Star Card

This is an oldie of mine but a goodie. It's great for Christmas.

 

STAR CARD.

Those of you who have been to my demos will probably have seen my star card being created. It's quite complex to describe on line so I have added pictures for you to follow as well and hopefully you'll be able to understand the simple folds which when put together make a lovely surprise card which can be hung rather than stood. Ideal for Christmas and hospital cards. My two samples are christmas cards but works well as a baby, congratulations or birthday card too.

YOU WILL NEED

Six pieces of square paper or vellum. The size depends on what envelope you are going to use.

Double sided tape or a vellum roller/adhesive.

Glue Stick.

Stamps of your choice, if your paper or vellum  is plain.

Embellishments, flat ones are best.

Ribbon.

Brads.

Scissors.

Scorer blade.

Scalpel.

Poking tool.

Step 1.

Take 5 of the six sheets and fold them all the same way. Corner to corner making sure the patterned side is inside as you fold. Make sure the crease is crisp and exact. This is important. You should now have a cross fold corner to corner on each sheet.

Turning the sheet over patterned side out  fold a single crease accross from the middle to one edge only.

N.B. If your paper has writing or a right way up on it the edge you crease out to should be the bottom of that sheet as it will be the outer edge.

Step 2.

Take your paper and cut along one of the first crossed folds you made from the edge to the centre. I usually choose the one opposite the horozontal fold. Then selecting the fold next to it cut along parallel to that fold leaving approx 5 - 10mm gap creating a flap. Again cutting to the centre. Crop the end nearest the centre at an angle as shown in pic 2.  N.B. The section you will lose/cut out is the shaded section.

If you have plain paper and want to stamp your own pattern on it you must do this now. Remembering the outer edge of the star is the section with the horozontal fold on it.

Step 3.

Take the flap section and add glue or doublesided tape or both if it's a heavy paper. If you are using vellum use your vellum roller tape. Fold the triangle like a consertina making the pop up section go inside then fold the flap over and around so it makes a kind of triangular cup when glued. N.B. Make sure your folds line up at all times.

Do this with all 5 pieces and then lying them folded into triangles glue them together one ontop of the other with the pop up section and spine all in the same place. This should make 5 triangular shaped pockets all in a row with a single spine. The picture below loosely shows which sides are stuck back to back in grey. This also reinforces the previously glued spine section.

Step 4.

Pierce a hole in the same place on the two outer edges either at the pointed end or in the middle, or both. It's up to you.  Add a brad showing from the inside of the pocket and thread some ribbon onto the brad on the outer side as this will be hidden when you pop the jacket on. You can glue or tape your ribbon down at this stage.

Step 5.

Take your sixth piece of paper and fold it once into a triangle making the jacket. Keeping the 5 piece section in a triangle glue it into the folded jacket starting at the top point. Then open out the folds like opening a book and taking a craft knife carefully trim along the bottom without cutting into your sections.  If you are good at sticking things together you can cut the quare into a triangle before sticking it but I have found it easier to trim afterwards.

TIP This last piece of paper can be card or sticky velvet etc. It helps if it is a little larger than the other squares too. It's always better to have it too big and trim it than have it too short. If you do make it too short use sticky ribbon to edge the jacket to hide it.

Step 6.

Fold the spine of the star back fully opening the card and tie the ribbon together. Now you can add your words embellishments and whatever else you want to say. It's best to use flat embellishments inside your star as when it is posted folded shut you don't want anything pointy or big  pushing through the opposite side.

Step 7.

Close the star and tie it shut. Now you can decorate the jacket. 

TIP. If you want you can add a dangly piece, charm, dummy or shape on a ribbon before you stick the jacket on. This will hang down when the star is hung up. This can have your sentiment or message on it. You can make the star as fancy as you like adding tassles or feathers etc.

VALENTINES DAY VERSION

You can turn this card into a Valentines day card by cutting each triangle pocket pop up section into a half heart shape before you glue them together. They all have to be the same or they won't look right when tied closed. Make a Template. Fold the pop up section out the opposite way and trim then pop it back in. When the card is open the inner pop up sections look like full hearts.