Cardmaking: inspiration for a 'cascade' / 'concertina' / 'foldy-uppy' card ... whatever you want to call it!

Hi, hi.

If you've leafed through the current issue of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine [February 2015 - Issue 135] then you might have seen my 'Concertina Card' master class [which can also be called a 'cascade' card] where I created step-by-step instructions for two different styles of 'foldy-uppy'-type cards.

[It was technical terms like 'foldy-uppy' that got me the job of writing master classes in the first place ... ;-) ]

So today I thought I'd share another card I've made using the same base as the second, more advanced card, in the magazine feature:

If you already have the magazine then consider this additional inspiration for how you can decorate your finished construction. And, if you haven't seen the magazine you can just consider this some card-y eye-candy. Who knows, it might just tempt you to seek out some instructions and give it a go.

There are two key elements of this particular style of cascade / concertina card that make it one to try:

1. Despite it having a striking amount of depth and dimension ...

... it really does fold up flat enough to go into a regular envelope [unless of course you've used deep embellishments. Even then though, it will fit in a large envelope.]

2. It offers you such a larger canvas to really go to town on:

There are at least 7 individual 'faces' you can decorate and that's only the front-facing ones. If you wanted to make this extra, extra, special you could even decorate the reverse sides. In fact .. add in a few photos and this could easily become a lovely mini-album as well as a card!

Decorating all those faces can be a really creative activity ... where you get to use lots of lovely papery layers:

... complimented by interesting embellishments. Remember to only use flat layers on the inner faces, so that the card will still close! Save you're deeper ones for the front:

BTW: If you're drooling over the papers/stickers then the majority of the project was made with the Carta Bella 'Wildflower' range 2013 which was one of my all time favourite ranges. So much so that I bought the whole collection ... and that never happens! I've used it on so many projects .. and think I still have a few precious scraps left!

If you've only ever made regular cards before then maybe it's time you tried something a little different? and while this probably won't become the only style you'll ever make again ... it can be worth it for a special occasion.

[This was the card I made for my Mam's birthday so it was an appropriate time to go that extra crafting-mile!]

So what do you think? Could you be tempted to make your next card a cascade/concertina/foldy-up card?

Do let me know your thoughts here in a comment or via Facebook page where you can also keep up-to-date with Papercraft Inspirations magazine too.

Julie