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  • 🦋 How to Make a Fold Out Butterfly Thank You Card

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    , , ,

    Everybody needs a thank you card concept up their sleeve that’s cool and efficient. This butterfly-themed card fits the bill! With the help of a handy printable, it comes together in about 20 minutes.

    🦋 How to Make a Fold Out Butterfly Thank You Card

    When I found out that Flow Magazine will no longer be publishing an English version, I was beyond disappointed. When I took to Instagram to complain, TPK reader Corine S. in the Netherlands generously offered to send over her three English issues of Flow. The issues, released several years ago, weren’t in my collection, and I couldn’t resist taking her up on the offer! I wanted to show my appreciation with a quick and cool thank you card, and today’s tutorial is what I came up with. The card comes together in a matter of minutes, and it has a lovely surprise on the inside!

    Fold Out Butterfly Thank You Card Video Tutorial

    The steps for this card are simple, so it was easy for me to record its creation. If you’re a visual learner, you’ll appreciate the four-minute tutorial video below. For text/photo instructions, keep reading!

    (Here is the link to the lace butterfly printables that you’ll need in order to make the card.)

    1. Gather Your Thank You Card Supplies

    To create this card, you’ll first need to gather your supplies. You can find a list, along with some links, below the photo.

    Supplies for a fold out butterfly card

    2. Cut Out Four Butterflies

    Now, cut out four butterflies. You’ll want one large butterfly, one medium butterfly, and two tiny butterflies.

    Lace Butterfly Illustrations
    All of these butterflies can be found in the Printable Illustrated Lace Butterflies packet!

    3. Fold and Glue the Large Butterfly

    Now, turn the large lace butterfly over such that the white side is on top. Then, fold the butterfly in half. You should fold the butterfly in such a way that the illustrated lace part of the butterfly is on the outside. The white parts will be on the inside.

    Folded lace butterfly

    Now, unfold the butterfly and center it on the inside of the card.

    Illustrated Lace Butterfly centered in a card

    Once you’ve got the lace butterfly where you want it, glue down the four tips of its wings. Then, fold and crease the card as shown in the tutorial video.

    Illustrated Lace Butterfly centered in a card
    It’s (much) easier to understand this step if you watch the tutorial video at the beginning of this article. See the 1:24 minute mark!

    4. Add Accent Butterflies

    Once you’ve glued and folded your large butterfly, glue the two tiny butterflies to the inside of the card as well. I put one of those butterflies in the center of the card, and the other tiny butterfly sits on the left edge of the card. Once you glue the tiny butterflies, fold the card and run your hand over its front to ensure that the card closes smoothly.

    Butterfly illustrations on a card
    If you choose to position a lace butterfly on the left or the right side of the card, be sure to cut off part of its wing.

    5. Write Butterfly-Shaped Calligraphy

    Now, grab your medium butterfly, and trace around it in pencil on the front of the card. Once you’ve done that, you can set the medium butterfly aside. You won’t be needing it again for this project (but you could use it for this one!).

    Butterfly thank you card
    When you’re working on dark-colored papers, a white mechanical pencil comes in handy for making drafts and guidelines.

    Then, use your pointed pen and white ink to write calligraphy or lettering inside the butterfly outline. You can customize your message to suit the occasion! I chose to write “thank you” in several different languages.

    Calligraphy on a lace butterfly thank you card
    It’s important to fill in all the negative space in the butterfly outline. If you’ve got space left after writing your calligraphy, add various flourishes.

    Once your ink has dried, carefully erase any pencil guidelines.

    Calligraphy on a lace butterfly thank you card
    Black erasers are best for erasing white pencil guidelines on dark papers.

    6. Add a Message to the Thank You Card

    You’ll finish off your thank you card, of course, with a message of gratitude on the inside. I used gold watercolor to write “You’re the best!” on the left. Then, I wrote my message to Corine on the right with a Sakura Gelly Roll white pen.

    Fold Out Butterfly Thank You Card
    I always keep a couple of white gel pens on hand so I can easily write on dark paper.

    Granted, this thank you card doesn’t give you a ton of room to write a message on the inside, so it’s best for short and sweet greetings. Since I often can’t think of much to say in thank you cards except for “thank you”, that’s a relief for me!

    I appreciate this thank you card concept because it comes together so quickly! The most time-consuming part, really, is cutting out the butterflies, and that takes about ten minutes. If the calligraphy part intimidates you, go a different route! You could write a simple (non-butterfly shaped) “thank you” on the front of the card, use washi tape to affix a dried flower to it, or even leave the card blank. The inside of the card is the real show-stopping surprise here.

    Fold Out Butterfly Thank You Card
    This project comes together quickly, so I made one for Corine and one to keep on hand for the next time I need to send a quick thank you card.

    I hope that this thank you card tutorial comes in handy next time you want to show someone your appreciation. With the holiday season coming up, it might not be a bad idea to make several of these to thank friends and family members for gifts. Thanks so much for reading/watching, and happy creating!

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock