How to make a Thank You Teacher Apple Card

Posted on 29th May 2014 by Angela Dodson
Filed under All Papercraft Tutorials

Hello, Angela here with my very first Papermill blog post for you. This is a simple Tutorial for a Vintage Style 'Apple' Teacher Thank You Card, which your child could make or a younger child could make with your help.

Firstly take an A4 Sheet of 'Spring Green' card and score and fold in half, trim this back slightly to make a 5.5" square card base. (this will allow it to fit into a 6x6 envelope) I used a corner rounder to round all four corners of the card base.

Next draw and cut out a simple apple shape onto scrap card, this will then become your template so you can replicate the card if you need to, it will also help with cutting out the leaf and inner shape of the apple. (the shape doesn't have to be perfect, but needs to fit your card base comfortably.

My apple is roughly 4 1/4" wide x 4 3/4" high max). Trace around and cut out your pattern pieces as follows: Draw the full apple shape including stalk and leaf onto a piece of 'Christmas Red' card, and cut out. Trace around your template to create a leaf shape onto 'Forest Green' card Trace again around your template to create a stalk shape from 'Mocha Brown' card.

Draw a smaller inner apple shape smaller than the main apple from 'Rich Cream Hammered' card. (just the inner shape for this, no stalk or leaf)

Cut out all pattern pieces and ink around the edges using a 'Distress Ink Pad' I used 'Tea Dye' but any of the browny shades will do. (I also inked the green card base to match). For the Leaf you can draw on a few lines using a dark green pen, I used a Pro Marker pen in 'Pine'.

Now we need to add some interest to the inner shape with some A,B,C lettering, I die cut my letters, but you could stamp them, use rub-ons, peel-off stickers, or even draw your letters A,B,C. Arrange your letters on the inner cream coloured piece, positioning slightly to the left and right and avoiding the middle.

Use a scoring board to score down the centre of the cream inner section and fold each side slightly (towards you) apply glue to the back of the crease and stick this inner piece down onto the main red apple shape. (only the centre is glued to enable the sides to be folded outward slightly.

Next attach the brown stalk to the stalk area of the red apple main shape. Take the green leaf piece and again score and fold down the centre where the line would be on a leaf. Again fold slightly and apply glue only to the back of the crease line, attach this piece to the leaf area of the main red apple.

Now it's time to assemble your card. Add some 3D foam tape or pads to the back of your completed apple shape. Stick this down to the card front positioning it centrally. Take a small tag shape and black pen and hand write a message, I chose 'Thank You Teacher', but you could add the teachers name if preferred.

Tie a piece of twine through the tag and into a bow, I used black & white bakers twine. Now add the tag to the apple using a 3D foam pad, taking care to position it just above the inner cream apple shape, so that it doesn't restrict this part. Now carefully bend the inner cream part and the green leaf part along the scored line to create a more 3D look.

To complete the card I added a plain insert cut at 5" square and rounded the corners.

This card is something that you could make with your child. Why not cut out a few pattern pieces and give them to a younger child to assemble themselves. I often make 'apple cards' in different colours, sometimes using a bright patterned paper for some details.

With or without inking to give different looks.