"Show Off" Card Design #1 - Know Your 4

                                      "Show Off" Design   OR  Stepped-Up Version

                    This design Shows Off both sides of your Designer Papers

Hi there!  I'm glad you stopped by - I'm Susan Boback, the Card Connoisseur

         

Show Off - its the name I'm giving to this design.  It's perfect - the design shows off both sides of the Designer Series Paper.

Show Off is #1 of the "Know Your 4" Focus this month.   Know Your 4.   What are your four (4) card designs that you choose from when you need a card?  You need a quick card for your brother-in-law or young child? or the sudden loss of a friend? or one who has a difficult diagnosis? or how about a 90th birthday celebration?!

Know Your 4 shows a basic design and then ways to step it up with die cuts, stamped images or adding other folds. 

For Beginners in cardmaking, I've included the basic instructions on how to measure, score and cut a basic card base.  The photos below and simple instructions will show you how to begin. Or skip down to the bold print KNOW YOUR 4 card pattern to get right into it.

Card base:

*cut and score the cardstock for an A2 card

A2 is a U.S. Postal Description of the Invitation size card.   An A2 is 1/2 of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock or paper.  An A2 card is the above card, folded in half.  To make a nice crisp fold, you need to make a score line.  Do this with the Paper Trimmer (Stampin' Up!) or a Score Board. (Click on this highlighted link and those below to see the products in my online shop)

To make a Score Line, make a deep line with the scoring blade: it does NOT cut through the paper. 

In this "Show Off" Design, you're going to cut a portion of the front part of the card off, by lining up your fold at the 1 1/4" mark as shown above.

The blue dot in the above photo shows the score line that has been lined up at the 1 1/4" mark. While these are basic instructions that you will use to make most cards: measuring, scoring and cutting with the use of a paper cutter and scoring tool, you will learn these measurements and in time, not have to read them to follow step by step.  

Beginners:  Keep at it!  Learn the sizes as you do the steps over and over.  Don't get discouraged!

In my "Show Off" design, we set aside this larger piece of the front.   You can use this as a background layer for your sentiment tag, or add it as an extra folded piece as shown in the "Stepped Up" version below. 

*Cut a 12x12"  Designer Series Paper or DSP: double-sided color coordinated 

Here is a photo of the 12x12 with measurements, without the instructions:

*Cut a 6x6 DSP 

Know Your 4 - #1 Design, the Show Off

1.    Start with an A2 card base, 5 1/2 x 4 1/4" with the fold on the left.

Cut the front off the card base, from the fold 1 1/4" 

Set aside the 3 x 5 1/2" piece of cardstock to use as a layer on your sentiment tag or as an additional fold. (Instructions at the end)

2.     Designer Series Paper, front layer:  if using a 12x12 piece of DSP, see instructions above.

With ONE piece of 4 x 5 1/4", cut 1" off the length, so that it measures 3 x 5 1/2".   With the 1" strip, decide if you want the whole piece to attach to the cardstock at the fold - use it face up or use the reverse side to bring interest.  OR cut the 1" piece in half, and attach the 1/2" x 5 1/4" piece to the left cardstock piece at fold; AND on the inside of the card for further interest.  

3.   Inside:

Add die cuts or stamped images to the inside left, optional. 

Add a white layer to the inside right, if your card base color is dark.  The white is 5 1/4" x 3" or wider depending on your design.

 4.  Front Layer:  Add a sentiment tag, die cuts, or stamped images to coordinate with your theme or keep it simple. 

Designer papers used: upper right, Stargazing - Annual Catalog, 2023-2024;  One Horse Open Sleigh, Online  July 6, 2023

Stepped-Up Design: 

Add an additional folded piece.  Use the 3 x 5 1/2" piece of cardstock you cut off the front of the card base.    Score it in half on the 5 1/2" side, at 2 3/4".  Glue this to the inside card base so that the fold is at the outside edge on the right, and so that it folds over the front layer.   

I used the 1 3/4" circle to punch, then embossed it with "wild grasses" looking design, and colored it with the white water-color pencil; Then I added the deer from the Grove Deer Dies to the front, visible through the circle.   

DSP used: "One Horse Open Sleigh" Christmas/Winter papers, online only purchase, beginning July 6 2023. The print looks so serene to me and not really limited to Christmas themes. Add a sentiment and May 2023 - 2025 In-Color fibers bow.    

Add more of the Grove, tree die cuts with one deer, to carry the theme to the inside and the reverse of the DSP, the "show off" of this card. 

Visit my online shop/website at www.cardconnoisseursb.stampinup.net to see the latest projects, NEW online products, and so many ideas for cards and home decor - using the beautifully coordinated products I love. 

If you'd like a 20% or more discount, check out the JOIN tab on my website to see how to become part of my team, Card Connoisseurs.   Thanks for reading.  Post your projects over at my Face Book page, Card Connoisseurs - Card Making with Susan Boback.   Be Blessed!sb