Birthday Easel Card for Creative Creases #112

It's time for a new challenge over on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and today I'm sharing an easel card I made for my mother-in-law's 82nd birthday. She loves purple, and I think this sparkly card will give her a smile. If you'd like to join the fun on the Creative Creases blog, it's always anything goes with a fun fold project! We'd love to see your lovely creations in the challenge linky here: Creative Creases Challenge.

To make my easel card, I started with a top-folding A2 card base I created out of Your Paper Insider's Smooth White Cardstock. Then I added a score line in the top panel at 2 1/8 inches to create the easel fold. 

To decorate the card, I used papers from Your Paper Insider's box #14. This box is currently available with a subscription to YPI's quarterly paper boxes. I trimmed a piece of Bright Gold Brushed Metal Double Sided cardstock to 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 and then glued a piece of Party Confetti Chunky Glitter paper trimmed to 4 by 5 1/4 on top of the gold cardstock. Next, I die cut a frame using Silver Holographic Diamonds cardstock and Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Frozen Moments project kit. The project kit comes with frame dies that can then be embossed in the coordinating embossing folder. The frames look so detailed and are especially beautiful when metallic papers are used with them. I added the frame using red tape to make it stick to the chunky glitter paper. If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.

For the flowers, I used Violet Mirror Foil and Violet Curious Metallics to die cut Altenew's Craft-A-Flower: Cape Marguerite die set. I added them inside the frame using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. Then I adhered just the panel to just the bottom portion of the white card front so that it folds into an easel. 

For the easel card stopper, I used Altenew's One Go: Solid Sentiments press plate and coordinating die to create the "happy birthday" sentiment. I popped it up on Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape and added it to the inside panel to finish the card. 

If you're interested in doing some crafty shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link.  I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful Craft-Your-Life kits, Craft-A-Flower die sets, and press plates like the ones I used here. 

Close up of the front:

Here's a look at the papers I used from Box 14 and a list of all the papers in Box 14:

Challenges I'm entering:

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (ends at the end of the month)

Ally's Angels: ATG (ends 2/12/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 2/12/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge ATG with flowers as the focus (ends 2/12/26)

Triple B: ATG with birds, blooms, or butterflies as the focus (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Pick 3 Challenge: I chose texture (embossed frame as well as the chunky glitter paper), fun fold (easel card) and layers (gold paper, chunky glitter paper, frame, and layered flower die cuts, too) (1/6; ends 2/17/26)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors: I used scissors to cut the foam tape for my flower die cuts (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Moving Along With The Times: Floral (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: ATG with fun folds/shaped cards or tags (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Something new (the papers from Box 14 are new along with the frame die from the newest Craft-Your-Life project kit: Frozen Memories) (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG (ends 2/11/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Animal Magic (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Dragonfly Dreams: Fun fold (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 2/14/26)

We Love to Create mixed media Challenge Blog...sponsored by Polkadoodles: ATG (1/4; ends 2/25/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Create your own background or ATG (1/5; ends 2/12/26)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/4; ends 2/26/26)

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with optional twist of Small Critters (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Add some texture (I have an embossed frame and chunky glitter paper) (1/5; ends 2/9/26)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/4; ends 3/1/26)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG or pastels (1/6; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 2/18/26)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite die and why? I have to narrow it down to my favorite category of dies because I love die sets and have about a gazillion of them!😂 Anyway, my favorite type of die to use is Altenew's Craft-A-Flower die sets. Why: Because they are all so beautiful!  I really enjoy using them on a wide variety of cards from birthday cards like this one to congratulations cards to sympathy cards to thinking of you cards (1/3; ends 2/12/26)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Birthday (ends 2/11/26)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Flowers (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (1/2; ends 2/26/26)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

Whispers in the Canopy Double-Z Fold Card

I recently attended a Zoom craft session led by Caroline Rieger, a fellow Altenew Educator Certification Program student, and she had a lovely Double Z-fold card design. This is my take on her card design.

