Christmas Gift Card Holder

So, today didn't start out all that well...I was still getting over a stomach bug that swept through out house over that last couple of weeks (yippee...) and didn't feel up to very much. I worked from my bed this morning but around lunch time I needed to get out for a few minutes. This is where my day gets better. I decided to go to the Post Office to check my mail and found that I got my first shipment of {ippity} stamps! YAY! Now, I have to admit that I am pretty green when it comes to stamping and I have never heat embossed in my life! (I just got a Martha Stewart heat tool this past Friday.) I have no idea what made me try both of these "new" things on the same project...the first project that I am adding to this post...but I did it anyway!!

So, here it is.

Please excuse the color of the giftcard...it don't really "go" with the color scheme but it was all I had on hand! Did I come up with this pattern all on my own, you ask? Well, I would LOVE to say yes, but no...I got this from the gallery on splitcoast stampers. Here is the link to the original card holder that I spied!  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/420179

Now to tell you how I made it!

First, I cut the pieces as follows:

• Purple
• 4" x 9 1/4" (base of the card)
• 3 3/4" x 4" (front of the card)
• Patterned
• 3 3/4" x 2 1/2" (inside back piece)
• 3 3/4" x 1 1/2" (inside front piece)
• 2 pieces @ 2 3/4" x 2 3/16" (inside and front for the actual card holder)
• Black
• 6 1/2" x 3" (the base of the actual holder)

Here is the picture of all the pieces plus some of the other items I used.

Next I took the 4" x 9 1/4" purple piece and scored it at 5" and got the 3 3/4" x 2 1/2" and the 3 3/4" x 1 1/2" patterned pieces ready to be glued on to the card base. I couldn't find the right piece for the card so I downloaded some digital scrapbboking supplies from a free site and printed it on white cardstock. It worked!

Then I glued the bigger piece on the top of the base and the smaller piece on the bottom.

My cardstock was a lighter purple on the back so when it was folded the front was lighter than the inside. I used the 3 3/4' x 4" piece of dark purple on the front to match the inside.

I then folded the flap down on a slight angle and added a snowflake eyelet to JUST THE FRONT PIECES. I didn't put it through the entire card because then the card holder would not fit in.

Next I took the 6 1/2" x 3" black piece and scored it at 4" and got the other two pieces of patterened paper ready to be glued.

Then I glued a two inch piece of ribbon on the the top, middle of the card holder and looped it over to the back where I gled the other ened, leaving a small piece to be used as a pull to get the gift card holder out of the card.

Next I glued the last of the patterned paper pieces on, one went on the top of the card and covered where the ribbon was glued. The card holder was then folded up and the second piece went on the front. Then the sides of both the main card and the holder were glued to make pockets. Make sure you stay as close to the edges with the glue as possible because the gift card has to fit in there.

The last part was also the most fun part because I got to play with my new toys! I stamped three images from the {ippity} by Unity "Seasons of Joy" stamp set from the Spring 2010 collection, using Martha Stewart "snowflake" pigment ink. Then I embossed with Martha Stewart cerulean embossing powder for the "snowflake" and the "Merry Christmas" stamp and sterling embossing powder for the "warmest wishes" stamp. Heated it up with my new Martha Stewart heat gun and BAM! It was ready for a gift card!

I hope you enjoyed my post!

Patricia