Easel cards make brilliant displays because you can easily prop them up by themselves on a table or mantel, and yet they fold flat enough to fit into an envelope. This easel card is made up of three pieces: the card base, the front panel, and the stopper. Once you figure out how to make the base card, you can easily make easel cards for just about any occasion.

You will need:

* One sheet of white or cream cardstock for the card base, 8-1/2 x 11 inches
* One sheet of colored cardstock for matting, 8-1/2 x 11 inches
* Floral patterned paper, 7 x 4-1/4 inches
* Paper lace doilies
* Two butterfly embellishments, around 4 by 2-1/2 inches and around 1 x 1 inch (this can be a die cut, punched shape, or cutout)
* Glitter glue
* Glue stick
* Glue runner or double-sided adhesive tape
* Double-sided foam tape
* Ruler
* Pencil
* Craft knife
* Cutting mat
* Bone folder

Cut the white cardstock in half lengthwise. Cut one of the pieces in half, widthwise, and set aside the resulting quarters.

Take the long piece of cardstock, then score and fold it in half widthwise. Lay it on your work surface with the folded edge at the top, score the front of the card across the middle and mountain fold the cardstock. Open the card flat and then measure, mark and cut the colored cardstock so that it’s smaller than the card by 1/16 inch all around. Adhere the colored cardstock mat to the inside of the card using glue runner or double sided tape. Score along the folds. You now have the card base.



Take one of the white cardstock quarters for the front panel. Measure, mark and cut a slightly smaller piece of colored cardstock to make a mat, and glue this to panel. Measure, mark and cut a piece of floral patterned paper so that it’s slightly smaller than the mat. Glue this to the panel. Cut a paper doily and use a glue stick to adhere parts of it to the left and right sides of the panel. Apply some glitter glue to the butterfly embellishment and let dry. Attach the butterfly to the front panel using foam tape. Apply strips of double sided tape to the lower half of the card base front. Attach the front panel to the lower half of the card so that bottom edges of the panel and card base are flush with each other.



To make the stopper, cut a piece of white cardstock measuring 4-1/8 by 1-1/2 inches. Cover one side with colored cardstock, using a glue runner to join the pieces. Cut a piece of patterned paper measuring 4 by 1-3/8 inches, then adhere it to the colored cardstock. Cut another piece of paper doily and glue it to the stopper, then attach the smaller butterfly embellishment.



With the card folded in display position, attach the stopper at the bottom of the card using foam tape. If you wish, you can add the recipient’s name or a sentiment to the stopper.