FLIP-FLOP CARD INSTRUCTIONS

WOW!  I can't believe the response to this card!  MAHALO ALL!  I will try to do my best on this, as I have never done a tutorial before.  Please have patience and send any questions you may have if I am not clear on the directions...  

As I said, I saw a picture of this card and DID NOT have written info on the dimensions.  Here is the BLURRY picture that I got it from:

I chose an envelope and made the card to it's size.  Scoring your fold lines will really make it easier.  Also, remember you can click on the picture to make it larger and easier to see.  So here we go!

Envelope measures 6 1/4" x 4 1/4 "

The card base is 11 1/4" x 6"

Score and fold the base card piece in half (5 1/8")

On both sides of the center fold make two more folds 3/4" apart

At first fold line, fold the paper upwards toward you.  At second fold, fold the paper away from you, third fold up, fourth fold away, and last one up creating the accordion in the middle!  YEAH, the hard part is over!

The little panels that flop up measure 2 1/4" x 1 3/4" and you will need to cut 6 of them.  Decorate them any way you like, the sky is the limit!


Attach the tabs as follows:  On left side of first accordion pleat glue one at top and one at bottom 1/8" in from edge:

Next, on the right side of the first accordion pleat glue one in the center of the pleat so they are centered evenly.

Repeat this process again on the second pleat!  Way to go, you've got it!


I sure hope this was not too confusing and that you are inspired to make a beautiful new kind of card!  They are lots of fun with so may different possibilities, go for it!!!

"FLIP-FLOP" FOLD CARD

This sure was a fun project!  I was looking through some card making books on Amazon.com and came across this fold which I had not seen before.  It looked fun, so I dove in!  I love the way the little cards inside flip one direction then the other - hence, the flip-flop name!  It is an accordion fold down the middle that gives it its unique look.  I used SCAL for the circle on the front.  It's part of a great group of freebies over at SVG (click here to download it if you have the SCAL program!)    

In all the card was a bit labor intensive, but only because I wanted both sides of the smaller inside panels to be "finished off" on both sides.   It was fun putting on all the different little sentiments on each one...

 

 

I also discovered a great video today over at StampTV  that shows a gadget called the "Bow Easy" used to make perfect bows.  It's really a neat gadget:

I was impressed, so I decided to track one down.  I found one on e-bay for $6 but decided I wasn't THAT impressed, so, I made one of my own out of card board and it works great!  Neccesity Is The Mother Of Invention!!!

ADORE - POLKA DOTS! (C4C18)

Up late tonight, can't sleep and feel like crafting!  Thank goodness I don't have to be up early in the morning.

Another challenge, this one over at "Crazy 4 Challenges".  You had to do something with polka dots and that sounded really fun.  I just got this background paper when I was in Phx. for the holidays and immediately thought of it.  I wanted to stay in the Valentine theme because I have so many to make, so here's the simple little ditty I came up with.  I love my SCAL program!  I needed a long stem and had nothing that matched.  Sooooo, I drew it out in my paint program, imported it into SCAL, used the "trace feature, and voila!  Too fun!  The flower is raised with pop dots, but that is hard to see.

A LITTLE BIT OF CHEER (Double Dutch Challenge)

My cousin's grand-daughter is very ill and in the hospital.  I've never met her, but have seen lots of pictures of her and hear she is a very sweet and talented young lady.  I wanted to let her know that even though we have never met I was thinking of her and wanted to send a little bit of cheer.  I used the current sketch layout from "Double Dutch" and entered it in their challenge - nothing wrong with killing two birds with one stone!  I got to use a "drop" of my new "Flower Soft" (on the flower Tilda is holding) that I had ordered, and I can't wait to use it more, it's so neat!  Tilda was colored using my Copic's, then added a few little pearls for some bling.  I hope she brings a little smile.....

LAYOUT SKETCH

1st CHALLENGE OF 2010!

I was so in the mood to do something different so I decided to do my 1st  challenge for 2010 over at "Just Magnolia".  I LOVE TILDA!  She is so sweet and never fails to make me smile.  While I was at it, I thought I might as well make a card that I could  use for Valentine's Day.  

The layout is a great one, and I had no trouble getting inspired right away!  I had fun with the flowers - I bought them on my trip to the mainland and was itching to do something with them.  Note the cute little heart brads in their centers!  Another fun item I picked up.  Hope you like this one as much as I do!

