Basic Grey in the Spotlight featuring 3x3 Cards and Box Tutorial

Good morning friends!  Its Tuesday and its Katie here to share several of my favorite things with you.  One of my favorite things is/are Basic Grey paper and especially the Basic Grey 6x6 paper pads.  Lori has a great selection that you can check out HERE.  Today's project features 2 very brand new pads called Wisteria and Lime Rickey.  They are both just yuuummmy!!!

Here is a picture of the cards and box that I created for today's tutorial, which leads me to the other favoite thing of mine. 

I love 3x3 cards and boxes of any kind!  But before we get started lets take a peek at these two new Basic Grey Pads. 

So, lets get started shall we?  We'll start with the cards first.  As I stated earlier, I love 3x3 cards, but I also love to use up as much paper, especially really yummy paper, as I can.  We crafters are hoarders and we tend to horde our scraps too.  Don't tell me you don't horde, because that is just a given (lol).  I used less than 5 sheets combined of the Basic Grey designer paper, with scraps that can honestly be throw away without a care in the world.

For your cards, you will need to start out with Eight 3x3 cards either purchased or cut.  Then you will take one sheet of 6x6 paper (your choice) and cut it down to 51/2" square.  You will be left with 2 strips that are 1/2" wide.

  

Before you attach this gorgeous paper to your card fronts, I suggest you add the lace first.  This ribbon is very pliable but sturdy enough to just wrap around and attach to the back.  The great thing about the Basic Grey is that its also sturdy enough to handle having the crochet ribbon being attached this way.  I go ahead and put my adhesive down first and then attach the ribbon to the backside.  Then you are ready to place the Basic Grey to the card front and decorate.

Don't forget about those 2 small extra strips of Basic Grey.  You will use most of those in just a bit, but you will need to get one more piece of 6x6 paper out and and you will cut 4 more strips that are 1/2" wide.  These strips will be cut in half so you are left with 8 pieces of Basic Grey that measure 3" x 1/2".  These are going to be attached to the inside of your notecards on the bottom half - one piece at the top and one piece at the bottom with a sentiment in the middle.  Take note of the picture below and you can see what the inside will look like based on the card on the left.  Out of 2 sheets of the same pattern, those 2 pieces are the only left over.  Now... did you notice the envelopes???  That is our next tutorial, so read on :)

So, even though these are 3x3 cards and you can't mail that size (unless you place into a larger envelope), I still like to have the correct size envelope to go along with the card.  I personally have a great template, but I don't like to cut out the entire thing so I get my Scor-Pal and make them that way.  These are generously proportioned with lots of wiggle room.  For these particular envies, I used computer printer paper.  They are kind of thin, but you can always purchase thicker printer paper if you wanted.

You will need:

Paper that measures: 7 7/8" x 4 7/8"

Here's the key:  Line up the long edge of the paper so its on your left.  Move in so that it is aligned with the second mark which is the 1/4" mark and then score at 1".  Now do the exact thing to the other side of your piece of paper.

 

After both left and right sides are scored then turn your paper so that the shorter side (4 7/8") is lined up to the left side of the Scor-Pal.  Move your edge over so that it lines up with the 3rd mark which is the 3/8" measurement and score at 3"

 

Turn your paper so that the right edge is now on the left edge.  Line your edge so that it matches with the first mark (which is the 1/8" measurement) and score at the 2" mark.

Now its just a matter of folding, a little snipping and gluing.  Here's a hint for you:  If  you don't want to use your scissors to cut off your tabs, place your piece of paper into a Fiskars cutter and line up your cut lines and use your sliding blade just to cut the lines you need to.  When you want to move to the next spot, just lift the arm and move your blade to the next position.

 

Once you have all 4 corners cut, you are almost done.

 

Fold up the bottom and top flaps to round the center corners if you want to.

 

Fold the center flaps in and apply adhesive to the bottom (the longer section) side edges.

 

And fold up and you've got your envelope.

 

Now to add a little bit of umph to the envelope, remember those extra strips you had left over and the extra ones you cut?  Now is the time to apply some to your envelope. 

Because your strips are going to be shorter than the width of your envelopes, I center them on to my flap but then take an exacto knife to "clean" the edges up.  It not only makes for a pretty accent but also makes for a very finished looking envelope.  You could do the exact same thing to the plain envelope too.

Below is a picture of the finished flap of the envelope after its been "cleaned" up.

 

And finally, I use this stuff to get the "relickable" sticky on my envelopes.  I got mine a long time ago with a set of envelope templates that I purchased from Greansneakers.  I think that Stampin Up also has this product or something similar.  I love this stuff!

