Brighten someone's day with a rainbow card!

I decided to make several cards to leave in my neighbours' letterboxes to bring a bit of cheer to them during New Zealand's countrywide lockdown. I copied an embossing technique I saw online from a fellow demonstrator in the USA, Connie Tumm.

It's a quick and easy card to make as long as you have six different embossing folders. If you don't have that many folders, or none at all, you can create the card without embossing the coloured cardstock or maybe just emboss a few pieces.

I used cardstock from the five 2018-2020 In Colors plus Gorgeous Grape to make a my 6-colour rainbow cards. I know there are 7 colours in a rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) but I didn't have enough room on my cards and I think it looks just as good without a second blue colour.

For the base of the cards I used Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes which are 5" x 3-1/2" (12.7 x 8.9 cm) and I cut a Basic Black cardstock mat to 4-1/2" x 3" (11.5 x 7.5 cm). I also used 4" x 2-3/4" (10 x 7 cm) coloured cardstock -- Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover, Blueberry Bushel, and Gorgeous Grape.

After embossing each coloured cardstock with a different 3-D Embossing folder (Brick & Mortar, Tin Tile, Hammered Metal, Country Floral, Scripty, Button Button) I cut each piece into 5/8" (1.5 cm) strips which gave me enough to make 6 cards.

I decorated the front of each card with a different sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink using the Stitched So Sweetly dies except for two cards which I fussy cut. Some of the cards were embellished with epoxy shapes or jewels to add a bit of sparkle to them. I even stamped the back of each envelope using my Stamparatus for accurate placement.

Back of envelope stamped with 'Stamping Your Way to the Top' stamp set

Instead of signing the cards and sealing the envelopes, I made up a poem to put inside so that the recipient could share the card with someone else.

This little card was made for you 

to brighten up your day.

If it made you smile then its job is done 

and you should send it on its way.

Please give it to someone you know 

to pass along the cheer.

Since all of us need to know 

there is always someone there! 

Have a look at my video for more details on how to make your own rainbow cards and for lots of tips on using embossing folders.

Brightening someone's day by giving them a handmade card is very satisfying, even if you don't see the recipient's face when they open the envelope.

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #CraftHappy #Rainbow #ShareSunshine #trysomethingnewchallenge #Embossing

Squash Card Fun Fold

I was watching Sara Douglass' home crafting video last week and a card her daughter made reminded me of one I learned how to make 12 years ago when I was a Girl Guide Leader at the J'08 Christchurch Jamboree.

This style of fun fold is called a squash card because you squash it down to close it! Squash cards are perfect for scrapbooks, journals, photo albums or a special life event like retirement or a big birthday! I used my original card as an autograph book so I could collect contact details to keep in touch with all the wonderful people I met at the jamboree.

It is easy to create the base of this card . . . the hardest part is deciding how to decorate it!  So I got out some cardstock, designer series paper, stamps and ink and then a few hours later I had created a couple squash cards.

Here are photos showing the front and back of my two cards.

The smaller one was made with three 6" x 6" (15.2 cm square) pieces of Very Vanilla cardstock using the So Sentimental Bundle and Tropical Oasis designer series papers with coordinating colours.

I show you how to make the larger one in my video using two 8-1/4" x 8-1/4" (21 cm square) pieces of Whisper White cardstock. I decorated it with stamps from one of the 'host only' sets called New Wonders along with papers from the Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper, Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper and an envelope liner from the Magnolia Lane Memories & More Large Specialty Cards & Envelopes.

You can make your squash card any length you want by adding more squares. The finished size of the top will be half the size of the original square that you start with, i.e. a 4" x 4" starting square will give you a 2" x 2" finished card.

When you decorate the inside of the card you simply use squares which are slightly smaller than the finished card size and you can cut them in half at the diagonal for the triangular areas. For the small card I used 2-3/4" (7 cm) squares and the larger card was decorated with 4" (10 cm) squares.

I had lots of fun decorating these cards and I used a lot of colours. For a full list of the supplies have a look at the description under my YouTube video.

I hope you enjoyed this fun fold card and I'd love to see you make your own Squash Card!

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #NewWonders #SquashCard #Scrapbook #TropicalOasis #PressedPetals #SoSentimental #Journal #AutographBook  #LargeCard