Looking for the perfect way to keep your family connected during the holiday season and throughout the year? Try making this Family Card Portfolio that can hold several handmade or store bought cards. It’ll keep encouraging thoughts right at your fingertips and even doubles as a photo frame. Make one for your family members and everyone can keep in touch in style.



Supplies:
Cardstock (Bazzill Basics)
• Light green: Two 7” x 11” pieces
• Dark brown: One 5” x 6 ¾” pieces
• Dark brown: Two 5” x 12” pieces
Self-adhesive hook and loop dots
Craft knife
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Stylus
Bone folder
Designer’s Dries Clear Glue (Art Institute)
Gelly Roll gel pen (Sakura of America)
Sponge
Brown distress ink pad





Let’s get started! On each of the 7” x 11” pieces of cardstock, measure a line ¾” from one long side and another line ¼” from the other long side. Score and crease each line.



Next, measure 4” from the bottom edge then score and crease to form the pocket front. NOTE: The cover section will have the ¾” strip on the right and the back section will have the ¾” section on the left.





Remove the ¼” section from the pocket front. Fold up the pocket front and glue together on the ¾” sections. Fold over the ¼” section and glue in place.



Join the front and back by gluing the back ¾” section over the front ¾” section.



On a 5” x 12” piece of cardstock, score and crease lines ¾”, 6 ¾”, and 7 ½” from an end. Glue to the ¾” side and the back section of the portfolio 1” below the top edge.





Score and crease a line ¾” from the end of the 5” x 6 ¾” piece of cardstock. Glue to the ¾” side and front of the portfolio.



Apply self adhesive hook and loop dots to the cover and flap.





Make a photo frame by folding a 5 x 12” piece of cardstock in half. Unfold and cut a window into one half, leaving a 1” border. Re-fold and glue the front to the back at two side edges. IMPORTANT: Do not glue the top edge. This is where you will slide in your photo. Glue the frame onto the cover flap.



Create faux stitching with gel pens or use rub-on stitches. Age edges by lightly sponging with brown ink. Insert the family photo into frame.



Fill the inside pockets with handmade birthday or greeting cards and envelopes. For quick all-occasion cards, fold pieces of cardstock for a base, add a personalized monogram letter or a large sticker to the front and ink the edges of the card. If you don’t have time to make lots of cards, buy some from the store and add them to your portfolio. No matter how you fill it, this portfolio will be a keeper that can be filled time and time again with cards to keep everyone connected.

To find the products mentioned in this article and shown in these layouts, check with your local scrapbook retailer. Browse our Premier Retail Stores for coupons to a store near you.