Telescoping card

This weekend I decided to play along with the Virtual Stamp Night (VSN) challenges on SCS. Unfortunately, it was kind of a busy weekend, so I only had a chance to complete one of the challenges. There were several challenges that sounded interesting to me, though, so I might go back when I have more time and try them just for fun. Anyway, the challenge I participated in was to make a telescoping circle card. With this type of card, you have three circles that are stamped/decorated individually and then assembled (with largest on the bottom, smallest on top) in such a way that it looks complete when it's closed but when you pull a tab, it swings open so you can see all the circles. I think it's easier to understand when you see a picture, so here's the card I created:

This is a view of the card when it is closed.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!^® unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Best Friends Forever, Curly Cute, Birthday Greetings
Paper: Carousel Notes II Cards & Envelopes (for the Kiwi Kiss scallop), Pink Lemonade large scallop circle and Espresso scallop circle (The Paper Cut), Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette, Early Espresso
Accessories: 5/16" neutrals brads, Victoria crochet trim, Basic Pearls, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, sponge, Glue Dots


Now, the easiest way to get three circles of graduating size is to use some type of die that cuts the shapes for layering. I do not yet have any such dies (well, I have oval ones, but no circles). And I wasn't sure that I had time to run around the apartment trying to find the right size circles to trace (plates, bowls, glasses, etc.) because most VSN challenges have a 45-minute time limit for making your card. But then I happened to remember these scallop circle die cuts I have, and lo and behold, they worked! The scallops don't line up perfectly because they are from different companies (the bottom is from Stampin' Up!, and the other two are from The Paper Cut), but they were close enough. I did end up having to trace circles for the three layers inside the scallop circles -- I think I used a spool of ribbon for the two smallest ones and a plastic storage container for the larger circle -- but that wasn't too bad.

This is a view with the top layer swung open so you
can also see the middle layer.

As you can see from these first two layers, I chose to keep the same "theme" going on all the layers of my card. Kind of a shabby chic/collage feel. Not my usual style, but I think it works here. (This stamp set is one of the ones I received at Convention, and this is the first time I've used it since completing my make-and-take projects from Convention.)

I looked at quite a few of the telescoping cards that other stampers made for the challenge, and some people made each layer completely different but still coordinating. I honestly didn't even consider that idea; I think with the time limit I was worried I wouldn't finish in time, so I just did what seemed like it would be the fastest. But I think next time I'll try something different for each of the layers. (I saw the absolutely cutest telescoping card made to look like a snowman; I think I'll be using that idea for some Christmas cards this year.)

This is a view of the card when it is completely open.

I left the bottom layer of my card pretty plain so there was room to write a message for the card recipient. But you could also do more stamping on the bottom layer and then use the back for a message.

To assemble the card, use brads to attach the bottom layer to the middle and then the middle layer to the top. the trick is to remember to attach the top edge of the bottom layer to the bottom edge of the middle layer and then the top edge of the middle layer to the bottom edge of the top layer. (Clear as mud?) So when the card is completely closed, the middle layer is actually upside down. And take your time when punching holes for the brads to be sure that they are opposite each other, or the card won't be straight when it is open. (My card is straight, I just don't have it sitting quite right in this picture.)

The last step is to add a tab at the top edge of the top layer to use for opening the card. This was the first time I've made a telescoping card, and it was much easier than I thought it would be. Give it a try!

I'm not sure how much time I'll have for writing blog posts in the next couple of weeks since I'm trying to get everything ready for my stamp-a-stack event in early September. I'll do my best to post every couple of days, but if you don't see anything for a bit, that's why. Thanks for stopping by!