The main card base is 9 by 6 1/4 inches scored on the long side at 2 1/4 and 4 1/2 to create the first z-fold. I stamped the large silhouette stamp from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Whispers in the Canopy project kit onto the right hand side of the card base using Catherine Pooler Dress Blues ink and then folded the left side, inserted a sheet of printer paper to cover the back of the card, and restamped the same image onto the left panel  of the card. Since I used my Stampwheel 2.0 to stamp the image, I was able to simply put the card back in the Stampwheel and stamp the image again with perfect alignment with the image on the right side of the card. You can see in the first photo where I held the card closed how perfectly the stamped images line up. 

To fill in the gaps in the background, I added some stamps from SU!'s Forever Fern set. I stamped the foliage stamps in blue and the texture/spots stamp in Catherine Pooler Sand Castle ink. 

Next, I die cut the dies from Altenew's Cardinal Love Layering Die Set using a few different shades of blue cardstocks. I also die cut the branch from the same set using some paper I had ink smooshed. For the top piece of that layered die cut, I ink blended  more of the Sand Castle ink to coordinate with the stamped spots in the background. After assembling my Blue Jays (isn't it fun to stretch your supplies and use a die set that was made for one thing--Cardinals in this case--to create something else?), I set them aside and worked on the smaller Z-fold piece of the card. This piece was 2 1/2 by 9 inches, and I die cut a border onto the top of it using an older border die from my stash. Then I scored it at 4 1/2 and 6 3/4 and stamped "Sending love & strength" using a stamp from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Treasured Memories project kit and Dress Blues ink. I stamped more of the spots using Sand Castle ink again and then adhered the panel to the card base. 

To finish the card, I adhered my branch and Blue Jays using liquid glue in some parts and Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in others. 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful layering die sets that use the keyhole system to make layering them up quick and easy (like the Cardinal Love set I've used here) as well as many versatile Craft-Your-Life project kits like the Whispers in the Canopy and Treasured Memories kits I've used for this card. 

Card when closed: 

Slightly open:

On display:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: entering just for inspiration as I'm on the DT 

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option: Make it Merry (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 1/31/26)

Triple B: ATG with birds, blooms, and/or butterflies (3/3; ends at the end of the month) Top 3 Pick 2/2/26

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Critter Crazy CHALLENGE BLOG: ATG with animals as the focus (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 1/22/26)

Crafty Animals: ATG with animals, including birds (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: For Boys or Men or ATG (2/5; ends 1/29/26)

We Love Stamping: Something New (the Cardinal Love set is new) (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

https://www.stampingsensations.uk/2026/01/january-challenge.html?m=1: Something Starting With B: bicycle (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with an optional twist of a sketch (3/6; ends at the end of the month)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (3/3; ends 2/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: One for the Boys or ATG (3/8; ends 2/12/16)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Something New (the Cardinal Love set is new to me) (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (3/5; ends 2/9/26)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

Strawberry Patch Valentine Card

Have you started on your Valentine's Day cards yet? I decided to create a Valentine's Day card for my husband a little early this year because we are going on a cruise with some friends this coming week, and I won't get back until Feb. 5. 

I started by trimming a panel of white cardstock to 3 3/4 by 5 inches. I wrapped the top and the bottom of the panel with some wide woodgrain washi tape. That left a white strip in the middle for my sentiment. I used Altenew's Solid Sentiment Strips 3: Gratitude Edition press plate and the coordinating die for the "my favorite human" sentiment. I popped it up on Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

For my strawberries, I die cut and ink blended some of the dies from Altenew's Strawberry Patch layering die set using the following inks: Citrus Burst, Lime, Fresh Leaf, Rubellite, and Berrylicious. I arranged them in a hanging cluster (these dies have the keyhole system to make assembling them a breeze) and adhered them to the woodgrain panel using liquid glue in some places and Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in others. 

