Holiday House Gift Card Holder Tutorial

Hello there! If you are going as crazy as I am this holiday season, you want fast and easy projects. This sweet little paper house is perfect for holding a gift card. The foundation can be created very fast, and then be embellished as simply or as detailed as your time allows. The instructions I give are made using Spellbinder's Nestabilities die cuts, but this card can be done with other die cuts or manual trimmers as well - the measurements are posted below if you go that route. Using this as a template, you can create all kinds of shapes. After the tutorial on the Holiday House check out my Gift Box Gift Card Holder, which is even simpler ( made it in 5 minutes) and perfect for mass producing. 

Supplies Needed if Using Nestabilities:

• House: Large Classic Squares - the largest size

• Roof: Large Classic Square Scallops - the largest size

• Door: Large Classic Long Rectangles - the smallest size

• Door Frame and Chimney: Large Classic Long Rectangle Scallops - the smallest size

• Window: Smallest size Label One used here

• Double sided tape (I use 1/4 inch Scor-Tape here)

• 1/4 inch foam tape (cut to fit if necessary)

• Glue Dots (the super sticky kind)

• hole punch

• 1 1/4 circle punch

• 1 brad

• Desired embellishments

Supplies Needed if Trimming Paper without Die Cuts:

• House: two paper squares sized at 3.5 x3.5 

• Roof:one paper square (punched or cut into a scallop shape if desired),  sized at 4x4

• Door Frame and Chimney: 3 rectangles sized at  2 1/4 long x 1 1/8 wide (punched or cut into a scallop shape if desired),  

• Door:  one paper rectangle sized at 1 long x 7/8 wide

• Window: Cut to fit your sentiment (mine is about 1 1/4 square)

• Double sided tape (I use 1/4 inch Scor-Tape here)

• 1/4 inch foam tape (cut to fit if necessary)

• Glue Dots (the super sticky kind)

• Hole punch

• 1 1/4 circle punch

• 1 brad

• Desired embellishments

Prep work: Cutting the Shapes

1. Using the largest square of the Spellbinder's Nestabilities Large Classic Squares, cut two squares into 3.5 inch squares. These will be the front and back of the house itself. In my gift card holder I used Bazzill Dotted Swiss in Clover Leaf.  Set aside.

2.  Using the largest square of the Spellbinder's Nestabilities Large Classic Square Scallops, cut one 4 inch square. This will be the roof. With your trimmer cut it right down the center so that you have two triangles - these will create the roof. Used here: Stampin' Up! Kraft.

3. Cut a window - this will be where you stamp a sentiment. I used the smallest of the Label One dies, and stamps from the Papertrey Holiday Treats set. I used the cup of coffee because my gift card for our postman is to Tim Horton's Coffee Shop - an institution here in Canada :)

Tip - you can also make your "window" from a tiny opening card so that you can sign inside, or add a small place to sign a personal message under the roof, but you only have about 1/2 an inch under the roof to play with before it will peek out from under the roof and be visible.

4. Cut a door and chimney - I used the smallest of the Nestabilities Long Rectangle Scallops to create 3 die cuts:

Two of the same paper that will be the front and back of your chimney (here: Bo Bunny Gingerbread  Dot), and one to be the door frame (here: Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red).

One die cut of the smallest Nestabilities Long Rectangle to be the door (here: Bo Bunny Gingerbread  Dot)

5. Die cut embellishments (optional) -  here I used Cuttlebug trees cut from Stampin' Up! Textured Cardstock.

Assemble the House:

Put double sided tape around the sides and bottom of the large square, and fit the other square on top to create a pocket. I used Scor-Tape 1/4 inch size here - just love the stuff!

The top part is where you slide the gift card in.  On the top center part of the house, punch a semi circle in the top center of the house so that the card is easy to pull out. Be careful not to go down too far - more than 1/4 inch and you risk the slot showing.

Assemble the Chimney & Roof:

Decorate your roof as desired. You can sponge the edges, add glitter snow, or just scallop edges as I have done here.

Tape or glue the front and back of the chimney together, then adhere it to the back of the roof (on the inside - the chimney will fit between the front and back of the roof). Cut the bottom of the chimney to best fit the roof.

Adhere the edges of the two triangles (NOT THE BOTTOM - that is where the top of your gift card will be) together with the foam tape to form a roof "pocket". Use strong glue or sticky Glue Dots to seal the roof shut so that you do not see any foam tape or space between the pockets.

This is the tricky part - you want the foam tape close to the edge enough so that the gift card can fit in unobstructed, but far enough from the edge that you can seal it with glue or sticky dots so that the foam tape doesn't peek out the sides. I put the foam tape about 1/3" away from the sides.

Your house should now be able to slide into the roof pocket.

Optional: Cut the corners of the roof off with a trimmer if you want as I did with my house. I think it adds a funky touch.

Create the Hinge:

Put your gift card into the house pocket and position the roof so that the top of the gift card tucks into the roof pocket. Make sure the roof is centered evenly on the house, and that the card fits nicely. I positioned my roof about 1/2 inch over the house.

