Playing in the Dirt

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Summer came and went soooo fast but I still want to play in the dirt.  We are definitely headed into fall here but some of you may still have some great summer weather left so hopefully you feel inspired to go play for those of us that can't.  😀

I combined #5000 - Gotta Garden set and #5817 - Potting Garden Shed to create this interactive card.  This is a larger than normal card but it's a fun size - 8 1/5 x 5.

I started out by stamping the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with copic markers listed below.  I fussy cut the images.  The garden shed is a watercolor stamp set and has a few garden pots at the base, so I just fussy cut them off and popped up the boots and garden hose over the cut area.  I also cut an opening in the door and placed some tools and garden gloves inside.  These accessories are from the #SC0650 - His & Hers Gardeners set.  I also colored and cut some flowers from the #5935 - Fairytale Houses set.  

I die cut a slider track into the dirt panel and placed the playful couple onto a disk that pops through both sides of the track to allow for the movement.  I then popped up the dirt panel, making sure not to place pop dots or foam tape to close to the slider track.  You could use a pull tab, but I chose to move the couple back and forth with my fingers.

Check out the video below to see the interactive movement.

That's it for me today.  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Keep on creating!!

Copics used:  E000, E00, E11

N0, N1, N2, N3, N4

B91, B93, B95

Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17

YR12, YR14, YR16, YR18

G40, G43, G46

Winter Wonderland

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I was having too much fun making cards for the current Blog challenge "In The Navy" so I'm sharing two of the them with you today.   I used the #5953 Woodland Critters and #5954 Woodland Bears.  These would make such a cute gift set for that special someone that has everything.  What's better than giving/receiving handmade gifts?

I started out by stamping the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  Each of the images in both sets come with corresponding dies.  As usual, I die cut an extra set from heavy cardstock.   I love the dimension and stability.

Card #1:  I created a fun pull tab interactive card where the critters slide down the hill when pulling the tab.  This is a square 4 3/4 inch card.  To make the stitch border, I partial cut two sides using the largest #5063 Rectangle A2 Double Stitch die and then cut the other sides to make this large square.   I spattered Dr. PH Martin's Bleed Proof White paint onto the navy blue cardstock base to create a snowy background and also glued some of the snow die cuts that were left over from card #2.  The stitch snowy hills were using dies from my stash. 

Card #2:  I created a popped up frame card.  Using the #5782 Snowflake Frame die, I die cut two frames with heavy cardstock and glued them together.  Saved some of the snowflake pieces from the frame die cuts and used on card #1.  This card measures 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches.  I spattered Dr. PH Martin's Bleed Proof White paint onto the navy blue cardstock base to create a snowy background.  Again, I used a curvy stitched die from my stash to create the snowy hillside.  I popped the frame and the images up using foam tape onto the hillside.  Added a bow and the card is finished. 

Hope you enjoyed my cards today and you decide to join us in the Blog challenge.  See above tab for details and a chance to win a free stamp set.  We love to see your creations!

Have a great day and keep creating!

Copics used:  E30, E33, D35, E37, E40, E41, E43, E44

E51, E53, E55, E57, E59

N1, N2, N3, N4

Y13, Y17, Y19, 23, Y26, 

R20, R22, R24, R27

BG90, BG93, BG96, BG99

BV20, BV23

Bakery Matchbook

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Do you like little tiny cards?  If so, try out these cute little matchbook cards from Art Impressions.  There are approximately 30 to choose from for that special someone in your life.  I think Bonnie has hit every type of recipient with this line from golfer to musician, baby to pet shop and every holiday plus others.  Make sure to check out the website for all of the options.  Art Impressions Matchbook selection 

This matchbook card is perfect for the family member with the biggest sweet tooth.  Makes me ready for my morning coffee and a cinnamon roll.  😁

I stamped the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  Each set comes with dies to cut out each section, however, you will need the matchbook template for the main base.  This template works for all of the matchbook stamp sets.  There is also a Matchbook Envelope template.  This template in not required to create this adorable little card but it finishes off the card so nicely.

Check out the YouTube tutorial.  There are many showing how these work but the link below will bring you to the very first introduction of these Art impressions little cards.  