I created a top-folding black A2 card base and trimmed a piece of black fun foam to just under 3 3/4 by 5 to give dimension to my panel with the strawberries on it. I adhered all the layers to the card base to finish this card. 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Again, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful layering die sets that use the keyhole system to make layering them up quick and easy (like the Strawberry Patch one I've used here). I'd also highly recommend the Solid Sentiment Strips press plates and the coordinating die because you can create multiple sentiments in different themes all at once. 

Challenges I'm entering:

January 2026 Inspiration Challenge | Altenew: 

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG  with option: Make it Merry (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option to add ribbon (5/5; ends 2/15/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 1/22/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: For Boys or Men or ATG (1/5; ends 1/29/26)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with an optional twist of a sketch (2/6; ends at the end of the month)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (2/3; ends 2/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: One for the Boys or ATG (2/8; ends 2/12/16)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: ATG (2/2; ends 1/21/26)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Something New (The Creative Cuts: Strawberry Patch is new) (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (2/5; ends 2/9/26)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

Buttercup Bunch Hugs Card

Your Paper Insider (YPI) Box #14 starts shipping today, and I'm sharing a card I made using only papers from that box: Coldpress Watercolor Card Front, Magenta Thai Unryu, Smooth White Cardstock, Beeswax Color ColorWheel Spellbinders, and Gama Natural Clear. YPI offers a quarterly subscription box as well as a variety of other paper for sale on their website, and if you'd like to check out their lovely selection, I'd appreciate it so much if you used my affiliate link at no additional cost to you: Your Paper Insider. 

To create my card, I started with one of the Coldpress watercolor card fronts included in Box 14. There are 10 A2 size watercolor card fronts in this box. I stenciled Altenew's Stencil Art: Ditsy Flowers 7-layer stencil onto the watercolor cardstock using the following Altenew inks and ink families: Sun-Kissed Delights, Cherry Blossom, Coral Berry, Just Green, and Sea Shore. Then I set the panel aside to work on die cutting some of the dies from Altenew's Craft-A-Flower: Buttercup Bunch set. I used Your Paper Insider's Beeswax Color cardstock for the flowers and added a bit of Amber Blaze ink to some of the petals. Then I die cut the stem, leaves, and flower center from more of the watercolor paper from YPI and ink blended them with Altenew's Just Green ink to coordinate with the green in the stenciled background.

Next, I die cut and embossed a frame from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Frozen Moments project kit (the kit will be available on the website in February, but subscribers receive their project kits a month before their release on the website) using YPI's Magenta Thai Unryu paper adhered to YPI's Smooth White Cardstock. I find I get better results with die cutting the Unryu papers if I first adhere them to white cardstock for stability. They are beautiful on their own as a background, but for intricate die cuts, they are so thin that they sometimes break when releasing from the die. I die cut the same oval frame die from YPI's Gama Natural Clear vellum and saved the inside oval to put behind my Buttercups. I positioned my frame and vellum onto the stenciled panel and added my Buttercups using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape and then adhered everything down to the panel being careful to only add liquid glue to the parts of the vellum covered by the flower. I trimmed off the overhanging part of the frame and vellum and then die cut 5 layers of the word "hugs" from Altenew's Watercolor Roses Add-On Die set. I stacked them together using Art Glitter liquid glue and then glued them to the vellum beside the Buttercups. 

I then added the stenciled layer to a layer of Beeswax Color cardstock and then adhered that to a top-folding A2 card base I had created using YPI's Smooth White cardstock. To finish the card, I added some of Altenew's Colorful Wonders Enamel Dots to the teal flower centers and around the "hugs" sentiment. This card is going out to my dear cousin and her family as they just lost their dog recently. I'm hoping this cheerful card will lift her spirits and remind her of how loved she is.

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Altenew carries many versatile Craft-Your-Life project kits, stencil sets, and floral die set like the ones I used for this card. 

