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Bookmark sleeves, tassels, great giveaway, marketing promo

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Everyone can use a bookmark, especially one that includes an attractive panorama image, and a bookmark that is original or personalized with a custom image has even more lasting value. Photographers and artists who work in all media can keep their image fresh and in front of customers by printing or mounting it onto bookmark-sized card stock and then protecting it in a vinyl sleeve. Bookmarks also a great idea for any business person who wants a small gift to leave behind. Decorate the bookmark sleeve with a high quality 4-inch chainette tassel, and you’ve got an affordable marketing tool that customers will keep and use over and over again.

These 6 mil clear vinyl, acid-free sleeves are archival quality and come in a two sizes. Because the sleeves are heat seals, the inside dimensions are slightly smaller than the outer dimensions, so, be sure to make your bookmark slightly smaller than the outer dimensions of the sleeve, itself.

For the large sleeve [BMSLV] measuring 2-1/2″ x 7-1/8″, we cut our bookmark card stock to 2-3/8″ x 7″.

For the small sleeve [BMSLVs] measuring 2-3/8″ x 3-1/4″, we cut our small bookmark card stock to 2-1/4″ x 3-1/8″.

With either size sleeve, because the vinyl is a completely clear protective covering, you have a permanent, two-sided work of art, slash, promo piece.

Perfect Folds Give Greeting Cards Professional Finish

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On the surface, folding paper appears to be a pretty straightforward subject, but in fact, for artists and crafters who are creating their own note cards, greeting cards and other stationery products, understanding each paper’s specific characteristics can make the difference between an average card and an extraordinary one.

Creating the perfect fold doesn’t really require an understanding of the paper manufacturing process, but it sure does help to explain why folds sometimes go terribly wrong.

In the manufacturing process, paper begins as a mushy soup, which is forced through a fine screen with enough pressure to squeeze the liquid out of the mix. As the fibers of the paper mixture blend and settle into position, they align in a single direction establishing the ‘grain’ of the paper. Chapter 6 in Getting it Printed, by Mark Beach, Steve Shepro, and Ken Russon, is titled ‘Paper and Ink,’ and provides an encyclopedic review of papers’ characteristics and the paper-making process.

Since greeting cards are typically printed on a cover weight paper or a card stock, it is necessary to score the card before folding in order to prevent the paper from cracking. Without scoring, the greeting card may have a bumpy, unsightly fold, even more so if folded against the grain, in which case cracking is likely. The pressure of scoring crushes the paper fibers along the precise path of the fold on the greeting card.

You may also hear scoring referred to as ‘creasing.’ While the tools and equipment that compress the paper fibers may differ, in either case a depression is made on the outside of the greeting card, usually by a 2-3 pt. rounded die or other smooth, hard tool. Some machines pass the paper under a roller to create an debossed depression; others have an arm operated by a lever that pulls a bar down to create the depression. When the bar on the creasing device crushes the paper fibers, a small beaded impression results on the opposite side of the paper. The bead is the result of crushing the fibers in a perfectly straight line, allowing the paper to practically fold itself.

If you are printing your cards at a commercial printer, they know how paper behaves and they will take measures to insure that your cards are properly scored and folded. If you are printing or otherwise creating your own greeting cards, the scoring is up to you.

Do-it-yourselfers have traditionally relied on bone, plastic, or ivory tools to create the line of compressed fibers. When the scoring tool is dragged with pressure along a metal straight edge ruler, the paper fibers are depressed and crushed, creating a raised bead on the opposite side of the paper. This may or may not work well. I consider it a risky method, frequently less than perfect.

The growth in paper crafts, card-making and scrapbook arts has created a demand for improved scoring tools for artists and printers doing very short runs.

Score Boards

Crafters Companion, tested and recommended by the Creative Home Arts Club, is a handy tool for artists, card-makers, or anyone who wants to make clean, smooth folds, whether on handmade cards, envelopes or boxes. The Score Boards combine everything necessary to easily score paper and card stock.

Top Score Multiboard

Create the perfect crease and fold with the Top Score Multiboard, the quintessential tool for do-it-yourselfers crafting handmade note cards, greeting cards and boxes.  The double-sided card-making aide provides templates for scoring the crease in the exact position for A2, A7, and A8 (half letter) cards, as well as a number of other folds that can be created from papers cut to various sizes. The Multiboard doubles as an embossing tool, with a variety of lines and shapes from which to choose. The fully illustrated instructions demonstrate the following folds and card ideas:

  • basic half fold
  • gatefold
  • slimline
  • square
  • concertina
  • pop out card
  • creating a custom sized box
  • triangular boxes
  • diamond shaped boxes
  • window boxes
  • wedge, or cone shaped boxes

The Top Score MultiBoard includes a free embossing tool and complete instructions!

List Price $24.99

Your Price $19.95

The Enveloper

Create dynamic envelopes using virtually any paper in a variety of styles and sizes. Contrasting art papers make great liners for a stunning presentation of your hand made greeting cards. Includes a free embossing tool and complete instructions!

The Enveloper

List Price $24.99

Your Price $19.95

Crafter’s Companion Scoreboards Video DVD

This step-by-step instructional video walks you through a wide variety of techniques for creating professional folds on handmade greeting cards, boxes and envelopes. Use your computer or DVD player on your TV. Over 60 minutes of great ideas and a visual tutorials.

