This time of year is so exciting for many folks! Graduation from High School or University is such an accomplishment! What better way to help the person celebrate than sending a handmade card that holds a gift card!
The actual idea for the gift card holder came from my stamping friend Dawn. The image on the front of the card has been posted by several folks on Pinterest. The combination is my original idea.
This card is more involved than the cards I have been posting. There are a lot of supplies needed which I will show first. A complete list will also be at the end of the instructions. Let’s get started!
The card base is an 11 x 4 1/4 inch Basic Black scored at 1 3/4 and 5 1/2. Along the 4 inch side on the left end, make a small mark at 2 1/8 inches with the scoreboard.
The front of the card is a 4 x 3 1/2 inch piece in the school color (for this card I used Pacific Point), and a 3 3/4 x 3 1/4 inch Whisper White.
The inside of the card is Whisper White in 5 1/4 x 4 inches, 4 x 3 1/2 inches and 4 x 1 1/2 inches. Along the 4 inch side of the 4 x 1 1/2 inch piece, make a small mark in pencil at 2 inches.
For the graduation cap you need a 4 1/4 x 1 inch piece of Basic Black. The diploma is made from a 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch piece of copy paper.
This card uses 3 different Stampin’ Up! stamp sets: Beautiful You, Itty Bitty Greetings and Wood Words.
Ink: Memento and Stampin’ Up!’s Pacific Point (or the school color).
Stampin’ Write Markers: Basic Black and Pacific Point (or the school color). Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Markers: Dark Basic Black, Dark Granny Apple Green, Dark Daffodil Delight (or other hair color) and Light Petal Pink (or other skin color).
Stampin’ Up! punches: 1 inch circle, 1 1/4 inch circle (retiring) and Triple Banner.
Clear blocks: C and E.
You will also need embroidery thread in the school color and in black.
Most of the adhesive I used is the Multipurpose Liquid Glue. In order to ensure the gift card holder was secure I used Tear and Tape adhesive.
Alright! Now that you have the supplies, let’s see how to make the card! Warning- this is a long post but well worth it! There are several Tips along the way.
Lay the 5 1/4 x 4 inch piece of Whisper White on the right side of the inside of the card. Fold at the score lines and burnish with the bone folder.
With the card folded closed, use the Basic Black Stampin’ Marker to draw a line. Set aside.
Use the Memento ink to stamp the lady onto the 3 3/4 x 3 1/4 inch piece of Whisper White. Tip: Be sure to leave room underneath the lady for the sentiment.
Using Memento ink stamp the sentiment “Congratulations” under the lady. Set aside.
Next we will stamp on the inside card pieces, the 4 x 1 1/2 inch and 5 1/4 x 4 inch pieces of Whisper White. We will only be stamping on the right side of the line drawn on the larger piece.
Starting with the 4 x 1 1/2 inch card piece, use the Stamping Off Technique with the school color ink (Pacific Point) to stamp the stars onto the card piece.
Stamp until the card piece is full of stars. Set aside.
For the 5 x 4 1/4 inch Whisper White card piece, use a copy paper mask. Tip: Do not use a cardstock for the mask because there will be a white space between the line and the stamped image if you do. You will see a little white space even with the copy paper (shown later).
Again use the Stamping Off Technique to stamp the stars on the right side of the black line only.
Tip: Take care not to push the stamp into the ink pad too far. The ink will get around the stamp and leave a halo on the card. Fortunately, this halo was very small so I did not do anything about it.
Continue Stamping Off and fill the right side with stars. Note the white space between the second and third stars and the black line. This can be minimized by pressing a little more firmly when stamping.
Tip: Mount the sentiment “Happy Graduation” about 1/4 inch from the top edge of the C block to aid in spacing the sentiment. Take extra care to go straight down and up when stamping without rocking.
Use the top edge of block clear block to line up with the top edge of the paper for the first stamped sentiment. Thereafter, line up the top edge of the block so it is underlining the sentiment you just stamped.
Repeat the process on the smaller strip of stars. Set the card pieces aside.
Using the Dark Black Stampin’ Blend Alcohol Marker, color in the lady’s dress to make the graduation gown. Leave the ruffles under the skirt uncolored.
Draw in the sleeves of the gown to complete it.
Color the hair. I used the Dark Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blend. Then color the ruffle and legging in the school color. I used Pacific Point.
I used the Light Petal Pink Stampin’ Blend for the skin color and the Dark Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend for the grass.
In order to get the graduation cap right, I punched the 4 1/4 x 1 inch Basic Black piece with the Triple Banner Punch. I used the smaller piece.
I used the Paper Snips to cut parallel to the punched edges to create the diamond-shaped graduation cap.
Pierce a hole into the center of the cap using the Stampin’ Pierce Mat and the Paper-Piercing tool.
Using the black embroidery thread, tie a knot on one end. With the knot on the top side, thread it through the hole in the graduation cap. Secure the underside with scotch tape.
Trim the tassel and set aside.
You will need the 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch piece of copy paper, the Paper-Piercing Tool and the school colored embroidery thread for the diploma. Use the end of the Paper-Piercing Tool to start rolling the diploma.
Trim the excess copy paper once you like how the diploma looks. Tie the school-colored embroidery thread around the diploma and make a double knot. Trim the excess thread. Set aside.
Take the stamped 4 x 1 1/2 inch piece of Whisper White and place the 1 1/4 inch circle punch so that the small mark you made at 2 inches is in the middle. Use about 1/3 of the punch to create the thumb notch.
Take the Basic Black card base and place the 1 inch circle punch so that the mark you made at 2 1/8 inches is in the middle. Punch using about 1/3 of the circle punch to create the thumb notch.
Finally! We have all the pieces and we can start putting everything together! Start with the inside of the card. Adhere the 5 1/4 x 4 inch stamped Whisper White on the right-hand side and the 4 x 3 1/2 inch blank Whisper White in the middle.
Place the tear tape as close to the outside edge as you can. This allows enough space for the gift card to fit.
Flip the card base over. First adhere the lady to the 4 x 3 1/2 inch piece of the school color (here it is Pacific Point). Then adhere the combination to the front panel of the Basic Black card base.
Tip: Use the Paper-Piercing Tool to slide under the protective cover of the Tear Tape. This is an easy way to remove the covering. Close the panel toward the inside of the card. Press firmly to ensure the Tear Tape securely adheres. Place the gift card in the space.
I used a Stampin’ Dimensional on the graduation cap.
I used a generous amount of the Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere the diploma. Note: Since there are raised portions on the front of the card, place an extra 5 1/4 x 4 inch piece of Whisper White cardstock over the front before mailing. This card can be mailed in the USA with a regular US postage stamp.
Congratulations! You have made it through – and you now have an extraordinary Graduation card and gift card holder to help that special someone celebrate their accomplishments! Thanks to everyone who stuck with me! Visit my Facebook Page at Theresa’s Treasures Arts and Crafts Store to see this card in more colors on the post from April 19, 2019.
Stampin’ Up products used include: Stamp Sets: Beautiful You #143637, Itty Bitty Greetings #146667 and Wood Words #143928; Punches: Triple Banner #138292, 1 inch circle #119868, 1 1/4 inch circle(retiring, available only while supplies last!) #119861; Cardstock: Basic Black #121045, Whisper White #100730 and Pacific Point #111350; Ink: Memento #132708 and Pacific Point #147098; Stampin’ Write Markers: Basic Black #100082 and Pacific Point (available in a set-Brights Stampin’ Write Markers #147157); Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Markers: Dark Basic Black #147941, Dark Daffodil Delight #144585, Light Petal Pink #146866 and Dark Granny Apple Green #146877; Clear Blocks: C #118486 and E #118484; Stampin’ Pierce Mat #126199; Paper-Piercing Tool #126189; Paper Snips #103579; Tear and Tape #138995; Stampin’ Dimensionals #104430; and Multipurpose Liquid Glue #104430.
The Stampin’ Up! 2019-20 Annual Catalog is just around the corner! For now there are great deals, up to 60% off of the Clearance Rack and a complete list of all the retiring product. Select the Click Here for My Store or Shop Now button above to go to my Stampin’ Up Webpage and then select “Shop” to get to the store. Enjoy!
