Fun Accordion Flower Party Invitation

I keep coming back to the wonderful Hot Fudge color by Pop Tones and these fun gatefold cards!

This time, I decided to make a fun party invitation using an accordion fold flower. 

Supplies needed:

8 ½” x 11” Pop Tones Blue Raspberry cardstock

8 ½” x 11” Pop Tones Hot Fudge Cardstock

8 ½” x 11” Curious Metallic Cryogen White cardstock (I love the sparkle!)

A7 Gatefold invitations in Pop Tone’s Hot Fudge

Scoring Board and bone folder

Red Line Tape

Good papercrafting glue (I used Zip Dry Glue by Beacon)

Ink (I used Cocoa and Lagoon by Close to My Heart)

Acrylic stamps (I used one of CTMH’s Art Philosophy stamp sets)

3 D Foam Tape

Bling ( I used Close to My Heart’s Bling Assortment and Pin Clips)

Step One: 

Cut two 1 ½” x 11” strips from one piece of Pop Tones Blue Raspberry cardstock.  Using a scoring board, score each strip every half inch. 

Step Two:  Cut two 4 ¼” x 4 ¼” squares from Pop Tones Blue Raspberry cardstock.  Cut one 4” x 4” square from Pop Tones Hot Fudge cardstock.  Cut a 3 ¾”x 3 ¾” square and a 4” x 4” square from Curious Metallic Cryogen White cardstock.  Layer cardstock in the following manner:  One 4 ¼” Blue Raspberry square on bottom, 4” Hot Fudge square next, and 3 ¾” square of Cryogen White on top.  The remaining Blue Raspberry and Cryogen White cardstock squares also are layered together for the inside of the card. (set aside for later)

Step Three:  Accordion fold both 1 ½” strips.  Use a bone folder to make the folds crisp.

Step Four:  Adhere the strips together using red line tape.  This will make a ring.  Carefully use your fingers to push down in the center of the ring, forming a circle with a hole in the middle. 

Step Five:  Using a good wet glue, adhere the accordion circle to the Cryogen White carstock matted on Hot Fudge and Blue Raspberry.  Set something fairly heavy on top of your flower, and set aside to dry at least 10 minutes.

Step Six:  Stamp Sentiment in Lagoon ink on matted squares for the inside of the card, and adhere inside the card.

Step Seven.  When the glue on your flower piece is fairly dry, place several 3D foam tape pieces in the center hole, until the 3D tape is even with the top of your accordion flower.  Adhere a gem or button to the center of the flower.

Step Eight:  Cut a banner from Cryogen White cardstock.  I used my Cricut and Close to My Heart’s Art Philosophy Cartridge banner.  Stamp sentiment in the banner, and sponge ink along edges.  Place the banner in a pin clip, and stick into one of the flower folds.  If necessary, dip the end of your pin in glue or use a glue dot to adhere.

Step Nine:  Adhere the flower panel to the front of your card using red line tape.  Don’t forget to leave one side without adhesive so that your gatefold card can open.

I really enjoy the look of these flowers.  They also look great using patterned paper.  You can make a larger flower simply by cutting wider strips of cardstock.  You can also score at ¼” intervals or ¾” intervals to make the flower higher or lower.  Now, I need to think of a reason to have a party!

Happy Stamping!

Katherine