List Price $14.99

Your Price $9.99

Scoreboard Special – 1 Enveloper & 1 Top Score Multi-Board + 1 Free Instructional DVD

By ordering these two award winning tools together you will get the instructional DVD Free; an easy to follow step-by-step video that shows you how to use these tools.

List Price $59.97

Your Price $39.90

Images Show Through Clear Packaging

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Frequently, we receive emails from artists who have questions about packaging their artwork, in this case, note cards.

I am packaging two each of four different images in an A2-1/2 clear plastic box. How can I present them so the customer can see all of the images they are buying?

We recommend artists print a reduced version of each of the images on a quarter sheet of paper. Add any other information that you want to show through the clear box, and insert the slip sheet in the back of the box (the side that the end tucks into, and face the cards and envelopes toward the front. That way when someone picks up the box and turns it over, they can see the four images, the artist’s name, bar code, or any other pertinent information you’d like to show through the box.

To get the most inserts from a single sheet of paper, place four A2 size inserts on a single 8.5″ x 11″. Of course, if your card size is an A6 (4.625″ x 6.25″) or an A7 (5″ x 7″), fewer images will fit on a single 8.5″ x 11″.

box insert sample

Envelopes for Note Cards and Greeting Cards

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With a dozen different envelope styles and hundreds of sizes in existence, how do you choose the right one for your note cards and greeting cards?

For artists who are creating greeting cards we like to simplify the process by following standard envelope styles, sizes and general availability in the United States.

Style
Oak Creek Printworks includes announcement style envelopes with all custom printed greeting cards, and we sell announcement style envelopes in four sizes. Announcement envelopes have a square flap, while Baronial envelopes have a deep, pointed flap. Announcement envelopes are readily available in all the standard greeting card sizes. Baronial envelopes are manufactured in a variety of sizes, but available here by special order only.

Size
The smallest announcement style envelope is an A2. If your card folds to one-quarter of a letter sized page, it’s an A2. The matching A2 envelope is slightly larger than the 4.25”x5.5” folded card, and measures 4.375”x5.625”. Envelopes and packaging for A2 note cards are available in the Oak Creek Printworks store.

The A6 card is slightly larger, measuring 4.625”x6.375” when folded. Its matching envelope is 4.75”x6.5”.

The A7 card folds to 5”X7”, and the corresponding announcement envelope is 5.25”x7.25”.

The A8 card folds to 5.25”x7.875”. The companion envelope is 5.5”x8.125”.

The A9 card is an 8.5”x11” letter sheet folded in half to 5.5”x8.5”. The companion envelope is 8.75”x5.75”.

Square cards fold to 5.25” square. The companion envelope is 5.5”x5.5”.

Other envelope sizes, and colors other than white are available by special order.

Give Yourself Permission to Create

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Writers get it and artists do, too. From time to time, we all feel blocked. Some may wait until inspiration strikes, but those on a deadline to produce a “finished product” can’t always afford the luxury of waiting for the muse. Sometimes we need to go out and track the muse down.

As a young journalism student I was instructed to begin typing and keep typing, ignoring mistakes. Usually about the 5th or 6th paragraph important information would begin to emerge. It’s easy enough afterwards to go back and cut.

Eventually I learned that the same principle applied to my photography, illustration, design, and painting. While some instructors insisted on a plan, it was rarely my style, and I later found much support for the approach that let the art lead the way.

As a teacher I’ve heard many reasons for not making art. What’s holding you back? What are your fears? There is no failure. Set aside a regular time slot for your art. Make an appointment with yourself and by all means, Give Yourself Permission.
Click here to download a PDF file saved as a high resolution, printable permission slip.

permission slip

Square Greeting Cards Are “In”

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Wow! It seems like a real run on square cards lately. We’re seeing all sorts of interesting artwork coming from all over the globe that lends itself to printing on square cards.

You can print artwork on square cards that trim to 5.25”. Each custom printed square card ships with a 5.5” envelope. Clear, protective packaging is available in a variety of closure styles. Cards can be packaged individually in a snug-fitting clear plastic sleeve, or in sets in a larger sleeve, or a clear plastic greeting card box. Boxes ship with a gold seal, or you can dress up your gift card set with an elastic stretch loop, available for purchase in a variety of colors.

Before preparing your artwork for printing, decide if you want your card to have a white border, or if the image will bleed (print all the way to the trim). If you want the card to have a white border, make sure your artwork is square. If it is rectangular, the horizontal and vertical borders will be uneven.

Although your artwork and card are square, the card still has a horizontal or vertical orientation, and its orientation is what determines the placement of the artwork in relationship to the fold. A greeting card that has a fold at the top of the card has a horizontal orientation and opens in an upward direction. If your image has a vertical orientation, the card has its fold on the left.

Take into consideration that the specifications listed above reflect a standard set up for printing greeting cards in America. Other countries may have different standards and cards may read in different directions.

If you want your image to bleed, it must extend 1/8-inch beyond the trim on the three sides without the fold. The additional image area is necessary to insure that no white edge shows on your card. Make sure that your signature and important image data are far enough from the edges so that they won’t be trimmed away.

Reduced

This is a reduced view of the 5.25-inch square greeting card template. Click on the image to view and download a full size 72 dpi .jpg template that you can use to create the square greeting card.