Your Paper Insider Box 14 contents:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Art Impressions Blog: Pocket Full of Sunshine (use yellow, pockets, and/or sunshine) (1/2; ends 1/29/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/6; ends 2/12/26)

Triple B: ATG with blooms/birds/and/or butterflies (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils with the option of anything with 4 legs (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 3: at least 3 colors (pink, yellow, teal, and green), at least 2 shapes (oval and rectangle), and at least one sentiment (4/4; ends 1/18/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG  with option: Make it Merry (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option to add ribbon (4/5; ends 2/15/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 1/22/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Winter animals or ATG (5/5; ends 1/15/26)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with an optional twist of a sketch (1/6; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Emboss (1/5; ends 1/22/26)

The Paper Shelter: ATG with optional twist of wintry moodboard (1/2; ends 1/27/26)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (1/3; ends 2/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: One for the Boys or ATG (1/8; ends 2/12/16)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 1/21/26)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Something New (my card is full of new products: CYL: Frozen Moments kit, CAF: Buttercup Bunch die set, papers from the new Box 14 from Your Paper Insider) (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (1/5; ends 2/9/26)

 I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

Magnolia Dream Pop Up Diamond Fun Fold

I recently saw a video by Susan Campfield where she create a Pop Up Diamond card, and I thought I would give this card design a try. I wanted to make my mom a special card, so I chose a color combination she loves and one of her favorite flowers (magnolias) for my version of the card. If you'd like to see the video with the measurements and instructions, here's the link: So Easy! Pop Up Diamond Fun Fold Card with True Blue Florals!

I started by creating a white card base following Susan's instructions (2) 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 pieces of white cardstock scored on the long side at 3/4, 2 3/4, and 4 3/4. Fold and burnish the score lines and then connect the 2 cards on the left and right sides where you have the 3/4 inch score lines. The middle part should pop out to form a diamond. 

To decorate my card, I used Altenew's Magnolia Dreams stencil and 3D embossing folder set and stenciled and embossed the pattern. Then I used the embossing folder to emboss a piece of pink cardstock. I trimmed both the stenciled and embossed pattern as well as the plain embossed pattern to fit the card panels and adhered the pieces to layers of green cardstock for a border around the magnolia patterns. 

For the center of the front panel, I die cut a shape from Altenew's Ornate Nesting Die Set out of green cardstock and stamped a couple sentiments from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Magnificent Magnolias project kit ("dear mom, I appreciate how you're always there for me, no matter what") and then die cut and ink blended Altenew's Delicate Magnolia layering die set to add to the sentiment panel. I also added a few of Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams Enamel Dots. Inks used on the card: Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams, Whispering Woodland, and Fresh Lemon.  

To finish the card, I trimmed and scored 2 small strips of cardstock to 3/4 by 3 inches and scored them at 1/2, 1, 2, and 2 1/2 to create the mechanisms I used to glue the Ornate Nesting die to the front panel of the card. After adhering them on either side of the score line in the center of the card, I added glue to the front of them and adhered the sentiment panel to them. (Note that this is a different way to adhere the front panel than what Susan shows in her video.) 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Again, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful Craft-Your-Life project kits like the one I used here. 

A view of the mechanism to hold the sentiment panel:

View of the back of the card:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: entering just for inspiration as I'm on the DT 

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (4/6; ends 1/12/26)

Triple B: ATG with blooms/birds/and/or butterflies (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils with the option of anything with 4 legs (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 3: at least 3 colors (pink, yellow, and green), at least 2 shapes (rectangles and the Ornate Nesting Die shape), and at least one sentiment (3/4; ends 1/18/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG  with option: Make it Merry (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (3/3; ends 1/17/26)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (5/5; ends at the end of the month)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option to add ribbon (3/5; ends 2/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (5/5; ends 2/15/26)

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: ATG with a sentiment (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (4/4; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 1/22/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Winter animals or ATG (4/5; ends 1/15/26)

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Can You Handle The Pressure?: ATG with embossing folders with a twist of  friendship (1/3; ends 1/22/26) Top 3 Pick 1/23/26

 I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

Holiday Bicycle Shaker Card

I'm still working on Christmas thank you cards, and this one is for a dear friend who is my in-person card class buddy. She's a painter rather than a cardmaker, but she's always up for going to cardmaking classes with me! We also like to do our crafty shopping together! 

