Papers and Pixels Guest Article

     Last month I was approached by the editor and chief, Laura Boetto, of Papers and Pixels online crafting magazine and asked to do an article for the November edition.  I was honored and flattered to be offered the opportunity.  The following tutorial article was prepared for the magazine which is being published today.  Make sure you pop over to their website and check out all the great crafty ideas they share in their publication.  This is a subscription, but if you'll register you can go on the forum and look at some of the back issues to see exactly what they offer in each issue--lots of cools stuff from digital to regular paper crafting.
     So let's get started!
     I'm going to show you how to make a sliding tag card.  You can find a great tutorial for this type of card by Beate Johns on Splitcoast Stampers, but I wanted to show you how to do it with a different shape and size.  Here's a photo of the card when it's open.

Step 1:  Cut a card base 6” x 12” for a 6” x 6” card.  (You don't have to make a regular base for this card if you just want the slide out to be your complete message.  You'd just need a 6" x 6" square for the base.)Also cut as many mats you would like to include on top of your base card.  For my card I cut three mat pieces.

 Step 2:  For this card I chose to use a Martha Stewart punch around the page set to create the central mat of my card.  Depending upon which set you use, the inside measurement of your decorative mat piece will vary.  For this particular punch you have a four inch square to work in.  Photo #2 shows the particular measurements I used for my card.  These can vary depending upon the size of your image.  Mine measured 3” x 3’ including the double matting.

Step 3:  Mark out the measurements on you deco mat lightly with a pencil and then cut and score accordingly as shown in photo #3a.  I attached my deco mat to some cardstock for another mat at this point (#3b).  If you decide to do this also, make sure you only place glue around the edge of your deco piece.  You will cut through both layers of paper and then trim away the bottom layer of paper ONLY.  Make sure you only cut on three sides and score the other vertical lines.

 Step 4:  Cut a piece of regular copy paper ½” x 6” for a card stabilizer.  Also cut a tag just slightly wider than the cut out on your deco mat.  Turn the deco mat over to the back and apply adhesive to the small scored section at the bottom as shown in photo #4.

 Step 5:  At this time you would go ahead and decorate your tag.  Once decorated, take the copy paper piece and wrap it around the tag and secure the ends with adhesive.  Don’t make this too tight because you want your card to freely slide through it.

 Step 6:  Attach the copy paper piece to the top lip above the center cut and scored piece of you deco mat (this would be attached to the mat for the deco mat if you construct your card like mine).  Slide your tag through the loop (make sure it’s facing backwards) and attach it flush with the bottom of the small scored section on your deco mat.  When you flip the deco mat over, you can pull the tag up and the center scored section will make the mountain fold your image will attach to.

Step 7:  Cut designer paper pieces to frame the center pull out section.  Also cut pieces for the upper and lower scored sections on the pull out.  When attaching the pull out section make sure you only attach adhesive to the outside edges as shown in photo #7b.  You tag needs to be able to move freely for the animation of the card.

Step 8:  Assemble and embellish your card.

Hope you like the tutorial. :-)

I'd like to enter Mr. James into the following challenges: 

Forever Friends--Christmas is coming + animal

Cutie Pie Challenge--bears

Wags 'n Whiskers--Christmas

Crimbo Crackers--Christmas +sparkle

Pile It On--traditional Christmas

Have a blessed day!

Supplies 

• Papers:  Basic Grey Jovial, Bazzill, Recollections, Copic X-Press It Blending card
• Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "James Bear Pile of Presents"
• Ink:  Copics, Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Photo Distress ink
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Cherish punch around the page set, EK Success corner rounder, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
• Miscellaneous:  glitter, Offray ribbon, Prima poinsettia and leaves, Recollections pearls