Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Judi Kauffman who is sharing with us some super clever cards that use my Hamilton stencil, my Cardboard and Embroidery rubber stamps and that are absolutely perfect for our theme: Gratitude is my Attitude – This month we are playing along with the November ArtCollab: Showing Gratitude – and specifically giving thanks to those who have helped us along the way in our artistic journey. Who was crucial in helping you become the artist you are today? Let’s give these amazing souls a shout out!

Applause – Cards for People Who Matter!

I’m endlessly grateful to all of the people who have supported me over the years as I grew from a little girl with crayons and fabric scraps into a designer, artist, and teacher with a career spanning over five decades! 

Some are long-gone: Mr. Motovich and Miss Weld, public school teachers who, in my book, were unsung heroes. Arnold Singer from Cornell who taught me lithography and reminded me by his actions that teaching and creating one’s own art go hand-in-hand. My parents, my grandparents. I hope I was successful in expressing my gratitude over the years.

To thank those who are still in my life, people who continue to cheer me on and support my creativity, I made pop-up cards that “applaud” when opened.

Change the stamps and stencils and the color palette and this kind of pop-up could congratulate a friend who has a new job, just got chosen as captain of a sports team, survived a round of chemo, or anything else worthy of a round of clapping!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Each card requires a 14” x 5” strip of cardstock for the 5” x 7” side-fold card base, two 4” x 6” pieces for the hands, and one 9” x 8” piece for the pop-up structure in Kraft Brown or color(s) of choice. I find it easiest to make several cards at a time. 

2. For the 14” x 5” strip, cut several 5” wide pieces from 12” x 12” cardstock, brush on Red and Teal Metallic paint, varying the directions of the strokes. Cut into shorter sections, overlap and glue together. Cut a 14” long piece for each card base. Hold onto scraps to decorate the inside short ends of the cards (the pop-up is shorter than the card so the hands won’t show when the card is closed).

3. Brush Red and Metallic Teal paint onto the front of the pop-ups, varying the directions of the strokes. Paint the back of the rounded section of the pop-ups with Lime Green and touches of Metallic Teal. (The back of this part of the pop-up is visible when the card is open and standing.)

4. Brush Metallic Teal paint onto the hands.

5. Using a permanent ink pad and acrylic paint in Black, stamp and stencil patterns onto the hands and the pop-ups. Also, stamp and stencil patterns onto the outside of the card bases. I used Nathalie’s Hamilton stencil and her Cardboard and Embroidery rubber stamps.

6. Adhere a pop-up inside each card base, add 5” wide scraps at the ends. Glue the hands to the pop-up as shown so they appear to “applaud” when the card is opened and closed!

7. Options: 
*Hold the card closed for mailing by adding a ribbon, cord, or paper “belly band”
*Paint a red heart onto a small square of painted cardstock and tuck it into the closure.
*Hide a message in a mini manila envelope and position it in one of the hands or at the side of the card base.

Keep going……..
*Change the stamps and stencils 
*Use more than three colors!
*Pick a different color palette to suit the recipient and occasion (instead of expressing gratitude, this kind of pop-up could congratulate a friend who has a new job, just got chosen as captain of a sports team, survived a round of chemo, or anything else worthy of a round of hand clapping!
*Add hand-written greetings, old photos and other collage elements.

Hands down this is one of the coolest card ideas we’ve seen in a long time! Thank you Judi!

Give it a try: you can find all my Rubber Stamps and Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Judi used:

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Nat