Lever Card mini tutorial

I get so many ideas on the internet… most of them.  I got this one from someone who posted a beautiful card that was on a French blog. She wanted the instructions translated and Google wasn’t working so well.  I searched around a LOT on Pinterest and finally found another version on a Dutch blog.  Though I’m half Dutch, I still don’t speak or read it, but thankfully, Google translated this one well  enough for me to follow. Plus it had awesome visuals.  This card on both blogs was 5-1/2″ square.  I prefer cards I can fit in an envelope and potentially mail without extra postage so I converted the instructions into inches from centimeters and shrunk it down to an A2 size.  Thank you photoshop for that!

First I’ll share my finished card, which I made in such a way that I can’t fit into an envelope to mail… so much for that 😉 but YOU certainly could if you don’t place a giant butterfly where I did!

And here’s my redrawn template:

Okay, so here are my instructions – decorate as you wish 😉

Supplies:

2 sheets cardstock or DSP cut to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2Stampin’ Paper trimmer
Stampin’ Score
Bone Folder
Adhesive

1. Cut paper to size – easiest is cutting an 8-1/2″x11″ in half.

2. Following template 1, score at 4-1/2″

3. On one half of cardstock use your paper trimmer to first mark where you will cut (unless you’re super confident in your cutting!).  Score a 3/4″ border.  If you need to, you could also do this with a ruler and pencil.  Then cut out with the trimmer or a craft knife.

4.  With your 2nd piece of cardstock, follow template 2, score at 2-1/8″, 4-1/4″, and 6-3/8″.  Hint: Your Stampin’ Score will be perfect for this, but if you’re using the trimmer and can’t find 6-3/8, just flip the cardstock around and score at 2-1/8″ again. 🙂

5. On the far right panel, mark your border for cutting.  Another 3/4″ border on the top, right and bottom that meets up with the left score line.  You will cut UP TO the left score line, but do not cut it off, this is the “lever”

6.  Now that everything is cut out, fold on all score lines except the lever center piece… if you do on accident its not a big deal, you can reinforce it flat when you decorate.  Make sure to score the 2nd cardstock piece in the form of a W.

7.  Adhere the 2-1/8″ end panels to match up with the other piece of cardstock.  The lever should fit into the window.  If it is a tight fit, just run a distressing tool or bone folder along the edges of the lever.  Do some light trimming if you need to.

8. Decorate as you wish!

Here is the link for the site I got my instructions for, which may help you out with more visuals: Lever Card

OK and here’s what I used to decorate:

Midnight Muse Cardstock
Crumb Cake Cardstock
Comfort Cafe DSP

Swallowtail stamp
Layered Labels stamps

White Embossing Powder
Versamark
Soft Suede ink
Apothecary Accents Framelits
Big Shot

Cor’dinations and embossing fun

I have a lot of thank you cards to send out from all the fabulous baby gifts I received.  I also had some card elements leftover from past stamp camps, so I played around and came up with a couple cute cards 🙂

This card has cor’dinations paper that I embossed with the vine embossing folder from SAB and a pop-up posies kit flower.  I even used the splatter stamp from my Paper Pumpkin kit.

Then I made another card, very similarly, just used a different embossing folder. By the way, you have to sand the embossed image for the effect to work 🙂

Blue Ribbon meets Print Poetry

Sometimes you obtain items that you really don’t have any ideas for.  Paper stacks are often like this for me.  The print poetry stack in the Spring catalog has beautiful patterns featuring the current In-Colors, both masculine and feminine.  I often have a hard time thinking up masculine cards, and really its what I need most, I have so many men in my life… The Blue Ribbon stamp set is new to me, and I found a great way to punch out the scallop part of it from Patty Bennett’s blog, so I went for it.  It doesn’t punch out super perfectly but much better than having to cut by hand!  The secret is, just cut around the outside of the bottom ribbons, then place the stamped image into your punch with the tails hanging out the top.  Its a bit tough to line up still as you’re using limited space, but it gets the job done as long as you’re careful.  I did find myself wishing I’d used colored cardstock to stamp on rather than Very Vanilla, but that is something I can give my stampers the option of changing up this weekend when we make this card at our stamp camp!

