Scrap Card #4

Orange is not a colour I use regularly, so I was quite surprised to find so many off cuts in my scrap box.  I can't even remember what the original project was that generated so much extra paper, but it must have been pretty big!

 

Tutorial - Circle Side-Step Card

There are many different step-cards being created these days and although they are a bit fiddly at first, you soon get the general idea and can apply the concept to just about any shape.  Today's tutorial uses a circle as the base and results in a card that has a curved bottom and a series of steps on the side.  You can alter the placement of the steps and the depth of the folds to achieve the look you're after.

 

 

1. Start with a circle of cardstock measuring 61/2" in diameter.  (You can adjust the size of the circle and the step measurements for a bigger or smaller finished card.)



2.  Use a pencil to rule a feint line at the 4" mark.  I used a pen so you can see what I'm doing, but you will want to rub out the lines once you've done your measuring, cutting and folding.

3.  The steps will be on the right hand side of the card so keep your measurements and marks to the right of the first line you drew.  Starting at the bottom of your circle, measure and mark a horizontal fold line at 11/2", then add another line 1/2" above the first, another line 1" about the second, then 1/4" above the third and finally add a line 3/4" above the fourth.  (The fold lines will be at 11/2", 2", 3", 31/4" and 4".)

4.  Use a craft knife and ruler or a trimmer to cut between the first fold line and the last fold line.  Refer to the picture below - cut between the two x.

5.  Use a stylus to crease along each of the fold lines you drew in step 3.

 

 6.  Now it's time to crease along all the fold lines.  Without creasing the card on the left of the first line you drew, carefully line up the bottom and top edges of the card and add your centre fold.

7.  Fold each of the steps starting at the bottom with a mountain fold, followed by a valley fold, mountain fold, valley fold and mountain fold.  This is probably the most difficult part of making the card because you are trying to fold the two joined sections in different ways.  Refer to the photo below.

8.  Crease firmly along all the fold lines.  You will notice that when the card is closed, the right hand edge is not nice and rounded.  Simply take a small, sharp pair of scissors and cut off the excess.  It's easier to do this from the back of the card where you can follow the shape of the cardstock.

9.  Now it's time to decorate!  The step section of the card gives you the opportunity to build up dimension by adding background items on the back step and then building forward finishing with foreground objects on the very front step.

 

Have fun!!

Tutorial - Teardrop Gatefold Card

A couple of weeks ago I showed you how to make a teardrop card with a trifold base.  Today I want to show you another version of the teardrop card but this time using a double gatefold.  It's only slightly more difficult than the first version, but still very achievable for the majority of cardmakers.

 

 

Template

 

 1.  Cut a piece of cardstock measuring 12" x 6" and score at 2", 4", 8" and 10".

2.  Fold along the score lines in the following manner: (L to R) mountain, valley, valley, mountain.  This will form your double gatefold base.

3.  Using the template above, cut a half-teardrop shape on a separate piece of cardstock.  It should be 6" tall and 13/4" wide to fit nicely on the two front panels.

4.  Use a pencil to mark the teardrop shape on each of the front panels.  You will need to flip the half-teardrop shape you cut so that the long straight edge matches up with the folds.

5.  Cut around the shapes you just drew.  Now you have your base card that folds up to form a teardrop shape.

6.  To decorate the card, use the template to cut out some patterned paper.  Remember to flip the template so that you a piece for either side.  Cut two strips of co-ordinating paper measuring 6" x 2".

7.  Stamp a sentiment on the patterned paper before you adhere everything in place, then add some embellishments to finish your card.

Tutorial: Peek A Boo Card

It's been a while since I posted a card fold technique and I promised the next tutorial I did would be for a peek-a-boo card.  These are wonderful cards that have a sliding section that moves when you open and close them.  They're not easy to make though and require careful measuring, cutting, folding and stamping to produce a smooth sliding movement with everything lined up correctly.

 

 

1.  Start with two pieces of light coloured cardstock, one measuring 51/2" x 11" and the other measuring 51/2" x 61/8".  (The reason for using light coloured cardstock is that you are going to be stamping straight on to it.  Other tutorials add little pieces of stamped cardstock but I found this to be the easiest way to keep the card sliding smoothly.)

 

 

2.  Lay the long sheet of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score at 31/2" and again at 7".

 

3. Lay the shorter piece, which will be the card front, horizontally on your score board and score at 41/4".

 

4.  Fold the cardstock along each score line as shown below.  You can see how the two pieces will fit together to create the finished card.

 

5.  Now you are going to punch your first window.  The window you create must sit right beside the folded strip on the card front, and it must not be wider than 13/4", which is about the same width as the strip.  If you make a window that is too large the strip won't slide all the way over your window and you will be able to see the edge of the cardstock.

 

6.  Adhere the front of the cardstock to the centre part of the card using double sided tape.  Place the tape on the right hand panel of the centre part of the card, which you will notice is narrower than the card front.  Carefully match the outer edges and adhere together.

 

7.  Using the previous window as a guide, punch through the second piece of cardstock.  You should now have a window that goes through both layers of cardstock.

 

8.  You need to punch one more window through the next panel of the large piece of cardstock.  Again use the previous punched section as a guide to line all the holes up.

 

This is what your card should look like at this stage. 

 

Front 

 

Sliding action as the card opens. 

 

9.  Open your card, which will push the strip across the window revealing the hidden image... this is the image or sentiment that will appear inside the card after it's opened.  Use a pencil to mark around the window so you have a guide for placing your stamp.

 

10.  Stamp your image or sentiment inside the marked area.  Remember, this is the second image the recipient will see.

 

11.  Now repeat the process through the front window of the card, stamping with the first image you want to see on the closed card.  When the card is opened the second image slides forward into the window.

 

12.  Add a strip of double sided tape along the fold between the first and second panel of the large piece of cardstock, then close the card so it adheres in the right position.  This will keep the sliding section from popping out of place.

 

13.  Time to decorate your card!  I heat embossed a panel for the front of the card, added some ribbon, punched flowers and rhinestones.

 

14.  I also added some matching stamped images to the inside of the card.