You Are Im-peck-able Gatefold Card

My youngest daughter who is serving in the Navy and is currently deployed on an aircraft carrier has been working hard and recently earned a new qualification, so I thought I'd make her a fun card to congratulate her. We live in a rural area and have chickens, so when I saw the Spellbinders Spring Chicken stamp and die set, I knew I had to buy it and use it to make her a card! 

I started by making a gatefold A2 card. Then I die cut the chickens, chicks, nest, eggs, and little cap and apron. I assembled everything and chose some cute cardstock that has chicken feet on it! Then I trimmed some panels out of brown cardstock and used an old Cuttlebug embossing folder with a chicken wire pattern on it. I assembled the card and then stamped and die cut the "congratulations" sentiment using a stamp and coordinating die from Altenew's August 2026 Build-A-Garden: Softly Sketched Blooms. For the inside of the card, I stamped the "you're im-peck-able" sentiment from the Spellbinders set and added another chicken and chicks to decorate the inside of the card. 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: ATG with a fun fold project. I'm on the DT and sharing just for fun. 

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of any holiday (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

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

The Creative Crafters: ATG (3/3; ends 7/8/26)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of shape card (3/5; ends 8/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (3/5; ends 8/15/26)

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

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

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 6/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something starting with "B": I have birds (ends 7/7/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option of blooms (ends 7/12/26)

Crafty Animals: ATG with animals/birds/etc. (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Critter Crazy CHALLENGE BLOG: atg with critters (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 7/19/26)

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

4th of July Rocker C

When I need to mass produce cards, I love the convenience of using my Silhouette Cameo and a cut file like the one from My Scrap Chick that I used for these 4th of July rocker cards. I adjusted the sizing in my Silhouette Design Studio software and then chose some fun patriotic cardstock and matching red, white, and blue cardstock and got to work cutting out all the pieces for the cards and assembling them. I created just over 200 cards because my mom sends out 160 cards for most holidays and hires me to make them for her, and then I send out about 50 cards of my own. 

The "Red, white, and boom" sentiment on the front is part of the file from My Scrap Chick, but the "happy 4th of July" sentiment is from Miss Kate Cuttables. I love using print and cut on my Silhouette machine as I can create custom sentiments or download ones like the ones I've used here. 

Wishing all my US friends a safe and fun 4th of July weekend! 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: ATG with a fun fold project. I'm on the DT and sharing just for fun. 

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

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of shape card (4/5; ends 8/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (4/5; ends 8/15/26)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (4/5; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 7/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something starting with "B": I have the color blue and the word "boom" on my cards (ends 7/7/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option of blooms (ends 7/12/26)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Stars and/or stripes (2/5; ends 7/6/26)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (3/3; ends 7/19/26)

613 Avenue Create; ATG with option of any holiday (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie...: Red, white, and blue (1/5; 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

 

 

Blue Jay Z-Fold Card

My father-in-law's birthday is coming up soon, and I thought I would make him a fun fold birthday card featuring blue jays. I used Altenew's Cardinal Love layering die set for the birds and branch on this card, and I just used blue cardstocks to make them look like blue jays. 

For the card base, I trimmed a piece of white cardstock to 4 1/4 by 11. Then I scored it at 2 3/4 and at 5 1/2 inches to create the z-fold base. Then I trimmed some Spellbinders pattern paper with stars on it to 1/8-inch smaller dimensions to fit all the panels. I used the same white cardstock and starry cardstock for the smaller card on the right side of the card, too. 

I added my blue jays and branch to the front of the smaller card using Altenew's 1/8-inch thick and 1/4-inch wide Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

For the inside of the card, I die cut "happy" and its shadow using Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 die set and then used my Nelko label maker and transparent tape to create the "BIRD-day" sentiment. 

To finish the card, I added a few star gems to the front of 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 products and has great weekly sales. 

Challenges I'm entering:

Creative Creases Challenge: ATG with a fun fold project. I'm on the DT and sharing just for fun. 

