Life is a Journey (Enjoy the Little Things)...

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For this week's Hero Club Blog Challenge, they are celebrating their new website and asked that we make a card or scrapbook page inspired by something we see on the Hero Arts site. I was inspired by this adorable owl card by Kelly Rasmussen to make my own version -- I thought I would try my hand at a three-dimensional pop-up card. Interestingly, I worked on the outside front of the card last, as I had to make sure of the size of the tree. I wanted to keep it simple, as it would need to lie flat for the inside to pop-up. The fasteners were created by punching out some heavy cardstock, covering with paper, and adding a brad. Just as the sentiment "Life is a Journey" says, creating this card was a journey, too!

First, I made the pop-up using a template that I made myself, essentially cutting out the fold-out element supports with a hobby blade. I cut one shorter than the other to give the card some visual depth.
I loved the idea of running the "hills" through a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, and I did it with both Mellow Moss and Kiwi Kiss Cardstock for added depth of field.
For the tree, I drew a trunk and used a VersaMark Pen and embossing powder for a woodgrain look. Again, I used an Embossing Folder (D'Vine Swirls) for the foliage, which I thought was reminiscent of the cute Verve tree on the front of the card.
These sweet Hero Arts stamps, some of which I've had forever, helped me create my little woodland scene, replete with birdhouse, owl in the trunk, bird on a Stickle-berry bush, frog on a lily pad, mushrooms growing by the fence, with a squirrel perched on top. I sponged in a cloud filled sky and made a hot air balloon by paper piecing and drawing in the ropes. It sails happily along with a little punched butterfly with the apt sentiment "enjoy the little things." Bean Tip: If using clear stamps, you can often manipulate the image, as I did here with the sentiment to curve what is normally straight.) The stream was created with light blue vellum with some Glossy Accents applied for the current, and I lined it with gravel from my own backyard!
BEAN NOTES (Front): Hero Arts Birds and Branches, Verve Whimsy Tree and Papertrey Ink Birds of a Feather Sentiment Stamps; Stampin' Up Cloas to Cocoa and Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, and Baja Breeze Classic Dye Ink; SU Very Vanilla and Baja Breeze Cardstock; Kraft Cardstock (generic); Paper Shapers 7/8" Circle Punch; Heavyweight Cardstock (generic); Brads (generic); SU Hemp Twine (Inside): Hero Arts Birds and Branches and Sparkle Clear Messages Stamps; Other Hero Arts (unidentified) Stamps; SU Basic Gray, Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, So Saffron, and Creamy Caramel Classic Dye Ink; StazOn Stone Gray and Cotton White Ink; SU Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Garden Green, Riding Hood Red, Really Rust, Pale Plum and Pumpkin Pie Cardstock; Black and Kraft Cardstock (generic); Paper Shapers 7/8" Circle and 1" Scallop Punches; Martha Stewart Butterflies and Picket Fench Border Punches; Gray Sharpie Permanent Pen; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic); Picture-hanging Wire (generic); Ranger Red Stickles; Filigree Clear Embossing Folder; VersaMark Clear Pen HAPPY BEANS: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls and Swiss Dots Embossing Folders; Big Shot; Light Blue Vellum (generic); Ranger Glossy Accents; Gravel (backyard)