Hi there.

Thanks for popping in. Was tidying away all the prep boxes from Friday’s TV show earlier, and came across the Dandelion card I had cut out, that was on offer in the Super Saver. CLICK HERE

I LOVE this design. Many of you may already have it because it was a previous Fresh Cut Die Club Die. A really, really superb one, illustrated by our friend Mel Turner.

Anyway, I went off at a tangent, and decided to have a play – just to calm this old washing machine head of mine. Why is your head like a washing machine? I hear you ask. Well, it’s never just one thing, is it? There’s always loads going on, but it builds up if you’re not careful, it gathers momentum, and starts to snowball, doesn’t it? The trick is to wipe the slate clean and defrag as you go, so that things aren’t allowed to start piling up and getting overwhelming.

I’m getting quite adept at this actually. At letting go of things that aren’t going as I‘d like them to, and just accepting things as they present themselves. I used to get my knickers in a twist over pretty much everything that wasn’t going according to plan. Until I realised that my knickers were in a twist more than they weren’t! I think when I watched our Dad die last year, I finally understood what is important – and what isn’t. Since then, I am not anywhere near as intense about things as I used to be. And if I feel myself getting anxious about stuff, then I know what to do. Having a little chat with Dad in my head – that always helps. As does losing myself in pottery, or some sort of artwork.

So this little hour of play was not just a bloggy step by step. No, no, no. It was a hour of free therapy, a free meditation, a calming period. It helps to keep balance, and not let the head start drafting long lists of everything that needs doing.

NITI. Nothing Is That Important. In fact, I had intended to prepare what we’re doing in the SHAC tomorrow morning. Instead, I switched off, emptied my head of work and obligation, and spent a pleasant hour constructing a card. Tomorrow morning I’ll get up bright and early, and get the bus out of the depot. It will be fine.

Now for the step by step though. I’m really pleased with it.

I’ve got a box full of paper offcuts. Design papers, companion papers. You probably do too! Pick your background colours. Not just one piece. Pick 3. I went with a piece of bright Rainbow River designer paper, then a couple of plain Companion papers.

Now to attach the scraps to the inside of the card. Arrange the pieces behind the aperture, only focussing on the opening. It’s handy if some of the paper is sticking out above and/or below, for fastening together with low-tack tape.

Once you got the paper where you want it, it’s time to attach. I was focussed on using the stalk of the lefthand dandelion as the divider. See?

Secure the pieces together with low-tack masking tape. Flip over to the back and use masking tape on the back now too.

Time to trim. Just make pencil marks on the front, so you know where to cut the scraps, so that they fit within the 5×5 inch card.

Time to attach on the inside. Leave the masking tape in place. Make a hinge along the fold while you aplly Pergaglue to the inside of the aperture cutout. Lower the cutout down onto the sticky side. Bingo.

We must tidy up the inside with a black cover. Use a black cardblank cut in two and trimmed to just smaller than 5×5. The Tape runner is best for this.

I’ve still got some offcuts of the offcuts, to spruce up the front. Again, use a pencil mark to ensure the colour lines team up. Cut panels. I just made it up as I went along from here!

Panel underneath, to take a sentiment.

Typically, we’d add one at the top too. But it looked too symmetrical for me. So…

Very simple actually. And in the same vein as yesterday’s card, with the two colours…

Yep. A very enjoyable little exercise for the mind. And these dies are excellent.

It’s just occurred to me! D for Dandelion. Now THAT makes me smile…

See you in the SHAC at 10 tomorrow. Guess what we’ll be drawing…

Love always

Barb x x x