Supplies

8 ½” x 11” cardstock color #1 for card base (ivory)

¾” x 4 ¼” cardstock color #1 (ivory)

4 ¾” x 6 ½” cardstock color #2 (red)

1 ¼” x 4 ¾” cardstock #2 (red)

4 ½” x 6” cardstock color #3 (green)

1” x 4 ½” cardstock color #3 (green)

3 – 1 ¼” x 12”strips of printed paper #1

3 – 1 ¼” x 12” strips of printed paper #2

3 – 1 ¼” x 12” strips of printed paper #3

Note: printed paper designs should coordinate to form the tree design

Adhesive tape #91120

Removable tape #3004 7920

X-acto knife #7750 4092 and cutting mat

Double stick tape #3001 3283

Alphabet stamp set (1/2” or smaller)

Ink Pad – black #3001 4945

Bone Folder #3000 3784

Patterns:

Inside Pattern

Outside Pattern

Directions

This paper folding technique resembles the inner iris of a camera shutter lens, hence the name Iris Folding.

The following directions are for the traditional version A.

Center the tree pattern on the 4 ½” x 6” cardstock and trace the outline lightly with a pencil. Remove the pattern and place the cardstock on the cutting mat. Use the X-acto knife to cut out the tree design. Remove the tree leaving a cutout window, which is called the aperture card.

Place the Layering diagram pattern on your work surface and tape the corners down. Place the tree aperture card over the pattern with the wrong side facing up. Align the pattern so that it fits in the window. Use removable tape to tape the card down so it won’t move while you are working.

Fold the printed paper strips in half with the printed side out. Use the bone folder to get a nice folded edge. Decide on which paper will be #1, which will be #2 and so on.

Take a folded strip of print #1 and place it on section 1 of the pattern. The folded edge should be against the line of the pattern. Trim each end of the strip so that about ¼” overlaps the edge of the aperture on either end. Adhere the strip to the card with small pieces of adhesive tape at each end.

Take a folded strip of print #1 and place it on section #2 of the pattern. Make sure the folded edge is against the line of the pattern. Trim the edges of the strip. Adhere the strip to the card with small pieces of tape on the ends.

Take a folded strip of print #2 and place it on section #3 of the pattern. Make sure the folded edge is against the line of the pattern. Trim edges and adhere strip to the card with small pieces of tape.

Take a folded strip of print #1 and place it on section #4 of the pattern. Make sure the folded edge is against the line of the pattern. Trim the edges and adhere the strip to the card with small pieces of tape.

Repeat these steps in numerical order of the pattern, matching the printed paper number (1, 2 or 3) with the following sections of the pattern:

Printed Paper #1 = Sections 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19

Printed Paper #2 = Sections 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, center

Printed Paper #3 = Sections 5, 8, 11, 14, 17

Work around your pattern adding the three different strips of printed paper in sequence until your design is complete.

The small hole left in the middle of the design can be covered with a flat piece of printed paper #2 or you can pick another print.

Turn the finished tree design over. Center the design on the 4 ¾” x 6 ½” cardstock.

Using a small alphabet stamp set, rubberstamp “Happy Holidays” on the ¾” x 4 ¼” ivory cardstock. Center and adhere this piece onto the 1” x 4 ½” cardstock strip. Now, center and adhere this piece onto the 1 ¼” x 4 ¾” cardstock strip.

Fold the 8 ½” x 11” cardstock in half to make a 5 ½” x 8 ½” card. Take the matted tree design and the matted wording design and place onto the front of the folded card. Center the two pieces leaving a little space in between and for borders. Adhere to the front of the card.

To make tree version B, place the printed strips down in numerical order of the pattern, matching the printed paper number (1, 2 or 3) to the following sections:

Printed Paper #1 = Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14 and center

Printed Paper #2 = Sections 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17

Printed paper #3 = Sections 9, 10, 11, 18, 19