Tide. The bird is also from that bundle and is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Blushing Bride card stock and die cut. The sentiment with the bird is offset to allow room for the bird and both are Liquid Glued to the DSP.

For the lower stabilizing piece, the name banner is adhered using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

You are almost finished with the card. Yippee! Having fun yet??

On the large standing up panel, adhere the DSP to the Mat and onto this panel. Using the Stitched Shapes Framelits cut the second smallest circle and stamp sentiment in Tranquil Tide. Cut another circle from Mint Macaron and Liquid Glue the two together.

Stamp the flowers from Petal Palette in Mint Macaron on Whisper White. Color using your Mint Macaron and Blushing Bride Stampin’ Write Markers and die cut with Thinlit from Petals and More. Cut a second flower from Mint Macaron and Liquid Glue to the stamped one.

Arrange the flower and circle on the panel over the DSP and Liquid Glue in place. This IMPOSSIBLE card is finished and it wasn’t impossible at all!

The back of the center art panel is a good place to write a personal message, and the reason for using Tranquil Tide on the back of the circle and flower. It just looks better.

The envelope received more flowers on the front and DSP on the flap. The flowers were colored with Blushing Bride Stampin’ Write Marker, leaving the leaves as just outlines.

If you haven’t tried this card, I would urge you to do so. It is fun, as long as you pay attention to each step. It actually goes pretty quickly. I would suggest for your first one that you choose a NON-directional DSP.

You know how to place an order….click on the ‘order online’ button at right. If you use the host code, you get rewards. For details on this go to my customer rewards page. Don’t forget, retiring products only available while supplies last until the end of May.

HOST CODE: 76QQHYEN good through May 31.

Product List