Friday, March 6, 2026

Gatefold Lock and Pop Card for Creative Creases #113

It's time for the start of a new challenge on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and for my DT card this month, I thought I would give Connie Stewart's Locking Gatefold Card a try. If you'd like to view the video tutorial I watched, I've added the link here:  ðŸ”´ Gatefold Easter Card That Locks & Pops | One Sheet Wonder Card Tutorial - YouTube.

I wanted to create a card to celebrate my newest grandson's birth. Ike made his arrival a month early, but thankfully he arrived 3 days AFTER my husband and I returned from a 2-week Caribbean cruise! It would have been so hard to wait to meet him if he had arrived before we came home! We are thanking the Lord for His protection on Ike because even though he was a month early, he is perfectly healthy and my daughter-in-law is doing well. 

I started the card by choosing a color scheme. I decided on blues and greens and picked out cardstocks and inks to work with. I followed Connie's instructions on the trimming and scoring of the card base, inner mini card, and panels to decorate everything. I made my own pattern paper using Altenew's Knit and Natter layering stamp set by randomly stamping the balls of yarn and the crochet hook in various colors to match my cardstock. I then trimmed the panel I had stamped so that I had the sizes I needed to create 6 panels of stamped paper. 

I then die cut an oval out of green cardstock and stamped a tone-on-tone pattern on it using a background stamp from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Stitched with Love project kit. The "sew happy for you" sentiment and coordinating die are from that same kit and the add-on die set. The "congrats" stamp is from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Splendid Bouquet project kit. I stamped it directly onto the green oval in black ink. Then I die cut several ball of yarn and crochet hooks using Altenew's Wonderful Wool Layering Die Set. I added one of the die cut balls of yarn to the oval. 

For the inside of the card, I created a mini card with a flap that can fold up when the card is opened, again following Connie Stewart's design. I used my Silhouette Studio Design Software to type up Psalm 139:13-14: "You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." I did a print and cut of the verse using my Silhouette Cameo 4 and then adhered that to the inside of the mini card. I added another die cut ball of yarn to the inside of the mini card. Those little balls of yarn are so fun to make! Once I had my mini card ready, I adhered it to the inside of the gatefold card base and then added the oval using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape just down the center of the oval. That way the two sides of the gatefold can tuck in under the oval to close the card.

For the back of the card, I added a couple more panels of the paper I had stamped with the Knit and Natter set to the blue layer I had added over the card base. Then I stamped "Sending blessings to your gift from heaven" from Altenew's Gift From Heaven stamp set onto white cardstock and adhered that to the back of the card. I die cut the letters for Ike's name using a retired alphabet set from Altenew (Linear Alphabet) and add those below the sentiment on the back. 

I hope you'll join the fun over on the Creative Creases Challenge blog and share your fun fold projects here: Creative Creases Challenge

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 stamp sets, layering die sets, inks, cardstocks, and other craft supplies.







Back of the card with my grandson's name:





Challenges I'm entering: 

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of fur or feathers (3/4; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (2/2; ends at the end of the month)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Something you love: I love the blessing of my grandchildren!  (5/5; ends 3/16/26)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (2/4; ends 3/29/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 3/28/26)

A Cut Above: March Challenge 2026: ATG with die cuts (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

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

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Recipe: 3 layers (the 3 strips adhered to the card base are 1 layer, the gold/pattern papers the second layer, and the oval focal point with the bouquet is the third), 2 colors (blue and green), and 1 image (wool balls); Thing 1: the oval die I used is from an old Gina Marie Designs set I've had for ages, and while the Knit and Natter stamp set is fairly new to me, the Woolen Balls die set is one I've had in my stash for some time now ("something old") (2/4; ends 3/15/26)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Make your own background (I made my own background by stamping the little balls of wool with the layering stamp set) (2/5; ends 3/9/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG or things with wings (3/8; ends at the end of the month)



Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (I used scissors to cut the foam tape for this card) (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

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

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

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 3/12/26)

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


Allsorts challenge blog: Ribbons or bows or ATG (3/6; ends 3/13/26)

Crafty Catz: ATG (4/5; ends 3/12/26)



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


Thursday, March 5, 2026

Fruits & Flowers Pink Birthday Card

I had so much fun playing with the new floral stencil set in Altenew's April Craft-Your-Life: Fruits & Flowers project kit! In addition to this pink card, I created a card using orange inks here: Carrie's Custom Cards: Fruits & Flowers Orange Birthday Card

