Explosion Card

Explosion cards are fun and really not that hard. Just some careful scoring and you have a good beginning for a WOW card.

For this card I used Celebrations DSP (retired). The card stock colors are Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue and Pacific Point. The stamp set is Bring on the Cake. The retired red and white ribbon could be replaced with the 1/4 inch grosgrain which is available in Real Red or Bashful Blue.

You will need a sheet of 12 x 12 card stock for your base. Cut a strip 4 inches wide.

Along the 12 inch side, score every 2 inches. You may want to just make small score marks on each edge at the 6 inch mark because you do not fold that, it is just for placement of the diagonal scores. I usually put a square of an alternating color on the front so doesn't matter if I score all the way across.

Score diagonally from the 2 inch to the 6 inch mark - making a criss cross that intersects at the 4 inch score. Repeat from the 6 inch to the 10 inch score with the intersection at the 8 inch score. The easiest way I have found to do this is to line up the two score tips in the cutting trough of the paper cutter. Hold firmly and score. If your diagonal lines do not cross at the score line, your card will be lop-sided when folded.

It is hard to see here but this shows the intersecting score lines.

Fold down along both diagonal lines. Remember - do not fold on the center (6 inch) score line. That one was just for placement of the diagonals.

You will need to cut DSP and card stock to decorate the sections. For the rectangles on the ends, I cut DSP 1 7/8 x 3 7/8 and card stock 1 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches.

For the larger triangle I measured the short side and cut a square of card stock 1/8 inch smaller. Place that square on the paper cutter with opposite tips in the cutting trough. This will give you two triangles.

For the smaller triangles, do the same measuring the shorter side of that triangle and cutting a square 1/8 smaller of card stock. I then cut DSP squares 1/4 inch smaller than the side of the triangle. I cut these in half by placing the opposite tips on the cutting trough. You will need 8 of those.

For the front I cut a square 2 5/8 inches. On some I cut a second square and put it at an angle to the face of the card.

This shows the square adhered to the face of the card as well as two of the small triangles covered with card stock and DSP.

Here I have all the sections covered and am ready to decorate the face.

I used a couple stamps from Bring on the Cake and markers in coordinating colors to decorate the face. If you do not want to tie the card closed with a ribbon, you are finished.

If you would like a ribbon tied around the care, turn it over and work from the back. I have found that this works best by wrapping the ribbon across the back and then to the front to tie - so you will place the ribbon on the end rectangles laying it along the card back. I cut about 3 or 4 inches longer than the length of the card (about 15 - 16 inches). I use sticky strip to hold the ribbon more securely.

I used another layer of card stock and DSP to hold the ribbon in place.

This shows the back of the card when closed up to tie. Wrap the ribbon across the back and around the front and tie a bow.

This is the back of the tied card.

Here is the card front all tied up and ready to give. I try to leave plenty of ribbon if I am going to have to untie and tie again. When giving one of these cards, I usually sign on the back but depending on how you decorate the front you could leave some sections blank and use them for signing and a note.