Slimline Cards

Have you seen all of the slimline cards popping up everywhere lately? In fact, I tried the slimline card fad during my last “Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be” Series (which you can see here in case you missed it. P.S., adorable zebra alert!).

And I have to admit, it was kind of cool. Different and unique.

Size Matters

You may be wondering “why the sudden demand for an odd size card?”. Card makers typically cut a full sheet of 8-1/2 x 11″ piece of cardstock in half and make two A2 card bases.

Suddenly, we are cutting our cardstock a little differently. Now, instead of cutting it in half, we are chopping off a 4″ piece from the 11″ length and folding the remaining cardstock in half. This gives us a closed slimline card base measuring 3-1/2 x 8-1/2″.

Weird? Or genus?

The Great Appeal

Perhaps the great appeal over slimline cards is that they are unique. After all, as card makers we are choosing to be different. Before I started making my own cards, giving someone a store bought card that someone else had picked out too made my card seem…very ordinary.

The size of a slimline card is unexpected. The stature is tall, stately and elegant. Because a slimline card is so long, it appears more valuable. And lets face it, because they are relatively new to the card making scene, they are novel as well.

Slimline Challenges

You would think cutting cardstock and decorating it to create a card should be easy, no matter the card base size. Slimline cards come with their own difficulties just the same.

First, you have to get over the fact that one sheet of 8-1/2 x 11″ cardstock will not yield you 2 card bases. And getting value out of Designer Series Paper that comes in sizes 6 x 6″ or 12 x 12″ is hard too. Of course it can be done! But the frugal crafter in me struggles with this a bit.

Then, there is design and spacing to address. With the narrowness of the slimline card, many stamps and dies may not actually fit well.

And when it comes to dry embossing on paper, embossing folders will run short. Most embossing folders are @4 x 6″ or 6 x 6″ in size. The cardstock shown here is 3-1/4 x 8-1/4″, cut to fit as the first layer over the slimline card base.

Getting Crafty With Slimline Cards

When has a challenge or two ever stopped a determined card maker? There are ways and work-arounds in the diverse world of crafting! And getting creative is really what it is all about, anyway.

I find the slimline cards perfect for the small to medium size stamps and dies. My first few slimline card attempts all used the same card layout, involving 3 evenly spaced rectangles. By starting with this design, I was able to focus on each section individually. I did not get overwhelmed with the large blank canvas the slimline card provides.

The Envelope, Please

Is it weird that one of my favorite things about the slimline card style is that it fits into a business size envelope?

There are so many envelope sizes available, and of course I want one that fits my homemade card well. Not too big that my card is swimming, and not too small that the card barely fits inside.

You may make your own envelopes if you want the perfect size. My personal idea of bliss is opening my office supply drawer and pulling out a business size envelope and calling it a day. These types of envelopes are so easy to come by. I love that.

My Slimline Card Journey Continues

I have just gotten started in my dive into slimline cards. Next, I plan to involve the entire card front in one cohesive design, without breaking up the scheme. And the process of something new and exciting is a pleasing one.

Do slimline cards excite you, too? If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to get crafty. My online store is always open if you need some supplies to help you with your creativity adventure.

Make sure you come back to see me, and find out what I have been up to as I continue to explore slimline cards, and more!