Sending Hugs And Blessings Birthday Card

A friend of mine shares a birthday with my husband, and I like to make her a special card each year. This year's card design comes from an idea I saw on Lisa Curcio's youtube channel here: (1) Learn How to Make a Double Flap Fun Fold Card for Christmas - YouTube. I should have watched the video more closely as I attached my ribbon in the wrong place 😁(something Lisa mentions doing herself in the video!), but thankfully it didn't ruin the card. But I recommend attaching the ribbon under the top layer of the front flip card rather than the right gatefold edge like I did because then the smaller top card will stay closed when the ribbon is tied. 

I chose some pretty floral papers in colors my friend likes and then the coordinating cardstock colors for the layers underneath the pattern papers and used my SU! paper trimmer and scorer to cut and score all the parts of the card using the instructions in Lisa's video. 

I used Hero Arts' Blessings, Congrats & Happy, and Tulips stamp sets and dies for the sentiments and butterfly stamp on the inside of the card. The word "blessings" was die cut out of 3 layers of cardstock to create a bit of dimension and to give this delicate die cut a bit more sturdiness. The butterfly on the front of the card was created using my Todo hot foiling machine to foil a SU! butterfly die from the Butterfly Brilliance bundle. I foiled the die and then die cut it. It looks like it's been stamped in blue ink in the photos here, but in real life, the blue foil shimmers nicely. 

Here's the blue foiled butterfly die cut colored in with Ohuhu Honolulu alcohol ink markers:

Here's a look at the Todo machine and a die covered with foil and card stock in preparation of hot foiling it:

I jotted down notes on what pressure to set the machine for embossing folders and dies when hot foiling:

Here's a look at some of the butterflies I foiled:

Back to the fun-fold birthday card:

    

The butterfly stamp and "birthday" word are from Hero Arts' Floral Tulips set and the word "Happy" was die cut using the "happy" die from Hero Arts' Congrats & Happy stamp and cut set. I colored the butterfly stamp in with Ohuhu alcohol markers:

View from above:

 

Challenges I'm entering:

Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero: August 2023 Challenge | Hero Arts: ATG with Hero Arts' products (I used Blessings stamp and cut set, Congrats & Happy stamp and cut set, and Floral: Tulips stamp set) (unlimited entries; ends 9/3/23)

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #64 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (unlimited entries; ends 9/1/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 8/30/23)

The Paper Shelter: ATG (1/2; ends 8/22/23)

I ♥ ProMarkers Challenge Blog (ilovepromarkers.blogspot.com): ATG with alcohol markers (I used Ohuhu markers) (1/3; ends 9/5/23)

Passion for Markers (promarkerchallenge.blogspot.com): Embellish It (unlimited entries; ends 8/29/23)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 8/29/23)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with a twist of leaves and/or trees (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Gem of A Craft Challenge (pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 9/1/23)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 9/1/23)

Triple B (dd-tripleb.blogspot.com): ATG with butterflies, blooms, and/or birds (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Scribble Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): Birthday (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Inspiration Station (inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com): The butterflies and flowers in the photo inspired the butterfly die cut and floral papers I used for this card (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Papercraft Challenges (papercraft-challenges.blogspot.com): Shaped cards (unlimited entries; ends 9/14/23)

Through The Purple Haze Challenges: Diagonal from bottom right: ribbon, stamp, floral (1/3; ends 8/31/23)