LAYOUT:

 

HAPPY 2010 EVERYONE!

WOW!  Where does the time go!?!  It seems the older I get, the faster it flies by!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  I don't know about you, but I am ready to move on to new card designs that are not about Christmas, they wore me out!

Here is my first card of the new year.  It's for a dear friend that I had not sent a Christmas card to (I didn't have the correct address, duh on my part!).  It was a fun and easy one, but I really like the results.  I also just entered it in a challenge over at Frosted Designs. So onward card makers, into the new year with creativity and enthusiasm!

MELE KALIKIMAKA & HAU'OLI MAKAHIKI HOU!!!!!

That's "MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"  being sent to all!  

We are off to Phoenix, AZ to spend the holidays with my Dad.  We are looking forward to the change of climate - temperatures down into the 30's at night and mid 60's during the day!  I'll be able to wear jeans, sweaters, sweat shirts and jackets!  That may not sound too great to many of you, but for me it's a FUN change!   

I hope that you are all blessed with a wonderful holiday season, and I send lots of good wishes for a wonderful and Happy New Year!   See you all next year!

Aloha nui loa, a hui hou!  HUGS!

GIFT CARD HOLDER

I wanted to make a gift card holder like one I saw on the Cricut message board.  Problem was, I didn't have the cartridge that had the Christmas stocking on it.  So, I drew one free hand and cut it out.  Also hand cut the glitter paper parts which I put through the CB.  The pretty pine greens are real - I clipped them off of my Christmas wreath I made.  (I want a MS pine leaf punch!)  If you pull the present upward a piece attached comes out holding the gift card!  I think it's such a cute idea!

WARMTH!

I entered this card for a challenge over at 2 Red Bananas.  It had to reflect warmth, and I think hot chocolate fits that just fine!

LAST CHRISTMAS CARD!

Finished at last!!!  This was my last design for my holiday cards, so glad they are all done and in the mail!!!

 

Mele Kalikimaka

Here is one more simple card done in different colors.  More stamped heat embossing and a touch of ribbon and a little bling.

 

ORNAMENTS

More simple cards...  The first one has more sparkle, as I used glitter paper  that I put it through the CB.  The ornament was cut with SCAL and I used a plumeria stamp, and gold heat embossed, then added the touch of ribbon.  The second one is about the same, but plain white paper through the CB, and the ornament was too.  I also cut out the plumeria and raised it and the ornament with pop dots to give them more depth.  I Also added a bit of gold sponging over the CB design.  It has a little more Hawaiian flair to it because of the background Hawaiian paper that says, "Mele Kalikimaka" and "It's Christmas in aloha land".

 

 

GETTING BUSY...

OK, at last I am getting my Christmas cards finished up!  As I said before I am keeping them simple as I have so many to do.  I ended up with 3 main designs, and here is one of them.  Simple layers with a nice Hawaiian stamp that is gold heat embossed.  I'm not sure which color I like it in the best.....

 

PEACE 2

I have had this angel stamp for many years - I also have not used it for many years, lol!  I decided it was time to get it out and use it.  I want to do cards that are simple, as I need to get them done quickly.  But I also want them to be nice.  I appreciate the comments on the last card, They said, "simple and elegant", and that is what I am aiming for.  So mahalo ladies, I guess I am on the right track!  Not much else to explain, just simple silver heat embossing, some bling and a touch of some pretty ribbon!

PEACE

This card is a lot more traditional.  It was done with a stamp that was silver heat embossed then raised with pop dots.  Then I used a wide piece of silver wrapping ribbon for trim and added the three rhinestones for some bling!

HAWAIIAN CHRISTMAS TRI-FOLD

Living here in the islands, most of my cards I send for the holidays are with a Hawaiian theme. This is the card I've done for my Dad for Christmas.  I embossed some of the pieces with the CB, the shaped ornament pieces I did with SCAL,  and I heat embossed the gold images.  The plumeria flowers are a stamp that I cut out.  I am very happy with it!

 

DOUBLE DUTCH CHALLENGE

I had the idea for this card in my head for quite some time.  I was waiting for the weather in the mid-west to get cold and have some snow before I made and sent it to my son & and daughter in law.  Then by chance I found a challenge over at "Double Dutch"  that required you do a card that could hold packets of hot chocolate!  Perfect!  I used glitter paper for the background, punched out snowflakes and a snowflake charm attached to the ribbon.  The snowman on the cup has "Picket Fence" distressed Stickles on him, then I glued on the eyes, nose, mouth and large button.  I colored it with my Copic's.