To begin my card, I ink blended colors from the Bubblegum Dreams Fresh Dye Ink collection and the Whispering Woodland Fresh Dye Ink collection (both from Altenew) through the 3 layers of the stencil set included in the Fruits & Flowers kit onto Your Paper Insider's Cold Press Waterclor Paper. I then trimmed the panel to 4 3/4 by 6 3/4 inches. I found some coordinating glitter cardstock in YPI's Non-Shed Glitter Cardstock Assortment 24-Pack (the Magenta from the pack) and trimmed it to 5 by 7 inches. I adhered the stenciled panel to the glitter cardstock using a layer of fun foam to give some dimension to the front panel. 

For the flower centers, I added a few of Altenew's Bubblegum Dream Enamel Dots. Then for the sentiment, I die cut "birthday" using Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 die set and more Magenta Glitter cardstock for the shadow and watercolor paper I ink blended with Baby Pink Fresh Dye Ink from Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams ink family. I die cut "hugs" and its shadow using Altenew's Mini Delight: Sweet Treats set and this time I did the shadow in the ink-blended watercolor paper and the word in the Magenta Glitter Cardstock. 

I adhered the panel to a 5 by 6-inch card base I had created using YPI's UltraWhite Smooth Cardstock. 
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 would love it 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 doing some crafty shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful 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 and stand-alone layering stencil sets like the one I used here. 








Challenges I'm entering: 
Word Power: ATG with the sentiment as the focus (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

 Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Center row horizontally: layering (I used a layering stencil and have a layer behind it on the card base), encouragement, and enamel dots for the flower centers (2/3; ends 3/12/26)

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


As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Main Color and Why: I tend to go with pinks because I make a lot of feminine cards and love the soft, feminine look of pink (2/3; ends 3/11/26)

TIME OUT Challenges: CASE the birthday card: I chose the pink and green colors and the birthday theme (1/5; ends 3/18/26) C5 Congratulations on your 12th birthday! 
No more challenges.

 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


Fruits & Flowers Orange Birthday Card

I just got the Altenew's April Craft-Your-Life: Fruits & Flowers project kit in the mail today (subscribers receive their subscriptions about a month before the products are released on the Altenew website), and I decided to use the stencils in the kit to create a couple birthday cards. I made one in orange and another in pink (here's the link to the pink one: Carrie's Custom Cards: Fruits & Flowers Pink Birthday Card). I love everything in the new kit and will be making some fun cards using the fruit dies next! 

For this card, I used Altenew inks from the Whispering Woodland collection as well as Peachy Keen, Tangerine Dream, Marigold, and Firebrick inks. All papers are from Your Paper Insider and include: Bright Orange Glitter Cardstock from the Non-shed Glitter Cardstock Assortment 24-Pack, Cold Press Watercolor Paper 50-Pack, and UltraWhite Smooth Cardstock 25-Pack. 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 would love it if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.

I began by ink blending through the 3 stencils that comprise the stencil set using the inks I listed above onto watercolor paper. I then trimmed the panel to 4 3/4 by 6 3/4. I adhered that to a piece of 5 by 7 inch Bright Orange Glitter Cardstock using a piece of orange fun foam for dimension. I mounted that onto a 5 by 7-inch card base I created with the UltraWhite Smooth Cardstock. 

For the sentiment, I die cut "sending" using Altenew's Timeless Sentiments 2 die set and more of the Bright Orange Glitter Cardstock. Then I die cut "birthday" and its shadow using Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 die set and more watercolor cardstock I ink blended with Peachy Keen ink for the die cut word and more Bright Orange Glitter cardstock for the shadow. For "wishes," I used Altenew's Best Wishes Tags Die Set and more watercolor paper I ink blended with Marigold ink. The dot on the "i" is from Nuvo drops. The flower centers are also filled with Nuvo drops for a touch of dimension. 

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.  Again, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful Craft-Your-Life project kits and stand-alone layering stencil sets like the one I used here. 