You can also do this to the bottoms of the envelopes before gluing them together.  The Scor-Mat is great for those fine measurements.  I just lined up my edges and used the 1/8" mark increments to guide me.

 

These cards are done, but I decided to make 4 more since they are so simple and fast to put together.  This Basic Grey paper has such detail and style that there doesn't need to be a lot of additional work especially with these smaller sized cards.  I decided to go with a very different design so my gift recipient would have a choice as to what design to give away.

My next set of cards features the Lime Ricky design.  I wanted to create a slightly more "manly" card with simple lines.

I did the same thing as with my Wisteria sheet.  Took one 6x6 and cut it down to 5 1/2" square and then cut it in half at 2 3/4" and in half again so I ended up with 4 squares measuring 2 3/4" square.  I adhered those pieces onto the fronts of my cardstock and then I decided for these cards I would put my sentiment on the front. 

I cut 2 strips of a coordinating piece of Basic Grey paper, 1/2" wide and then cut those into 3" strips.  I used another sentiment stamp from a stamp set called Words of Gratitude.  I love this vertical thank you.  Its clean and simple.

 

Then I just added some embellishments to the tops and bottoms of my stamped strips, then adhered them onto my card fronts.  I did the same thing with my left over strips as I did with the notecards above, but I kept my card insides blank and only attached one strip to the bottom. 

Out of 2 sheets of Basic Grey, I still had this much left over and only that one little strip left, plus one extra envelope that I made.

 

So... you want more??? I now have a coordinating box tutorial to show you!!  I decided to go with a white base for this box, but you could easily use any color you wanted.

Start with a piece of cardstock that measures 10 1/2" x 12"

Along the 10 1/2" side score at 3 1/2" and 7"

Turn your cardstock and along the 12" side score at 3 1/2" and 8 1/2"

 

Cut where shown on the picture below and fold side flaps and secure.

 

Now for the BOX INSERT measurements.  You will need a piece of cardstock that measures 6" x 8 1/4"

Along the 8 1/4" side move the edge of your cardstock so that it lines up with the 2nd mark (1/4" measurement).  Score at the 1 1/2" mark.  Turn paper and do the exact same thing to the left side.

Along the 6" side score at 3 1/2" on both the left and right side.

 

Cut where shown on the picture below.

 

Close side flaps and adhere.

Place the BOX INSERT into the middle of the larger card box.  Place adhesive on the sides and bottom of INSERT.

 

Inside View:

Measurements for the BOX LID/FLAP

You will need another piece of cardstock that measures 5" x 6"

Along the 5" side score at 1" and 4 1/2"

Fold and then attach the smaller section to the back of the box.

For my lid I decided to add another piece of coordinating Wisteria paper to the lid and edges of my box to finish it.  I used a velcro dot to latch my lid to my box. Those 2 little scraps are all that I had left over from my 6x6 sheet.  I think you can honestly feel ok about tossing those away if you wanted :)

I placed both sets of notecards in the 2 outside compartments and placed my envelopes in the middle.  As you can see there is clearly enough room for many more.

Well there you go!  Thanks for hanging in there with the huge amount of photos.  The Basic Grey are awesome pads of paper and quite usable.  They work perfectly for making these little 3x3 cards with just about no waste.  Imagine how many gifts you could make with just one pad of paper, so don't forget to stock up when you go shopping.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

-Katie signing off for Clearly iStamp.

Comments

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I was thinking about writing a post on this exact subject.Thank you.

[Mel M. M. M.]

This is THE coolest 3x3 box I've ever seen. What a brilliant design & talk about the perfect tutorial. Love the look of your cards too. They're breathtaking! :o)

[Elaine Wilson]

Love this! Thanks so much for sharing!

[Linda Bandow]

Katie: I so appreciate your generosity...you are indeed the Queen of Tutorials. This is one of those "lightbulb" moments for me.

[Nancy Grant]

Girl, you are the tutorial pro!!! Great job!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!

:-)

[Lisa Lara]

Amazing Katie. Love those cards and how sweet is that box. That lace is fantastic. Great touch. Very nice tutorial, as always.

[Sue]

Gorgeous cards and wonderful tutorial. Now I will have a box to put mine in too! TFS

[anusch]

Wonderful, thanks for sharing.

[Jennifer]

Wonderful tutorial! I've made a ton of those cute little 3 x 3 cards and envelopes, but I've never made a box. I definately will now. Thanks for sharing.

[Gloria Dojlido aka GloriousGreetings]

Way to go Katie! This is just Awesome! LOVE it! Will have to give this a try!

[Tricia T.]

What a fabulous tutorial!!! Thanks!

[Candyf]

Love the cards and I can't wait to make the box!