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of any holiday (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Birthday (ends 7/8/26)

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

The Creative Crafters: ATG (2/3; ends 7/8/26)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of shape card (2/5; ends 8/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (2/5; ends 8/15/26)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

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

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 5/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

Crafty Catz: ATG (5/5; ends 7/3/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something starting with "B": I have a bird and blooms (ends 7/7/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option of blooms (ends 7/12/26)

Crafty Animals: ATG with animals/birds/etc. (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Critter Crazy CHALLENGE BLOG: atg with critters (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Crafting from the Art challenge: ATG (3/3; ends 7/8/26)

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

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Stars and/or stripes (1/5; ends 7/6/26)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (2/3; ends 7/19/26)

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

Happy BIRD-Day Fun Fold For Creative Creases #117

It's time for a new challenge on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and I pulled out my Altenew Craft-Your-Life: Whispers in the Canopy project kit to create this fun fold birthday card. I followed a tutorial on YouTube by Julie Baca of Sunny Day Stamping here: The Secret to Using Landscape Paper in Fun Fold Cards. I love interactive cards that have hidden panels for the recipient to discover! They are so fun! I'd love to see your fun fold projects in the Creative Creases Challenge gallery here: Creative Creases Challenge. It's always anything goes with a fun fold project on the CCC blog, and it's a great place for fun fold inspiration. 😊

To start my card, I chose the inks I wanted to use for the stencil set in the Whispers in the Canopy set, and then I chose my coordinating cardstock accordingly. Since I ink blended the stencil set using Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams and Whispering Woodland ink collections, I decided to use pink for the card base and green for the layers behind my stenciled panels. I added some of Altenew's Antique Gold Shimmer Relief Paste for the flower centers while stenciling the background. I love the touch of shine that gives to the background! 

I trimmed the stenciled panels according to Julie Baca's instructions and matted them onto the green layers. Then I adhered them to the pink fun fold card base. 

I trimmed another strip of the pink cardstock to be my sentiment strip that doubles as a strip to provide stability to the side layers when they open up. I used my Nelko label maker and transparent tape to create the "Happy BIRD-day" sentiment strip, and then I placed it on the pink strip leaving enough room for my bird. The bird was die cut from the same Whispers in the Canopy project kit as the stencil. The kit includes a large stamp set, a stencil set, a coordinating embossing folder, and a die set that creates 2 birds, 2 birdhouses, a branch, and a couple sets of leaves. I ink blended the layers of the bird and the 2 leaf clusters and then added them to the center section of the sentiment strip. The sentiment strip is adhered to the back of the two side panels. This allows the side panels to lift simultaneously.

For the inside of the card, I trimmed more of the stenciled background and matted the pieces to green cardstock. Then I trimmed a piece of green cardstock for the center of the inside of the card and added a layer of pink cardstock on top. I stamped "hope your day is" from Altenew's Build-A-Flower: Camellia Japonica and then stamped "eggcellent" from Sunny Studio's A Good Egg stamp set onto cream cardstock and trimmed and adhered it to the inside panel, leaving room for the nest. 

I created the cute little nest and eggs using Altenew's Mini Delight: Nestled Whimsy set. I die cut the layers out of white cardstock and ink blended them using Altenew's Dessert Dreams ink collection. I adhered everything together and then added the nest and eggs between the lines of my sentiment.

For a finishing touch, I added some flat-back gold embellishments to the front of 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 products and has great weekly sales. 

Challenges I'm entering:

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

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (4/5; ends 7/6/26)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Birthday (ends 7/8/26)

The Pick 3 Challenge: Choose 3: Ink blending, sparkle, and sentiment (1/6; ends 7/18/26)

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

The Creative Crafters: ATG (1/3; ends 7/8/26)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of shape card (1/5; ends 8/15/26)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (1/5; ends 8/15/26)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

Moving Along With The Times: Use a coloring medium (I used ink blending) (1/3; 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)

Allsorts challenge blog: Bees, blooms, or birds or ATG (5/5; ends 7/3/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

Crafty Catz: ATG (4/5; ends 7/3/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something starting with "B": I have a bird and blooms (ends 7/7/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (2/8; ends 7/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option of blooms (ends 7/12/26)

Crafty Animals: ATG with animals/birds/etc. (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Critter Crazy CHALLENGE BLOG: atg with critters (1/3; 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)

Crafting from the Art challenge: ATG (2/3; ends 7/8/26)

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

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: I followed the birthday theme (ends 7/21/26)

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 Birthday Card

July is a big month for birthdays in my extended family, so I have been working on birthday cards the last few days. This one features Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Whispers in the Canopy project kit. I used the stencils in the kit to create the background for this card. The inks I used were Altenew's Bubblegum Dreams and Whispering Woodland ink collections. I used Altenew's Antique Gold Shimmer Relief Paste for the flower centers. 

After creating the stenciled panel, I die cut the little bird out of white cardstock and then ink blended him using shades of blue and black for his eyes, beak, and feet. Then I die cut the "happy birthday" words and shadows out of the Citrine glitter cardstock from Altenew's Gilded Glitter Cardstock set and the same pink cardstock I used for the card base. 

