Z FOLD CARDS - THE BASICS REVISITED

Hi Stampers!

Have you ever made a Z Fold card? I imagine most of you have, but which Z Fold card(s) did you make? There are so many variations of this card. During the month of April my blog posts and videos will feature

various Z Fold cards. Today we’ll start things off with basic Z Fold cards, and alternative versions of the basic Z Folds.  Let’s take a look at the sample cards:

 

NOTE : Supplies are from Stampin’ Up!®️ unless otherwise stated.

VIDEO

Z FOLD CARDS - THE BASICS REVISITED

BASIC Z FOLD CARDS

Basic Z Folds are very easy to create. These Z folds simply have the card fronts folded in half. That is it! That forms the card base!

BASIC Z FOLD CARD

(Landscape)

MEASUREMENTS

* Card Base - cut cardstock at 11’x 4 1/4”

* Score at 2 3/4” and 5 1/2”

* Fold - 2 3/4” score is mountain fold; 5 1/2” score is valley fold

* Layers - Cut two at 4” x 2 1/2” and cut 1 at 5 1/4”

SCORING DIAGRAM

BASIC Z FOLD - LANDSCAPE

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Daffodil Delight cardstock

* Patterned Paper - Day At The Farm (retired)

* Other cardstock for greeting and inside card - Balmy Blue, Daffodil Delight, and Basic White, scrap of Basic Black

* Ink - Tuxedo Black; Stampin’Blends - Real Red

* Dies - Open Range (retired); Nested Essentials

* Stamps - Zany Zebras (retired) 

* Embellishments - Yellow - 5 (retired)

 * Adhesive

 

BASIC Z FOLD

(Portrait)

MEASUREMENTS

* Card Base - cut cardstock at 8 1/2”x 5 1/2”

* Score - 2 1/8” and 4 1/4”

* Fold - 2 1/8” score line is mountain fold; 4 1/4”score line is valley fold

* Layers - cut three (two - patterned paper, one - white cardstock) at 2” x 5 1/4”; cut one at 5 1/4” x 4”

SCORING DIAGRAM

BASIC Z FOLD - PORTRAIT

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Summer Splash cardstock

* Patterned Paper - Friends of the Ocean

* Other cardstock - Basic White and Summer splash (scrap)

* Stamps - Friends of the Ocean - and dies, Best Day (retired)

* Inks - Summer Splash, Pumpkin Pie

* Embellishments - Sunny Day Iridescent Dots

* Adhesive

ALTERNATIVE BASIC Z FOLDS

These cards are Basic Z Folds, but the score line for the card front has been changed just a little bit. The look is similar to the previous card, but this version has an extra little WOW!

ALTERNATIVE BASIC Z FOLD

(Landscape)

MEASUREMENTS 

* Card Base - cut cardstock at 11” x 4 1/4”

* Score at 2” and 5 1/2”

* Fold - 2” score is a mountain fold and the 5 1/2” score is a valley fold

* Layers - cut one at 1 3/4”, cut two at 4” x 3 1/4”, cut one at 5 1/4” x 4”

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base -Daffodil Delight

* Patterned Paper - Day at the Farm (retired)

* Other Cardstock - Daffodil Delight, Balmy Blue, Basic White

* Stamps - On the Farm (retired), This Birthday Piggy(retired), Simply Said

* Ink - Tuxedo Black (Memento); Stampin’Blends - Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie

* Dies - Everyday Details (retired), Layering Circles (retired)

* Adhesive and dimensionals

ALTERNATIVE BASIC Z FOLD

(Portrait)

MEASUREMENTS 

* Card Base - cut cardstock at 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”

* Score - 1 7/8” x 4 1/4”

* Fold - 1 7/8” score is mountain fold, 4 1/4”score is a valley fold

* Layers - cut one at 5 1/4” x 1 5/8”, cut two at 5 1/4” x 2 1/8”, cut one at 5 1/4” x 4”

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Summer Splash cardstock

* Patterned Paper - Friends of the Ocean

* Other Cardstock - Basic White, Summer Spkash, Melon Mambo, Calypso Coral

* Stamps - Best Day (retired), Ocean Friends

* Inks - Summer Splash, Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo

* Dies - Star Fish - Sizzix (no longer available) 

* Adhesive and dimensionals

MORE SAMPLES

And, yes, of course I made Christmas versions! For those of you who don’t know, I am creating my Christmas cards throughout this year. By November, I  plan to have most of the cards I need for the Holiday Season. So far, so good. 