Matchbook Tutorial

I hope you try one of these tiny cards out, if you haven't already.  They are so each and fun to make plus the recipient will just love the little cuteness.

Hope you have a wonderful day!  Keep creating!

Copics used:  C00, C0, C1, C2

E21, E23, E50, E53, E55, E57

Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17

YR21, YR23

R01, R02, R05, B0000

Koala-Ty Time

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

This week's blog challenge is "Wild About You" showcasing any animal, or animal print, stamp, die, etc.  Many AI stamp sets work with this challenge, but since I found a leafy felt fabric, I thought it would be perfect to use with the #5349 - Koalas set.

I stamped two Koalas from this set, as well as the sentiment, onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.   I die cut each of the Koalas using the coordinating dies included with the set.  I also cut another pair of Koalas from heavy cardstock to back the colored image so they would pop up on the card with more stability.  I used the leaf die from the #5805 - Mini Journal box to cut several green leaves.  The sentiment was cut using the #6045 - Scalloped Circle die and popped up in the center of the frame panels.

The background frame, as well as the other leaf, were cut from dies I had in my stash.  To finish off the card, I used some enamel dots and placed them on three of the panels.  

Thanks for joining me today!  I hope you show us your creations by entering in the blog challenge.  See above tab for details and your chance to win a free stamp set of your choice.  

We always love to see what you create!

Have a wonderful day and keep creating!

Copics used:  W0, W1, W3, W5

E21, E23, E24

R20, G43, G46

B12, B14

Sit, Stay, Heal flip card by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Today I have an interactive get well card using the #AICS38 - Doggy Kisses set.  When you open the card, the image flips to the inside. 

 I started by stamping the images with Memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I die cut the images using the #5065 Oval Double Stitch and the #5135 Hexagon Double Stitch dies.  I fussy cut and popped up the kleenex and tea cup using foam tape.  I die cut an oval into the front of the card panel and used the blue inner panel for the flip base.

For the mechanism - cut a piece of cardstock 2 3/4" x 3" and score at 3/4, 1 1/2 and 2 1/4 along the 3" side.  Fold and crease the score lines to create a tube.  Place glue on the underside of the first fold area only.  Glue down to the inside fold of the card.  Fold the tube in half and place glue on the upper fold area only.  Bring the top half of the card over and shut on top of the tube piece.  The tube will show through the top of the card, but the image panel will cover when closed. 

 

Now cut a piece of cardstock 3/4" x 2 1/4".  Score in thirds along the long edge (3/4" each piece).  Glue one 3/4" tab to the top of the tube piece in the center.  Fold the other end upwards and lay the tube down flat so that the card is shut.  Place glue on the upwards tab only.  Place the blue image panel into the front oval cutout area and adhere it onto the tab with the glue.  The image panel will pop up thru the oval cutout on the front of the card when shut and it will pop thru to the inside of the card when opened.

Decorate your card with sentiments, ribbon, etc.

Thank you for joining me today!  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Keep creating!

Copics used:  N0, N1, R20

E50, E51, E53, E55

E41, E42, E44

E33, E35

BG70, BG72, BG75

Teeny Teapot

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

My card today was inspired by the current challenge "When a Door Closes" utilizing the #5935 Fairytail House set.  This is the cutest set and makes the cutest teeny cards.  Back in December 2024, I created a Teeny Shoe card utilizing this set.   Here is the link to that post.  https://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/search?q=teeny+shoe

For this challenge, I used the Teapot stamp and die and placed it on a teeny tiny hexagon card.  It's approx. 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches.  

I created the hexagon card by die cutting two pieces from heavy cardstock.  I scored one of the hexagons about 1/4" from the top and folded towards myself.  I placed glue on the scored fold and adhered the other hexagon to it creating the card base.  I then die cut another hexagon out of pattern paper from the #5742 Easter PP and glued that to the front of the card base.  I created a stitched frame and adhered that to the pattern paper front.

I stamped the teapot and the bee from the #5935 Fairytail Houses set onto copic friendly paper with memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I die cut the images and cut a second bee out of heavy cardstock to create a popped up effect.  I adhered the images to the card base and stamped a sentiment in the inside and the card is ready to adhere to a gift, hand deliver or send in the mail.  A fun little card to receive!

