LET’S TRY A SQUARE ANGLED Z FOLD CARD

Hi Stampers!

Last week I talked about creating cards of different sizes other than our usual A-2  can help grow our creativity. This week let’s take that one step further, and try a fun fold. I promise the card is easy to create. Have you ever made a Z Fold Card? There are many variations. I have given most of them a try. I enjoy making them. I also enjoy making 4 1/4” square cards - so, I put the two together and came up with a square Z fold card.  Is this an original creation? I have no idea. I simply modified a full sized angled Z fold card.  I am sharing what I came up with. Let’s take a peek at the cards:

VIDEO

WHAT YOU NEED

* Card Base - cut cardstock at 4 1/4” x11”

* Mats - cardstock or patterned paper - front panel cut at 2 3/4” square; middle panels  for front and inside - cut 2 at 4’ x 3 1/2” ; inside mat - cut 1 at 4”x 4”

* Stamps, dies, punches, inks, adhesives, embellishments, and other supplies needed to complete card.

* Other - paper trimmer, scissors, ruler, pencil

* A-2 size card base for mailing.

WHAT TO DO

* Refer to the diagrams below. Yes, the top one has a lot of information, but it will make sense as we go.

* Score the cardstock on the 11” side at 4 1/4’and 8”.

* Turn the cardstock so the 4” side is horizontal and the smaller scored section is at the top - place it in the trimmer at 2”. Use the score blade or stylus to make a small mark. You can also use a pencil. 

* Line up the mark and the second score line in the cutting tray. Cut from the mark, past the first score line, and stopping at the second score line. The card base is ready to be folded.

* The narrower scored section (past the 8” score line) is the card front and will be positioned to the left with the wider section to the right. Starting at the left the first score line is a mountain fold. The second s ore line is a valley fold. Go over the folds with a bone folder. 

* Adhere mats to the panels. There will be three mats on the “front side of the card base and one on the back side (middle section). The 4” x 4”mat needs no trimming. Simply adhere it in place. (See diagram below.)

* For the angled mats - position the mat on its section centered left to right with an approximate 1/8” border on each side. Push the mat up so there is a 1/4” border along the bottom. Hold the mat in place with one hand turn the cardstock over and with a pencil draw a line on the mat along the card top. Cut along the line with scissors or a trimmer. You can skip the line drawing and use scissors to trim the mat. Repeat this process for the remaining two panels.

* Add images, greetings, and embellishments.

* This card fits in an A-2 envelope.

SQUARE ANGLED Z FOLD CARD 

CUTTING MEASUREMENTS AND SCORING

MARKET BASKET SQUARE Z FOLD

TECHNIQUE FOCUS -I die cut two of the market bags, adhered the veggie to one, then adhered the second market bag to the first, except for the handles. This add a touch of dimension and interest to the card. I have done the same with die cuts of gift bags, hat boxes, stockings, etc. 

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

SEA SHELLS SQUARE Z FOLD

TECHNIQUE FOCUS - I created my own patterned paper by stamping the sea shell images on white cardstock. I stamp more images and fussy cut them to use on the card front. I had three images remaining, so I used 1mm thick foam tape and adhered them over a matching image on the panel on the right (see photo below). The 1 mm thick tape gives a slight lift and does not interfere with the how the card closes. I often use the 1mm tape with the 2mm to create various layers of dimension. That is how I created all the different layers for the focal image on the front of the card. I will put a link to the foam tape options I use at the end of this post.

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

BUTTERFLY SQUARE Z FOLD

TECHNIQUE FOCUS - You might have noticed the top butterfly is above the top of the card base. Most of the time this would be a problem, but not in this case. The height of our card base is 4 1/4”.It will be put in an envelope that accommodates a card that is 5 1/2” x 4 1/4”. As long as the top butterfly does not exceed the 5 1/2” limit, all is well. Because the butterfly die is symmetrical I was able to add one on each side of the middle panel. I adhered them together with dimensionals.

(Large butterfly die and patterned paper - Scrapbook.com; Embellishments - Simple Stories; 

All other supplies- Stampin’ Up!”)

SENDING FLOWERS SQUARE Z FOLD

(Embellishments- Simple Stories; Patterned Paper- Crafter’s Companion; 

All other supplies- Stampin’ Up!)

VIDEO CARD

We walked through this card in the video.  After the video I added the embellishments. There are three dots on the front middle section. I added two more small ones on the middle inside panel. I was happy with them. 

Here is what the card looks like opened.

One last photo.

(Patterned Paper - Crafter’s Companion; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

THIS WEEK’S CARDS

So, what are your thoughts about the SQUARE ANGLED Z FOLD CARD? I enjoyed making the sample cards. The card design offers so many possibilities for decorating and embellishing. I hope you enjoy creating your own versions of this card!  Thank you so much for stopping by today. Until next time . . .

Stamp Happy!

Kim

The video below shows how to create a full sized diagonal Z fold card. It also discusses how to create templates for the mats (layers). The measurements are different from the ones for today’s card, but the process is the same.

TEMPLATE

LINKS TO FOAM TAPE I USE:

1mm foam tape

2 mm foam adhesive

MINI SLIMLINE CARDS FOR LAYERS OF FUN

Hi Stampers!

Sometimes when I need a little creative boost I change the size of my card. I might go with a 4 1/4” square card, a slimline card, or even a mini slimline card.  Changing the card size means the dimensions are different, the layers are different, and the ways the elements can be arranged are different. I have to stop and think before mindlessly cutting my card base at 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”! This simple change of perspective helps me break out of the card making doldrums. Today I thought we would break free of the doldrums by creating mini slimline cards. We’ll take a look at the various layers for this type of card, and just like last week I have a chart with the measurements for the layers.  Let’s take a peek at today’s sample cards;

VIDEO

CARD LAYOUT # 2619

* Mini Slimline Cards fit inside a letter sized envelope (6 1/2” x 3 1/2”).

