Pocket Full of Xmas

At Jingle Belles, we're still celebrating the joy and convenience of giving gift cards, by making cards or other containers to hold them. This week I've turned an obsession with a recent Instagram discovery to good use by making a fun folded pocket thingie. See?

It was probably Stephanie who found the IG account @LoveForPaperGoodies and while I love EVERYTHING she posts, I was especially taken with her folded paper pockets; so this seemed like the perfect excuse to make one. I used this video tutorial and was pleasantly surprised to find the technique is quite easy. 

I experimented on different sizes, shapes and weights of paper, and found that generally, the thinner the paper the better; though anything fragile is clearly not a great choice. Making a small crease in one corner is a good paper test; if you find your paper wants to splinter or otherwise misbehave, choose something else. Also rolled giftwrap that cannot be persuaded to lie flat will be a torment throughout (ask me how I know!). The size and shape of the pocket is obviously determined by the size and shape of the paper; for a library-card-sized pocket like I've got here, you want paper that's around 8.5x11". The most important aspects while you're working are to make sure your folds are parallel and perpendicular; also you want to make nice sharp creases.

So what's inside, apart from the gift card? There are basically three levels of pocket, once it's assembled. For the furthest back area, I decorated a #8 shipping tag with some torn paper, vintage postage, a fussy-cut Authentique reindeer and miscellaneous blooms held on with ancient brads. For the middle section I grabbed a #5 shipping tag, trimmed down another Authentique journal card and a sentiment and augmented the holly on Santa's hat with some Eyelet Outlet Holly Brads. And then the gift card tucks into the shallowest pocket right at the front.

Check out Stephanie's project at Jingle Belles and start planning what you'll link up with us this time!