by Richelle Naegle

At CHA 2017 I overheard others asking, what is a Sizzix Fold-a-Long card? If you haven’t ever seen one, then you are in for a treat. Jen Long is the world-famous Sizzix designer who is the brains behind these fabulous cards.

Let’s take the Cactus Fold-a-Long Card Sizzix Thinlits to die set, for example. It makes a 3-panel card and, when closed, has the appearance of a delightful shape. In this case, it looks like a saguaro cactus. When the card is opened, the insides of the 3 panels are revealed. You can get creative with what you hide within the card, but each set of dies includes Thinlits for embellishing the card. Those die-cut shapes and phrases will match the overall theme of the design.

Jen Long Projects

Jen Long has made a name for herself with this unique solution for card-making. They are some of my favorites to use in my craft projects. You can make them with any Big Shot machine. Other Fold-a-Long cards include:

• Jar Fold-a-Long
• Owl Fold-a-Long
• Fox Fold-a-Long

I really can’t decide which one I like best. They are all so much fun to make and to give to friends.

Here is what this cactus fold-a-long card looks like, all folded up. It measures approximately 5.5″ tall and 4.25″ wide, so it will fit perfectly in a standard envelope.

As mentioned, when you open the card, you can see all the fun details that come with the die set. Everything from the sunglasses and bow, to the eyes (not pictured), are included. You can also use three different smiles to give each card a different personality. I added some Chillax Sparkle Lightz to the glasses and the bow to give her a little extra pop! I love the way that it turned out.

Remember that Thinlits are wafer-thin dies, so you may need a Precision Base Plate. CraftDirect offers savings on all Sizzix dies.

Have you made any of Jen Long’s Fold-a-Long cards? I would love to see them. Please share them with me on our Facebook page. Don’t forget, we have other brands and solutions for cutting dies for card making.

Happy creating!