WHAT YOU NEED

* Cardstock - for card base- cut at 6” x 7”scored along the 7” side at 3 1/2”; cardstock for inside mat - 5 1/2” x 3”, cardstock for focal images and greetings

* Mat and panels - use cardstock and patterned paper -cut one at 5 1/2” x 3” and 5” x 2 1/2”

* Stamps, inks, dies, punches, adhesives, embelishments, etc to finish card.

WHAT TO DO

* Fold card base on score line and go over with bone folder

* Stamp or otherwise prepare inside panel and adhere,

* Prepare focal image and greeting.

* Adhere focal panel to mat.

* Add focal image and greeting.

* Add any embellishments you like.

MINI SLIM LINE CARD LAYERS

LAYER MEASUREMENTS

To create your own Mini Slimline Layers Tool you will need 

* 12 colors of cardstock. (This is a good project for using up some of your larger and smaller scraps of cardstock. ) 

* 1binder clip, paper clip, or similar item 

* Paper trimmer or scissors and a ruler

* A pen or marker

* The measurements on the chart above. 

SLIMLINE KEEP SWIMMING

This card was created as suggested by today’s layout. I fussy cut the focal image. The greeting was created using a punch. Dies are great, but you do not need them to create interesting cards.

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

MINI SLIMLINE DOLPHINS

I used the card layout to start this card. I changed the orientation to landscape and the focal image became images!

(Greeting stamp- - Waffle Flower; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

FLIP FLOP SLIMLINE

Another landscape version of the card. I liked using the bright colors with the softer color in the background of the patterned paper. To me those colors scream summer!

 

(Flip flops dies- Honey Bee Stamps; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

OCEANS OF JOY MINI SLIMLINE

For this card I used two more of the mini slimline layers - 4” x 1 1/2”for mat and 3 3/4” x 1 1/4” for the greeting panel.

(Stamps - Waffle Flower; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

SEAGULL MINI SLIMLINE

For this card and the following one I used two more of the mini slimline layers - the 4 1/2” x 2” and the 41/4” x 1 3/4” layers. 

(Greeting - Waffle Flower; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

ANCHOR BIRTHDAY MINI SLIMLINE

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

VIDEO CARD

(Focal panel - Scrapbook.com; Patterned paper - Violet Studios; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

TODAY’S CARDS

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the mini slimline card. They are a fun change of pace from the A-2 cards. Why not give them a try?

Thank you for stopping by today. I appreciate it. See you next week. Until next time . . .

Stamp Happy!

Kim

THE LAYERED LOOK; ADD MORE VARIETY TO YOUR CARDS

Hi Stampers!

When you think of card layers (or mats) does your mind automatically go to 5 1/4” x 4”, and then right to 5” x 3 3/4”? Those layers are classic, and that 1/8” border always looks great! Definitely a go to look! But, sometimes we get in a rut. One way to escape that card making rut is to consider the layers we routinely use. Why limit ourselves to just a couple of layer sizes? There are so many other options available! For today’s cards I have used two layers of cardstock. The first layer is 5” x 3 3/4”. We use this size layer a lot, but not usually as the first layer. The top layer is 4 1/2” x 3 1/4”. This serves as the focal panel. I stamped repeated images on the focal panel to create a background, but this layer could also be embossed with an embossing folder to add interest. Patterned paper could also be used for this layer. I completed the card front by adding a die cut focal image and greeting. The inside panel measures 4 1/2” x 3 1/4” to complement the layering on the card front. Let’s take a look at the sample cards: 

VIDEO

WHAT YOU NEED

* Cardstock - card base - A-2 size; cut cardstock at 8 1/w” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4” or 11” x 4 1/4” scored and folded at 5 1/2”; cardstock for layers - one at 5” x 3 3/4” and one at 4 1/2” x 3 1/4”; cardstock for inside panel - white or light colored cardstock cut at 4 1/2” x 3 1/4”; cardstock for focal image and greeting.

*Stamps, ink, adhesives, embellishments, and other items needed to complete your card.

WHAT TO DO

* Cut and score card base, cut layers, and inside panel. 

* Prepare focal panel - stamp pattern on it (optional), stamp and color focal image and punch, die cut or fussy cut it. Stamp and prepare greeting, stamp inside panel.

* Assemble card. Place focal image on left side near the bottom. Place greeting on card along top. 

* Add embellishments.

CARD LAYOUT # 2618

FLIPPIN’ AWESOME

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

MERMAZING

(Stamp and die - Trinity Stamps; All other supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

VIDEO CARD

(All supplies - Stampin’ Up!)

CARD LAYER MEASUREMENTS 

I made this “layering tool” using cardstock and a binder clip. I started by cutting a piece of cardstock at 5 1/2” x 4 1/4” - the measurements for the front of an A-2 sized card. For the next layer I subtracted 1/4” from the length and 1/4” from width, and did the same for each consecutive size. I wrote the measurements on each piece. I wrote the measurements in landscape orientation, because there was more space to write. Of course the layer measurements are the same for either landscape or portrait cards.   I lined the pieces up along the lower left edge and clipped them together with a binder clip. The clip not only holds the layers together, it also allows the tool to sit up, making it easy to store on a desk or a shelf.  Below you will find the measurements for each layering piece.

piece. 

LAYERS FOR A-2 CARDS

TODAY’S CARDS

Isn’t it amazing what a small change in layer size can do for your cards? I challenge you to shake up the layers you use on your cards.  It is an easy way to add a little variety and step out of a card making rut. Why not give it a try? That’s all for today. Thank you for stopping by. Until next time . . .

Stamp Happy!

Kim