Inventive Holiday Card

Materials:

green, red, white and cream stock paper
double-sided tape
scissors
1/4- inch-wide, two-foot long green ribbon
jingle bells - two small, one medium
black felt tip pen or computer-generated font
Mrs. Grossman's Christmas wreath sticker
gold metallic pen

Steps:

1. Cut a piece of stock paper 24-1/2" x 6". Score every 3-1/2 inches for six scores. The first and last sections will become the front and back covers of the card.

2. Score all sections except the front and back covers half way at 1-3/4 inches (figure A).

3. Accordion fold on the score lines (figure B). Re-open and cut a 16" x 3" rectangle from the middle of the pleated section (figure C), not including the front and back covers.

4. Cut a 17" x 4-3/4" red stock paper piece (figure D). Score the piece every 1- 3/4 inches for nine scores. Before folding, mark the half-way spot in each pleat. Cut a slit 3/4 inches from the top and the bottom of each pleat at these mid-points.

5. Accordion fold the red rectangle (figure E) and place it into the white card using the slits (figure F).

6. Turn the card over and tape dangling jingle bells (hung with ribbon) using strong tape. Position one bell in the middle pleat and the other two bells (on shorter ribbon) on the pleats on either side of the middle pleat (figure G).

7. Cut a front and back cover slightly larger than the covers of the card from green stock paper and glue to the front and back covers of the card (figure H).

8. Generate a message for the front of the card on a computer and print on cream paper (figure I). Add a Christmas wreath sticker.

9. Print messages for the inside front and back covers on red paper, and cut them to form mats on the inside front and back covers (figure J). The inside of the front cover should read "It's ringing in a merry New Year" and the back inside cover should read "I hope the New Year rings your chimes."

10. Sign the card using a gold metalic pen.