side-view-of-spring-out.jpg

There is nothing better than getting a handmade card in the mail of from someone special, unless that card is interactive! The best surprise is when the unexpected happens! The receiver opens this creation to find a beautiful arrangement of butterflies and flowers, spring out, as it opens. You are sending a virtual paper garden! This style can open so many amazing possibilities.

Let me share how fun and easy this card really is! Then challenge YOU to give it a try!

The idea came to me after Jason and I took a trip to Maine. In one of the stores they had some really elaborate cards, and there was a card that had this swirly piece of paper with butterflies all over it. I told my husband when we get back I would try to re-create this. So I did.

Now I am not sure what the actual name of this style of card is, but I liked Spring Out, due to the way in which it was created.

First let me share my list of supplies. You should have most of these tools on hand.

SUPPLIES:

Stamps:Texted Boxed, Sentiment on card from Just Hatched, Butterflies stamped/cut from Butterfly Kisses

Patterned Paper: Chocolate Remix

Cardstock: Sweet Blush, Vintage Cream, Vellum Cardstock

ink: dark chocolate, berry sorbet

Other: Copic Markers, scissors, circle punch, glue dots, flower punch

friends-are-like-flowers.jpg Paper Garden

This card measures 4 1/4 squared. This is the front of my Paper Garden card.

I used vintage cream cardstock as my base. Sentiment stamped in dark chocolate ink.

I then stamped the flower from the Texted Boxed set, in dark chocolate ink, onto sweet blush cardstock. I used my 1 1/4 square punch, and punched out portion I wanted. I colored the stem, and punched a flower (stamping a smaller flower from Butterfly Kisses ), to layer in the center. Then layered entire piece onto 1 3/8 square punched from sweet blush cardstock. Used my color spritzer for a splash of color. Perfectly simple, which is what you want for the COVER! This inside is detailed enough.

Now for directions on the Spring Out

colored-paper.jpg

Step 1) I

 decided to add some color to my chocolate patterned paper, so I chose my colors and away I went. I decided to only color the large flowers and leaves for some POP, and to keep it from getting too busy. I then layered it into my card base.

For my butterflies I stamped them in chocolate, on sweet blush, and then sponged the center’s with Berry Sorbet ink. Then cut them out.

Step 2)

NOTE: This next step I used chocolate cardstock for my demonstration so you can easily see the steps. In my actual creation I used vellum cardstock.

pop-out-circle.jpg A  trim-circle-spring.jpg  B cut-spring.jpg C

 Choose the size of the circle spiral you want, and cut out circle (photo a). Next trim out the circle, into the center (photo B) to create a curly spring like circle (photo C) you can cut out some of the center so you don’t have too long of a curly spring. The larger the circle the more curls you have.

adhere-wound-circle.jpg

Step 3)

 Collect the layers, and lay cut circle flat. Pick location in card where you want the spiral to be. Attach a glue dot on the back of the LARGEST tail end. This allows it to stick to the top of the card.

Then place a glue dot on the front of the smallest tale. Now close the card.

spring-ends-attached.jpg

Step 4)

 When you open the card,  the spring will now be stuck to the bottom on the card, allowing you to have a spring that easily opens and closes FLAT when card needs to close. You don’t want the spring bending!!

See closed photo

flowers-closed.jpg

Step 5)

 Now comes the FUN part. Adding your 3D elements. You will want to cover the glue dot’s with an item, and the rest is pure creative liberty!!

Imagine opening this up? Who wouldn’t have a HUGE smile? It is like the butterflies are fluttering over the paper garden!

open-side.jpg

TIP: When using small images put them on both the front and back of the paper spring (see my layered punched flowers?). You don’t want the glue dots sticking to the layers or objects within the card. It would be ruined.

Here is the view from the top!

from-the-top-flower.jpg

So that is all there is to it! I hope you enjoyed today’s newsletter project, and that you try to find the time to create your own! If you do, send me a link here.

I know many are going to say how do you mail it?

Well it does close, and lay relatively flat. The pieces may need to be lifted if you do mail it. I always recommend mailing them in out Papertrey Ink Clear Card boxes! It costs a little more to mail, but they are mail-able and it ensures your creation arrive more nicely-rather than SQUISHED! OR hand deliver 😀 Then you can see the reaction!