I ink blended the edges of a white panel to match my blue bird and adhered the stenciled panel to it. Then I adhered the panel to the pink card base and added the sentiment and the little bird. I used several die cut layers stacked together to give the sentiment some dimension and then added Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape to my bird to pop him up and make him look like he's resting on the end of the word "happy." 

To finish the card, I added 6 flat back gold embellishments. 

Challenges I'm entering:

June 2026 Inspiration Challenge | Altenew: 

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Color Combo and Why: I love pink, green, and teal together because I think they are so cheerful and fun! (3/3; ends 7/2/26)

Cut It Up: Critters (3/3; ends 7/6/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Bees, blooms, or birds or ATG (4/5; ends 7/3/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (3/5; ends 7/1/26)

Crafty Catz: ATG (3/5; ends 7/3/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: Bees, blooms, or birds or ATG (3/5; ends 7/3/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something starting with "B": I have a bird and blooms (ends 7/7/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/8; ends 7/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option of blooms (ends 7/12/26)

Crafting from the Art challenge: ATG (1/3; ends 7/8/26)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: I followed the birthday theme (ends 7/21/26)

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: First Row Down: Floral, Pink, Birthday

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

Sending an Ocean Of Thanks Card

I'm having so much fun with Altenew's ocean-themed products in their June release! This card features the Mini Delight: Graceful Seahorse set, and I just love the stamps and dies in this darling set! 

I started by creating a blue background using watercolor paper and blue watercolors from Altenew's 24-Pan Watercolor set. I trimmed the panel to fit inside an A2 shaker pocket I created using vellum and a die from Miss Ink Stamps Postage, Seal, and Shaker Collection. I added adhesive to 3 sides of the pocket and adhered the pocket to the blue watercolor panel. Then I added gold glitter and gold and iridescent sequins to the pocket and closed the final flap to seal the shaker pocket. 

For the front of the shaker pocket, I die cut the seahorse and seaweed using the Mini Delight: Graceful Seahorse set and papers I had used Lindy's Magicals on. I assembled the seahorse and added the die cuts using liquid glue for the seaweed and Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape for the seahorse. 

To finish the card, I stamped "sending an ocean of thanks" from the same Graceful Seahorse set onto a scrap of watercolor paper I had used Lindy's Magicals on and adhered that to the card front. 

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 products and has great weekly sales. 

Close up:

 Challenges I'm entering: 

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: At the beach (3/5; ends 6/29/26)

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Fish/Sea Creatures (3/3; ends 7/5/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: By the Sea (3/5; ends 7/12/26)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Color Combo and Why: I love pinks, oranges, and teals together because I think they are so cheerful and fun! (2/3; ends 7/2/26)

Cut It Up: Critters (2/3; ends 7/6/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (2/5; ends 7/1/26)

little red wagon: Feather, Fur, and Fin (3/3; ends 7/1/26)

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

Sea You Soon Card

My ocean-themed card started with watercoloring a background and then embossing it with Altenew's Mighty Waves 3D embossing folder. I would have been smarter to stamp the sentiment before embossing the panel, but thankfully with my MISTI stamp positioner, I could stamp the sentiment a few times to get a clear impression of the "sea you soon!" sentiment even though I used watercolor paper and had embossed the panel. 

I die cut Altenew's Creative Cuts: Zero Waste: Beneath the Blue die using silver cardstock and then arranged the die cuts to create an ocean scene. This set creates so many wonderful pieces! It's a very intricate die, so I recommend using a metal shim with it. That really helped me get clean die cuts. I used some liquid glue and some of Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape when creating the underwater scene to create layers of dimension on the card. 

This card was meant for my daughter who is currently deployed on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East. I had planned to send it in her care package next week because that was going to be my last care package of this deployment and the "sea you soon" was a fitting sentiment. Then I found out this morning that her deployment has been extended for a third time, so I'll send a different card and keep this one for the last package. She recently passed her Air Warfare qualification, so I will make her a congratulations card and go back to making and freeze drying her favorite meals so I can support her in that small way.

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 products like the ones I've used here. They offer weekly specials, too! 

 Challenges I'm entering: 

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: At the beach (2/5; ends 6/29/26)

Cut It Up: Critters (1/3; ends 7/6/26)

Alphabet Challenge Blog: E is for Embossing (1/1; ends 7/9/26)

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Fish/Sea Creatures (2/3; ends 7/5/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: By the Sea (2/5; ends 7/12/26)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 7/8/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of summer fun (unlimited; ends 7/12/26)

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

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (1/5; ends 7/1/26)

little red wagon: Feather, Fur, and Fin (2/3; ends 7/1/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Something beginning with B (I have bubbles on my card) (1/3; ends 7/8/26)

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