Graphic 45 Nutcracker

I know a lot of you out there love the Graphic 45 Papers as much as I do.  Last year I created a side step card with the Graphic 45 Christmas paper and wanted to do something similar this year with the new paper pad.  I was out in "blogland" and came across a card I loved at "Noor! Design" at this link.  This blog is by Jolanda.  If you go to the link you can see her beautiful card and she also has a template for this style of card.  You can request a PDF template by writing to her.    When I received the template, I realized it was done in metric and was kind of hard for me to get the measurements correctly, so I created a new template done in "inches".  Below is a little tutorial on how I created this template.

From this view you can see the stair steps on the left side of the card.  All the papers used on this card are from the Graphic 45 "Nutcracker Sweet Collection" 8"x8" doubled sided papers.  I used the Poppy Stamps "Blooming Poinsettia" for the flower.  Around the edges I used "Viva Inka-Gold" paste.  I love the true shiny gold metallic color.  It is a fast drying metal gloss paint. The flourish above the poinsettia is the Cheery Lynn "Holly Flourish". The Holly Fourish and Poinsettia leaf are both cut out of brushed gold card stock, which doesn't show up very well in the photos.  The tree behind the Nut Cracker is the Marianne Design Tree that has been cut off on the bottom.  The "sparkles" on each side of the sentiment are die cuts from the Memory Box "Star of Wonder" die.  They were cut out of brushed gold card stock.  The nutcrackers were cut out of some of the Graphic 45 design paper as well as the border and sentiment.  Kaiser Craft gold rhinestones were added to the tree and gold beads added to the center of the poinsettia.  

When the card is closed, it measures 5.5" x 5".  It took me some time to figure out how to create the template in "inches" for this shaped card, but the rest was very easy because I used the design paper and dies to decorate it.  

Here is a picture of the template I created in inches by using Jolanda's template.  

To create the template I started with an 8.5" x 5" piece of 100 weight card stock.   I drew lines across the width every 1", which will be the cut lines for the stairs.  Going down I drew lines every 1/2".  The boxes measure 1.5" x 1".  The first score line at the top starts at 1.5" on the left and on the right is at 3".  The second step is scored at 2" and 3.5".  The three step is scored at 2.5" and 4".  The fourth step is scored at 3" and 4.5", and the bottom step is scored at 3.5" and 5". Each stair step goes in 1/2 inch.   All the score lines on the left are mountain folds and the score lines on the right are valley folds.  I used a white eraser to erase all the line once I had the template cut and scored--I really didn't need to do that because I covered it all with design paper!

When I was drawing the pencil lines to create the template, I used a Fiskars clear ruler which measures 5" x 12".  It was easy to get all the lines straight using this large ruler because I could line up the lines on the template on each side and on the bottom.  If the lines are not straight, your card will not fold correctly.  

To cut the lines that create the stairs, I used my Fiskars paper cutter and was able to use the little line on the top of the orange cutter to cut down for each step.  You can use a craft knife if you want to.  It was again easy to get the lines straight, because I used the line on the paper cutter to be sure the top and side were straight on the line markings.  

Here is how the card looks when you fold it down flat to put it in the envelope.  I had a blast figuring this card and and I am really pleased with it.  This will make a great Christmas card for anyone, even grandsons!

If you would like to create a card using this fun Graphic 45 Christmas paper, I know Joan has these pads in stock.  

All the products used to create this card can be purchased from Joan's Gardens:

Graphic 45 "Nutcracker Sweet Collection" 8"x8" paper pad

Poppy Stamps "Blooming Poinsettia" (861)

Viva "Inka-Gold" paint

Cheery Lynn "Holly Flourish" (B148)

Marianne Design "Tree" (CR1224)

Memory Box "Star of Wonder" (98167)

Kaiser Craft "Rhinestones"

Fiskar Paper Cutter

Fiskar Ruler

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