I started with a white side-folding A2 card base. I added a green card panel over the white front panel and then added a second green card panel that had been die cut with Pinkfresh Studio's Holiday Bicycle die. I love this set because the stamp stamps all of the images at once, and then the stencil set lets you ink blend over the whole panel and finally, the die cuts everything out in one pass. It's a brilliant design! 

I had previously stamped and stenciled my images to make another card (see my post here: Carrie's Custom Cards: You're So Sweet Christmas Bicycle Card). I like to do at least 2 of anything I'm stenciling and I just use the same colors so I don't have to clean the stencils between making the two (or more) images. I was originally thinking of using the stamped and stenciled panel as is for the base of this shaker card, but I liked the idea of the green behind the bike wheels, so I die cut the pieces and paper pieced them into the green background I had die cut. 

For the top of the shaker, I die cut a piece of black cardstock and added a piece of acetate behind it. Then I added foam tape around most of the elements (some of the spacing was too small to get the foam tape, but the open areas can share the shaker bits). I added shaker elements from one of my youngest daughter's recent diamond art projects. She left me all her leftover bits, and I like to use them for shaker cards. In this case, I was concerned about overloading the shaker windows, but I wish I had added more because the shaker bits don't really show up that well in the photos. I'll know for next time! Anyway, once I had added my shaker bits where I wanted them on the card front, I carefully added the top piece over the front panel to enclose everything. 

To finish the card, I stamped "So very kind of you" from Pinkfresh Studio's Heart Of Gold set. I die cut it with the coordinating die and added it to the center of the card. 

Challenges I'm entering:

January 2026 Challenge – Pinkfresh Studio: I chose December's Very Merry theme for my card (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

We Love Stamping: Something new or ATG (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

https://www.stampingsensations.uk/2026/01/january-challenge.html?m=1: Something Starting With B: bicycle (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Girlz Creative Christmas (Xmas) 🎄: Anything Christmas Goes (I hope a Christmas thank you card is permitted. Please disregard if not) (ends 1/10/26)

Peace On Earth Christmas: ATG Christmas (I hope a Christmas thank you card is permitted. Please disregard if not) (1/3; ends 1/15/26)

jingle belles: No time like the presents: I hope it's ok to use present stamps on my card rather than wrapping paper or tags (1/3; ends 1/14/26)

Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round: A or B (My card has a bicycle on it) (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Shelter: ATG or Out with the Old, In with the New (ends 1/13/26)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils with the option of anything with 4 legs (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 3: at least 3 colors (pink, red, green, and black), at least 2 shapes (5 die cut shapes), and at least one sentiment (2/4; ends 1/18/26)

Inkspirational: Shine/Shiny (my acetate window is shiny in person) (unlimited entries; ends 1/16/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG  with option: Make it Merry (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

Creative Crafting Uncles: Christmas or New Years (3/3; ends 1/14/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (2/3; ends 1/17/26)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (3/3; ends 1/8/26)

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (I used scissors to cut my foam tape) (4/5; ends at the end of the month)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option to add ribbon (2/5; ends 2/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (4/5; ends 2/15/26)

Do-Al(l) Creative - CHALLENGE BLOG: ATG with option of flag fold card (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: ATG with a sentiment (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (3/4; ends at the end of the month)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 9/15 for the challenge; ends 1/8/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Winter animals or ATG (3/5; ends 1/15/26)

