Fun Fold Cards - The Maine Stamper

I created this Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card as part of my April Showers Bring May Flower Cards Exchange. Swapping cards is so much fun, and my recent theme was flower cards!

As promised, I am sharing the card recipe today along with a list of items I used to create my Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card. There are also pictures of assembly and great tips, so read on for more.

Double Easel Fold Card Recipe

Thick Whisper White CS Base: 4 1/4 x 11″, score at 5 1/2″

Sahara Sand Easel CS: 4 x 10 1/4″, score at 2 /1/2″ and 5″

Balmy Blue CS: 3 7/8 x 5 1/8″, 2 3/8 x 3 7/8″

Whisper White CS: 3 3/4 x 5″, 2 1/4 x 3 3/4″

Whisper White CS: 2 3/4 x 4 1/4″ for gate die, 1 1/4 x 2″ for sentiment

Smoky Slate Scrap: for cat die

Whisper White Scraps: for flower sprays (2) and punch

Balmy Blue DSP (Subtles): 3 7/8 x 2 3/8″

Additional Supplies Needed

Grace’s Garden Stamp Set (and clear blocks for stamping)

Garden Gateway Dies (and die cutting machine)

Inks: Memento Black, Balmy Blue, Soft Sea Foam, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate

Assorted Stampin’ Blends for coloring

Sponge Roller or sponges

Score Tool

Classic Label Punch

Adhesive

Assembling Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card

The Bases

The card base is important for this card, as it holds a great amount of weight. I used the Thick Whisper White Card Stock, as it has the ability to hold up under pressure. This is a tent fold, so be sure to cut your sheet of cardstock in half portrait style instead of landscape style.

When I use the thick cardstock, I like to fold it in half after I score it using my Paper Trimmer. This helps break up the strong fibers that are holding the paper together. I am always careful to use the scoring blade (lighter gray) rather than the cutting blade (darker gray, blending in at the top). This score is done at 5 1/2″. I follow up with my bone folder to get a crisp crease.

Another great tool to score your cardstock with is the Simply Scored Scoring Tool. I like that the peg markers are movable, and you can easily position them on the exact spacing you need to score. This is the Sahara Sand CS, scored at 2 1/2″ and 5″, landscape mode. My picture also indicates the folds needed here: peaked up first, followed by valley second.

A word of caution when using the score tool, the stylus included has 2 tips, one smaller and one larger. Use the small tip on thicker paper and the large tip on thinner paper (like DSP). Just think in terms of opposites attract to remember this.

It is also best to go slow and steady along the grooves! If your stylus jumps the track and leaves dents in the wrong places, flip your paper over and use the stylus head to smooth out the wrinkle from the back.

Double Easel To Card Base

After the scoring and folding was completed, I put the double easel cardstock onto my card base. This is done easiest by folding the easel up and adhering glue or tape (the strongest you have!) to the 5 1/4″ area. Next, center it on your card base.

Double Easel Fold Card, closed front — When attached to the front of the card base, and in the closed position, your card will look like this (minus the clear acrylic block to hold it in place for a quick photo!).

Double Easel Fold Card, easel open position — When your double easel fold card is adhered together and in the open position, it will look like this.

Flowers From Grace’s Garden

Now that the major assembly is done, it is time to decorate the card. I began with the front tented section, as this is what is noticed first on the card, and requires the most work.

I used Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and stamped flowers from the Grace’s Garden Stamp Set on the 2 1/4 x 3 3/4″ white cs.

Stamping Grace's Garden Flowers in Memento Black Ink

Next, I colored them in using my Stampin’ Blends in a variety of light spring flower colors.

Coloring Grace's Garden Flowers with Stampin' Blends

After that, I used Soft Sea Foam Ink and Balmy Blue Ink with my Sponge Roller to fill in the green grass and blue sky. This was done lightly, right over my stamped and colored flowers, no masking required.

Sponge Roller with Soft Sea Foam and Balmy Blue Ink — When using the Sponge Roller, I start off my cardstock and work my way in. The first bit of ink off the roller may be dark. It is easy to add more color, impossible to take it away.

The Elements of Grace’s Garden

The coordinating dies for Grace’s Garden Stamp Set, Garden Gateway, offer a variety of fences, flowers and critters. This adds up to scenic fun for assembling the Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card.

For the 2 flower sprigs that climb the arched garden gate, I stamped on scrap white cs using Memento Ink. Following a die cut in my Big Shot, I used the Stampin’ Blends to color my flowers, then rolled some Balmy Blue ink over the remaining white outlines.

My garden is home to a small gray cat. I stamped the cat image in Basic Gray Ink on a scrap of Smoky Gray CS.

Next, I die cut my kitty and sponged the edges to soften them, using Smoky Gray Ink. By using the same ink color as the cardstock, I eliminate the harsh transition to the darker gray outline.

Sponging the cat die cut with Smoky Gray Ink

The arched garden gate is easily the sweetest die in the set. It looks divine in white. I wanted my sentiment to imitate a hanging sign from the top of the trellis, so I used the Classic Label Punch and white cs to make a faux “board” topper. After stamping the sentiment on the 1 1/4 x 2″ white cs, I sponged it with Balmy Blue Ink for consistency.

The Many Layers Of Grace’s Garden

I adhered the floral stamped and sponged white cs to the 2 3/8 x 3 7/8″ Balmy Blue CS. When I attached the gate, I added it toward the left side, centering it between my stamped flowers.

Next, I glued on my 2 flower sprays to artfully climb along the sides of the gate. This was followed by the little cat, peering into the garden. Lastly, I placed small amounts of glue to the upper trellis and placed my punched “board” in position. I adhered the sentiment and admired my work.

Lower Layer of Grace's Garden Double Easel Fold Card — This assembly is now ready to go on the card. I centered it on the bottom layer of the double easel fold partition.

The really hard work has been done! When I stamped the 3 3/4 x 5″ white cs with additional flowers, I repeated my steps of coloring and sponging.

Back Layer of Grace's Garden Double Easel Fold Card — This beautifully stamped, colored and sponged piece gets layered with the 3 7/8 x 5 1/8″ Balmy Blue CS, then adhered to the card.

Putting it all together is easy. I adhered each layer in position. For the fold that is barely noticeable, I added a piece of Balmy Blue DSP from the Subtles Collection. I chose the checkered pattern for its sweetness. This paper in coordinating color blends beautifully into the card as a needed continuity.

The adhered layers of Grace's Garden Double Easel Fold Card

Flowers and Friendship Are Sweet

Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card is so wonderful, it doesn’t even need additional embellishments. I left the inside blank, so the recipient of this card in the April Showers Bring May Flower Cards Exchange can do whatever she wants with it. Lucky her for participating!

This card was not difficult to make, but it gives the appearance of great time and effort. If you haven’t tried this fun fold card yet, please do so. You will be amazed with your end results. If you need any stamping supplies, like the Grace’s Garden Stamp Set or coordinating dies, Garden Gateway, stop by my online store, https://juliemakson@stampinup.net.

Be sure to follow me, and be in the know for my next card exchange, Fall For Cards, coming in September. More details will follow.