Finally – The Blog Tour card directions

We are back from San Francisco. It was a quick trip and we are both still fighting jet lag. I spent some time yesterday and finally got this tutorial fixed so I could post it. I am sorry it took so long but I could not figure out how to post this with out getting html error messages. I think I have it figured out now but we will see.

I have included pictures of the card so you have a reference. If you should have further questions, please feel free to contact me. I did not take pictures as I went along (need to get better at that) so if you are still not sure and you are a visual learner and want pictures, e-mail me and I will recreate them for you.

Stamp your frame and then using an exacto knife cut out the center (save this cut out as you will use it for other tasks). Cut your mats (I made my mats 3/8″ larger than the layer before except for the green mat and round the corners. Using the center cut out from the frame trace around it on your mats. Then using a square punch, cut out the centers of your mats making sure the traced center is inside your punched lines (lay each layer underneath the one before to make sure your cardstock does not show through the front). Once you have all your mats cut, mount all of them and lay them on your card (do not attach to your card yet as you need to cut out the center of your card front). Put the cut out center from the frame image inside all the mats onto the card front and then remove the layers and trace around the cut out frame (I did not use the mats to trace anything as it would leave pencil lines on your matted frame). Use a pencil and ruler to draw a box around your tracing then use your exacto knife and ruler to cut out your rectangle (remember to open your card up so you don’t cut through the back of your card. When finished lay the frame layers on your card to make sure none of your cut layers show through the front.

Now you are ready to do the first flap for the inside.

Cut a mat a little smaller than your card back (I used 5 5/16″ x 4 1/16″. You will attach your flap to the back of this so you need a mat). Next cut a panel the same width as your mat (4 1/16″) and the same height as your frame on the front (you want your arc to be inside your frame to show through so the measurement must be based on your frame placement and is not the same size for every card). Score it 1/2″ from the bottom (the 4 1/16″ side – this makes the flap you fold under and attach to your card mat) and fold it back. Use a round object to cut your arc (I used my color coach and traced it lightly then cut inside the pencil line so it wouldn’t show on the completed arc. I thought it would also be fun to use a wavy edge). Using sticky tape attach to you mat (My flap was made out of cardstock but you can use patterned paper also. Since I did not have patterned paper to match the colors I chose, I used 3 pieces of cardstock. This makes the card heavy and may require more than 1 stamp to mail.). To get the same arc on the other 2 pieces, I used the bottom layer and moved it down about 1/2″ to 3/4″ and traced it on the second layer. Repeat this again for the first layer. Since I did not use DS paper, I used one side of my frame stamps to add some detail to the edges of my flap. Next use sticky tape to attach all the layers to the inside mat (begin with the bottom layer and line up the lower right hand sides – repeat with other layers one at a time). I used one of the sentiments from the set to stamp and mount in the lower right hand corner.

Now for the final piece, the sentiment behind the flap.

Fold your flap down and stamp your sentiment on the inside of your card. To add some interest to your cut out frame, stamp and cut out a small element (I used a butterfly but you could also use a flower) and mount with a dimensional (do this with your card closed so you can get the right placement).

Your card is now finished. Hope you found this helpful! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think and if you make a card, come back and leave me a link so I can check it out.

Robbie

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