NC Blog Hop for January - Using Tools

January 28, 2024

Welcome to the NC Blog Hop for January. This month we are all about the tools we need to make a card. Let's think about that. All the components we put together are the tools we use to make our art. Every part is needed!

I'll be sharing this Swinging Door/ Double Dutch Door card. I have a video at the end of this post.

The first tool is our card stock. I love the weight of our papers and the quality. Take a piece of Pebbled Path and cut a piece 4 1/4 x 9. Score this at 5 1/2. Cut another piece to 2 x 8 1/2. Score this piece at 2 1/8 from each end. Be sure to use a Bone Folder to burnish those folds making sure that your pieces are folded straight. The long thin paper will be placed behind the other. Line it up at the bottom. Make sure that the doors will easily close. I needed to trim my main card base a little so that the doors have room. You need to make an allowance for the folds themselves. If there are questions, please watch the video later.

I am using the Nature's Sweetness Designer Series Paper for this card. This brings me to designer paper as a tool. Stampin' Up! has wonderful paper of great quality. Stampin Up! also has great designers to create these papers. For the large fold down part of the card, cut the paper at 4 x 3 3/8. This allows for the little trimming if it was needed. The swinging doors need a piece 2 inches wide by 1 7/8 in length. Two of these are needed. If there is a direction pay attention to that.

For the label, use the Pebbled Path checked paper from Nature's Sweetness. Use the large label from the Thoughtful Expressions dies. I wanted to have a little more substantial label so I cut two of these, one from the DSP and the other from Basic White. Glue these two together.

On the designer paper with the drawings in gold (Pebbled Path checked on back), color the large flower with blends. I used Soft Sea Foam, Flirty Flamingo, and Pecan Pie. I love our Blends. I do talk about coloring on the video. I think it works best for me to use the small end of the blends. These do spread on this kind of paper. Cut out using the Lovely and Sweet dies. We need our dies. They are a great tool. Add to the label with dimensionals. Dimensionals are a tool I could never do without. We need our dimensionals!

I also colored another smaller flower with Flirty Flamingo. The die for this is in the Notes of Nature dies. I did cut another from Basic White to glue behind. I think I'll suggest that you use a Thick Basic White for both this little part and for the large label.

Add the label to the card. Center it on the sides. The bottom will go down below to cover the doors. I let it go down maybe an inch. Put dimensionals on the back making sure that they don't go below that front flap.

I had hoped that the small little flap would help hold the card closed. I'm not sure I achieved that mission. I added it with a dimensional and placed it so that the lable could fit under the flap.

The saying is from the Softly Sophisticated stamp set. It is available as a choice from Sale-a-Bration. You would need a $100 purchase. You get the stamp set and a beautiful embossing folder as a bundle. Embossing the saying in gold using the Metallics Embossing Powders. So Versamark ink, embossing powders, embossing buddy, and heat tool all go hand in hand to produce that effect. Fussy cut the saying with Paper Snips and glue to the plant. Did you notice more tools there?

Embellishments are tools that add a little something something. I used the 2023-2025 In Color Dots on this card.

Due to trimming the card base to fit the swinging doors, the inside Basic White will be cut to 3 7/8 x 5 1/4.

This saying is also from the Softly Sophisticated and is embossed in gold.

Cut another gold lined image for the inside using the Lovely and Sweet dies.

Are you ready for a video? Here goes!

This card is a lot of fun to make. I hope you'll try it. It's easier than it looks. I also hope that you will take the entire NC Demo Blog Hop. You'll see some great projects and how tools are essential to us as crafters. Next up is Kelly. She always has a wonderful project for us! Thanks so much for joining me today!