Yay Baby! Folding Card

Hello, 2015.  My new baby should be entering the world in a few short weeks, but also I know of some other new babies to come (and also some that have just recently been born).  How fortunate we live in such exciting times!  Before this new baby turns my life inside-out, I made a few of these folding cards to keep on-hand and dole out to proud parents when their time comes.

Yay Baby! Folding Card

This card folds into 6 panels, so really you can put on any message you like that will fit.  If you don't trust your skills at cutting out paper letters, you can trace and cut circles that fit inside the panel, and draw one letter per circle in block-type with a black marker.

What you'll need to make 3 small folding cards:

- 3 mini-sized blank envelopes (2-1/4" x 3-1/2")
- 1 piece of card stock (8-1/2" x 11") - I used an off-white coloured card stock with confetti pieces
- 1 or more scraps of coloured paper - I used 5 colours: one for "yay" and "!", and the other 4 for each letter in "baby"
- scissors
- glue
- x-acto knife
- ruler (at least 11" long)
- cutting mat
- pencil and eraser - only if you need to draw an outline of your letters before cutting

Measure and cut the card stock into 3 long equal strips (approx 2-7/8" tall), using the x-acto knife, ruler and cutting mat.  Fold each strip in half, and measure/fold each half into thirds, accordian style.  Each panel should be about 1-13/16" wide, and there will be 6 panels in total.

Measure and cut the scraps of coloured paper into rectangles: 1" x 1/2" for the 3 small letters ("yay"), and 1-7/8" x 1-3/8" for the 5 large letters ("baby!").  Now is the tricky part: using scissors, cut each rectangle into its letter.  I can usually do it free-hand, but you can use a pencil to draw in the outline of the letter before you cut.  If you do, make sure you gently erase the pencil marks after cutting.

Affix each letter with glue to their panels.  When you're ready, you can write a personalized message on the back of the 1st and 6th panels, which, when the card is folded, become the front and back covers.  Slip your card into its envelope, seal, and deliver to the overwhelmed but happy parent of new baby.