Yes, another cat card! This one was supposed to have made the Cat Lovers Hop, but the company I’d ordered the stamp set from goofed and sent me the wrong set and the correct one didn’t arrive until after the hop was done. (FYI, it wasn’t Art Impressions, this was before they had this set up on their site) I still needed to make up the card I had planned, so here we are. : )
This stamp set is SO us, I just HAD to get it to make first and foremost for the other special folks in my favorite group hug pack! And, you know me… I’m a sucker for interactive cards…. This one is a doozy!!
This is a gate-fold card, where the two sides fold together and meet or overlap slightly in the middle. Only on this one, they’re tied together by the interlocking cats. If you push in slightly on the edges, you can slide them apart…
See… the orange tiger kitty is sliding away from the group.
Since the current Art Impressions challenge #245 is Washi Tape, I framed the outside with washi tape and lined the inside with a couple of layers of it, too. For those of you who don’t know what washi tape is a thin decorative adhesive tape; much thinner than masking tape… You can see the underlying patterned paper on the front of the card under the orange, and the row of hearts from the washi tape under the pink washi tape on the inside:
For the inside, I fussy cut the cuddly group and put them together exactly behind the ones in the opening so they’re still hugging on the inside when it’s opened and it says: “Does somebody need a cuddle?” Awww!
There was one part of the directions for this set that wasn’t quite clear. I’m going to jot down some tips and pointers both for my pea-sized brain to refer back to as I’m likely to forget next time I put one of these together, and FYI, too.
Tip #1 You want the stamp to hit the edges of the paper. I used a MISTI and put the paper in the corner to stamp it, which means there was a tiny space between the edge of the stamp and the edge of the paper, so it didn’t cut out completely. (also: Don’t ink up the corners in the stamps below the cats… they’re just there to help you place the cats properly… place the corner of the stamp on the corresponding corner of your card.
No big deal… it’s just 4 tiny snips with a scissors, but you COULD avoid it. Just sayin’.
The instructions say to ‘score a 9 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ panel of cardstock at 2 3/4″ and 7:”. Fold like a gatefold card with the left panel on top.’ Well, perhaps you’re smarter than I am, but I wasn’t sure which is the left panel or if it made a difference, so I did it both ways:
As you can see, the longer panel (2 3/4″) puts the finished product in the center of the card. (not to say that an off-center card isn’t cool, too):
Tip #2:Â I clearly marked on my package that the wider 2 3/4″ panel is the left panel to TRY to help me remember next time. (We’ll see if it works! lol!)Â 
Tip #3: don’t crease your scoring until you have the cats stamped and cut out… that gives you a little wiggle room to adjust the folds, if needed.
Tip #4: you can cut off a bit more of the bottom edge if you want some of the foot from the cat in the back showing:
Since the cute stitched edging didn’t show up on my patterned paper, I decided to outline it with a lace heart. None of the heart dies I had on hand were the exact shape of this heart opening, but the Spellbinders Lace Hearts can be cut down and made to fit with a little finagling.
Supplies used:
- Art Impressions Cat Twist Ties stamps and dies
- Spellbinders Lace Hearts dies
- Altenew Halftone Hearts stamps
- Tsukineko Memento dye inks: Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, Angel Pink, Rose Bud
- Core’dinations white cardstock
- Authentique Devoted pad: “Frisky” & “Affection” papers & Devoted Details stickers
- Copic Markers: C1,3,5,7; E71; YR02, 24
- Recollections Washi Tapes… various
- Scotch tape runner
- Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
I am playing along with the following challenges, click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:
- Art Impressions Challenge 245 Washi Tape
- CropStop November Linky Party #45 Anything Goes (Aleene’s, Art Impressions, Authentique, Core’dinations, Scotch, Spellbinders and Tsukineko)
Next, I hope to finally finish a post I’m working on with some jewelry inspiration for you. You know me… no promises on when I’ll actually finish it, so just stay tuned! : )
Crafty hugs,
~D.Ann
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D.Ann's Crafting Whims 