BASIC Z FOLDS FOR CHRISTMAS

MOOSE HOLIDAY Z FOLD

(Portrait)

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Real Red cardstock

* Patterned Paper- Holiday Pattern Collection (Scrapbook.com)

* Other cardstock - Basic White and Real Red

* Stamp - Festive and Fun (retired), Itty Bitty Christmas (retired)

* Inks - Early Espresso, Real Red, Garden Green; Stampin’ Blends - Ivory, Crumb Cake, Granny Apple Green, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pretty In Pink

* Dies - Stitched Rectangles (retired)

* Embellishments - red gems

* Adhesive

JOYFUL HOLIDAY Z FOLD

(Landscape)

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Wild Wheat cardstock

* Patterned Paper- Holiday Pattern Collection (Scrapbook.com)

* Other Cardstock - Wild Wheat, Basic White

* Stamp - Merriest Wishes (retired)

* Inks - Wild Wheat, Cherry Cobbler

* Dies - Ovals Collection (retired)

* Embellishments- AdhesiveBacked Metallic Gems

* Adhesive

ALTERNATIVE Z FOLDS FOR CHRISTMAS

HOLIDAY CHEER ALTERNATIVE Z FOLD

(PORTRAIT)

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Real Red cardstock

* Patterned Paper - Holiday Pattern Collection (Scrapbook.com)

* Other Cardstock -Real Red and Very Vanilla

* Stamps - Holiday Cheer (Waffle Flower)

* Ink - Pretty In Pink

* Dies - Stylish Shapes

* Embellishments - Pink Pearls

* Adhesive

MORE HOLIDAY CHEER ALTERNATIVE Z FOLD

(Landscape)

SUPPLIES I USED

* Card Base - Delightful Dijon cardstock (retired)

* Patterned Paper - Holiday Patterns Collection (Scrapbook.com)

* Other Cardstock - Delightful Dijon, Very Vanilla

* Stamp - Holiday Cheer (Waffle Flower)

* Ink - Early Espresso

* Dies - Nested Essentials

* Embellishments - Antique Pearls

* Adhesive

BASIC Z FOLD CARDS

Basic Z Folds are a fun and easy way to switch up your cardmaking. Whether it’s one of the basics or one of the alternative versions, the card is sure to put a smile on the recipient’s face. Are you looking for something a little more challenging? Check back next week for two more versions of Z Fold cards.

Thank you for stopping by! Until next time . . .

Stamp Happy!

Kim

SCOR PAL - SCOR BUDDY EIGHTHS MINI SCORING TOOL

If you find scoring eighths of an inch difficult, this tool might be for you. It has the 1/8th, 3/8th, and 5/8th points marked, as well as the fourths , halves, and inches. This tool is available from many outlets. I purchased mine from Scrapbook.com. It is also available from Amazon, Walmart.com, Simon Says Stamp, and Michaels.com to name a few. 

I am not affiliated with Scor Pal, and receive no compensation for mentioning this tool. I know sometimes scoring 8ths can be overwhelming. This tool takes away the overwhelming part. It is compact, so it is very portable, and it is the perfect size for my stamping desk. 

CREATING A BASIC Z FOLD CARD

 Hi Stampers!

When it comes to card making there are all types of folds; fun folds...fancy folds...and even some nameless folds. My all time favorite folds are Z Folds. In general Z Fold Cards are easy to assemble, they look great when kept simple or when all dressed up. There are several versions of Z Fold Cards, and some can be modified a bit to create yet another version of a Z Fold Card. Many Z Fold Cards can be constructed in portrait and landscape orientations. Z Fold Cards offer endless possibilities for creative card making. 

Let’s take a look at the Basic Z Fold Card in both the landscape and portrait orientations.

I made this basic Z Fold Card in under 15 minutes!  It features the TIMELESS TUILIPS stamp set (annual catalog) and the FLOWER & FIELD DSP (SAB Brochure). The card base is Shaded Spruce, and the mats are Basic White. I used Shaded Spruce and Flirty Flamingo inks. I also used the Stitched Shapes Dies - Ovals (annual catalog).  

The basic Z Fold Card is simply a card base (either 4 1/4” x 11” or 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”) folded in half as though making a regular card. Next fold the front of the card in half from the right side to the left. That is all there is to it! If you like, add layers as you would for any other card. The focal piece can be added on the card’s front panel. I like to off set mine a bit as you can see in the card below. I simply put adhesive on the back of the left side of the focal piece, and adhere to the card front.

If you prefer to use measurements to make the Basic Z Fold Card (landscape orientation), here you go!

The card base is 4 1/4” x 11” scored at 2 3/4” and at 5 1/5”. To fold the card begin at the 2 3/4” score line with a mountain fold. At the 5 1/2” score line make a valley fold. 

Here is a Z Fold Card I made in portrait orientation. I used a Poppy Parade card base, Basic White mats, and Mossy Meadow for the strawberry stems. I also used the BERRY DELIGHTFUL DSP (SAB Brochure). The strawberries and sentiment are from the SWEET STRAWBERRY stamp set (mini catalog). I used the STRAWBERRY BUILDER PUNCH to punch out the strawberries and the stems. The inside sentiment is from the BERRY BLESSINGS stamp set (SAB brochure). I used Mossy Meadow and Poppy Parade inks.

This version of the BASIC Z FOLD CARD is folded just like the landscape version. It takes a piece of cardstock that measures 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”. Fold it in half. Then fold the front of the card in half from right to left.  Below is a chart showing measurements and score lines.

 

If you have never created a Z FOLD CARD. Why not give it a try? 

That is all for today, Stampers. Until next time...

Stamp Happy!

Kim

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