Baby Card Instructions.

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 Okay, I have been asked for the instructions for this card so many times I thought I would  make it again. This time I would  photograph each step  so that I can share the instructions with you.
 The original card was sent  to  the happy parents before I had even thought of writing down  the instructions.
 This has taken several attempts to get it right and to make sure the instructions are as clear and concise as I can make them.

So here goes....
You 'll need a cutting mat and knife,
Scoreboard  useful
a metal rule, 
a pencil,
adhesive of your choice,
1 sheet of A4 card.

 Score the A4 sheet  exactly in half.   (land scape)

Turn card to portrait  and measure 3 cms from the top of  the card  and mark the 3 cms Do this twice about 7 cms in from the sides,  this will enable you to mark the ends of the cuttings line more accurately.  
Repeat this at the bottom edge of the card.

Join up the markings length ways down the card and cut  the whole length of the lines. 
(See photo 2.)
In photo 4 you will see I have  numbered the strips 1, 2  & 3 
Strip one is left as is... no work required on this yet.

Strip two is the centre panel that folds in on its self.

Working on the centre strip only.
Measure 3 cms  up from the bottom edge of the card score a line between the cutting lines only.
Measure 3 cms up from the last score line or 6 cms up from the bottom edge of the card score another line.



Repeat this process at the top end of the card.
 Both ends should match.
(See photos  3 & 4)








Clicking on any of the photos  should bring up a larger picture, which can also be enlarged if you want to inspect my photos closer.

On Photo 4
Red lines equal score lines.
Green lines equal cutting lines.

On photo 5 

Strip three not terribly difficult to do  but measuring has to be accurate or it can go horribly wrong and it won't fold flat.

Measure 12 cms from the top & the bottom of the card  ( in portrait position) and score a line across  at 12 cm mark on one side  and a cutting line on the other.

 NB. My  template has both lines marked as score lines  But one is a cutting line.

See Photo 6

you can see I have concentrated  purely on this section and have deliberately missed out some of the other score lines so  that they will not confuse.


On photo 6   

From one end of the card  only  measure 13 cms and  mark it at each side join the the markings. 
This is a cutting line.
In my photo this is the broken 
line in dark blue. 
This will be the adhesive tab.

OR you could just  Measure 1cm on  from one of the red score lines in this picture.






Cut away the section marked 
and lightly fold  all the score lines.


Don't crease them in firmly yet
you may need to make minor adjustments which is easier to
 do before using the bone folder.











When you are sure everything  folds flat and lines up add adhesive to the upper surface of the tab  and stick the front & the back of strip 3 together so the tab is inside the card.












Now you can use the bone folder to make all those score lines sharp. 
This is important as it will help the finished card stand up.

The base card is now  ready for you to decorated any way you choose.

If you find this useful  please leave a comment.  
I have spent many hours working this one out and I'd like to know how you get on with it better still I'd love to see what you do with it.
If you need further advice  please contact me through the hotmail address on the side bar.
Thank you

 A couple of additional photos from different angles.

It's nicer if you decorate the inside too.
I suggest you decorate each panel in a different ways .  Trying to  do all the panels in the same paper may result in it looking like you didn't have enough paper or skill to cover it all in one. So vary the papers even if                                                                                     you stick to the same colour paper.  



The unfinished inside of this card 

I stamped greetings and flourishes on to one panel a verse on another,  the baby s birth details on another,  I left one panel  plain for the sender to write his greeting and added  pretty papers to other panels.

To do this one well takes a good deal of time... Don't rush it and
Have fun.