STAMP IT SUNDAY - SECRET GARDEN CARD IN A BOX

Cardstock used: Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette

While my supply of current items while I'm in California may be limited, I am not completely stampless or inkless. This past week I had so much fun finally creating my first "card in a box" using the Secret Garden stamps and framelits. There are many videos out there about the mechanics of making a "card in a box" so I am not going to write all of those details in this post. I did adjust the measurements so the height was 5.5" (instead of 6" or more as in some tutorials) and the folded-closed width (two sides) was 4.25" - this way it fit into a regular envelope for our usual card sizes. To do this, start with a 9" x 5.5" piece of cardstock and score it to create four sides at 2 1/8" width each, leaving a 1/2" flap edge to close your box. You can actually choose for yourself where you want to score for the box flaps - these will be flattened (i.e., not folded down) when the card is closed so as long as it looks nice when the box is open, you can tweak that measurement to suit your own design preferences.

I do not have any current DSP with me. I thought about printing some from MDS, but instead decided to stamp a floral collage pattern using the Secret Garden set that I also used for the flowers in the box. I started with a panel the height I wanted for each side piece and the width of each times 3 - that is, I stamped the whole background before I cut the cardstock into three panels. After cutting them, I selected which of each I wanted for my sides and rotated them if that looked better. Here is my scored, cut & trimmed box base with the panels on it:

"Card in a Box" base with hand-stamped Pink Pirouette panels (Secret Garden)

I used this project as a chance to play with the Secret Garden stamps and try some different ways of coloring the flowers. Here is a picture of the assortment (all were stamped on Whisper White cardstock, cut out with the framelits after stamping and embellished with Dazzling Details after coloring):

For the white, daisy-like flower, I used the Pistachio Pudding marker to ink the center and edges of the solid-stamp petals, stamped it, colored the center with So Saffron and with a Blender Pen added some more touches of the green to the petals.
All the others were stamped with Strawberry Slush, but each was colored differently. The small solid ones are simply stamped & the centers colored with a marker.

After stamping & cutting, I colored the edges of this flower with a Strawberry Slush marker, and added some lines of color to the petals. With a Blender Pen and Strawberry Slush ink I added touches of color to the center. Last, I lightly sponged Strawberry Slush and Daffodil Delight inks on the petals.

The left flower was sponged with Strawberry Slush and the edges colored with a marker; the right has soft touches of the same color added with a Blender Pen. Both centers were colored with So Saffron marker.

Lines of color were added with Crisp Cantalope marker, and edges were sponged with Strawberry Slush and Crisp Cantalope. The center was sponged with Daffodil Delight.

.Here is the finished card, which I decided to make a "get well" card for a friend. I used the marker on the edges of the solid stamp to make another small flower for the front flap, and added a couple of leaves cut off of the branch cut out. The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen and it was cut with the label from the Circle Card Thinlits Dies set.

When you are designing your own card, you will find that where you can place and angle your elements is limited by where they will be when you close the card. If any of them extend past the edges when it is closed, it won't fit into the envelope. I designed my card to close with the flap that has the leaves cutout flattening up behind the largest flower in the back. Notice how that flower extends beyond the right edge of the back. The inserts inside the box to which all the elements attach will move when you flatten the box. You will need to experiment a bit with your own design and whatever elements you are using if you want them to be tilting to the right or left. I flattened my card as shown above to the right, so the flowers in the front could be angled over the left edge (because they move to the right when the box closes) but not to the left because the front flap will align with the right flap when flattened. Clear as mud, right? This will make sense when you have your own box to flatten and open. 
I am happy to answer questions! The Backyard Basics stamps and framelits are perfect for this type of project, and easier because the flowers have stems as part of the image and they are vertical. When I get home I plan to use those to make another of these...but I may just make one more while I am here using the Hearts framelits for Valentine's Day...if I do I promise I will share it with you here!