Ink on my desk!

Do you get those days when things do start out OK, then sort of go wrong.  Well that was me today.

Oops nearly forgot - hello everyone.

This afternoon I sat at my work desk ready to create a mock up of a card I wanted to show you & also to put in for one of my challenges.  I had seen someone make one on Create & Craft but hadn't been watching with full concentration.  On that basis I needed to make - as I said above - a mock up.  The other idea was to turn it into a tutorial here by taking pictures at different stages of the process. That as it happens was not the difficult part.

The problem started when I was doing some of the final stamping.  I was stamping the holly border on one of the toppers when the clear stamp fell off the acrylic block onto the craft mat.  Ink side down of course. But - it didn't just fall on the craft mat did it.  No! it fell on my work. I didn't worry too much (ooh that's a porkie), as it was really a working sample but it was frustrating.  Also I had begun to think, up to that stage, that it was working out quite well & might have become the actual challenge card.  But no.

The work carried on & then I started to put the elements together.  I turned the card over to do something & when I turned it back I had lain it down right where the border stamp had landed.  Where I had forgotten to clean the mat!!  Ah well.

So it will be back to the drawing board tomorrow to make the card properly.  Here are the step-by-step pictures & notes.  Enjoy. 

Double Easel Card (sort of);
There is only any need to give you an example measurement - rather than actual measurements.  This is because the card needs to be twice as long as it is wide - here is the example - 8" x 4" (10cm x 5cm).  Oh dear - that's two measurements.

Materials;
3 pieces of card (twice as long as they are wide). 
Note; Square cards are very good for this, & it would take 3 of them.
Backing papers                      stamps or toppers                 ribbon        embellishments
Usual basic craft kit

Method;
Cut the first piece of card in half to create 2 squares.
Score & fold the second piece in half, then score & fold one half in half.
Repeat with the third piece.
This gives 2 square cards & 2 easel style cards.
Place in front of you as in the picture.

Apply adhesive to the inside back of the left hand card & adhere the back of the right hand card to it.  See picture.

the card should then look like this - 

If closing the card with ribbon, put it in place now.  Cut a small slit in the 2 score lines each side of the centre back panel.  Thread the ribbon through remembering to pull plenty to one side for a side fastening.  Leave out of the way of the remaining work.

Use the 2 squares of card to create 2 toppers.  Also at this stage decorate the inside centre back panel. 

Next put the card parts together.  First adhere the centre back panel over the ribbon holding it in place.  The next stage is to adhere the front panels.  This needs to be done carefully.  Take a look at the next picture;

I am sorry the writing on the little cards has not come out as clear as I wanted.  But this is what you do -

To put the left hand topper in place - apply adhesive  to the right hand half of the left flap.  Then place the topper on to the flap by placing the only right hand half of the topper to the flap.

Repeat this for the right hand topper remembering to reverse the positioning of the adhesive & topper.  If you have made an easel card these instructions will make more sense. Here is the card with all decoration attached.

& finally with the card closed & tied with ribbon.  Look you can see the black mark.

The card closes by folding down the right hand flap first, then the left hand flap.

Sorry that ones a bit blurry.

So hopefully tomorrow I will be able to show you a non-inky tidier version. 

Hasn't it been another lovely day?  I wonder how much longer this sunshine will last.  Talk tomorrow.