Happy Retirement by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

My card today was inspired by the current challenge - Keep Calm and Celebrate On!  This challenge only asks you to create and enter a card/project for any type of celebration.  How easy and fun is that?  Check out the tab above - "Bi Weekly Challenge" for details.  Hope you play along for a chance to win a free stamp set.  

Since I recently retired, I decided to create a Happy Retirement card.  This seems to be the year for many of us.  Finally!!  LOL!

I love making fun fold cards so this one is a twist on the standard easel card.  I call it the reverse easel.  Very simple to make!  Let's create the base first.  Cut a standard A2 card base (5 1/2 by 8 1/2) and score the long side at 2 1/8" and 4 1/4".  Fold at the 4 1/4 and opposite fold at the 2 1/8 to create a valley and a mountain fold towards you.  See card picture above.  For the background base, cut two from green cardstock (one - 4 1/8 x 5 3/8 and one - 2 x 5 3/8).  For the pattern paper, I used the 5832 Gnome Paper Pack and cut two pieces (one, 4 x 5 1/4 and one, 1 7/8 x 5 1/4).  At this point I mounted the pattern paper to the corresponding green base.  Before adhering these to the A2 card base, I used the 5223 bookmark die and placed the top part of the bookmark over the pattern paper, making sure to place the bookmark portion of the die underneath the pattern paper so that won't cut.    See Picture 1.

                        Picture 1:

Then, I partially cut the tab on the large green/pattern paper piece.  I want the tab to remain intact so to partial die cut you need to place your cutting mat only over the portion you wish to cut.  See picture 2.

As you can see, I did this upside down so make sure you put the cut edge of the die facing the cutting mat.  😞  Since I'm admitting my boo boos, I suggest you cut the tab before adhering the A2 card base.  As you can see in the picture, I adhered to the A2 base first.  You'll find it's easier to cut through without the A2 card base plus it won't make an indent into your card base.   

                        Picture 2:

Okay, now that the base is done, let's go to the image.  I used the 5186 Enjoy the Ride stamp set.  I love this fun little couple and their dog, but I especially love the lady drinking her coffee with her feet up.  No help from her!  My husband says that is exactly why we'll never own a tandem bike.  LOL!  

He knows me too well!  

I stamped the image on copic friendly paper and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I stamped the sentiment, from the 5187 Happy Trails set, into a rounded shape by curving onto my stamping platform.  I used the two largest dies from the 5727 Nested Oval dies to cut the image and also the pink frame.  I adhered the bottom half to the folded part of the card and tucked it into the tab for display.  I added some enamel dots and a bow and it's ready to go.

I hope you enjoyed my card today and it inspired you to join the challenge.

Have a great day and keep creating!

Copics used:  E000, E00, E11, E21, E23

T0, T2, T4, T6

R20, R32, R81

BG000, BG01

G20, G21, G24