Some Card Economics

I have been working on several framed pieces lately - I posted a couple of them last week (the 50th birthday collage and baby Abigail name frame). For another project I needed some paper long enough for an 8 x 20 inch frame. I did not want a "seam" between sheets of 12 x 12 paper in the background since I wanted a solid white or cream background (if you are using a busy patterned paper it is easier to disguise the seam).



I purchased this large tablet of art paper when it was on sale for $9.99. (I took the photo with it sitting on the sofa in my craft room so you could see how BIG it is!). I figured this would last me for a lot of framed pieces.



The paper measures 19 x 24 inches and is nice and heavy - 100 lb. weight. There are 20 sheets in the tablet. I cut my 8 x 20 background piece and had the 4 x 8 remainder piece from that strip - so I decided to play with it! I cut it in half for two 4 x 4 inch squares.



I ran it through my cuttlebug using the folder from the "Everyday Greetings"A2 combo set. I positioned it at the top of the folder. The paper embossed beautifully and I decided to make a card with it.



Above you can see the back of the card topper. I added a strip of green cardstock that was also four inches wide and I used my Martha Stewart double scallop edge punch on one side of the cardstock. I put these two together by applying adhesive to the green cardstock and aligning the embossed piece on top of the cardstock . (I learned the hard way a while ago that if you use a tape runner or tape gun on the back of an embossed piece you can "erase" some of the embossing!)



I added ribbon to join the two sections. I have found that my new ATG is fantastic for adhering ribbon.



I like to use ribbon that is 3/8 or 1/2 inch wide and the 1/4 inch tape is easy to apply along the back of the ribbon and allows me to adhere it evenly and securely.



I added another bit of ribbon and a "skittle" to the ribbon stripe.



This card is ready for a sentiment - I am not sure what I will be using it for so I have not added a sentiment yet.



Today I went shopping (I couldn't resist the 50% coupons for President's Day) and I found this set of clear stamps with small sentiments that will fit the lower right corner of the embossed section nicely.



Above you can see the "audition" of the "follow your dreams" stamp on the card front.



Here is a closer view of some of the tiny sayings. If you are a stamper, you probably have a selection of suitable stamps on hand - I have not accumulated a lot of stamps (yet) so I was very happy to get this set for $5 - half price.

Then, I got to thinking.....

Even though I intended to use the paper for large framed pieces - the card front looks so pretty with the embossing...how many of these could I make from one tablet? (here comes the math!)

One sheet of 19 x 24 inch paper can be cut into six 19 x 4 inch strips. Each strip can have three 5 1/4 sections cut from it. So I can cut 18, 4 x 5 1/4 inch pieces which will fit perfectly on an A2 card front with a 1/8 inch border around the edge. Each sheet will also yield six 3 1/4 x 4 inch pieces which can be used in combination with another piece of cardstock for card fronts similar to the one I made here.

One tablet gives me 360 full size card fronts and 120 smaller sections - even if I ignore the smaller pieces, the cost per embossed full card front would be less than 3 cents! (and if the tablet was not on sale, the cost would still be less than 6 cents). Of course there are other components to making the card but, with a careful cutting and embossing session, I can have the focal point for so many beautiful cards for pennies.

I think I am going to be busy!

A few notes -Yesterday, shortly after I posted that no one had successfully guessed the number of cartridges on the 50th Birthday celebration piece, Susan commented with the correct answer - 11. The cartridges used were Christmas, Camp Out, Going Places, Locker Talk, Mickey and Friends, My Community, My World, New Arrival, Plantin Schoolbook, Pooh and Friends, and Wedding.

Tomorrow I will have a cut file for you - I hope that you don't mind these digressions into other paper craft projects - this blog is constantly evolving and reflects whatever I have been doing!