Stamps: Blue Ribbon

Paper: Midnight Muse, Print Poetry DSP, Very Vanilla

Ink: Midnight Muse, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Midnight Muse ribbon, 2-3/8″ Scallop circle punch

 

Woodgrain Coredinations card

This card features 2 great new products: The coredinations cardstock that can be embossed and sanded for a two tone look, and the Wood Grain embossing folder! Love them both, the wood grain comes in quite handy for masculine cards.  I must also give a disclaimer that the coredinations cardstock is quite delicate.  It is thinner than regular cardstock and this embossing folder is a bit harsh on it so it can tear easily, especially when sanding, but other embossing folders don’t give quite the same issues… but since its only tearing “with the grain” its easy to disguise with extra adhesive where it tears.  Can you spot where it tore?  There are 2 places 😀  I can’t see it.

Stamps: Petite Pairs

Paper: Early Espresso, Early Espresso Coredinations, Whisper White

Ink: Early Espresso

Accessories: Stampin sanding block (with removable pads), dust buddy, early espresso baker’s twine

Check out the Coredinations line here!

Summer Strawberries – PP98

I did a challenge!  I’ve been trying to do more of these to get me stamping for more than just workshops 🙂  I love to stamp and a little inspiration goes a long way.  Summer to me screams picnics and strawberries growing so I used the striped embossing folder, brayered it with Riding hood red ink and sent my card through the big shot twice.  This is the first time I’ve attempted the gingham and I think I need a bit more practice but it came out okay.

Stamps:  Best of Everything, Perfect Punches

Paper: Whisper White, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Gumball Green

Accessories: Adorning Accents Edgelits & Embossing folders, Striped Embossing Folder, Wide Oval Punch, Designer label framelits, Stitched Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Brights Glimmer Brads

Creative Elements

I completely cased this card from here: http://www.catherinepooler.com/2011/08/creative-elements-stamp-set-clean-and-simple-cardmaking/

I often forget to give credit where it is due, and most of my ideas are not original, so I’m trying to get better at leaving credit when I can remember!

This is another sample for the Inking fun stamp camp this Saturday.  We’ll learn Rock & roll, and some fun shimmer paint techniques.

Stamps: Creative Elements

Paper: Marina mist, Perfect plum, crumb cake, whisper white

Ink: Frost White shimmer paint, marina mist, perfect plum

Accessories: sponge, dimensionals

Cloudy

Here’s one of the cards we’ll be making at the inking fun stamp camp this coming Saturday!
We’ll learn how to sponge those clouds and use the color spritzing tool!

Stamps: Best of Everything

Paper: Pool Party, Daffodil delight patterns, whisper white

Ink: Pool Party, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, Wisteria Wonder

Accessories: sponge, spritzer tool, white bakers twine, 2-way glue pen, dimensionals

Triple Threat

This card is another contender for next month’s Inking techniques stamp camp. It features Rock & Roll, and I really like how this flower is so punch-friendly… Love the colors I used that are inspired by the designer series paper. Love that DSP makes it easy for me to figure out a great color combination!

Stamps: Triple Treat Flower, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Paper: Basic Black, Calypso Coral, Fruit & Flowers DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Calypso Coral, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, versamark (on black background)

Accessories: Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon, Fancy Flower punch, 5-petal flower punch, 1/2″ circle punch, dimensionals, sponge

Wish Big – By Sharlene

Here’s one of my favorite cards from a shoebox swap we did a few weeks ago. The original design is by Sharlene Mitchell.  I’m thinking about using or CASEing this design for my stamp camp next month but just haven’t decided yet.

Stamps: Raining Flowers, Word Play

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White

Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories: Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Rhinestone Accents, Curly Label Punch, decorative label punch.

Easy Events Double Emboss Masculine Card

I love it when an idea comes together.  I wanted to demonstrate the double emboss technique but wasn’t sure which embossing folder to use, then I came up with a great color scheme for a masculine card and had to use the new striped embossing folder.  Double embossing is something I learned from our exclusive demonstrator magazine called Stampin’ Success!  I’d love to teach it to you on August 27 when I hold my All About Texture stamp camp!

Stamps: Easy Events

Paper: Chocolate chip, First Edition DSP, Very Vanilla, Basic Black

Ink: Versamark, Early Espresso, Markers – Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Black Satin Ribbon, Black Designer Button, Black embossing powder, heat gun, striped embossing folder