It's Motions and Folds Blog Hop Day!!!!

I am so very excited to be participating in my first blog hop! I really enjoy blog hops and I was pleased to visit Ellen at http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/ (also the first stop of the hop!) and saw that she was looking for people to join her in creating projects that use motions or folds and jumped at the chance to join. I have never even made a card that fit into the category so I considered it a challenge. And I HAD to buy that scored board that I had wanted!

First off, here is the lineup in case you just stumbled on here and want to start at the beginning--you should! Lots of great projects!

1. Ellen at http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
2. Selina at http://www.mudpiereality.blogspot.com/
3. Sarah at http://www.simplyshaddock.blogspot.com/
4. Jessica at http://www.thecreativestamperspot.blogspot.com/
5. Sue at http://www.susanascorner.blogspot.com/
6. Janice at http://www.cricutology.blogspot.com/
7. Wendy at http://www.wendyscreativecraftingcorner.blogspot.com/
8. Kacee at http://www.youhadmeatscrap.blogspot.com/
9. Jennifer at http://www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/
10. Amanda at http://www.stellarscraps.blogspot.com/ ---You Are Here!!
11. Kim at http://www.rickettscricuts.blogspot.com/
12. Brynn at http://www.flairandfrillscreativity.blogspot.com/
13. Ashley at http://www.scraptasticideas.blogspot.com/
14. Nikki at http://www.theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
15. Elaine at http://www.expressionsbyelaine.blogspot.com/

Now, here is my card! I have wanted to make a trifold shutter card for a while but I lacked the score board and the confidence. Thanks to a little shopping and some googling for directions, I found a great tutorial HERE. The directions were super easy to follow and I would reccommend it to anyone wanting to try this type of card.

Here is the base of my card after scoring and cutting (I neglected to take any pictures of that--check out that awesome tutorial!).

Next, I did the cuts for the paper to cover each surface and did a dry fit before glueing them on. The hardest part of the entire card was getting the proper cut for the lime zebra paper. Admittedly, I am not very skilled with the paper cutter but it all worked out in the end.

The complicated part is over!!! Now for the fun part--embellishing! I like to keep things pretty simple and I was making this card for my sister's 20th birthday so I kept her in mind as I decorated.

I used Simply Charmed for the cake and Birthday Bash for the balloons and tied them with a little piece of twine. I also used the Happy Birthday Cuttlebug folder for the silver shimmer paper behind the cake. I also added a pretty purple ribbon, a button with some twine and some faux stitching to finish it off.

There you have it! My very first blog hop and my very first fancy card! My sister loved it--she laughed because she couldn't figure out how to open it at first!

Because I was motivated to make cards with interesting folds, I also made my first easel card to give to my mother-in-law on her birthday next week. Here is the tutorial I used and here is the card!

Your next stop is Kim at http://www.rickettscricuts.blogspot.com/. Check out her great project next!

So, if you made it this far, you will be rewarded!!! A chance at some blog candy!!! I don't have a lot but I do have a Sizzix embossing kit that can also be used in your Cuttlebug. I bought one for myself as well and it's really cute!

I'd love you to be a follower, but that isn't required. Just leave me a comment with a way to reach you and I'll randomly pick a winner!

Whew! All done! Hop on over to see Kim's project!