This little matchbook style gift card holder is something I designed way back before Christmas. With too much going on at that time I didn’t have a chance to share it with you then, so I thought I’d make a gift card holder for Valentine’s Day. Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the second biggest day of the year for gift giving? I guess all those roses and chocolates really add up!
There’s something about Real Red and Chocolate Chip that looks so yummy to me. Probably because it reminds me of chocolate covered cherries — my husband’s favorite — the kind with the liquid filling, not the creamy filling. Anyway…I just love combining these colors for Valentines. I used Chocolate Chip textured cardstock and Au Chocolate designer paper for this project. Yes, still trying to use up that Au Chocolate paper from last year. There are a couple of patterns I don’t care much for but since it’s double sided I have lots of choices and, oh my, I do love polka dots!
One thing I like about this design is the way the main image panel acts as a little flipper closure that holds so securely. I designed this to be made from an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock. In order to do that I had to cut it just a tiny bit smaller. The closed card size is 5 1/4″ x 4″. This miniscule difference isn’t even noticeable, however. The scalloped polka dot panel is actually an extension added to the card base. Here’s the how-to:
Cut cardstock 4″ x 11″.
Score on the right side at 5 1/4″ and 10 5/8″.
Cut extension piece 4″ x 1 1/4″. I covered my extension piece with designer paper and then trimmed with scallop scissors.
The photo below shows the pieces cut, scored and the card base folded:

Apply a length of Sticky Strip (red liner tape) to that little folded up edge at the bottom of the card and adhere the extension as shown in the first photo. Make your main image panel and apply Sticky Strip to the back upper half only of the panel. Close the card and position the main image panel on the front so it overlaps approximately half of the extension. If you position it too low the card won’t flip open and closed as easily.
Now, for the inside. This view shows the gift card holder open, with the front flipped back and out of the picture:
Cut pocket/liner 3 3/4″ x 7 1/4″. Score at 2″. Decorate as desired.
Apply Sticky Strip to the inside 2″ edges of the pocket. Fold pocket closed. Insert gift card.
On the front of my card I used the double rectangle punch to create slots to tie ribbon through.
Stamps: Always, Holidays & Wishes (Stampin’ Up!)
Paper: Chocolate Chip textured, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Au Chocolat double sided designer paper
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red
Accessories: May Arts swiss dot ribbon and SU! gingham ribbon, double rectangle punch, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4″ circle punch, 1/2″ circle punch, Fiskars scallop edge scissors, Scotch brand dimensional mounting tape
While I’m at it, I might as well show you this card, too. It’s a full size card, made from 12″ x 12″ cardstock. I was fooling around, seeing how this design would work with a 12″ length and no extension piece. I’d rather have the bottom fold come up a little further. If I’d made the finished, folded size the same as the first card it would have added 1/4″ to the bottom fold.
This is just a friendly “feel good” card (not a gift card holder) I made from the retired Simply Delightful Simply Scrappin’ kit. There’s absolutely no stamping on the front of the card. Inside, I stamped “Wishing you a very happy day”, a Hero Arts stamp I use often because it’s suitable for so many occasions.
The ribbon is some of SU!’s new striped grosgrain — very soft and pliable. There are only four colors in the catalog at this time, but I like how they’ve provided a color for each season: Bashful Blue for Spring, Wild Wasabi for Summer, Pumpkin Pie for Autumn, and Real Red for Winter. That’s one way of looking at it. I certainly won’t restrict their use to those seasons, though.
That little butterfly is something I’ve had for so long and I can’t believe, with all the things that come and go in my stamp room, I’ve hung onto my little bag of butterflies all this time. It’s made of wire with glitter-flecked gossamar wings. I adhered it with Alene’s Tacky Glue.
Well, that’s enough rambling for one post, isn’t it? I’ve got more projects to work on so I hope we’ll meet here again soon. Have a wonderful week!