In the printing industry, scoring and folding is done on machines for speed and accuracy. Professional hinge scoring of this kind creases the fibers in the paper or cardstock so it can be folded with and against the grain without cracking or breaking along the score line.
I worked as a printing salesman for over 25 years. Paper companies sent me single hand-built stock samples to show my clients, mock-ups that would help them envision their finished projects. However, they were poorly scored and the folds were always cracked because the sample makers were using bone folders, stylus and ruler, utility knives or other tools. I decided there had to be a better way to duplicate machine quality hinge scoring by hand, so I built the first Scor-It Board and showed it to the paper company, who immediately wanted one. Printers, graphic artists, and other paper companies began to order them, and then card makers, book makers, paper artists, and scrapbookers discovered the board.
After a year of building them in our basement, the Scor-It Board took off! There are now two sizes, the original that scores lines up to 12” and the Mini on which to score lines up to 6”.
The Scor-It Board is very easy to use. It’s different from any other scoring tool. The cardstock or paper is placed FACE DOWN on the board, one edge touching the centering ruler. Using the scoring tool, you’ll create the score line - a raised ridge. The ridge is the INSIDE of the fold. Look at it sideways and you’ll see how the fibers in the paper or cardstock have been creased, not cut or broken, to create the hinge.
Those same raised ridges can be used as decorative embossed lines if the paper is placed FACE UP or for de-bossed lines if it is placed FACE DOWN. To create mountain and valley folds (accordion folding), simply turn the paper over and back, repeating till all the folds are complete. If you want diagonals or rays or if you are scoring envelopes or boxes, move away from the ruler and hold the paper at any angle.
Before I hand things over to Suzanne Cannon, I want to mention a couple of options for using her project: If you are a beginner or have limited time, look at the various elements of the design rather than thinking you have to make an entire Flag Brag Book. The small flags would be great for the front of photo cards, use them for gift tags or for love notes to tuck into a suitcase or lunchbox. Instead of three sets of flags, you could simplify and just add one row of larger ones.
Flag Brag Book
By Suzanne Cannon, Quietfire Design
Supply List:
(all from Quietfire Design)
Scor-it Board
Bazzill Basics Monochrome Cardstock in Greens
Bone Folder
Life Journey Words Rubber Stamps
Flourishes Rubber Stamps
Italic Caps Alphabet Rubber Stamps
Italic Alphabet Rubber Stamps
VersaMagic Dew Drop Tea Leaves
VersaMark Stamp Pad
Decorative paper
Double-sided tape or glue stick
Temporary adhesive such as a Post-it Glue Stick
Awl and Brads
Ribbon
To Create the Accordion Base
1. Cut a piece of dark green Bazzill cardstock to 6” x 18”. If you don’t have a piece that size, cut 1 sheet of 12 x 12” cardstock in two.
2. Use the Scor-it Board to score the cardstock 3” from one end.
3. Now set the Scor-it Stop Guide at 1 ½”, push the scored edge against the Stop Guide and begin scoring from the 3” score.
4. You will need 8 more score lines, all 1 ½” apart. After each score, flip your cardstock over for the new score – your book will start folding itself!
5. After each score, burnish each fold with a bone folder.
Scoring Pattern:
You will have 4 mountain peaks in the middle of your book.
6. If you only have 12” cardstock, take one piece of cardstock and do Step 2. For Step 3 continue scoring at 1 ½” intervals to the end of the cardstock. Repeat this with another piece of cardstock, so you will have 2 identical pieces. Flip the second piece around and overlap the accordions until you have 4 mountains. Trim one of the pieces of cardstock so only one of the 1 ½” panels overlap. Use glue or double-sided tape to join the pieces. Your join will be virtually invisible!
Creating and Decorating the Flags
Note all flags are the same width, they just vary in height
1. Cut 4 pieces of medium/light green Bazzill cardstock measuring 3” x 1 ½” for the middle flags. Make the flags are no more than 3” long or they will hang out the fore-edge of the book and be bent!
To decorate the 1 ½” tall flags, stamp Love, Hope, Cherish and Forever (one word on each flag) using Tea Leaves ink. Brush the ink pad color on the edge of the cardstock to give the edge some definition. Allow the ink to dry. Use the awl to pierce a hole near the edge of the left side of the flag, loop the ribbon and secure it to the flag with the brad. Apply glue or double-sided tape to the back of the flag. Lay the flag on the back of a small piece of decorative cardstock and trim the decorative cardstock to the same size as the flag.
2. Cut 4 pieces of medium/dark colored Bazzill cardstock measuring 3” x 2 ½” for the bottom row of flags. To decorate these flags, stamp the smaller Flourish sideways on back of the flag using VersaMark ink. Allow to dry. Resize and crop 4 baby photos to no more than 2” wide x 1-½” tall. Now you can begin using the Scor-it as a decorative design tool! Score lines around the outside edge of each flag, ¼” away from the edges. The Scor-it creates beautifully embossed lines giving your creation a lovely polished look.
Mount your photo centered on the flag. Insure the orientation of the photo is correct – this flag is not square, and 3” is the width! Repeat with the three other flags.
3. Cut 4 pieces of medium-light colored Bazzill cardstock measuring 3” x 2” for the top row of flags. To decorate these flags, stamp the baby’s initials onto the lightest colored cardstock. Score around the initial. Trim ¼” from the score lines. Mount the initial on a slightly larger piece of decorative paper. Mount this on the flag cardstock.
Assembling the Brag Flag Book
1. Attach the 2 ½” bottom row of flags first as shown. Make sure the bottom of each flag is flush with the bottom of the accordion panel.
2. Attach the 2” top row of flags as shown. Make sure the top of each flag is flush with the top edge of each accordion panel.
3. Trim a tiny amount of cardstock off the bottom and top of each of the 1 ½” flags. Attach each flag on the opposite side of the mountains as shown using temporary adhesive.
4. Gently close your book. If the book doesn’t want to close, you may have to remove the middle flags and trim them a bit more so they will pass between the top and bottom flags. Once the book is working correctly, use permanent glue on the middle flags.
Finish decorating your end panels.
To hold your book closed, you may create a scored belt which can be easily slipped on and off.
For an even more detailed slide show of this project, visit http://www.quietfiredesign.com/Galleries/Projects/FlagBragBook.htm!
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.
