Stampin' Friends Monochromatic March Blog Hop

For the Stampin' Friends Monochromatic Blog Hop this month I made this elegant black-and-white fun fold card, perfect for all those upcoming weddings this spring and summer:

As always, I've bolded the names of the Stampin' Up! products I used to make my projects.  If you are interested in purchasing anything you see and don't already have a demonstrator I would be grateful for your business. :)  

This fold is a variation of the pop-and-twist cards that were popular a few years ago--and which I honestly have to say I never perfected!  Too many precise measurements meant mine never quite worked out.  :(  THIS variation is much easier to do and still has an amazing "wow" factor!

I started with a Basic Black card base that was 4.25" x 11" and scored it at the half-way mark at 5.5".  Even though we are going to add a thick pop-up part I found that it didn't so much bulk to the centre that I needed to add a gusset to the fold here.  

For the inside piece, I started with a 5.5" x 5.5" Basic Black square and scored it in the middle on both sides at 2.75", and then diagonally from point-to-point as well.  Once you burnish all those score lines you can fold the piece into a tidy square by mountain-folding the diagonal score lines, and valley-folding the others.

You could leave it here, but for some added surprise there are two additional flaps added to the inside base!  Cut two Basic Black rectangles measuring 2.75" x 3.25", and score a 0.5" flap on each.  The flap gets adhered to the 5.5" square on the sides without the diagonal folds.  Once you glue the pop out piece into your card base the tabs are hidden, so it looks like the inside is all one big wonky piece!

To add the pop up piece, fold it up into a diamond shape, and put glue on the back of one side of the diamond.  With the point of the diamond just about touching the fold of the card base, make sure you are centred from side to side and close the card base.  This will attach the pop out piece on one side of the base.  Once you let that dry for a few seconds, open the card base and add glue to the top of the diamond, then close the base again.  This will attach the pop out piece to the inside front of your card base and ensure that the card folds flat to go in the envelope.  

Now you can decorate your pop-out piece using 2.5" squares of various black-and-white DSP from the Pattern Party DSP pack.  For the diagonal pieces I just cut my square in half from corner to corner.  I also cut and decorated a few Basic White 2 3/8" squares with floral images from the Blessings of Home stamp set, and a "Best Wishes" sentiment from the Artistically Inked set.

I added a belly band as a closure for the card, since it is quite thick and doesn't stay closed on its own.  You could also ribbon or twine to both sides of the inside of the card base before adhering your DSP if you wanted something simpler, which would then tie together at the bottom of the card keeping it closed--but I love me a belly band!

My band is Basic White cardstock cut 1.25" thick and I wrapped the cardstock slightly loosely around the assembled card to make a circle, then adhered the two ends together.  I added a piece of the Pattern Party dotted DSP to the band, and then layered some die cuts on top:  one from the Blessings of Home Bundle, and a Stitched Heart Die that I also embossed with the 3D Hive Embossing Folder to give it some texture.  

The handwritten font on the sentiment is just perfect for a wedding card, and comes from the Happy & Heartfelt Stamp Set.  I embossed it with White Embossing Powder on Basic Black cardstock and then trimmed both ends on a diagonal.  Before adding it with dimensionals to the front of the heart, I tied some black-and-white twine and bits of black and white ribbons into a bow.  A few rhinestones and the band was complete!

This fold is the perfect option if you need a card from a group of people--there are lots of spaces that could be left blank for people to sign and write a personal message in.  And for a special occasion I think the extra effort of a fun fold is worth it!

Thanks for popping by my blog today, if you enjoyed my project I'd love to hear from you in the comments!  And please hop along to the next in line to see more monochromatic inspiration!

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Happy crafting,
Barb