Make It Monday #100: How to Package Cards with Oversized Embellishments

If you have never participated in Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenge, this is the week you might want to start because, in honor of reaching the 100th MIM, they are giving away a $100 gift certificate to one randomly selected participant. Hang on a second, maybe you should just watch this week and join in next week.

Details of the challenge and a few suggestions can be found over here at Capture the Moment.

If my card is a little thicker or wider than usual, I usually put the card in a larger sized envelope. I love making 5x5 cards, which require extra postage and hand franking anyway, so I went in with some other card making friends to bulk buy 5.5 square envelopes. Occasionally I use a padded envelope or add a small piece of bubble wrap to protect beads or pins from being pushing through the envelope.

There are a few other options, especially if a gift card or other little treat is being added, such as using a gift bag or paper sack.

Because the heart die-cuts on this card extend off either side, it is 4 3/4" wide and unable to fit in a standard envelope.

There is also a little extra depth to this card as the layered hearts are popped up slightly.

My super simple solution was to fold down the top of a kraft paper sack and add a row of five hearts. The three hearts on the top piece are adhered so the bottom of the heart hangs over the edge of the flap.

The other two hearts are adhered to the base of the bag, with the top of the hearts left unattached. They interlock with the flap to keep the bag closed.

Thankfully a picture is worth a thousand words, as I don't think I explained my technique very well. In fact, I think I am going to claim I invented this technique because I really don't think I've seen it done before. Please don't break my heart and send me links to other crafters or Pinterest where you have a whole board dedicated to interlocking heart flap closures!

By using a paper sack like this, I can easily add a few chocolates and a gift card to the Valentine's Day greeting.

All the dies and stamps are from PTI: Framed Out #11 die & mini stamp set, Limitless Layers Heart dies and With All My Heart stamp set. The papers are Crate Paper Fourteen (anyone else notice the 3 different ways February is spelled?!) and the ink is Barn Door Distress Ink.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie