Swing Cards and Venetian Blind Card

How to Make a Swing Card
Free template below

Both written and video instructions are below.





This is a swing card that is  setting open showing the same card from 3 different angles.

This card was made using two sided, printed cardstock.

It will fit in a standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" inch card envelope if printed out exact size from my template.





To the right side is a photo of a card that was made completely filling the template in with computer graphics before printing.
(The graphics are from Bird Life, available at PCCrafter.com)



The hardest part of making this card is measuring the cutting and folding lines.  With the template you don't have to do any measuring at all just print, cut and fold.  The lines on the printed template will not detract from the beauty of your card.

Template below
Instructions under template.
*Note::  If template appears to large on your 8.5 x 11 inch page, reformat image to 300 dpi as that is what most of them are saved as.
1. Copy template and open on an 8 1/2" x 11" page.
2. You can either print out, exact size, on double sided card  stock (below on left) or fill with computer graphics (below on right) or a combination of both.  (Even when I print on printed card stock I usually put the greeting in one of the panels.)

 


















2. The two smaller panels at the bottom are sized to be matted and used on both sides of the swing door.  If you want to resize them by making them 1/2" larger (that's 1/4" on all sides) they can be used as under mats instead or you can delete them completely.
3. Cut out the card and mats.
 



4. Cut the lines on the inside of the card see Fig. 1.  If you pivot your craft knife at the corners, you will have a smoother line. I cut right down the middle of the lines. 







5. Now, you need to score your fold lines, With a clear ruler line up against the edges you just cut and score from the cut line to the edge of the paper.  Do Not score through the door panel.  See Fig. 2 below.

Score only where the lines look blue in the example. There are not any score lines on the template as they would show and are not needed. Just line up the ruler to the ends of the lines that you just cut.







6. Fold the left side of the card toward the back and the right side of the card toward the front and lay it down flat.  (see example 3)


7.  Use the panels to mat or decorate the card.


FYI:  I use 12 x 12 double sized scarpbooking card stock which I cut down before printing.  The left over piece is useful in decorating and double matting the center panel.


Below is the Swing Card how-to Video.



Venetian Blind Card

A card that has a window shade you can pull up to reveal your hidden message.
Below is a video on how make the card.  If it doesn't work the link is at the bottom of the written instructions
Written instructions below.
This is just a quick card I made to double check my directions.  It's not really hard at all, especially if you use the template I'm providing because you won't even have to measure.  My template makes a blind that fits a standard small card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2" with the fold at the top).
Here is the template and printable abbrevated directions. Full instructions with photos below.

1) Fill template (fig 1) or cut a piece of card stock 7 1/2" x 4 1/2".  The template allows you to chose a graphic and print out the hidden part of the message.  I choose a pretty print scrapbooking cardstock, cut it to 8.5" x 11" piece and print the filled template out on the back.  You could also print on plain card stock and decorate the blinds yourself. (I put the white square in just to save ink)
2. Score all dotted marked lines. Fold card at solid line. (fig 2)

3. Open card and begin at bottom, fold on all scored lines. With the lines facing you, fold the red lines up and the black lines back in an accordian fold.  Fig. 3/4.   Close card.
4. Cut a piece of ribbon, string or yarn about 40 inchs long.
I wrap the end in tape to make it easier to thread.
Start on the right side and come up from the underneath side. (fig 5) You are going to thread in and out all the way up, I found you can fold the accordian and just push the ribbon through all at once pretty quickly. (fig 6)
5) When you get to the top go across and down the left side the same way. (fig 7).
6) Now, you need to thread the end through the back left hole, (fig 8) across the back, and up the back right hole. (fig. 9 below)
9) When you come up the right back hole go right back into the front hole where you started and go all the way back up, across and down again. (fig 10) you can still bunch it up and do it all at once. (fig 11)
10. Now you have your blind, with the hidden picture below it.
11. Mount the blind very firmly on heavy card stock.  This is important.  Pulling the blinds open pulls on the card bottom and it needs to be firmly atttched to a base.  It's ok to glue the bottom ribbon to the base, it doesn't move.
12. Mount the panel to a card.
13. To open pull ribbon out to both sides at the same time, do not pull down.  I add a note to my cards on how to open.





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