Holiday Gift Card Holder Tutorial

There are two fabulous events here in the stamping group I am in. One is the Stamping Extravaganza in August which I was unable to attend this year and today's event The Demo's Gala (I think I may have the name of that event wrong). I'll correct it later if I do.

Both are very fun, exciting and overwhelming. There is SO much to see. SO many card samples and 3D items and not to mention the demonstrations going on at about a dozen tables. SO exciting! I have enough ideas to see me through to the next catalog and along with the ideas I already have I am good for the next 2 years!!! LOL

Here is something fun I saw there that caught my eye right away. For several reasons. One, of course, it was a snowman on the front!!! And you know me and snowmen!!! Another reason it caught my eye was it had snowflakes on it (again, you know me!!) and third it was a gift card holder. Something I always need during the holidays. There's SO many people on my "gift card" list. The original one was done on ballet blue and the snowman on the front was from the Stampin' Up! set "Merry & Bright." I used the jumbo "Snowflake" wheel and white craft ink. For the front I also embossed in white embossing powder. This is something that is VERY difficult to do on both sides. It can be done but you have to be extremely careful not to get any ink on the backside of the area you are working on. You need to put clean sheets of scratch paper down each time you roll the wheel across to avoid getting it on the back. And you need to be especially careful when you turn the card stock over to do the other side. The ink begins to absorb and dry and not to mention some transfers onto your scratch paper. And sometime sit dries before you get the embossing powder on. You have to be a bit speedy for embossing on both sides. Like I said it can be done but not by me. I'm too slow and not always that careful! SO mine is embossed on the front and back and the inside is just white craft ink. Do your embossing first and then the inside ink. Then set it aside so the ink can dry.

Ok, here's the instructions:

Cut your card stock 4 1/4" x 10"

Score at 2 5/8", 5" and 7 3/8".
Fold it like a fan. You will have a "W" shape. The center of the "W" is where the gift card goes. Pinch it shut and you will see what shows on the front and back. This is where I used the white embossing powder. Once that was done I opened it back up and rolled on the snowflakes using the white craft ink. I set it aside and gathered the rest of my supplies.

You will be taping the inside of the holder. I use the Stampin' Up! Sticky Strip tape as shown in the photo.

Measure a 3/8" in on the taped piece and using the Word Window punch, you will be punching in only half way. Slide it down and punch again making sure you are 3/8" from the edge. You don't need to be concerned about getting them perfectly even. Close enough will do because you will be taking a 1" punch in the center. Go about 3/8" in and punch. See photo. You may have to adjust the distance between the edge and where you begin the window punch according to the size of your gift card but most should fit within these measurements. You can add any wording you'd like on the inside or you can leave it as it is.

For the front I used the snowman from "Jolliest of Holidays". I stamped the image on watercolor paper using black Staz-on ink and I colored it in using a blender pen and ink pads. I added my ribbon under it before I attached it to the front of the gift card holder. Tie it in a bow and it's complete! See, not so bad is it???

Thank you for stopping by,

Wanda