Homage to Momage

Hidy Ho, crafty peeps!

Sunday is Mother's Day...

I always make my mom a card (no surprise there). This year I thought I'd try my hand at one of those exploding card in a box constructions. I watched several videos on how to construct their base. Some of the videos were in metric, some in English. Thank goodness for the latter...I hate doing conversion math in crafting. Let's face it...I hate doing conversion math, period.

There was one problem...

All the videos out there are to make an A4-sized card (which is a card that measures 4-1/2” x 6-1/8” ...or 11-1/2 cm x 15-1/2 cm). That's all well and good, except the envelopes I have (which come with the generic card blanks I buy at Michaels) are A7 size (5-1/4" x 7-1/4"). So, I did the conversion math and resized the base to fit my larger envelopes. So, MY finished card is A7 size...basically 5" x 7". I actually made my template a little shorter than 7" (mine is 6-1/2") so that I can make embellishments that extend beyond the top border and still fit in the envelope.

Be impressed.

I did math.

Here is one of the videos that will show you how to assemble it all. The measurements she gives are for the A4 size...so you have choices!! Click the following link to see how to put it together.

Card in a box video 

I will post my template at the end of this post for those who are interested.

Here is the card I did for my mom. I learned a few "tips" during the construction process. The first tip is that you can extend the decorative elements pretty far beyond their designated space in the middle section on either side......but you need to test it in the closed position to see if or your embellies will stick out the sides of the card when folded flat.

Here is what the card looks like closed. Some people go all crazy with decorating the outside. I didn't. The magic of my card is on the inside...so I used MINIMAL decoration on the outside (coordinating patterned paper on each panel and a few pop-dotted simple cardstock elements).

Mom Card Closed

Here is what the card looks like if you fold the top two panels down, while the card is still in its "closed" position.

  

And here is what it looks like completely opened into its "box" form

and a closeup of the stuff in the middle:

Add caption

Everything on this card is a combo of diecutting, punching and paper piecing by hand. The nest was made by cutting apart a wreath diecut and adhering it over darker brown cardstock. The birds started life as plain Jane bird diecuts that I jazzed up with paper piecing.

My husband even got in the spirit and made a card using this format for his mom!! Here is his card! I'm gonna make a master card maker out of him yet!

 
Ingredients:
Patterned Paper (Diecuts With A View, Recollections)
Twig Wreath Die (Impression Obsession)
Pine Branch Die (Impression Obsession)
Meadow Bird Die (Memory Box)
Forest Bird Die (Memory Box)
Heart punches
Hand punch
brown pigment ink
cardstock
ribbon

TEMPLATE (as promised)