The inside right background is snowflake stamps.  The snow couple is a stamp done with Copic's, then I added Liquid Applique' for the snow.   The left dark blue holding the packets of hot chocolate are from the front of an old Christmas card.  I just added some glitter Stickles to the snowflakes, fun!

ANNAUL WREATH MAKING PARTY

Every year the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I go to a friends house where about 15 to 20 of us make our annual Christmas wreaths for our homes.  We also include a potluck with lots of delicious Hawaiian style "ono grinds" (good food!).

The day before, we go out into the rain forests and gather all kinds of ferns, leaves and plants to make the wreaths.  Some ladies bring things they have growing in their yards.  All the gathered pieces are piled on a tarp and everyone takes whatever they are going to use and away we go!  

The variety of things to use are beautiful, so many different possibilities of what type of wreath you can make!  We start with a straw wreath form from the craft store and wreath pins.  Take your piece of plant , lay it on the form  closest to the center inside edge that will show, and tack it down with the pin.  Continue laying more pieces overlapping them at the stems that are showing.  (Each person may start in a different place depending on their own technique...) When you complete the circle, you start again laying pieces closest to the ones already tacked down and repeat the process.

The patterns and designs are so beautiful!  Endless ways to be creative and have a beautiful decoration for your home.  Here are some of the wonderful wreaths that were made.

 

 

 

 

Here are the two wreaths that I did.  I always make one for around a a large candle.  I love to use it for a centerpiece on my coffee table.  The other is hung outside our front door.  They are so fun to make and have become an important tradition of my holiday season.  Sharing a day with friends doing a wonderful craft I love is the best way to start my Christmas season!

 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope that you find many things in your life to give thanks for - I sure have a lot of them.  Enjoy and blessings to all.  Aloha nui loa.

CRYSTAL & PEARL SNOWFLAKE

I usually send all Hawaiian style Christmas cards, but I saw this card some time ago and saved the picture to scrap lift it (so sorry, I don't remember who or where it is from).  I thought it was so pretty and I decided to give it a try to send to my special Aunt.  I stamped and embossed the 3 back panels with gold embossing powder.  Raised them and then added the snowflake layer.  The crystals are from the $ Store and were on ribbon - used to hang around the bottom of a light shade, lol.  Cut them off and mounted them on a gold embossed snowflake I cut using SCAL.  Added the tiny pearls and the large one in the middle.  The gold strip on the bottom is a Martha Stewart border punch, put on the ribbon and called it done!

CARD MAKER'S CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!

A lady on the Cricut MB posted this cute poem this morning.  I laughed OUT LOUD!  It sure suits me!  You crafting ladies will sure appreciate the humor and completely understand the humor!  Enjoy!!!


CARD MAKER'S CHRISTMAS EVE

T'was the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree,
I'm wondering what Santa has brought just for me.

Could it be card stock or chipboard or lace,
Or maybe a Cricut, I said with a smile on my face.

And that's when I heard him, "Hi Santa," I said.
He responded "You know... good little girls should be in their beds."

I know I should Santa, and now I've got caught,
But I was just so escited, to see what you brought.

Well, let's take a look in this room where you work.
He shook his head quickly and left with a jerk.

I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear'
"You've got enough crap, I'll see you next year!"

THANKSGIVING CARDS

I haven't  been posting because I've been busy getting my Thanksgiving cards finished. At last they are in the mail to family and friends!  I sure hope they enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.  I love the Autumn colors, they are my favorites.  Here are some of the designs I did:

 

 

WE GIVE THANKS

Two new cards using the same sentiment; first one on the left was stamped with copper colored ink and embossed with "Fall Oak" embossing powder as was the sentiment. The cuts are from SCAL and are called Linus' 3D Fall Cards SVG Kit . There are some GREAT cuts in this kit and I will be making and posting more of them soon.

The second card is an acorn stamp using a mixture of a golden yellow and coffee bean colored inks. I did the sentiment and leaf in the same colors then used copper embossing powder for the glimmer. I also added some color with my Copic's and the ribbon. Very simple, but I really like it!