Designer Series Paper - Simple cards

Here's an introduction to basic cardmaking and sizes. 

There are many patterns. The A2 base card measures one half of a standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock.  So one piece yields two card bases, whether you cut it portrait or landscape.  In the United States, this is called an A2 card, so that when folded in half, the card is 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.  Learning this size is helpful for planning your design and for cutting layers of coordinating patterned paper which can be 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch smaller, in increments, as you desire.  

Learning that these are the sizes to give a framed accent will enable your colors and patterns to pop when combined into your design.  Most card bases are of solid color, but I have seen the card base out of patterned cardstock, and the layers of solid color.

With Stampin' Up products, the patterned paper is called DSP - Designer Series Paper.  Each May a new large catalog of coordinated products begins, with smaller specialty catalogs happening in August and January.   Check out this link for info on the catalogs.

One piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) is 12x12 inches square, although there are some patterns that are only sold in 6x6 pieces. There are a variety of cutting patterns to get the most pieces for your card layers out of one 12x12 piece. You may have seen the "one sheet wonders" idea, where several different sized pieces are cut from one to form many components of card styles.  You can check out Karen Titus tutorial here for the one sheet wonder.

But the two ways to cut the DSP that I use most often for quick assembly cards are to cut one 12x12 in four 6x6 inch pieces or  in six 4x6 pieces. 

Here is one idea on cutting the 6x6 pieces of DSP to make cards.  This card base is called a "mini- slimline" meaning that the card base itself is a 6x6 inches square, and scored in half at 3 inches. I also like this triangular pattern because once they are cut, the triangles can be used on an A2 card with just a little additional spaces between them.

Even though this is cut for the Mini Slimline, which fits in a regular envelope, the size you would send a letter in; if you push the triangles apart a bit, you can arrange them to fit an A2 card which measures  5 1/2 x 4 1/4.  Either put a flower in the middle, cut out from this paper, or a tag for a sentiment.

  

This piece of 6x6 DSP is used by cutting it at 4 inches, leaving a 2 inch piece.  Cut 1 inch off the length, which leaves the remaining piece 5 x 4 inches.  Use the 2 inch piece on the right for another card, or glue it to the outside flap of the envelope to decorate it to match the card.

Use the one inch piece that you've cut off of the length inside at the bottom of the right side to accent the inside.

Because this is DSP, Designer Series Paper, it is color coordinated. So this card layer is made simply by tearing or cutting the rectangle in half and flipping one piece over.  Put a piece of ribbon or another color coordinated piece of DSP as a border, or leave it as is.  Add a sprig of greenery or a flower, or any die cut you wish such as a bird or a balloon to declare the intent of the card. Add a tag with the sentiment or put the sentiment inside.

Cards such as these are easy to put together when the color coordination is taken care of by the designers in advance. 

Choosing the DSP Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up is a good product to get to start to make cards if you don't have a great deal of supplies.  

Get yourself some DSP to design your A2 or Mini Slimline cards - I know you'll love the double sided designs that are color coordinated with all the other papers, inks, embellishments, markers and more.

Find someone to be a friend to today - send them a hug with a fold in the middle - a card, as our CEO Sara says.  If you don't have a demonstrator I'd love to help you discover the joy of making and sending cards.  And I'd love to see what you make.  Leave me a note or picture in the comments below.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Be Blessed!  sb