Business Card Holder Redux

After looking at the Business Card Holder design I published last month, I realized it would be an easy fix to make it slant backwards in the way we are used to seeing business cards presented. I also decided I didn't like the way the edge of the "holder" piece stuck out over the top, and the way the top corners of the "stand" piece were exposed.

In this edited design, the holder will stand slightly slanted, and the top of the "holder" is scored so that it can be glued across the top of the "stand".

I originally thought to suggest a pair of glue dots to secure the front part of the "holder" to the folded-to-front sides of the "front". As it turns out, Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue is really good on this project, as long as you use paper clips to clamp the glued areas in place until they dry (about a minute or two).

Both of the above links should forward to my projects on Cricut Design Space.

The unicorn-theme paper design was tiled from Krystsina Kvilis (@peace-art)'s "Magical collection of unicorns II" from Design Bundles.net. (I had intended this particular holder for use at a unicorn-themed event.)

Front view (it got a bit crushed traveling)

Side view: slanted versus upright card holders

Oblique view, comparing the two designs

Cricut Project: Business Card Holder

This is the edited and completed version of the project I started at this year's Trenton Computer Festival (TCF). It is available on my Cricut Profile Page.

The instructions there are a bit terse, having to fit inside 500 characters. Here's a more complete version:

Supplies:

• 2 sheets 110-lb cardstock, such as Recollections Heavyweight Cardstock Paper from Michaels 
• Adhesives of choice. I used Glue Dots and a tape runner
• Color printer (optional)

Preparation:

• Print an allover design on cardstock (optional)
  
• In Design Space, set all text to "not visible" (or just ignore the black mat)
  

Settings:

1. Set your materials setting to "Poster Board" or "Poster Board +"
   
2. If you have a Cricut Maker, use the Double Scoring Wheel.
3. Cut "pretty side down" if appropriate (not what I did).
   
4. Set your material size to 11" x 8.5" (letter)

Make the Project:

1. Cut and weed both mats. You will have three pieces ("Stand", "Holder", and "Front")
   
2. Take the "Stand" piece and fold all score lines to the back.
   
3. Secure the top corners to the folded back top of the stand using Glue Dots.
   
4. Hold the "Holder" piece so the three parallel score lines are towards the bottom. Fold the upper two score lines to the front; fold the lowest score line to the back.
   
5. Use a tape runner on the plain side of the bottom of the holder to secure it to its adjacent section.
   
6. Holding the "Front" with printed side facing you, fold all score lines to front at 90 degrees. 
   
7. Turn the piece so you are looking at the unprinted side.
8. Using a tape runner or Glue Dots, secure the "Holder" piece to the "Front", matching up the large rectangle and the folded-up ledge beneath it.
9. Fold the side fronts over the "Holder", and use Glue Dots to secure the corner flaps to the bottom ledge. 
   
10. Using Glue Dots, secure the two long tabs to the bottom ledge.
    
11. Using the tape runner, Secure the front/holder piece to the "stand", matching large flat rectangles.
    

Finishing

Add business cards and set on table.

Note: if you prefer your cardholder to slant rather than stand upright, align the "Stand" with the top of the "Holder" rather than the bottom.

Planner "Bookmarks" Can Hold Tablet Styli

Who Needs an Elastic Pen Holder?

I don't get the current Planner craze. For me, Google Calendar does OK, Sunrise Calendar did better, and if I really, really needed to go for the complete journaling gold, I'd break down and use Microsoft Outlook. Carrying around five pounds of paper that has to be searched through manually is, for me, a time sink.

This past Sunday's Planning With Michaels project was a "pen holder bookmark" made with felt, hot glue, and embroidery-floss tassels. Being a "Trend" class, we needed to have someone in the classroom in case someone who hadn't pre-registered for the class decided to walk in and have a go at.

Not All Tablet Covers Are the Same

I've been pretty lucky with most of my tablet covers. I bought a keyboard cover for my original tablet, a Galaxy Tab 2 7". My iPad Air 2 Smart Cover has an elastic closure, an elastic handhold, and a small elastic loop for a stylus. While there's no stylus loop on the cover for my Galaxy Tab 4 7", it has a wrist strap and a magnetic closure.

Sadly, there was no such option for my HP Stream 7" Windows tablet. While it came with an OEM cover which uses magnets to create a bit of a stand, the cover has nothing to keep it closed, and I have cracked a screen because of its flimsy nature. I cut the design's elastic strap smaller, and presto! I now have a stylus holder for my Stream.

Taking it One Step Further

One thing I really hated about the construction of this project was its reliance on hot glue. The cut felt was hot-glued to create the pen pocket, and the elastic was hot-glued to the felt. Both of these come out looking flimsy and amateurish. It would have been better to securely sew the elastic to the felt before making the pen pocket, and to blanket-stitch the sides of the pen pocket, keeping a similar look but with much better product quality.

That said, hot glue is a lot quicker than sewing, and the project was designed to be completed within two hours.

Additionally, the pen pocket came out too short and too wide to fit my Cross stylus pen; it fell out almost immediately upon picking up my now-securely-closed tablet.

And What About the Men?

Looking at my bright stylus holder, I could see a much nicer version done in suede or leather, with black elastic, holding a nice Cross stylus pen. While one could add a leather tassel, it wouldn't need one: the fine leather would speak for itself. Such a style would work for men and women alike, and could be easily feminized by using one of Michaels' pieces of soft embossed leather. It would work in a business environment as well as a casual one. I'd replace the hot glue with E6000 or leather cement, and if I were using a heavier leather, I'd also stitch the edges with artificial sinew. A second piece of leather enclosing (or hiding) the edges of the elastic would make it look even more professional.

I think I'm going to have to make one...