Graduation Cap and Gown

My daughter graduates from high school on June 12th (2009). I have been working on a special card for her (more of a memory book, actually, containing her school pictures since kindergarten), and wanted to have something special for the front of the card. I decided to make a graduation cap and gown to match the one she'll be wearing. Here's how I did it.

I started with a piece of yellow light-weight card stock 2 1/4" long by 3 3/4" wide. In landscape orientation I scored the card at 1/4", 1/2", 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/4", 2", 2 1/2", 2 3/4", and 3 1/4", as shown.



Put a line of adhesive across the top edge. Mountain fold the first two scores, and then accordion fold across the rest of the piece.

Take a 1 1/2" x 1 1/4" piece of the same yellow card stock. In portrait orientation score at 3/4". Lightly fold the paper in half across the score (do not crease). Cut a small "v" shape out of the front of the piece by cutting at the score line for about 1/4", and then from the fold, about 1/4" down, diagonally to the end of the first cut.

The result of these first few steps should be like this:



Glue the pleated piece inside the bodice piece using a very strong glue or tape.



Finally, to make sleeves for the gown, score a piece of card stock 4"x 1", in portrait orientation, at 1/2". Fold on the score line. Glue down. Glue centered to the back of the rest of the gown. Fold the sleeves at a angle at the shoulders of the gown, inward to the center line of the gown. Use a glue dot to affix the cuff end of the sleeve into place.

To make the cap start with a 1 1/2" x 1" piece of yellow card stock. Find the center of each edge. Cut diagonally from center point to center point of each edge to form a diamond. Using a heart punch and a scrap of yellow card stock about 1" wide, punch as shown. The piece that will be used is the one on the right.



Make a little tassel by raveling some ribbon or buy bundling some thread. Glue that to a piece of cord. Punch a small hole in the center of the diamond, pass the end of the cord through the hole and affix to the back. Insert a small brad through the hole. Glue the head piece to the mortar board.

Here's the finished project, with a couple of honors cords thrown in (yup... my kid is an honor student who also earned a service award!):

Father's Day card

I wanted to have a special card for my dad for Father's Day. I wanted it to be similar to the one I'd made for mom on Mother's Day (a variation of a tri-shutter card with a small envelope to hold a gift card that I forgot to photograph prior to sending) but, of course, I wanted this one to be a masculine masterpiece.

Here's my Dad's card:

Once again, I decided on a variation of the tri-shutter card, but I added a panel to the front to give it a full front so I could attach an origami shirt which this time serves as my gift card holder.

To learn how to make a tri-shutter card check out my June 2009 Independence Day card.

Here's how to make the origami shirt:

Materials:
Text weight paper, 5 1/2" wide x 8 1/2" long
small scrap of same paper for pocket
small scrap of patterned designer paper for tie.

Instructions:

     • In portrait orientation, lightly score the text weight paper at 1 3/8" and 4 1/8".

     

     • Fold the top of the paper down about a half inch. Turn the paper over.

     • Valley fold the paper on the score lines. The edges of the paper should meet at the center line of the paper.

     • Fold the top left corner at an angle so that the tip of the corner meets the center line about 3/4" from the top. Repeat with the right corner.

        

     • Fold the bottom up about 1 1/2". Crease well. Unfold.

     • The next step is a little tricky; it is a type of origami squash fold. The edges that are against the center line need to be separated and pulled away from the center, right at the crease line just made, while leaving the edges together at the bottom edge, and while re-folding on that crease line. This will make the sleeves.

   

     • Insert the gift card between the front edges, and slide down to the bottom crease.

     • Bring the bottom crease upwards to align with the point where the collar folds meet at the center line. Crease at the fold point.

     • Tuck the bottom crease under the collar to hold in place.
  
     • Use the scrap paper to make a pocket shape. Glue in place along left, right, and bottom edges of the pocket.

     • Use designer paper to make a necktie. Tie a knot in a long strip of the paper; trim off excess on one side of the knot. Trim the end of the remaining potion into a tie shape. Glue in place on the front part of the card (the part that tucks under the collar).

        

     • Pull down the front of the shirt to retrieve the gift card.