Here’s a card I did for a challenge on a demonstrator website (Sudsol). The card is a box card. It’s an 8 x 8 square that is scored at 4 and 4 ( 4 inches on both sides) and then one section is scored diagonally. You cut one score line to the middle and then glue it together to make a box. 
Here’s a few tips and tricks if you try this style of card. Make sure you put the inside sentiment low enough that it isn’t covered by the swinging portion when it’s open! (Ask me how I know.) The bird on the inside is from Punch Potpourri and was stamped twice. One punch is the bird’s body – just as it is suppose to be – and then I moved my punch on the second image and punched a wing out of the body.
I definitely have a hard time using just one stamp set on a card (this one uses 4 set!) I will try to get better.
Supplies
Stamp Sets – Just Believe, Cheep Talk, Punch Potpourri, FYI
card stock – Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink – Marina Mist, Old Olive, Basic Black, Bashful Blue
Ect – 5/8 White satin ribbon, Lattice Square embossing folder, pearls, Itty Bitty flower punch, 2 step bird punch, 2 1/2 circle punch
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Category: Techniques
Paper Piecing Flowers
I saw a paper pieced design in Papercrafts magazine and immediately tried it with Awash with Flowers. 
I don’t own a butterfly that lends itself to paper piecing so I die cut the butterfly in Regal Rose and Rose Red with the Butterfly emboslit, layered them together and folded them in half (at a slight angle.) A Dimensional keeps the wings separated.
Stamp Sets – Awash with Flowers, Playful Pieces (butterfly body), Three Little Words
card stock – Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Rose Red
DSP – Old Olive, So Saffron
Ink – Basic Black
Ect – corner rounded, Lace Ribbon punch,
If you’re new to paper piecing, stamp your image(s) on your card stock and then stamp it again on your DSP. Cut out the DSP and use your 2 way glue pen or Tombow Multipurpose glue to adhere the pieces on to your card. Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Paper Piecing Bitty Birthday
I enjoy paper piecing – and I enjoy using up small scraps of Designer Series paper. It makes me feel less guilty about all the scraps around here! These three cards all use the Bitty Birthday stamp set, paper piecing technique and the same layout.
I stamped the shopping bags on the card and then again on scraps of the Sweet Pea DSP. Cut the bags out of the DSP and layer over the images on the card. The tags have small dots of Crystal Effects on them to highlight the little flowers on the tags.
Stamp Set – Bitty Birthday
card stock – Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Sweet Pea Designer Series paper, Pretty in Pink
ink – Basic Black
Stampin Write Markers – Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue
ect – Bashful Blue grosgrain ribbon, Modern Label punch, Word Window Punch, Scallop Edge punch, Bashful Blue brads, Crystal Effects
This is the same layout turned upside down.
Stamp Set – Bitty Birthday
card stock – Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Good Neighbor Designer Series
paper, Bermuda Bay
ink – Basic Black
Stampin Write Markers – Basic Black
ect – Melon Mambo ribbon, Modern Label punch, Word Window
Punch, Scallop Edge punch, Pretty in Pink brads,
And here it is turned on it’s side. To make the cake tall I stamped the cake image onto the card and then stacked the paper pieced pieces until I reached the height that I wanted. Using my Stamp a ma jig, I was able to get the candles on top.
Stamp Set – Bitty Birthday, On Your Birthday
card stock – Whisper White, Bermuda Bay,Good Neighbors Designer Series
paper,
ink – Basic Black
Stampin Write Markers – Pumpkin Pie (candle flame)
ect – Bermuda Bay ribbon, Modern Label punch, Word Window
Punch, Scallop Edge punch
Happy Stampin’! Hugs, Fran
Night of Navy Magic
I showed a sample of the Black Magic technique a few days ago using, well, black. While I still had my supplies out, I did one in Night of Navy. It reminds me of a plate that my aunt painted for me many years ago – a sort of folk or Amish type of painting. (Does anyone know what it is called?) So I stamped the image from the hostess set Wings of Friendship on Night of Navy and went to work!
