Tutorial - Bendy Cards

Bendy cards are fabulous display cards that are perfect for creating three dimensional scenes.  The sides of the card bend inwards allowing it to stand up on it's own and creating tiers that can be individually decorated.   The finished card can also fold down flat for normal postage!  There are hundreds of beautiful examples on the internet, so when you get the chance, I thoroughly recommend doing a Google or Pinterest search to get some ideas and inspiration.

 

 

1. Start with a piece of cardstock measuring 12" x 6".  Score and fold at 4" and again at 8" to create a trifold card. 

 

2.  Measure and mark 3" from the bottom of the left hand panel.  Use scissors or a craft knife to cut away the top section as shown in the photo below.  Measure and mark 11/2" from the bottom of the right hand panel, and again, cut away the top section.

 

 

3. Flip the card over.  Use a pencil to draw a 1/4" border beside the outer edge of both the left and right panels (see photo below).  Now measure and mark a 1" reserve in the centre of each border - these reserves will become the tabs that hold the panels in place.

 

4.  Use a small pair of scissors to trim away the excess cardstock leaving just the 1" tabs.

 

5.  Flip your card back over again.  It should now resemble the photo shown below.

 

 

6.  Use a pencil to draw a vertical line on the centre panel, 1/2" from the right hand side.

 

7.  Now bend the left hand panel so that the tab edge is flush with the vertical line you just drew on the centre panel.  Make sure the bottom edges of both the left and centre panels are flush.  Use your pencil to mark the position of the tab, as shown below.

 

8.  Use a craft knife to cut a slit along the vertical line, between the two tab marks you added in the previous step.  (I removed a thin piece of cardstock by cutting two parallel slits very close together).

 

9.  The tab on the left hand panel should fit nicely into the slit you just cut.  As you can see below, the panel now has a bend in it.

 

10.  Open out the card again and flip it over.  Use a pencil to draw a vertical line on larger panel (which is now on the right hand side), 1" from the fold line.  See the photos below.

 

11.  Flip the card back over again.  Fold the larger panel, which is again on the left hand side, into the middle.  You should be able to see the vertical line you drew in the previous step.

 

12.  Now bend the smaller right hand panel so that the tab edge is flush with the vertical line.  Make sure the bottom edges of the panels are flush.  Use your pencil to mark the position of the tab, as shown below.

 

 

13.  Use a craft knife to cut a slit in the same manner as you did in step eight.

 

14.  Starting with the left hand side, place the tabs into the slits.  You have just created a bendy card!

 

15.  Now it's time to decorate.  Here's what I did...

I used the card blank as a template to mark the centre slit on a piece of X-Press It cardstock measuring 6" x 4".  (To make this piece of card fit comfortably in the centre of my bendy card I removed a sliver from one side).

Next, I stamped and coloured some flowers and a sentiment on the X-Press It cardstock.  I also stamped, coloured and fussy cut some butterflies.

I adhered my decorated cardstock to the centre panel of the card blank, making sure I lined up the slits carefully.

Using some small, sharp scissors, I fussy cut around the top edge of the image leaving a small white border.

I drew some wavy lines along the tops of the two panels...

... then cut along each line for a softer effect.

I added another sentiment to the smaller panel and then adhered my butterflies with some strong glue.  Done!