Challenges I'm entering: 

Word Power: ATG with the sentiment as the focus (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

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

 Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: Glitter and/or bling + a sentiment (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of fur or feathers (2/4; ends at the end of the month)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Spring/Easter/ATG (2/2; ends 3/18/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: ATG with something in or from a garden (4/5; ends 3/9/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Something you love: I love flowers and stencils!  (4/5; ends 3/16/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 3/28/26)

A Cut Above: March Challenge 2026: ATG with die cuts (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

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

613 Avenue Create: ATG or things with wings (2/8; ends at the end of the month)



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

The Crafting Challenge: Waiting for spring (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Diva's that cut ....paper!: Celebrate Spring with Gina K. Designs, March 2026: Spring is coming (2/4; ends at the end of the month)

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

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 3/12/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (3/6; ends 3/12/26)

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


Allsorts challenge blog: Ribbons or bows or ATG (2/6; ends 3/13/26)

Crafty Catz: ATG (3/5; ends 3/12/26)

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


Triple Z-Fold Congratulations Card for Your Paper Insider

I'm part of an Instagram Hop with the DT of Your Paper Insider (YPI) today, and I created this Triple Z-Fold Card for the hop. All papers used on this fun fold are from Box #14 of YPI's quarterly specialty paper subscription. It's so fun to receive a box filled with cardstock, vellum, metallic papers, rice papers, watercolor paper, glitter paper, etc. every 3 months! 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.

To create this fun fold card, I watched a video by Tami White here: Triple Z Fold Card Fun! (Live Thursday at 7 PM ET). Tami provided the measurements and scoring instructions for the card base and panels, and I found it surprisingly easy to create once I added my adhesive to the correct part of the 3 "arms" of the card 😂. 

The papers I used are: UltraWhite Smooth Cardstock for the card base and the smaller flowers in the bouquet, Dusty Rose Yuzenshi Chiyogami for the patterned pink panels (how's that for alliteration?!), Bright Gold Brushed Metal Double-Sided for the panels I embossed with Altenew's Raised Sentiments 3D embossing folder as well as the foliage elements in the bouquet), Glama Natural Clear for the bouquet (die cut using Altenew's Parchment Bouquet die set), and Glossy Grey Beam Gmund (for the magnolia flowers in the bouquet). 

After trimming and scoring the white cardstock for the card base and the 3 "arms" to create the triple z-fold, I added the layers of gold and Dusty Rose to the base and arms. Then I die cut all the pieces for the bouquet (all the foliage and flowers were die cut from the same Parchment Bouquet die set). I was planning to add the bouquet directly to the card, but it seemed to get a bit lost because the gold die cuts didn't show up well against the embossed gold panels. I die cut an oval out of the Dusty Rose Yuzenshi Chiyogami paper and adhered the bouquet to that before adding it to the card. It helped, but honestly, if I had to do it over again, I think I would die cut a white oval and use the Dusty Rose paper for the flowers. 

To finish the card, I embossed and die cut the word "congratulations" using more of the Bright Gold Brushed Metal Double-Sided cardstock. This is a wedding card for a young woman who calls me Aunt Carrie and my husband Uncle Greg because our families are so close and our children grew up camping and hanging out together. 

If you're on Instagram, I hope you'll check out my post and hop along to see what the other DT members have created. My instagram handle is @carriesheridan.70.

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 layering die sets and unique embossing folders like the ones I've used on my card. 






Here's a look at the card when closed:





Here's a view from above the card to show the fold a little better:


Challenges: 
Creative Creases Challenge: ATG with fun fold projects. I'm on the DT and just playing for fun

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Main Color and Why: I tend to go with pinks because I make a lot of feminine cards and love the soft, feminine look of pink (1/3; ends 3/11/26)

Cardz 4 Galz: Embossing (heat or dry) (1/3; ends 3/18/26)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of fur or feathers (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Spring/Easter/ATG (1/2; ends 3/18/26)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (1/2; ends at the end of the month)

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

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Something you love: I love weddings!  (3/5; ends 3/16/26)


Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Center row vertically: Pastels, encouragement, and interactive element (the strips pop up when the card is opened) (1/3; ends 3/12/26)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/4; ends 3/29/26)

The Paper Shelter: ATG or embossing (1/2; ends 3/11/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 3/28/26)

A Cut Above: March Challenge 2026: ATG with die cuts (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

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

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Recipe: 3 layers (the 3 strips adhered to the card base are 1 layer, the gold/pattern papers the second layer, and the oval focal point with the bouquet is the third), 2 colors (yellow, pink, and a little green on the pattern paper), and 1 image (a bouquet); Thing 1: the Parchment Bouquet set and Raised Sentiments 3D embossing folder are both items that have been sitting in my stash for quite awhile ("something old") (1/4; ends 3/15/26)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Make your own background (I made my own background by embossing the gold cardstock) (1/5; ends 3/9/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG or things with wings (1/8; ends at the end of the month)



