Butterfly Card for Mother's Day

A colorful butterfly card made from construction paper. This card is great for birthdays, Mother's Day, or other occasions.

Things Needed

• Construction paper
• Hole punch
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Pencil
• Markers or crayons
• Optional: Glitter glue or glitter

Method

1. Fold two pieces of construction paper in half, making two card shapes.

2. Put the two folded cards together (one inside the other).

3. Along the fold of one of them, draw half a butterfly.

4. Keeping the two cards together, cut along the line you just drew. You will now have two butterflies.

5. On only one of the butterflies, fold it in half again and draw a smaller butterfly within it.

6. Cut along the line you just drew.

7. Using the hole punch, make a series of holes along the edges of the two pieces you just cut.

8. Glue one of these pieces onto the larger, uncut butterfly.

9. Flip the large butterfly over, and glue on the other cut piece.

10. Cut a black or brown body for your butterfly. Glue it onto the inside of your butterfly.

11. You now have a nice butterfly card. Write a message on your card.

12. Optional: Decorate your butterfly with crayons, markers, glitter glue, or glitter.




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Christmas quilling designs

It is easy and fun to do. If you haven't tried quilling before you may like to start with my instructions page where you can learn how to coil the paper strips and make the basic shapes.

This page will walk you through two different Christmas quilling designs, a quilled Christmas wreath and a sweet little quilled angel.

Christmas quilling designs - card one

For the design on the card, left, I used 18-inch long gold edged quilling paper. This gives an extra sparkle. To recreate it yourself you will need papers in green, red and yellow and a plain red folded card.

The main shapes we will use for this quilled Christmas wreath are the marquise and pegs.

Getting started

Start by making twelve green marquise shapes for the wreath from half lengths (9") of paper. Arrange them into a roughly circular shape and carefully glue together. Remember, if you are using gold edged paper strips for your Christmas quilling designs, to keep the shapes the right way up so that the gold shows on all of them!

Make about four of five red pegs for the holly berries, from quarter lengths (4.5") of paper and attach them to the wreath where desired. You may also like to make a further red peg for the bow's knot.

For the ribbon bow, take a quarter length red strip and fold the ends toward the center and glue in place. Don't squash the ends flat, leave them rounded. A further quarter length strip of red paper is used for the ties of the bow. Attach the looped red paper to the bottom of the wreath. Add the ties and finally stick the red peg in place as a knot.

Letters and off center coils

You may want to add letters to your Christmas quilling designs. I have positioned the word Noel below my wreath.

The letter "O" has been made with an off centre circle. Roll the coil as normal from a half length piece of paper and drop it into the right sized hole in your quilling board. Once the shape has settled into its desired shape, glue the end. Leaving the shape in the board pull the centre of the coil towards the edge and hold it in place with a pin. Using a cocktail stick spread glue onto the area of the coil that sits between the pin and the edge of the hole in the quilling board. This will secure the coils in place, off centre. When the glue has dried carefully remove the pin.

The other letters were made with quarter lengths and pressed into marquise shapes. You will need ten made from quarter lengths and three smaller shapes (1/8th lengths). Each letter is two marquise high. Glue the shapes together to form the letters, as shown in the photo, and then attach to the card below the wreath. You may like to lay a ruler across the card so as to line up the bottom of the letters, but for a more informal effect lay them in place to create a deliberately haphazard appearance. This has the benefit of making any slight differences in letter height less noticeable.

Christmas quilling designs - card two

This little quilled angel fits on a small card or gift tag. I used a white card with green and blue paper stuck onto the front.

The pastel quilling paper I used was cut into 23 inch lengths. You will need pale blue, pink or peach, white, lemon or gold strips.

Start by making your angel's dress with a complete length of pale blue. Stick the end of the coil in place and shape into a semi-circle by pinching at both sides, but keeping your fingers close together so that more of the coil is left to form the rounded portion of the shape.

Use a quarter length of the same blue for the angel's arm and shape into a triangle.

Using a half length of white make another triangle for the wing.

The face is a quarter length of pink left circular. Tear a pink quarter length in half again to make three tight coils or pegs for her hand and feet.

