I know there are several stamping sites that offer challenges to get our creative juices flowing, but I have never taken one on before. This was a challenge from sudsol (a demo only site) that piqued my interest. The challenge was to create a masculine criss cross card. I think it was a double challenge! Masculine in itself is hard for me; that means no ribbon, no glitter, no scallops... No, no, no to all the things that give the finishing touches to most of my projects! But I finally managed to come up with something acceptable.
The criss cross pattern creates a pocket for you to slide in a... Hmmm, I'm not sure what to call it. Not a single layer card, 'cause mine has about four. :-) Doesn't really seem like a tag to me, either. Maybe a postcard... Well, anyway, here it is:
I used the Wanted and It's Your Birthday sets, Holiday Harmony paper, River Rock, Always Artichoke, and Chocolate chip card stocks, Chocolate Chip ink, Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware, and Designer Label and 3/4" square punches. And Sticky Strip is a must if you want your pocket to stay together.
Not quite seeing how the criss cross card is put together? Well, let me help you...
1. Score your piece of card stock down the middle at 4 1/4".
2. Turn your card stock, and cut down the middle at 5 1/2".
3. Use the bone folder to help fold each piece along the score line.
4. Open your card, and line up one corner and the middle fold on the paper cutter. Trim off a triangle. Do this to both pieces you created.
You end up with pieces that look like this. The triangles you cut off are scraps.
5. I decided it would be easier to see this if I used two different colors, so I switched one of the pieces here. Now it's time to adhere the two pieces together. You want to layer the two 4 1/4" X 5 1/2" sections so that all of their edges line up.
6. Fold each triangle in, and adhere with Sticky Strip across the bottom. Actually, you will want to embellish before you do this step, but I decided not to take the time to create another card this morning. The bottom layer of the "postcard" (?) part of my original card is 4 3/4" X 4".
If you take up the challenge to create a criss cross card, I would love to see it! Just send me a digital image, and I will share it here. Or if you want to make my day, you could send me a card snail mail, and I'll take my own picture. :-)
Happy stamping, everyone!