"How to's" for you

Today, at Dawn's request, I'm sharing how to make a gatefold card with handmade "wobbly" inside. Gatefold cards are not as difficult to make as they may look. They are actually pretty easy, and fun too. They're also fun to receive because they aren't your typical, ordinary folded in half card.

I like to use large sized dies for my cards, which makes it especially easy because the hard part is done for you if you want a shape other than a square or rectangle. Basically all you do is fold the paper and the rest of the fancy cutting is done by your cutter. I use a BigShot but you might have a Vagabond, Epic, Cuttlebug or something else. Easy enough, right!?

Ok, let's get started. First choose the shape you want to make your card. For this example, I've chosen a 5.25 inch scallop circle by Lifestyle Crafts. Notice I've also made sure I have an envelope that will fit my card. Sometimes I forget this step!

Cut a piece of 12" cardstock for your card base, a little wider than the size of your die.

Score and fold your card at 3.5 inches from the left side and 3.25 inches from the right, for a 5.25 inch finished card.

Lay your folded cardstock over the die so that the folded edges are just inside the die (this will prevent the folds from being cut off), run through your cutter and it will look like this.

Now let's make the wobbly. It's easier than it looks, I promise. You will need 24 ga. wire and wire cutters, foam tape, a clear label (oops, not pictured) and a pencil or marker.

Start by cutting about a 9 inch piece of wire. Wrap the wire around the marker (I use my white pen).

Punch two 1 inch circles from the clear label and one circle from foam tape.

Now it starts to look complicated but it's not really. :) Cut a slit in each of the three circles.

This allows you to put the label "around" the wire so you can attach the wobbly to whatever it is you want to wobble.

Now using the foam circle, attach the free end of the wire in the same way. Before peeling off the backing, attach the second label circle to the back side of the foam circle so the sticky is covered.

Peel the backing from the foam tape and attach to your shape or whatever. Now make it wobble just for fun! :) Isn't it cool?!

Now finish your card. Here are some of the supplies I may use to finish mine.

and here it is finished.

The inside looks like this when you open the front flap.....

...and this is the bunny wobbly on the inside, under the second flap.

I hope you'll try this fun technique. Once you make one, you won't need the instructions. It's really quite simple. :) Have lots of wobbly fun!!!