Joy - Distress water colouring and Joy fold card

Three little mices enjoying a bit of candy joy! Such holiday fun! Fa, la, la, la, la, la, and all that jazz!

A House Mouse stamp coloured with Distress inks is featured in a joy fold card.

Supplies

LinkDeli.com

These are not affiliate links just the products I use and where you can find them, too (if they're not retired).

Putting It Together

I decided to try a different card fold and, when looking around for card fold inspiration, I stumbled on a fold called "joy fold" and thought that was just too fitting. The Joy Fold is essentially two cards linked together, rather easy but looks great. 

 I stamped the image with black archival ink on watercolour cardstock.

I decided to make the mice in different colours, two browns and a grey.

I love how the images come to life while I paint.

Adding in more shading and green to the ground.

The palette of Distress inks I used.

I decided to use a pierced die to trim the panel.

To make the panel shorter than the die cut, after cutting it the first time, I matched up the holes on the side and slid down the top. With the pierced holes in the same spots, I ran it through a second time.

The finished panel.

I used my image panel to guide the cuts for the joy fold to fit in an A4 envelope.

• Outside, white 100lb cardstock: 8" x 4 1/4", scored and folded at 2 1/2"
• Inner, green 80lb cardstock: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4" 
• Chalkboard patterned paper: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
• Plaid patterned paper: 4" x 3 1/4"
• Sweater patterned paper: 2 1/2" x 4 1/4"
• Sentiment panel, white (not in the pile, added later): 4" x 2 3/4"

I dry fit them all together.

I used the Distress Tool to rough up the edges a little.

I added a snip of ribbon, a remnant I bought in a mixed pack at a jumble sale sponsored by a local scrapbooking shop. I anchored the ribbon sandwiched between the image panel and the green base. I used mini Glue Dots to make sure it stays put. I used Scor-tape on the back of the green base to adhere it to the main base.

To help placing the green base, I turned snips of the Scor-tape's release paper side ways. This keeps the Scor-tape from sticking immediately and is easily removed when it's in place. I added the white panel to the inside of the green base to make it easier to add a personal greeting and to have a bright background for the sentiment I stamped in red.

Before adding in the last patterned paper, I added another ribbon snip lined up with the first. I anchored it with Mini Glue Dots as well and then covered the end with the last patterned paper.

I added three red gems to the card and tied a bow. The bow helps to keep the card closed.

 Inside the card, I also added a sentiment on the inside of the white flap.

Challenges

House Mouse and Friends: Christmas in July

Crafter's Cafe: More Than One Fold

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: 3 of Something

Addicted to Stamps and More: Holiday

Crafty Friends: Christmas in July

Crafty Gals Corner: Celebrate

Simon Says Stamp Monday: Food or Drink

Aurora Wings: Fur and Feathers

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra: Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart: Anything Goes