Thank You Gatefold Card with Hero Arts

Hi everyone! The challenge at a2z Scrapbooking this month is Fun Folds so I decided to make a gatefold card.  I've never made one before and I am seeing so many beautiful new dies that are coming out that can be used as the flaps for gatefold cards I thought that perhaps I should try my hand at one!  I hope you enjoy my creation!

What I Used to Make my Card:
Water Color Paper {8 1/2 x 11"}
White Card {4 1/4 x 5 1/2"}
Scrap Light Blue, Dark Blue, & White Card
Oxide Inks in Shades of Blue & Purple
Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder, #PW122 
Versamark Watermark Ink Pad, #VC250
Hero Arts Lucky Star stamp set, #CM315
Hero Arts Lucky Star die set, #DI586
Hero Arts Ink in Intense Black, #AF345 
Hero Arts Thanks Stamp & Cut, #DC152
Die-Namics Stitched Fishtail Sentiment Strips Dies

Watercolor Paper {I use this} for stamped images

Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

Adhesive & Watercolor Brush of Your Choice

The first step I took when making this card was making the gate-fold out of watercolor paper.  I cut the card to fit on an A2 base, which was cut out of white card.  I left the folds long, so the dimensions of the gatefold are 4 1/4" high by 11" long.  I just folded the panels around the piece of white card I used for the base {where I eventually attached the watercolor gatefold.}  I used Oxide Inks in shades of blue and purple to make both sides of the watercolor paper look like a night sky.  This took me the longest as I would add the ink to the paper, spritz with the Distress Sprayer and then either use my heat gun to dry, or leave the paper to dry on its own.  Since I hadn't used this watercolor paper before {in fact, I'm not even sure of the brand; it was just mixed in with my loose card stock}, I didn't want to take the chance of the paper pilling or ripping from too much work, so I took about three days to build up the color to match a summer night sky.  The paper also cracked some when I folded it so I filled in the white with a few of the same inks to have it blend in as much as possible.  Like I said, I did both sides of this paper so I think it was important to take my time to get the colors just right.

Inside the Card

While my gatefold paper was drying in between building the colors, I stamped the people and the cat onto watercolor paper and colored them with my markers.  Once they were dry, I figured out where I wanted to place them and stamped the stars and the saying with Versamark Ink, embossed them with white detail embossing powder, then attached the figures so they would appear to be looking up at the sky.  The set comes with an adorable dog as well as the cat but I wasn't happy with how it came out when I colored it.  Next I attached the watercolor panel with all of the people and embossing inside to the single piece of white card.  I really wanted this card to fit in an A2 envelope so I could mail it without it costing too much.  While all the card construction was done and sitting under the tile to dry, I made the band that holds the gatefolds closed.  This band is called a belly band {I have absolutely NO idea why} and I made mine out of a strip of white card that I had lying around.  There are no absolutes for the band and, while a lot of folks use ribbon, I wanted to add a word die as sort of the reason I was sending the card.  I cut the word thanks out of dark blue card, made a fishtail banner out of white card and used a bit of light blue scrap to add some interest {and to separate the white banner from the white of the band}, then attached all of that to my band.  I like that I can always make another band for this card if I decide to send it for another reason and that was the main reason I used the sentiment inside the card that can be used for any reason.  

That's how I made my first gatefold card.  I'm excited to try and make one with the fancy gatefolds now that I've gotten over my fear {I fear every new technique I try; I find if I just don't think about it and dive right in, my fear goes away regardless of how the project comes out.}  I hope you will join us at a2z Scrapbooking this month and show off your favorite Fun Fold card!  Thanks so much for reading all of my ramblings.  

Don't forget to use my discount code CHRISTI15 to get 15% off your purchases of $25 or more before shipping cost.  Also we are the exclusive retailer of Hero Arts digital stamps {and we also carry Sugar Tree Digital Stamps}, so if that is your preferred method of stamping, please go take a look.  Thank you so much and see you soon!  Fondly, Christi

 
I am entering my Thanks Gatefold Card in the following challenges:
Creative Fingers Challenge - #162, Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - #426, Anything Goes
Happy Crafter - M, Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - #493, Look Up, Way Up
Ike's World - #119, Die Cuts
Classic Design Team Challenge - #4, Anything Goes