Gift cards are popular present ideas and today I have a fun way to “wrap” these tiny treasures. When opened, this little holder pops up to reveal a little scene and has a hidden slot to hold the gift card.
As you scroll through this post I realize it looks quite lengthy, but there are only three pieces and a few simple score lines involved in creating this project! The additional information includes personal tips and hints that I thought would be helpful.
Cutting:
To begin you will need cardstock cut in the following three sizes:
Outside Card: 4 1/8 x 6 ¼ (Red)
Inside Top: 4 1/8 x 3 ¼ (White)
Inside Bottom: 4 1/8 x 3 ¾ (Red)
I added the colors that I used, but feel free to change the color scheme to fit your design and/or occasion.
Scoring:
Outside Card: Turn the rectangular cardstock horizontally and score a vertical line 3 1/8” from the left edge (in this case it is also the middle point). Do not crease and set aside.
Inside Top: Turn the cardstock so the side measuring 3 ¼ is horizontal. From the left edge, score vertical lines at 2 1/8 and 2 5/8. Do not crease and set aside.
Inside Bottom: Turn the cardstock so the side measuring 3 ¼ is horizontal and score a vertical line 1 1/8” from the left edge. Do not crease and set aside.
Assembling:
You’ll notice that I indicated not to crease any of the folds in the previous step. This is a personal preference for me. I find it easier to complete my stamping when the cardstock is flat.
The outside front of the card was stamped with a snowflake from Penny Black's Giving and Receiving transparent set in rhubarb stalk Memento ink. Tiny dots were added to the snowflakes with a white gel pen. To tone down the brightness of the dots, rhubarb stalk ink was lightly rubbed on top with a sponge dauber.
When the front of the card has been decorated, fold in half on the scored line and use a bone folder to accentuate the crease. Good, crisp creases help with the mechanics of this card.
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| Inside view after creasing. |
Wise Wishes (Penny Black Owls) was stamped with black Memento ink and colored with Copics. The highlighting behind the owls was created with chalk. The image was then matted and attached to the front of the card with dimensional foam.
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| Front View |
At this point you will want to decide if you would like to add ribbon, a loop with a button or magnets if you choose to have a closure mechanism. In this sample, I used sheer brown ribbon. One piece was adhered to the inside top and the second to the inside bottom. These ends will be covered once the inside panels are placed into position.
For the inside bottom portion, the “faux” bricks were created with the present stamp which is also part of the Giving and Receiving transparent set. When inking with VersaMark Watermark ink, I eliminated inking the bow and stamped a continuous row above the scored line.
Create a “valley” fold on the scored line. Apply adhesive to the portion below the small scored area and adhere to the inside bottom of the card. The bottom and side edges will be flush with each other when placing the piece into place.
The sentiment, "A Wonderful Christmas” was stamped with black ink on white cardstock. Another little owl along with some black dots were added later as accents.
To decorate the inside top panel, a piece of Eclipse Tape (Judi Kins) was placed along the first scored line (to create a mask) and bamboo leaves Memento ink was applied to the remaining portion of the cardstock. Remove the tape when you have finished blending the ink.
On the second scored line, lightly mark 3/8” from both the left and right edges. Between these two marks create a slit with a craft knife. This slit should measure 3 3/8” long. If you would like to do any additional stamping or dot bordering, add those images before creasing.
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| I placed a small piece of paper in the slot so it would be a little easier to see in the photo. |
The first fold will be a “valley” fold and the second fold (the one with the slit) will be a "mountain" fold. Apply adhesive above the first fold and adhere to the inside top of the card flush with the top and side edges. Note: In this sample, an eighth of an inch was trimmed from the top before inserting. If you trim any portion from the top edge, you must insert the piece that exact same amount down from the top edge or the pop up mechanism will not work correctly.
The presents were created separately from the Gift of Giving and colored with Copics. Make sure when you adhere the presents they are positioned just a tad above the scored line to eliminate binding when the card is folded. Also, the use of dimensional foam behind artwork in this location may affect how compact the card folds. I like to “dry fit” things with temporary adhesive so I can experiment and test different options before I use permanent adhesive.
The last step……….
This pop up has a small lip on the bottom portion that extends 1/8 of an inch above the slot area. It gives the design a nice clean edge, but can be a little tricky trying to glue the last two sections together.
What I find that works the easiest is to apply adhesive to the front of the last “scored section” of the top piece then SLOWLY start to close the whole card. You will want to ease the folded pieces into place and keep the sides aligned while closing then pinch.
Wah Lah! You're finished.
Instead of a gift card you might want to create your own "certificate". A small coupon for a dinner and movie, a day spa with a special friend for her birthday or even a frosty ice cream treat for the summer.
Thank you for visiting the studio today.
Have fun,
Elizabeth