Teabag Folding Card - Learning Again!

It was time to go back to my roots again - well where I started making cards once I branched out from straight computer cards. I chuckle when I think about it now.  Remember when printing cards on the computer with all of those programs were all the rage and we were so proud of ourselves for "making cards"???  Don't get me wrong - those programs were great and I still use them on occasion for printing the inside of my cards.  But the transitions were interesting. I belonged to a cardmaking group in the mid 90s - and we shared things we were doing.  It started with using glitter glue on the cards and making bookmarks that were attached to the card with perforated scoring so it could be detached - so many fun things.  But when I tired of that, I turned to the Dutch papercrafting that still intrigues me. I loved learning different things and I still love returning to these very hands on crafts from years ago.

I haven't done any teabag folding in years - okay if the truth be known it it at least a DECADE!  So I had to
"re-teach" myself when I decided to try it again. I am not sure what got me thinking about it, but when I explored the internet I was amazed at how much was still out there. There is even a website that will take any image and turn it into a page of teabag tiles whatever size you want..  So there is no limit to what can be created.  For those who are not familiar with teabag folding, it is done by basically taking a square shape, folding it into a different configuration and then repeating that with other squares and interlocking them into a final shape, usually called a medallion.

One of the 2 1/2" squares  printed from the internet.

 Is that as confusing as it sounded??  If all of the squares have the same pattern then the design has a very defined look, like the image I used in the card below. But you can also use gift wrap, newspaper, random patterns and create an entirely different effect.  I plan to do more folding in the future and share some of the interesting options with you.

For this card, most of the papers used were from Paper Temptress.  The white backing and lacey leaf frame are from the luster canvas line - I love how textural it looks.  The frame is from Monica's lacey frames.  Most of her patterns are very detailed and they cut beautifully on the Silver Bullet Professional.  The teabag was printed from a jpg file I found and converted into a sheet of 12 tiles or squares. I only used 8 for this medallion.

This is the beginning of the folding.  The final pattern is determined

by how it is folded, so you want to be sure all are folded 

with the same pattern visible..

Spotlighting the center so you can see the intricacy of the lace frame and also 

some of the detail in the medallion.  If I flipped it over, it would have a different appearance.

It is really quite easy and fun to do.  I used a blue Spectrum Noir marker to color a clear crystal to complement the color of the card base and then put some Wink of Stella clear glitter over it for a bit of sparkle.  The purple striped iridescent ribbon is also from Paper Temptress.

I love the texture of the Luster paper...

I learned a lot while playing with this technique again and am eager to practice and share more.

This was made for a very special friend who has had quite a difficult month. I am hoping it will make her smile and bring a little cheer into her day.  She brings sunshine into all the lives of those she touches.

The final product. I hope it travels well!

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A Special Birthday!

All of a sudden, October had become a VERY busy month for family and friend greeting cards.  So you will be seeing a lot of sharing this month, and I will try to be more creative and try some new things.  I am definitely in the mood to stretch my wings - a little! :)

This first card is the "negative" of a tulip frame card that I featured here.  If you scroll down in that post to the red and gold tulip framed card , you will be reminded of that beautiful file from Monica - and that was the positive or main image.

Well guess what?  Yep  - I saved the negative image with double sided adhesive attached just waiting for the right person or occasion - and it happened!  I have a dear friend, who recently moved from our city to Las Vegas.  So now she is amid the bright lights and dazzle of that most interesting city!!  And I know I have not lost a friend, but gained a new place to travel!! I can hardly wait.

Here is where the project started - the positive and the negative.

The original image is on the left - the negative or remaining pieces are on the right.  That part

was covered in double sided adhesive.

I simply sprinkled the adhesive with  Ritz poppy orange glitter and voila - instant card front!

This is the image with the double sided adhesive covered in glitter.

 I layered a flower image in the center with foam adhesive and accented the center of the little flower with some glitter glue. The card base is Paper Temptress Mica card stock - I am addicted to the mica and lustre line!

A side view showing the dimension of the 3D flower

I will have another postive/negative card set in a few days. In the meantime, I just want to say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GAIL!

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August and September Birthday Cards

And there are more!!

The burst of inspiration is still with me so I am taking FULL advantage of it.  This card was made from one of the designs from Birds Cards.  I do love her card backgrounds and it was fun to use some patterned paper again - but even though I chose an entirely different brand of patterned paper (First Edition), I still ended up with purple being the accent color.  It's surprising to me how many times I end up with a card that highlights purple.  I will try to break into a new color family with the next card! (see below - I did it!!)

This card utilizes several designs from Birds Cards: the Circle Square Frame, Flowers 2 and 6 and the stamens.  I also uses her digi stamp in the center of the card and did a print and cut with SCAL and the Silver Bullet Professional.  I took the sentiment one step further and used the FoilMaster to add purple foil to the greeting. I love the sheen of the foil - it is just so darn hard to photograph!

I think this frame has a lot of possibilities.

You can see how detailed the cut is -  even with it still on the mat!

And here is a much better example of the detail.  Look at those little triangles!!!

Love the foiled greeting.    The papers from Paper Temptress are Kunzite and Amethyst 

from the Mica line

Another card that went together easily (and kicked me out of my purple rut) was this one.  Monica's files are so detailed but I never have to worry how my Silver Bullet Professional will handle them.  This is her spring season file and I altered the separate tulip file in SCAL to make it shorter and two sizes.  The paper is my favorite line from Paper Temptress - the mica line (aka Stardream). It cuts like butter and I love the shimmer.

Another intricate cut from the Silver Bullet Professional Cutter.

I really like how this amber color pops on the red.

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