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

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

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

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (I used scissors to cut the foam tape for this card and also to help trim out some of my die cuts that were having trouble coming out of the thick gold paper) (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

March 2026 Monthly Mood Board Challenge: The spring colors in my card match the spring theme and pinks and yellows in the moodboard (ends at the end of the month)

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

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love Challenges Blog: This is a wedding card (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Diva's that cut ....paper!: Celebrate Spring with Gina K. Designs, March 2026: Spring is coming (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

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

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 3/12/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (2/6; ends 3/12/26)

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


Can You Handle The Pressure?: ATG with embossing folders with an optional twist of sympathy (1/3; ends 3/11/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Ribbons or bows or ATG (I have a small bow on my bouquet 😃) (1/6; ends 3/13/26)

Crafty Catz: ATG (2/5; ends 3/12/26)


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





Saturday, February 28, 2026

Rocktrumpet Birthday Card

I needed a birthday card for one of my cousins, and I had been playing with Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Rocktrumpet set, so I thought I'd stamp, die cut and stencil another of the floral focal points for this card. I watercolored a background using Altenew's Artists' Watercolor Quinacridone Magenta and let it dry. Meanwhile, I stamped the Rocktrumpets using embossing ink and Altenew's clear embossing powder. I heat set it and then ink blended the flowers and leaves using Altenew's Dried Petals and Whispering Woodlands Fresh Dye Inks. 

To create the card base, I trimmed a piece of white cardstock to create a 5 1/2 by 7-inch card. It's a little wider than a standard 5 by 7-inch card, but this is a large floral stamp, and even with the extra width, I had to cut off the flower on the left side of the stamp and trim the leaves. I then layered a piece of gray cardstock followed by the layer of watercolored cardstock. 

I decided to add some gray marker to the edges and white spaces of the stamped image to coordinate with the gray layer and then I stamped "happy birthday" from Altenew's Bouquet of Poppies set using embossing ink and white embossing powder. After heat setting it, I die cut it using Altenew's Ornate Nesting dies and then die cut the next size up from the watercolor paper. 

To finish the card front, I added the floral focal point using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in 1/2-inch width by 1/8th-inch thickness and then added the birthday sentiment using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in the 1-inch width by 1/16-inch thickness so it could be tucked in the corner slightly underneath the flowers. 

For the inside of the card, I used a Spellbinders stamp to stamp "Filled with the happiest birthday wishes" onto the same gray cardstock I used on the front of the card. I then die cut the sentiment with a tag from Altenew's Best Wishes Tags die set. I added it to the center of the inside panel and then added the flower and leaves I had trimmed off from the front panel. 

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 beautiful floral stamp sets and watercolor supplies like the ones I've used here. 








Inside the card:




Challenges I'm entering: 


Crafter's Cafe: ATG (ends 3/11/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/6; ends 3/12/26)

A Place To Start: ATG with optional twist of Small Critters (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

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

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Use dies or punches (ends 3/3/26)



simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Whatever the weather (2/5; ends 3/2/26)

No more challenges. 

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





 

Friday, February 27, 2026

Stitches of Joy Card

A good friend of mine is as passionate about quilting as I am about cardmaking, so I was excited to create a sewing-themed card for her birthday using Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Stitched with Love project kit. It's such a fun set of products! I combined it with papers from Your Paper Insider's Box #14 to create this birthday card. 

For my card, I started by trimming a piece of Light Blue Via Felt Stationery to 4 1/4 by 5 1/2. I used this piece of lightweight paper to do my colorblocking on. I added glue tape to the panel and then adhered the following papers to create the three "fabrics" I stitched together for the card: Dahlia ColorWheel Spellbinders, Beeswax ColorWheel Spellbinders, and White Hemp Flower Tissue adhered to Touche Saffron for stability. I trimmed off the excess of each color so that my panel was the original 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inch size. 

To create the look of stitching, I used 2 of the long stitching stamps in the Stitched with Love kit in Altenew's Stampwheel 2.0. Then I die cut the pieces for the buttons, needle and thread, and scissors. I added them to the card and decided where I wanted my sentiment. I die cut "celebrate" using Altenew's Timeless Sentiments 2 die set and Glama Natural Clear for the sentiment shadow and more Dahlia ColorWheel Spellbinders for the word. I die cut the word 3 times and stacked them together for dimension. 