Hold the position and punch a hole through the house and roof, then insert the brad/optional embellishments (first fit the brad through your embellishments and then through the roof and house). BasicGrey Wassail Brad, Imaginisce Snowy Jo fabric Snowflake, and May Arts ribbon used here (all available at Embellish-Online).

The roof should now lift off to reveal the gift card, and close to hide it. The back of the brad will show through on the back of the roof - if this bothers you, you can use embellishments or a die cut to cover it up.

Fit the door frame on the door (I first attached a wreath brad from Falala by Making Memories) Embellish as desired!

Gift Box Gift Card Holder

This pretty little gift box is made the same way but is even simpler to make, so it is perfect for mass producing- add a bow and go! The lid uses the third largest Nestabilities Long Rectangle Scallop and measures 4 1/4x 2 1/8 inches.

The only thing you want to be careful about here is how low or high you place the lid - too low and the lid will not open fully, too high and you will not create a proper hinge. Test placement and opening the box before punching. The lid will want to drop too low, so put a piece of foam tape in the center part of the lid at the level you want the lid to be (the roof on the house did not need this as the triangle shape held the lid in place).

The snowflake is a Martha Stewart Alpine punch covered with Dazzling Diamonds glitter - an affordable paper embellishment with the bling of the more costly stuff!  The gingerbread man and sentiment are also from Papertrey's Holiday Treatsand stamped with VersaMagic inks; Stampin' Up! Silver cord, May Arts ribbon and BasicGrey Wassail brad hold the hinge.

I hope you find this gift card tutorial helpful. If you make one of these please post a link, I would love to see yours!

I will leave you with my favorite Christmas song of the day, which I forgot to do yesterday! Today there are two faves: Chris Cornell's Ave Maria - such a beautiful and unique version. I tend to collect versions of Ave Maria and this is one of my favorite contemporary renditions. And one of the most played Christmas songs on my iPod: Jack Johnson's Someday at Christmas, a cover of a Stevie Wonder song. So small and child like in it's quiet, yet catchy, acoustic way.

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Comments

[Denise]

Wow! You are VERY talented! What an absolutely stunning card.

[Lori A.]

Very cool!! I can't wait to try this for a gift card I'm giving my sister-in-law.

[Judy]

Not only are your projects super cute, your tutorial is probably one of the best written tutorials I've ever seen. Thank you for sharing your inspiration!! Judy

[Susanna Boyd]

You were the Tutorial of the Week at Card of the Week.com. You can see the original post here: http://www.cardoftheweek.com/2008/12/welcome-to-craf.html

I did use a picture from your post, with links back to the site and the original post. I hope that is OK. Please feel free to email me if you need me to change anything.

I also have an “I was featured” on badge for you if you want it :D

[gemma]

What a cute idea!! And lovely colors!
Thanks and Happy Holidays!!

[Nancy Grant]

Oh so clever Suzy! I love it!!

:-)

[Kathy]

Oh my Suzy this is the cutest thing!! Cool idea for a new house gift card as well!! Thanks so much for the tutorial!! I will definitely be doing one of these!! Just adorable!!! :)Kathy

[Elena]

I've never seen anything like this before! This gift card holder is amazing! Very beautiful! Love all the detailed work! Thank you for the tutorial Suzy!

[Conniecrafter]

Very cute and creative, really like the present shaped one!

[Elena]

Wow! Suzy! This absolutely adorable! I've never seen this before! Thank you so much for the tutorial! Again and again amazed of your talent!

[Stacy SCS Twinshappy]

How cute and fun. Great gift card holder.

[PAT(mspfd)]

Oh my goodness! This is absolutely awesome. Totally adorable, unique, and beautifully done!

[Katarina]

This one was cute, I should try it some time. It would be lovely to hold a giftcertificate to IKEA for someone that has moved!

I'm also writing to you because I have some hÄnglar that I want to get rid of. Would you or any of your friends be interested? I thought I read something about them here and wanted to give you a head's up. I know they are poular in the US, but you can't get them there.

Just mail me under this post:
http://kamadesign.blogspot.com/2008/12/any-interest-in-hnglar.html

[Katarina]

This one was cute, I should try it some time. It would be lovely to hold a giftcertificate to IKEA for someone that has moved!

I'm also writing to you because I have some hÄnglar that I want to get rid of. Would you or any of your friends be interested? I thought I read something about them here and wanted to give you a head's up. I know they are poular in the US, but you can't get them there.

Just mail me under this post:
http://kamadesign.blogspot.com/2008/12/any-interest-in-hnglar.html

[Toni K]

These are awesome! You rock!

[Kelly]

Thank you so much for sharing!! I love your website, keep up the good work!

[Heather Fullerton (Retired Heather)]

These are so great Suzy. What a wonderful way to use Nesties.
Happy Holidays
Heather

[~amy~]

cute, cute, cute Suzy!!!