For the first section of her hair we will use a quarter length strip of lemon folded in half. Coil one end towards the middle until you have about 1/2 inch left before the fold. Do the same with the other end making sure that both coils are going in the same direction. The photograph will show this better than words can.

Then take another quarter length and tear it in half. Coil almost to the end of the strip and leave it unstuck.

The halo is also made out of a quarter length strip of lemon. This time find a pen or similar cylindrical object and wrap the paper strip around it. Stick the end down and then slide the halo off the pen to form a circle with an open centre.

Making up your quilled angel

Stick the pieces of your angel together before you position it onto your card. In fact this is a good idea for all your Christmas quilling ideas!

Start by taking the dress and the face. Using a cocktail stick dab a tiny spot of glue onto the bottom of the face and stick it in place to the right hand side of the flat edge of the semi-circular dress. The photo of the completed card will assist you in the placement.

Take your double ended lemon coil and run a line of glue down the straight part, then push together leaving the coils at the end unstuck. Run glue round the top of the angels head and attach the sraight piece of hair. Stick the hair coil to the top of the dress where it touches.

Take the single lemon coil and attach to the head on top of the previous lemon strip to give a futher curl higher up the back of the head.

Position two of the pink pegs near the back of the curved edge of the dress for feet, and the third peg in front of the face for the angel's hand.

Glue the wing on top of the dress, overlapping one of the hair coils. Keep this towards the back of the dress but do not cover up the feet.

The blue arm shape is layered on top of the dress, face and hand, leaving part of the hand showing.

Lastly add the halo to the top of the quilled angel's head.

Turn your completed angel over and dab glue onto the back. Position your quilled angel onto the card and gently press into place.

I hope you have enjoyed working your first two free Christmas quilling designs, why not browse the site for more quilling ideas.

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Valentine's Day Card

What you'll need:

• Design cardstock
• Dark green embroidery thread
• Green felt
• Lime green felt
• Wooden beads small
• Needle
• 1/4"x 5"green ribbon
• Glue gun
• Colored paper (2 colors)
• Thin wire 2"
• Pencil/ Ruler
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Pattern
  

How to make it:

Step 1: Card Pattern

1. Trace and cut card pattern with design cardstock.
2. Trace and cut heart pattern with color paper.
3. Trace and cut pea pod pattern with green felt.
4. Trace and cut pea pod tip pattern with lime green felt.
5. Cut out (2) small hearts with color paper. (We used pea green.)
6. Curl two small pieces of thin wire. (Twist them around a pencil to get even curls.)

Step 2: Pea Pod

1. Stitch along edge of pod with green embroidery thread
2. Glue two small wooden beads in the center of pod
3. Fold edges together
4. Place a dab of glue on the inside ends of pod and pinch sides together
5. Wrap lime green pea pod tip around top end of pod
6. Glue tip in place

Step 3: Finishing Touches

1. On the card, use green embroidery thread to stitch around the inside of the edge of heart cut out.
2. Wrap the pea pod tip piece around the pea pod and glue in place. Then glue the whole pea pod to the front top center of cut out heart.
3. Glue curled wire to the tip of pod.
4. Tie a small bow with the 1/4" ribbon.
5. Glue bow on front top center of cut out heart, over the very tip of the pea pod and the wire.
6. Glue the paper heart cut out on the inside center of card with glue stick. Make sure the pea pod, wire, and ribbon show through the cut out heart shape of the card.
7. Glue 2 small hearts on top of the cut out paper heart with glue stick. We placed ours on either side of the pea pod.
   

Tips:

• You can replace felt pea pod with a paper cut out.
• Needles and wire have sharp ends. If little ones are completing this craft, have an adult do the steps involving the sewing and wire.

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Heart-in-Hand Valentine Card

Things You’ll Need:

• Brushes
• Crayons
• Fabrics
• Glues
• Paints
• Foil-wrapped Candy Hearts
• Heart-shaped Cookie Cutters
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Card Stock
• Construction Paper
• Markers
• Pencils And Erasers
• Crayons
• Markers

Instructions
Step1

Fold a piece of construction paper or card stock into whatever size you would like the card to be. Make sure it will be large enough to fit an entire hand on its cover.

