Seasonal Scene Building

In the Seasonal Scene Building class, I explored how to create cards that beautifully showcase different seasons. For this project, I designed a summer-inspired trifold card featuring vibrant tropical vibes. Using the Craft Your Life Project Kit: Tropical Vibes, the parrot, hibiscus, and lush leaves brought the essence of summer to life. I also incorporated several techniques from the class, including oversized scenes, background building, and a window scene for added depth and interest.

Product Used:

• White Cardstock
• Craft Your Life Project Kit: Tropical Vibes  
• Forest Trail Fresh Dye Ink  
• Golden Honeycomb Fresh Dye Ink  
• Plum Fresh Dye Ink  
• Amethyst Fresh Dye Ink
• Essential Stylish Ovals Spellbinders Dies  
• Cherry Simon Says Stamp Saturated Ink  
• Ocean Simon Says Stamp Saturated Ink  
• Distress Oxide: Black Soot, Fosilized Amber, Abandoned Coral, Festive Berries
• Archival Jet Black Ink 

Steps:

1. Card Base and Panels: 
• Prepared two card bases (4 ¼" x 5 ½") to create a trifold design.  
• Cut two white panels (same size as card bases).  
• Using the Stylish Ovals Die Set, aligned the 8th smallest oval die to the upper left corner of both panels. Ran them through the die-cutting machine to create window openings. For the second panel, the die didn’t cut fully, so I realigned it and cut again.  
2. Creating the Window :
• Traced the window opening from one panel onto the front of a card base with a pencil.
• Cut a smaller window opening using the 7th smallest oval die, ensuring it was aligned centrally with the traced outline.  
3. Embossing and Stenciling :
• Embossed one window panel using the Tropical Vibes Embossing Folder for texture.  
• Stenciled 3D leaves from the kit using the Forest Trail Fresh Dye Ink, concentrating saturation on the edges for an ombré effect. 
4. Stamping and Die Cutting : 
• Stamped and die-cut the large hibiscus with Amethyst, Plum and Golden Honeycomb fresh dye ink.  
• Stamped and die-cut two leaves with the Matcha Tea and Oak Moss Fresh dye ink.  
• Stamped and die-cut the vibrant parrot using Cherry, Ocean, and Golden Honeycomb Inks. adding detail to the beak with Black Soot Distress Oxide Ink.  
• Stamped two sentiments from the kit in Archival Jet Black Ink and trimmed them into strips.
5. Background and Assembly : 
• Created a seamless ink-blended background using Fosilized Amber, Abandoned Coral and Festive Berries Distress Oxides, ensuring smooth transitions. Die-cut the background with the same larger oval die. To add more dimension, i ink blended the upper part of the background with the Cherry Saturated ink overlapping the Abandoned Coral distress oxide ink.  
• Glued the embossed panel onto the card front with the window opening. From the inside, added the second window panel for a cleaner look and sturdier design.  
• Attached the second card base to complete the trifold mechanism. Ensured the windowed card base closed right while the other base closed left.  
6. Adding Layers : 
• Positioned the ink-blended oval on the inside of the card so it aligned perfectly with the window when closed. Glued it in place, with the inked side facing up.  
• Attached the parrot directly onto the ink-blended background, trimming excess parts like the tail for a clean fit. 
7. Decorating the Window and Sentiments : 
• Foam-mounted the hibiscus and leaves on the front panel, with the flower slightly overlapping the window. To maintain a clean look, glued a plain die-cut hibiscus behind the window.  
• Added the front sentiment Flying by to say with foam tape, floating slightly over the window.  
• Opened the window and adhered the second sentiment I miss you inside, aligning it perfectly with the front sentiment when the card is closed.  

   

   

This project was a joy to create, blending various techniques into one cohesive design. The tropical elements and bright colors brought the essence of summer to life!

✧ ✦ ✧