Artistic Etchings Tri-Fold Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Stop Waiting For Permission Outside Of Yourself.  You Are All The Permission You Need.

As I am writing this post for the coming week, I am sitting and turning frequently to look out the window.  Since yesterday (2/1) the news has been talking about a very large snowstorm that is headed our way.  So all day today I have been checking out the window, checking the news, trying to anticipate when it will start and how much snow we will get and what will it be like when it gets here.  It reminds me of that great ketchup commercial when I was young.  The one for Heinz 57 ketchup?  Anticipation....anticipation is making me wait.  Do you remember it?  You had to wait and wait for that ketchup to make its way to the opening of the bottle (unless you learned the little secret of hitting the bottle right on the "57."  Of course now they've put ketchup in plastic bottles and you don't need to anticipate, you just need to squeeze).  Anyway, I digress.  So I've been anticipating this storm - looking forward to it actually - and now, as I sit here, I'm a bit concerned that it might not come and that makes me sad.  So what is it that I'm really anticipating and worried about not experiencing?  A part of it is the snow itself - the peaceful white - the blanket it creates over everything.  Underneath that though, is what I really want - a day where you really can't go anywhere - a day where you need to just be indoors and enjoy your surroundings.  A day when places are closed and events are canceled and you are left to surround yourself with your loved ones - or just cuddle up on the couch and relax.  A day that gives you "permission" to do what you want or to just slow down.  So what the heck am I waiting for????  Why do I feel I need a snowstorm to make that happen - to give me permission?!  I can actually create for myself what I'm wanting this snowstorm to create for me.  I am all the permission that I need!  (Update:  The snowstorm did arrive and it brought a TON of snow...just in case you were wondering!).  Here are a few photos from the backyard.  The first one is a picture of the lawn chairs on Friday night.  The second picture is a measure of the snow Saturday morning :)  I had to use my large deckle edge ruler...the regular ruler wasn't long enough!!!!

For today's project I decided to make a tri-fold card that closes with a belly band.  I used the Flirtatious designer series paper with the new Framelits to create the belly band.  The stamped images are all from Artistic Etchings.  To create the tri-fold card I began with a piece of 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Melon Mambo and scored the card stock at 2 3/4" and 8 1/4".  I hope you like it!  Here is a close up of the belly band: