JAI 684 colour challenge - Fun fold Christmas Tree cards

 

 

Hello and welcome to my last Just Add Ink challenge share for 2023, and very appropriately it's a Christmas challenge using 'traditional Christmas colours', red, green, and gold.
I'm sharing two versions of an easy fun fold card. This design is called a square column card, similar to this card I shared a couple of weeks ago, and it were adapted from this fab card shared by Rachael Tessman.

My cards were part of my November Christmas card class and feature some of my fave Christmas stamp and die sets of this year - Merriest Trees, the Snowflake Sky embossing folder, and Joy of Christmas paper. Take a look at the finished cards.

 

I love that the square column is the perfect spot to create a feature or focal point - the two layer Christmas trees on this card - and give easy decorating options with paper. Even better, it folds and looks good flat too.

The trees and supporting elements from the Merriest Trees dies give so many decorating options. Take a look at the bottom of this post to see what's included. You'll be amazed at the design options they provide. 

This is how the cards look when flat. I like when a fold card looks good even when it's not open.

 

Both cards feature papers from the Joy of Christmas pack and have Sweet Sorbet cardstock bases. This is such a lovely, soft 'red' shade In Color for 22-24 which sadly means it will retire in April.

 

This version has a Granny Apple Green tree teamed with the smaller paper tree. The tree base is Crumb Cake cardstock cut with the die from the Merriest Trees set. It has a fab embossed basket texture.

There are three paper panels decorated with the pretty, stylised leaf-berry print paper, plus two white card panels embossed with the Snowflake Sky embossing folder. The star on top is gold foil backed with an adhesive sheet, and cut with another die from the set.

The sentiment is also from Merriest Trees, and the stitched die cut banner is from my fave Stylish Shapes dies.

 

 

This version has a Shaded Spruce large tree and checked print panels (also from  Joy of Christmas. The different paper and colour combinations really change the look.

 

Base Measurements:
I adapted the sizing of Rachael's card to suit A4 cardstock, and to enable two bases to be cut from one sheet of cardstock, This ensures the card design works both flat and open too and is economical for mass production.

• A single base is 21cm x 14.8cm. 
  
• The finished front (as shown above) is a little narrower than a standard base - 14.8cm x 9 cm wide.
• Scorelines - Score at 3cm, 6cm, 9cm, and 12cm. Very easy to remember. Use the Simply Scored board for super quick and accurate scorelines, or a scoring blade on your regular trimmer too.
• The scored sections fold into a square and the end section is adhered to what becomes the inside panel.
• I used three strips of paper for each card, plus two pieces of embossed card.
  
• I will create and share a template for the base and decorating pieces if people request it but I don't have time today. You can watch Rachael's video too linked in her blog post here. Just use my measurements if you're using A4 card. Thanks again, Rachael for sharing this fabulous design.
  
  Here's a pic of the card flattened out so so can see the back and more of the panels generally. Note that this isn't how it's placed in an envelope. I just wanted you to see all pieces flat.
  

 

And a final pic of both cards fully from the front. They stand up so securely and the front elements really pop.

A couple of photo out-takes before I say bye for now. Meggs, our cat was very interested - he clearly appreciates a good fancy fold too. First he just sat there and wanted attention. Then he checked whether it was a good place to rub, or maybe he was just picking his favourite. Either way he knocked over the card and was shooed away. He is very cute though.

 

So that's my traditional Christmas colours project for Just Add Ink. I hope you enjoyed seeing it and that it gives you some ideas to try yourself. You must head to the Just Add Ink blog too to see all the beautiful cards and fabulous ideas shared by the team.

To make your own version, head to my Stampin' Up website to see and shop the list of supplies you'll need. The main design elements are shown below too. Both the bundle and embossing folder are Christmas essentials in my book.

Merriest Trees stamp set and die bundle (available until 2 Jan as bundle discounted by 10%, then sold separately). The die set is so clever and has many great features you may not have noticed.

• You can stamp/cut and layer 4-5 tree sizes as each of the tree dies can be a layer or a whole tree.
• The tree can have a trunk or a basket like I used here. The basket die can be used on many other cards as other containers.
• The decorative strings die cuts 5 layers at once. That's enough to for one tree
• The 5 point star has 2 layers - one solid and one outline. Use together or separately. There's also a star die to cut out the stamped image.
  
•  There are 2 other star shaped dies.
• The stitched tag is a really useful size to team with the trees, as a card layer or as a tag but can be used on many projects. It has a decorative stitched reinforcing die too (rectangle piece with two circles) that adds strength and interest.
• As you'd expect, the dies cut out many of the stamp set images too, but did you notice there are 3 dies to cut out the stamped ornament shapes so you can cut out more at once.
  

The Snowflake Sky 3d embossing folder happily works in the background on either side, but still shines on its own too.

The Joy of Christmas paper pack somehow manages to look modern and classic at the same time. Many sheets can be used all year round too.

 

I have more Merriest Trees projects to share and more Christmas projects so pop back soon too.

PS: To see another Square Column card, see this post

Thanks for visiting today, and until next time, happy stamping.
Di

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