This is Why I Don't Bother Planning Posts Ahead of Time

So I was sitting on the sofa this morning ironing 64 half inch wide strips of muslin with a mini flat iron and watching Hoda and Kathie Lee. It takes a LONG time to iron 64 half inch wide strips of muslin. Did I mention that the strips are torn instead of cut? They're for wedding invitations, of course! I'll show you one after the wedding if Brittanie doesn't mind. Anyway...I ran out of tv before I ran out of muslin, and when I pulled up the guide, I found HSN celebrating National Craft Month!
They were in the middle of telling about a kit to make cards similar to this one, but with a heart instead of a circle. I'm sure there are tutorials out there, probably even on Splitcoast, that tell how to make a card like this, but I had a pretty good idea about how it could be done as soon as I saw it. It was easier than I thought it would be and you don't need a lot of supplies! Paper, stamps and ink, and some Nestabilities. I used the Lacey Circles and Standard Circles. Other shapes will work as long as they are symmetrical. Other brands will also work--you'll just have to adjust the "sandwich" for cutting.

Start with a 4.25 x 5.5 card base and a 4 x 5.25 mat. Line up the mat on the front of the card, stick it down with a tiny bit of adhesive (you're going to pull it off in just a minute), and mark the center of the mat from top to bottom. 

Center the nestie on that mark. 

Sandwich the card and mat between the B and C plates, placing the edge of one cutting plate along the center mark. You want to cover the right hand half of the circle (the half furthest from the fold)  and run it through the machine. I like to use a little blue painters' tape with Nesties. They're so light and tend to shift easily, and that holds them in place without tearing the paper. Plus it's cheap!

 

Only the part with the plate on top will cut, so you only cut half a circle.

Now you'll want to run the mat through again by itself to cut the entire circle. If you do it this way, that first pass marks everything and makes it easier to line up. (Learned that one the hard way!) 

Score the front of the card above and below the circle on the center line. 

 When you fold the front in half, the scallops will complete the circle.

Cut the mat in half from top to bottom and adhere the left half to what is now the front of the card.
Adhere the scallop circle to the base, lining up the scallops. 

Here is a different angle that shows the way the front is folded a little better. I used a stamp set from Crafty Secrets. They have the most beautiful vintage designs! The mat is a discontinued Stampin' Up! paper and the  image is stamped on SU! Baja Breeze with Early Espresso ink. I liked this so much I had to make another!

I just love this little girl! She's also from Crafty Secrets. I wanted to put a banner with "Wishing You Bouquets of Joy" but it only fits inside. 

See, it's not that hard, is it?! I don't know why the card on HSN grabbed my attention, but I'm glad it did. Now I want to use some different shapes. Wouldn't a square turned on end like a diamond look neat? I have a perfect Fleur de lis die for that! 

Hmmm.... Gotta go!

Thanks for stopping by! See you Friday!