Step2

Trace your hand or a child's hand on the front of the card using a pencil. Make sure you center the hand while tracing. Be careful that the hand does not move during tracing.

Step3

Look at the hand after you trace it and be sure it is a shape you like. Make any corrections, such as straightening any wobbly lines.

Step4

Extend the hand to the bottom of the card or draw a line closing it off at the wrist.

Step5

Draw or trace a small heart in the center of the palm area of the hand using a pencil. A small, heart cookie cutter will provide an easy heart template.

Step6

Go over the hand and heart outlines with marker, crayon or paint. Erase any pencil lines that can be seen.

Step7

Paint or color-in the heart and hand. For the best contrast, use different colors for the heart and hand. Add fingernails to the hand if you like.

Step8

Decorate the rest of the card with complementary colors and designs.

Step9

Write a message inside the card. "My heart is yours to hold" is one idea that refers to the front design.

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Valentine's Day Card Album

Don't throw out your Valentine's Day candy box. Turn it into an album to hold your cards and even photos of your friends and family. Supplies Heart Shaped Candy Box Large Paper Pink and White Craft Foam or Card Stock Markers Hole Punch Scissors Tacky Glue Cord or Ribbon Click here for printables Instructions Cut the bottom and the top off a candy box. Discard sides. Trace around the top on large paper. Cut out. Punch holes in all the top edges. Line up pages. String together using ribbon or cord. Paste your cards inside. Cut our foamie hearts. Glue to top. Write your name and the year in a large heart.

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Angel Pop-up card

How To Make A Pop Up Card - Angel Pop Up Card - video powered by Metacafe
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Festive Wreath

These all-recycled wreaths are great for hanging on the door to greet your visitors.


For one wreath you will need:

Cardboard (pizza box tops work great)
A dinner plate and a slightly smaller round stencil
Pen or pencil
Box cutter
Mod Podge or other craft glue
Decorative paper scraps (leftover wrapping paper, tissue paper or florist paper)
Paintbrush
Assorted greeting cards

1) Use the plate to stencil a circle onto the cardboard. Center a smaller stencil inside the first circle, and trace around it with a pen or pencil. Cut out the circles with a box cutter to make a cardboard ring.

2) Cut the scrap paper into 1 inch squares. Using the paintbrush, spread a bit of mod podge onto the cardboard ring. Place a square of paper over the glue, then brush with a thin layer of mod podge to smooth.

3) Continue adding squares of paper until the entire ring is covered, over lapping each square slightly. Add 2 or more layers until the cardboard no longer shows through. Allow each layer to dry before adding the next one.

4) Cut assorted festive shapes from the greeting cards. Arrange the pieces on the wreath until you are satisfied with the design. Apply the card shapes to the wreath with mod podge, and allow to dry.

5) Decorate the wreath with glitter if you wish, and hang from a door or window with a push pin.

You can also attach a string to the wreath for easy hanging. Simply staple a length of string to the back of the cardboard ring before adding the paper squares. Cover the staples with paper as you work to secure them.

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Thank You Card

Supplies you'll need:

• 1 piece of white 8-1/2" by 11" card stock
• Six heart punchies and mini brads; primary colors: yellow, red, blue, green
• glue

Tools you'll need:

• Card front(step #3)
• Small hole punch
• Paper cutter or scissors

Place your mouse over the above picture. Right mouse click and choose: 'Save picture as'. Remember what file you placed it in.

In your word processor:

1. You need to set your page to landscape, which means the paper is held horizontally. For MS Word 2000: File -> Page Setup -> Paper Size ->Landscape.
2. Format the page so it has two columns. For MS Word 2000: Format -> Columns -> Two.
3. Set all margins to the edges of the paper. Just slide the margins on the left.
4. In the first column, insert the helping hand. Select the picture and size it to the column.
5. Place it so it is in the bottom half of the first column.
6. Copy this column and paste it in the second column.
7. Check the print page set up and make sure the text is in the bottom center in its column, if so, print out. If not, go back and fix, then print out.

