Geranium Gatefold Birthday Card

July is a big month for birthdays in my family, so I've been making a lot of fun birthday cards. I made this gatefold card for my sister-in-law's birthday earlier this week. 

I started my card by creating a sand-colored gatefold card base that was 5 by 7 inches. Then, I used  Altenew's Phthalo Green from the Palette Perfection Artists' Watercolor Tube Bundle to paint watercolor cardstock. After it dried, I trimmed the painted cardstock to fit both sides of the gatefold and embossed the panels using the 3D embossing folder from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Elegant Motifs set. I layered orange cardstock behind the green panels. 

I used Altenew's Stencil Art: Painted Geraniums and coordinating die set to create 2 of the Painted Geraniums. I added one to the front of the card to see where I needed to cut it and then used my paper trimmer to cut the image into 2 sections for the gatefold panels. I added the image with Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. Then I stamped "Happy Birthday" from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Bewitching Rose project kit and trimmed the words to then pop up on foam tape on the front panels of the card. To finish the front of the card, I trimmed some of the second Painted Geraniums image to fit on the front of the orange belly band I created to hold the card shut. 

For the inside of the card, I stamped the floral image from the same Bewitching Rose set I used for the sentiment onto orange cardstock using Altenew's Orange Cream Crisp Dye Ink. I stamped part of the image on the top left and part of the image on the bottom right. Then I added more pieces of the Painted Geranium image that I trimmed to fit the other corners. I finished the inside by stamping "have a lovely day" from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Casual Bouquets project kit. 

My sister-in-law loved her card when I took her out to lunch to celebrate her birthday, and she was especially delighted that I brought her a bag of sweet cherries I had picked at an orchard near my house the day before. It's cherry season in my area of Michigan right now, and I can eat them like candy! I feel like sweet cherries are a hug straight from the Lord! 

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases #105: ATG with a fun fold project (I'm on the DT so just entering this card for fun)

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

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 7/17/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Emboss it (1/5; ends 7/16/25)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with option of using  your flag colors 

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

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Fun with paint (1/5; ends 7/14/25)

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

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 7/18/25)

We Love to Create mixed media Challenge Blog...sponsored by Polkadoodles: ATG (1/2; ends at the end of the month)

 Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (5/6; ends 7/12/25)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: For a child or ATG (1/5; ends 7/17/25)

Do-Al(l) Creative - CHALLENGE BLOG: #103 - Gate Fold Card: ATG with option of Gatefold card (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week Foliage, layers, flowers (3/3; ends 7/17/25)

fourseasons: ATG Summer (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)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with optional Mixed Media (3/5; ends at the end of August)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (3/5; ends at the end of August)

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

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 7/12/25)

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

Art Impressions Blog: SPRITZ, SPLATTER AND PAINT! Challenge #407 (2/2; ends 7/16/25)