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

 I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

January Your Paper Insider IG Hop Fun Fold

It's time for another DT hop for Your Paper Insider, and this month I've chosen a fun fold design I saw on Susan Campfield's YouTube channel here: Curvy Concertina Fun Fold Cards, Suestampfield Crafternoon Creative Escape December 2025. I really like how there's a curved panel in the front of the card. This card design has a lot of space to show off the pretty papers I used from Your Paper Insider, too! All papers used for this card are from YPI's box 1, 11, and 13, and I'll list them here: 

Box 1: Turquoise Cardstock, Foil Silver Metallic, and Vellum Baby Blue Shimmer
Box 11: Thai White Unryu

Box 13: Poison Ivory Curious Metallics, White Fine Lines Vellum, Aurora Origami Gift Pack, Light Blue Living Wave Gmund Vibe, Blue Raspberry Poptone French, Light Blue Non-Shed Glitter, Silver Holographic Micro Mosaic, Light Blue Mizutama Rayon

I started by creating the card base out of Turquoise cardstock. I trimmed it to 5 1/2 by 10 1/4 and scored it at 2 1/8, 3 5/8, 5 1/8, 6 5/8, and 8 1/8. Then I trimmed 2 pieces of Foil Silver Metallic cardstock to 1 7/8 by 5 1/4 and embossed them using Altenew's Layered Snowflake 3D embossing folder. Then I trimmed 2 pieces of Thia White Unryu paper that I had adhered to the back of a scrap of Holographic Silver Cosmo Swirl cardstock from Box 1 to 1 1/4 by 5 1/4 inches. For the vellum in the center, I trimmed a piece of Vellum Baby Blue Shimmer to 3 by 4 and scored it along the 3-inch side at 1/2 inch and 2 1/2 inches. I adhered the vellum piece to the center of the card. Then I adhered the embossed Foil Silver Metallic and the Thai White Unryu to the other panels. 

For the snowflakes, I used Altenew's Layered Snowflake and Layered Snowflake 2 die sets to die cut a variety of snowflakes. I adhered several together to create the snowflakes for the center panel, and then I chose a few other die cut snowflakes to add to the embossed silver panels. 

For the sentiment, I stamped "love you" from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Garden Whispers set using Versamark embossing ink and white embossing powder. Then I die cut the sentiment with the coordinating die. I added it and the layered snowflakes to the center of the card using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.  And if you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Altenew carries many versatile Craft-Your-Life project kits like the one I used for this card. 

Top view:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: entering just for inspiration as I'm on the DT 

Crafty Calendar Challenge: Winter 

Daisy Chain Challenges: Use dies (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 3: at least 3 colors (blue, gray, white, and silver), at least 2 shapes (rectangles and snowflakes), and at least one sentiment (1/4; ends 1/18/26)

Inkspirational: Shine/Shiny (unlimited entries; ends 1/16/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 1/12/26)

Can You Handle The Pressure?: Winter Blues theme and an embossing folder (2/3; ends 1/7/26)

The Crafting Challenge: Snow (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Cheers to the New Year (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 1/17/26)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of rainbow (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

fourseasons: ATG with winter (ends at the end of the month)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (2/3; ends 1/8/26)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

Moving Along With The Times: Use stencils and/or dies (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option to add ribbon (1/5; ends 2/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (3/5; ends 2/15/26)

Do-Al(l) Creative - CHALLENGE BLOG: ATG with option of flag fold card (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: ATG with shaped cards or tags (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: ATG with a sentiment (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (2/4; ends at the end of the month)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

AAA Colourful: (1/3; ends 1/14/26)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie...: I took the snowy blue background as inspiration (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 8/15 for the challenge; ends 1/8/26)

little red wagon: Use the Force (I used die cutting) (3/3; ends 1/7/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Winter animals or ATG (2/5; ends 1/15/26) Top Pick 1/17/26

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Colorful Options: 

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26