As Valentines Day is just around the corner, crafters everywhere are creating all kinds of love items.  Here Tracey Grundy shows us how to make this fabulous Concertina Card as something different for the love of your life.

This first template ‘Diagram 1′ is for the centre piece of this card.

After cutting your card to size, score and fold as per the diagram.

As per Guidelines A & B snip approximately 5mm into the insert.

Next with reference to the second template Diagram 2 cut another piece of card to size.

As per the diagram, once you have cut out the shape of the card, measure, score then fold the card.

The left hand side of the concertina card should look like this with an extra 1cm fold on the right which will be connected to the right hand side of the card when assembled.  Don’t forget to snip where indicated on the diagram.

The final template for Diagram 3 is a mirror image of Diagram 2.

Once the card has been measured, cut, scored, folded and snipped it should be turned around to be the mirror image of the other piece it is to be attached to.

Apply some double-sided tape to the extra 1cm piece on the first card and adhere it to the second piece of card.

You should then have something like this.

Next using a border punch in a similar colour to the rest of the card, punch then adhere the strip to the top and bottom sections of the card.

Use a dress makers pin wheel to put holes in the borders.

With a permanent liner pen connect the pierced holes to produce faux stitching.

Attach ribbon to the front and back of the card to tie closed by measuring and then attaching with a gromlet using the Crop-a-dile Big Bite.

Next the text for the middle section is to be handstitched so first select the font you would like to use.  Here we have chosen ‘Connecticut’ sized at 96.  Take the printed sheet of paper and place it over the top of the selected card.  The card and paper should be placed on top of a mat, an old mouse mat would be ideal.  Next taking a ‘cross stitch’ needle pierced holes along the lines of the letters.

Once pierced the letter should look like this.

The stitched letter should look like this.

Here is a comparison with the text on the printed paper.

Adhere the stitched letters to the middle section of the card with foam pads.  The rest of this section has been decorated with swirly stamps, heart vellum stickers, a hand cut quirky heart and a punch heart which has been coloured and pierced to look like a button.

To decorate the rest of the card, take 4 sets of die cut wings to make up 2 butterflies.  Then take a piece of red paper and fold it several times so that you will get four separate wings from it.  Draw around the wing with a pencil then cut the wings out all in one go.

Attach the red wings to the others by stapling them together.

Next adhere the wings to the card with double-sided tape and add a hand cut heart over the middle of the wings with foam pads.  These hearts are ideal to write your sentiment.

The colours chosen for this card are more for a male, in my opinion, but I am sure it will be gorgeous in any colours and any theme.  Here is an example of a Christmas Card.

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  It may take a bit longer than other cards to make, but I’m sure you’ll agree that your loved ones are worth all that effort.

All images are 300dpi and are free to use in your own personal projects ONLY.  You may resell small numbers of items made using these images but not the images themselves.

If you use this Freebie, take a photo and send us a picture! submissions@papercraftjunkies.com

Tags | black permanent pens, border punch, butterfly wings, button, concertina card, Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite, double-sided tape, faux stitching, foam pads, fold, gromlets, hand stitch, measure, pin wheel, ruler, score, stamps, stapler, templates, Tracey Grundy