I hope you enjoyed my card today and you decide to play along in the blog challenge "When a Door Closes".  Any card/project with a door will qualify you for a chance to win a free stamp set.  

  We love to see your creations!

Hope you have a wonderful day!  

Copics used:  E51, E53, E55

T0, T2, T4

Y00, Y11, Y13, Y15

V12, V15, G40, G43

Chicken Coop

Hello AI Friends!

Welcome to my feature for the "When One Door Closes" bi-weekly challenge.

I thought it would be fun to make a chicken coop and create a fun fold door card.  

I used the AICS40 Spring Chicken and the 5731 - MB Chicken set for this interactive card.  How does the saying go "When one door closes, another one opens"?  Who would have thought that it opens to a CHICKEN PARTY!  😁 

I did the usual by stamping the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I used the 5135 - Hexagon Double Stitch largest die to cut the chicken image and then I used the 5063 - Rectangle A2 Double Stitch largest die to cut the straight edge at the bottom.  The images on the front of the card were cut with the matchbook dies that come with the set.  I fussy cut the tabs off for the matchbook.  I also fussy cut the 6003 - Exclusive Coop freebie.  

To make the fun fold coop card - start with a 4 1/2 x 11 piece of colored cardstock.  Score and fold 

at 2 3/4 and 8 1/4".  Fold the card shut to make an A2 size card.  Use the hexagon die to make a template out of scrap cardstock.  Place the point of the template on the inside edges of the front flaps of the card.  Either draw a cut line for the angle cuts at the top of the card or place the card base into your cutter holding the template in place and cut the angle cuts.  

For the inside pattern pieces, middle - cut a gingham piece 4 1/4 x 5 1/4.  Cut the angles at the top using the cut off angle pieces for the template then cut off the bottom edge to fit.  Do the same for the sides but cut two pattern paper pieces at 4 1/4 x 2 1/2.  Adhere the inside pattern pieces.  To cut the windows, use the template for the angles and draw your window.  Cut using an exacto knife.  Glue some screen material to the inside panel just along the window hole.  Take narrow pieces of cardstock to frame the inside of the window (see below).

For the valance at the top of the windows (inside and out), I cut several edges from pattern paper using the scallop edge from the 5543 - Journal Template die set.  For the front of the card, I placed thicker edges along the bottom and popped up the top thinner layer.  I used thinner edges for the inside windows.

The sentiments came with the AICS40 - Spring Chicken stamp set.  I cut two of them with the 6046 - Scallop Oval dies and adhered them to the inside flaps.  The one on the front, I used the 5063 - Rectangle A2 Double Stitch die.  The eggs on the inside are from the 5738 - Easter Egg House set and are fussy cut and placed onto a straw piece cut using a die from my stash.

As for the front of the card, I used the 5731 - Matchbook Chicken set along with the 6003 - Exclusive Coop freebie (available now with a $30 order).  The fence and grass are dies from my stash.  

The latch was created using several layers of cardstock with a wood grain cardstock as the top layer.  I cut three strips of wood grain cardstock at 3/8 x 1 1/4".  I cut one in half and placed a piece of cardstock behind each.  I folded both of these to make the hooks and glued in place.  

I layered several pieces of scrap cardstock behind one of the other wood grain pieces and placed a brad into one end.  I used the heart die cut as the anchor so that the latch would turn.  Punch a small hole into the heart die cut and place the brad prongs through it.  Secure the brad but make sure it is not too tight so that it can rotate.  

I cut about 1/4" off one end of the last wood grain piece and layered with several pieces of scrap cardstock.  I then glued this to the back of the other (scrap to scrap) avoiding the brad.  You want the wood grain to show from both the inside and the front.  Glue down the heart and check that the latch will move up and over.  See video below.

I hope you enjoyed my card today.  Thanks for joining me!

Have a wonderful day and keep creating!

Copics used:  T0, T2, T4

E21, E23, R22, R24, R27

YR16, YR18, YR20, YR21, YR24, YR27

Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17

YG06, YG17, G40

B000, B12, B14