To finish the card, I stamped "sending you stitches of joy" from the same set and trimmed the sentiment to create a strip to place under the "celebrate" sentiment. I used Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape to adhere the small sentiment strip. 

All papers used for this card are from Your Paper Insider (YPI) box #14 (which is currently shipping with a subscription to YPI's quarterly mystery box of specialty cardstocks). 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: Your Paper Insider. And if you're interested in doing some crafty shopping at Altenew, I'd really appreciate it 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 like the Stitched with Love project kit I used here. 





Challenges I'm entering: 
Crafter's Cafe: ATG (ends 3/11/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Something you love: I birthdays! They are one of my favorite occasions to make cards for! (3/5; ends 3/16/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Animal Magic (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with optional twist of Small Critters (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

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

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 3/4/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Use dies or punches (ends 3/3/26)



Crafty Catz: ATG (1/3; ends 3/12/26)

No more challenges. 

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


 

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Sending Hugs Mini Side Pillar Fun Fold

My youngest daughter is currently deployed on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East, and I try to send her a care package each week with homemade foods I've freeze dried and packaged in mylar bags to send to her. All she has to do is add hot water to rehydrate the meals, and she has shared how much she loves eating her favorite meals while so far from home. I always include a handmade card in each box of course, and this time, it's a bright and cheerful card made with Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Honeycomb Haven project kit.

For the fun fold design, I followed a tutorial by Connie Stewart on Youtube. Here's the link with the instructions and measurements if you'd like to try this Mini Side Pillar fun fold: ðŸ”´ The Card That Makes Everyone Go WOW! Mini Side Pillar Tutorial

I started by adding orange ink to the honeycomb patterned 3D embossing folder in the project kit and running it through my die cutting machine with orange cardstock. Then I added clear embossing powder to the paper and heat set the embossing powder to give the honeycomb pattern the look of shiny honey in its hexagons. I trimmed the panel to fit the front and back sides of the pillar and adhered the pieces to the green card base. 

For the panels with the flowers and bees, I used the layering stencil set from the project kit and stenciled a couple of the backgrounds using inks from Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams, Pocketful of Sunshine, Whispering Woodlands, and Warm and Cozy ink collections. Then I die cut one of the backgrounds using the coordinating die that die cuts all the elements from the stenciled panel at once. I trimmed the other stenciled background to fit the panel on the right side of the card and the smaller panel that goes on the pillar. 

The sentiments are also from the Honeycomb Haven project kit. I stamped "miss you" onto the smaller stenciled panel and then stamped and die cut "sending hugs" on green cardstock and added it to the panel on the right side of the card. I added a die cut bee to the smaller panel to finish the front of the card. 

For the back of the card, I layered orange and white cardstock and added a small flower and leaves from the stenciled background I had die cut earlier. This is where I wrote my message to my daughter. 

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 like the Honeycomb Haven project kit I used here. 


Top view:


Back of the card:



Challenges I'm entering: 
Creative Creases #112 - February 6th through March 5th: ATG with fun folds; I'm on the DT so joining in just for fun 

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

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

Ally's Angels: ATG (ends 3/12/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 3/12/26)

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

Crafter's Cafe: ATG (ends 3/11/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Something you love: I love bees! They remind me of my grandfather who kept bees and gave me honey when I was little (2/5; ends 3/16/26)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of Animal Magic (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Embossing or ATG (4/5; ends 2/26/26)

A Place To Start: ATG with optional twist of Small Critters (5/8; ends at the end of the month) Rising Star honors for February week 4 

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG or pastels (5/6; ends at the end of the month)

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

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Use dies or punches (ends 3/3/26)


simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Whatever the weather (1/5; ends 3/2/26)

The Paper Shelter: ATG with optional twist of embossing (1/2; ends 3/10/26)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils or create your own background (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 1: 3 colors: yellow, orange, green; 2 patterned papers: I created my own pattern papers by embossing a honeycomb pattern on one and stenciling a background on the other (Please delete if this is not allowed); 1 dry or heat embossed element: I dry embossed and heat embossed the honeycomb background using an embossing folder with ink and then adding clear embossing powder and then heat setting it (1/4; ends 3/1/26)

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Diagonal from the bottom left to top right: texture (embossed panels), ink blending (through the stencil set), and red/pink (pink flower on the front panel on the far right) (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