Calendar Globe 2016

Here's a fun dodecahedron calendar - just in time for posting greetings cards. I like to flat-pack them as a card enclosure:

Here is your free calendar file:
Dodecahedron2016Calendar.pdf 

Dodecahedron2016Calendar.studio3 

The calendar is fun to make. Cut it out by Silhouette machine or hand, score and crease the folds. Glue or tape the tabs. Two jaggedy egg-halfs fit together to make the finished shape - January at top, December at the base.

Hope your 2016 is happy and creative!

 
 

Toast Rack Card Racks 2015

Here are my toast rack-style card racks, 2015 edition. They are handy for those of you who prefer to browse, rather than display greetings cards - or to handle the overflow. 

Here are toasties 2015:
ToastRack15SidesGreen.pdf 
ToastRack15WhiteBody.pdf 
ToastRack15SidesWhite.pdf 
ToastRack15GreenBody.pdf 

ToastRackCardRack2015.studio3 

There are separate .pdf files. The Silhouette digi-cut file has all the toast rack components in it.

You can mix and match the toast rack sides and bodies to make different colour combinations.

To make the toast rack:

1 Print the rack components. Two sides and one body per rack.

2 With a fine-point embossing tool and a small metal ruler, score the fold lines (indicated by notches on the body).

3 Cut the toast rack components out, either by hand or digitally. By hand, you will need a craft knife an ruler to cut the slots.

4 Carefully crease the folds. To fold the toast rack body, place a small metal ruler behind the fold line before creasing it.

6 Attach a toast rack side to either side of the toast rack body base. Use double-sided tape or tacky PVA glue.

7 Fold the toast rack, gluing the side tabs and finally, the long base tab.

I like to flat-pack the toast racks and send them as card enclosures. I have provided you with a printable label. You can partially assemble the toast rack (I like to attach the ends to the body), then fold along the creases and pop it into a cello bag.

Christopher Dresser's Victorian toast racks.

I am not the only designer to be into toast rack permutations! I have a very emininent predecessor - the visionary Victorian industrial designer
Christopher Dresser had a thing for silver toast racks. Check it out on Google images! His designs are amazingly inventive.

Free Printable Xmas Card Envelopes 2015

Here are co-ordinated envies to go with the 2015 cards, posted yesterday. The envelopes fit dinky size cards measuring 6.5 x 9.5 cm (2-5/8 x 3-3/4in) folded.

Here are your freebie envelopes 2015:
GreenEnvelope2015.pdf 
RedEnvelope2015.pdf 

Envelopes2015.studio 

.pdf file

The .pdf version is two to a page for paper economy. The .studio file gives you both colours, but only fits one to an A4 page due to registration.

Card racks next post.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Free Printable Xmas Cards 2015

Just when you need them - free printable Xmas cards! As you can see, the cards are fold-ins with a surprise factor. The designs are ski jumper-inspired, and I got the idea for the hexagonal medallions from this lovely new book (click for Amazon link), which admittedly has nothing to do with papercraft:

... crafters rarely stick to one medium! :) 

Back to papercrafting - here are your free cards:
MedallionXmasCards15.pdf 
MittenXmasCards15.pdf 
SkiSweaterXmasCard15.pdf 

MedallionXmasCards.studio3 
MittenXmasCards15.studio3 
SkiSweaterXmasCard15.studio3 

As you can see, I've given you .pdf files for handmade cards, and digi-cut files for Silhouette machines (I made mine on a Silhouette Cameo). 

How-to:

1 Print the cards on photocopier card.

2 Mark the fold lines (indicated by the notches along the top and bottom card edges) using a fine-point embossing tool held against a small metal ruler.

3 Cut out the cards. To cut by hand, use a scalpel to cut around the righthand side of the lefthand motif - and of the 2015 tag. Then cut the perimeter of the card with a craft knife held against a metal ruler. By Silhouette: just cut out the card - the settings are in the file.

4 Fold the card as shown in pics. If you wish, the lefthand card edge can be stuck down for a more conventional card look:

I personally prefer the open zig-zag:

Next post: card racks 2015. 

Have a warm and cosy holiday season!