When you have printed this out, cut the 8-1/2" by 11" sheet in half. These will be your two cards.

Fold the card in half so that the picture is on the front and the fold is at the top.

Glue the six heart punchies to the bottom of the card front as shown in the picture.

Punch a hole in the middle of each heart punchie with your small hole punch. Add a mini brad, one that doesn't match the punchie in color. Enjoy!

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Valentine Cards - Love You

Supplies you'll need:

• 1 piece 8-1/2" by 11" card stock, white
• scrap piece of red cardstock for heart punchie
• 2 red or metallic mini brads
• glue stick
• one piece printed vellum

Tools you'll need:

• word processor(ex: MS Word)
• paper cutter and scissors
• small hole punch & one inch heart punch
• Free Adorable Font

Begin by downloading and installing the Adorable font.
In your word processor:

1. You need to set your page to landscape, which means the paper is held horizontally. For MS Word 2000: File -> Page Setup -> Paper Size ->Landscape.
2. Format the page so it has two columns. For MS Word 2000: Format -> Columns -> Two.
3. Set the bottom margin to 7". Just slide the margins on the left.
4. In the first column, set the font to size: 72; color: dark red, Adorable font, Type: 'Be Mine'.
5. Copy this column and paste it in the second column.
6. Check the print page set up and make sure the text is in the bottom center in its column, if so, print out. If not, go back and fix, then print out.
7. When you have printed this out, cut the 8-1/2" by 11" sheet in half. This will be your two cards.
8. Cut the vellum so that it fits above the 'Love You' on the card.
9. Line up the piece of vellum on your card front and hold it there while you punch a small hole on either side at the top. Attach your mini brads.
10. Punch out a heart and attach to the card at the bottom, overlapping the vellum. Use glue and attach the vellum to the card under the punchie. This is so that you hide the glue mark that will show through the vellum.

    Be sure that the vellum is secure under the punchie and at the top where the mini brads are located. After the glue is dry, send it to someone you love.

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School Valentine Card

What you'll need:

• Red cardstock cut to 3 ½” x 3 1/2”
• Craft scissors with a scalloped or zig-zag edge (optional)
• Scissors
• Scraps of patterned paper, about 2” long and 1/2” wide
• Scrap of patterned paper 2” square
• Hole punch
• Marker
• Adhesive such as double sided sticky tape, glue stick, liquid glue or mini glue dots
• Rick-rack, ribbon or yarn about 8” long (optional)
• Candy (optional)

How to make it:

1. Use the craft scissors to trim the edges of the red cardstock. (Skip this step if you wish).
2. Use your scissors to freehand cut a circle from the 2” square of paper. It doesn't have to be perfectly round.
3. Use the hole punch to punch a hole in the circle. It doesn't have to be exactly in the middle; in fact, it looks better when it's off center!
4. Glue the 2” strips of paper on the red cardstock, forming an X.
5. Glue the circle beside it.
6. Help your child write “To” and “From” on the back of the Valentine.
7. If you wish, use the hole punch to punch a hole in the top left corner of the valentine, and thread the rick-rack through it. Tie a Valentine treat, like a candy necklace or lollipop, to it.

Tips:

• If an “XO” card is too “mushy” for your child, omit and use the paper strips to make an “F” (just cut one of the strips in half). Then your child can write “Friend” on the card.
• This Valentine is a great way to use up small scraps of patterned paper. Have fun trying out different combinations.
• If your child and his friends are into a particular cartoon character or sports team, keep an eye out for stationery or other paper that features the appropriate pictures and logos to make the “XO.” Or, you could use plain paper decorated with small stickers from the dollar store.
• Craft stores sell large punches that allow you to punch out circles ½” or more in diameter.
• Craft scissors with a scalloped or zig-zag edge are inexpensive and widely available at craft stores. Craft stores also sell small punches (for the center of the “O”) in a variety of shapes, including hearts, stars and spirals.

Quick switch This card could easily be used as a tag on a gift like a box of cookies or chocolates. Or, for a larger card, just glue the “XO” onto a piece of cardstock cut to 5 ½” x 8 ½”. It would make a great anniversary card too.

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