The scallop is from the Circles, Scallop #2 die and the circle is made with the Circle Scissors.
Stamp Set – Wings of Friendship
card stock – Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White
ink – White Craft
Stampin Write Markers – Basic Black, Real Red
ect – Watercolor pencils, Circles Scallop #2, Circle Scissors, 1 1/4 circle punch, white gel pen.
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Black Magic
Here’s an oldie but goodie technique – Black Magic. You stamp your black card stock with White Craft ink and let it dry. You can use a heat gun to speed up the process but make sure the ink is completely dry before you start the next step. Color over the Craft ink with your Watercolor Pencils and highlight with your White Gel pen. It’s a beautiful technique that gives a very different look to your images.
Stamp Set – Music Expressions
card stock – Basic Black, Whisper White, Rose Red
Ink – White Craft
ect – Watercolor pencils, scallop trim border punch, Rose Red brads, white gel pen
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Making a Kind Word Window
Many of you have asked how to cut the card stock for the window on this card – 
Cut your Whisper White card stock 3 1/4 x 4 and stamp the image in the bottom right hand corner. Measure across the bottom of the piece (the 3 1/4 side) and cut at 1 5/8. Then measure from the bottom up and cut at 1 1/2.
Mat on a 4 1/4 x 3 1/2 piece of card stock. You can make lots of images fits in a window. The biggest thing to remember is to not cut through someone’s face! Have fun making window cards! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Turning a Negative into a Positive
After I finished this page I noticed something about the Swirly die – it can be used two ways! So I grab the Delicate Dots DSP still sitting on my desk and made this to share.
Not the most brilliant page – but I wanted you to see how the negative of the Swirly strip can be used to make a wave border! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Playful Petals
We’re scrapbooking tonight and here’s the layout we’ll follow. This uses the Delicate Dots DSP (available during Sale a bration – hurry, hurry!) and the Playful Petals stamp set. The little flowers are stamped 3 times on the different papers and pieced together. This is an easy imagine to cut out so it makes piecing this flower together much easier than it looks. The vine is a Sizzix strip in Certainly Celery and the letters are the Natural Serif in Bashful Blue. 
To keep the flower pieces open I inserted half a Dimensional all the way down in the center.
Here’s a simple card – paper pieced in the same way.
The colors are straight from the color wheel – Garden Green, Orchid Opulence, Summer Sun and Real Red! I would have never put those together! But you have to trust “the wheel!” Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Testurz Plates
I love the Texturz Plates! They add such a nice dimension to any project. Here’s a card I did using the retired Serene Spring and the little dots plate. (Notice the sentiment)
I stamped the sentiment (All Holidays) and punched it out with the wide oval punch. It’s fine – but it kind of sticks out. So I tried something else – I made an oval space for the sentiment.
To do this I punched 2 ovals using the wide oval punch
Adhere then together and place on your card front. Don’t adhere it to the card front – use just a touch of Dotto – the least amount you can use – really – this is important!
Run this through your Big Shot using the Texturz Plate (oval face down on the Plate.)
Carefully lift off the oval. If you’ve used too much Dotto it will tear the card stock underneath. If this happens, use your sanding block to sand the rough spot (don’t ask me how I know this! 
Use your Stamp a ma jig to stamp the sentiment (Bunny Hugs, retired) in the oval. Voila! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Technique Time, Dude!
The Try a New Technique challenge today was called Ink, Spray and Smash! The title alone made me think of the So Cool set!
Cut the Night of Navy 4 1/4 x 11 to make this card. Then add a Close to Cocoa piece that is 4 x 5 1/4 and a glossy piece that is 3 3/4 x 5. The directions for the technique said you could use photo paper – but I tried it and didn’t have very much success. It worked better for me with glossy card stock. The angled band was pierced on each long edge, adhered to the card and then trimmed off. Everything was roughed up with the cutter kit and then sponged with ink. Not sure who I can send this to – my son has vetoed any of HIS friends! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran