Sweet Stampede May Blog Hop ~ Card Sketch AND Color Challenge

Happy May and welcome....

Oh boy, have we got a great Blog Hop for you this month!!

The theme this month is both a color combo as well as a card sketch.

Our color combo, features three of the five new

Stampin' Up! 2025-2027 In-Colors.

Be sure to check out ALL five new In-Colors in the 2025-26 Annual Catalog,

debuting in just a few short days.... May 6, 2025

Allow me to introduce you to .......

Timid Tiger, a slightly muted/true orange. Secret Sea, is rather mysterious, a very dark, blue, almost black but NOT! Much to my surprise I LOVE it!!!!! And last but not least... Darling Duckling, I'd say is a mustard'y yellow with a green undertone.

Now, let's take a look at this sketch......WOW!

Honestly, I was a bit intimidated by this sketch at first glance.
I don't know why. It just seemed like A LOT. Hahahaha!

I believe the original thinking behind this sketch was to 'use your scraps'. However, these are new colors to me and without having much playtime with them, I do not yet have any scraps of these colors. Yes, I could have very simply cut a few scraps from my new In-Color cardstock. Although, I chose to take a different route and selected a fun fold card instead. In my eye, the card still resembles the sketch, although loosely.

I'll allow you to be the final judge. 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

Tah Daahh........

So, what do you think? I hope you LOVE it!!!

Can you see some resemblance between my card and the sketch?

This fun fold is called a 'Double Tower' and you'll be surprised just how easily this card comes together!!!!!

I began with a slightly smaller than standard card base. 5 1/2" x 8 1/4", so you'll still be able to get two cards from a single sheet of cardstock (yayee, very little waste).

With the long side (8 1/4") of your cardstock across the top of your trimmer (or score board), score at 1", 2" and 3" from BOTH ends.

Place the card base in your paper trimmer, with the 5 1/2" side at the top. Carefully, cut a slit beginning at the 1" scoreline, through the 2" scoreline, stopping at the 3" scoreline.

Complete this slit cut pattern every 1/2" across the entire 8 1/4" width of the card base.

Turn your card base so the top portion you just cut is at the bottom now and the previously bottom, uncut portion is now at the top of your paper trimmer. Proceed with the same slit cut pattern. Again, beginning at the 1" scoreline, through the 2" scoreline, stopping at the 3" scoreline.

Phew, the 'hard' part is now behind you. Haha!! It's not actually "hard", it just takes some concentration.

Next, slightly burnish your scorelines carefully in both directions (valley & mountain).

You're basically just 'training' your cardstock to easily fold at those scorelines.

Once the card is complete you can firmly crease these folds in order to lay flat and easily slide into your envelope.

I found it helpful to carefully insert a pencil inside the slit cuts, in an over/under sort of weave motion to assist with the burnishing of these sections.

Lets add some color and start to bring this card to life!

I chose to use the Timid Tiger Cardstock as my base layer and topped it off with the brand new Florals In Bloom Designer Series Paper. This DSP pack features ALL five new In-Colors. It'd be the perfect pairing to purchase along with the 2025-2027 In-Color assorted cardstock pack.

Then you'll adhere the DSP to the cardstock layers and adhere these layers to the side panels and center panel of your card base.

When I first saw our color combo inspiration...

I immediately thought of the monarch butterfly. So of course, my 'bundle' of choice was the Beautiful Butterflies Bundle.

This bundle includes everything you'll need, to assist in making some GORGEOUS monarch butterflies. Perhaps like this one here .....

Except, my plan changed. I opted for a simpler, not so 'grand' butterfly for this card.

I felt the fanciness of BOTH the monarch AND the fancy fold were competing against each other, rather than complimenting one another.

In the end I chose to use the two smaller butterfly dies (included in the bundle) and cut two intricate butterflies from the 2024-2026 In-Color Glimmer Paper, in the Peach Pie color. Similar in color though lighter than Timid Tiger.

Using the same two smaller butterfly dies, I traced them onto a small piece of Timid Tiger cardstock and carefully fussy cut them out. Then I adhered the 'glimmer' butterflies on top of the Timid Tiger 'solid' butterflies. Also included in the bundle are the dies to cut out the thorax (body) for both the small and large butterflies. I cut two small 'bodies' from a scrap piece of the Secret Sky striped pattern also from the same Florals In Bloom Designer Series Paper. I felt the striped pattern represented the butterfly body fairly well. Adhered a thorax to each of the butterflies and set them aside to adhere later..

Finally, we need both a greeting and another touch of the color Secret Sky. So I stamped the 'Happy Birthday sentiment in Versamark onto a scrap of Secret Sky and heat embossed with white embossing powder.

Adhere this greeting flat, and across the mid to lower portion of the center section of the card. Place each of the two butterflies, staggering the greeting using dimensionals.

Be sure to slightly bend the butterfly wings in an upward motion to give them more 'lift' and dimension.

To finish off the card with some bling........I chose the coordinating new 2025-2027 In-Color Flat Pearls.

You may be wondering as to where you'd write your note to the recipient.?.?.?

Layer a Basic White 2" x 5 1/4 piece onto a 2 1/8" x 5 3/8" Timid Tiger piece.

Stamp a few small butterflies and a sentiment of choice and then adhere this piece to the backside.

Oh yes, and look here....... The card can also stand on it's own. AND as mentioned before....gently squish (press) the card flat and it easily fits into a standard envelope for mailing.

I can't wait for you to give this fun 'fancy fold' card a try and see for yourself just how simple it really is.

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Supplies:

#159229 Basic White Thick Cardstock ~ 5 1/2" x 8 1/4" and 2" x 5 1/4"

#165626 Timid Tiger Cardstock ~ 7/8" x 5 3/8 (2 each) and 2 1/8" x 5 3/8" *available beginning May 6th

#165624 Secret Sky Cardstock ~ small scrap for sentiment *available beginning May 6th

#165175 Florals In Bloom Designer Series Paper ~ 3/4" x 5 1/4" (2 each) and 2" x 5 1/4" (2 each)

*available beginning May 6th

#163771 2024-2026 In-Color Glimmer Paper

#164615 Beautiful Butterflies Bundle

#102283 Versamark Pad

#165679 Basics Embossing Powder

#129053 Embossing Heat Tool

#165192 2025-2027 In-Color Flat Pearls

Here's a final look at my card as well as an alternate card using a Darling Duckling card base along with Secret Sky layers under the DSP. Do you have a favorite?