Well, it's getting hotter by the day and just a little over 3 weeks to Christmas. Today's project post is from Design Team member, Liz Aitken. It's an innovative and different way to present a gift card for a male - and we all know how hard it is to create interesting and different gifts for the guys, so give this one a go !!

Gift Card Holder

Hi everyone,

Well, Christmas is just around the corner and as I am not flying west to spend Christmas with my family this year, I have had to become the Queen of the Giftcard!

I thought I would share with you a nice way to make a gift card just that little bit more special for the recipient. This is a vintage style card that has enables the gift card to pop up when you open it.

Supplies

· One 21cm x 13.5cm piece of kraft cardstock for the card base

· One 10cm x 13.5cm piece of kraft cardstock for the card front

· Two 10cm x 13.5cm pieces of cardstock or patterned paper for the card interior – I have used Tim Holtz’ Crowded Attic paper in this project

· One 27.5cm x 2.5cm piece of patterned paper for belly band – Crowded Attic

· Scoring tool

· Gift card with envelope

· Double sided tape

· 3/4" Circle punch

· 1 3/8" Circle punch or fancy punch

· Bone folder

· Distress Inks in your choice of colours for edging – I have used Evergreen Bough, Iced Spruce, Festive Berries and Vintage Photo

· Stamps of your choice - I used Paperartsy MN03, Backgrounds Plate 3 and Schooldays Plate 2. Archival Ink in your choice of colour (I used Potting Soil).

· 2 mini brads

· Twine

· Montana Paint Pens

Step-by-Step

Step 1

Score the 21cm x 13.5cm piece of cardstock at 10.5cm on the long side and fold. Decorate inside of card with stamps or patterned paper. Colour edges with Iced Spruce Distress Ink

Step 2

Add some of the same distress colour (Iced Spruce) to the outside of the card. Flick with water to get an aged look.

Step 3

Score each of the 10cm x 13.5cm pieces of cardstock or patterned paper at 2.5cm, 5cm and 7.5cm on the short (10cm) side.

Hint: Using patterned paper as opposed to cardstock for this step will make the card less bulky and easier to close.

Apply Evergreen Bough Distress Ink to the edges of the card.

Apply double sided tape on the outside (ie on the good side of the paper) in the outer 2.5cm sections of each scored piece as follows:

Step 4

Attach one scored piece to inside of card. Start by aligning the unfolded but scored piece to the center score line, and adhere. Then fold in half at the 5cm score line and close the card to adhere the other side to the card.

Burnish well. Open the card and ensure that all the folds are well creased. Your card should now look as follows:

Distress folded front edge with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink.

Step 5

If your gift card did not come with an envelope, take a scrap of patterned paper, trim to size, fold in half and adhere sides.

If your gift card has an envelope, cut the flap off.

Punch either a pattern section (in this case I have used a Fiskars Jenni Bowlin Quilted Star punch) or a 1 3/8" semi-circle at the top of your envelope.

Step 6

Decorate the front of your envelope

Flip the envelope and rule a line 2.5cm up from the bottom. Place double sided tape underneath the line.

Step 7

Attach the envelope to the middle front of the pop-up piece.

Step 8

Attach other scored section to the front of first attached section including the envelope. Make sure that it is flush to the base of the card as follows:

Step 9

Align the other end of the scored piece to the base of attached section and adhere to card.

Burnish well to ensure adhesion.

Distress the front of the scored section with Evergreen Bough distress ink.

At this point add a sentiment to the inside of the card if desired.

Step 10

Punch two 3/4' Circle and attach to each end of your 27.5cm x 2.5cm piece of patterned paper with mini brad. Tie a reasonable length of baker's twine onto one end.

Step 11

Wrap the band around card and secure it on the back by wrapping twine around both posts. Add double sided tape underneath the belly band at the front of the card to secure.

Note that you are looking at the BACK of the card here, not the front. Put aside.

Step 12

Take your 10cm x 13.5 cm piece of kraft cardstock and decorate.

NB – I flicked water over this cover after applying distress ink in order to get a shabbier vintage feel to the card front.

Step 13

Attach the decorated front to card, securing it with double sided tape over the belly band

Viola! A pretty neat pop-up card for your gift cards this Christmas.

Till next month,

~ Liz

Pages

Monday, 2 December 2013

Another Design Team Project - Great Idea for a Man's Christmas Gift