18

Feb

2013

DIY Tutorial: Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

DIY Tutorial

Today’s DIY Tutorial comes from one of our very own Boho Brides, Becki. As you know Becki is having a very DIY wedding and she has been busy getting her big day planned and getting her craft on. As well as this Becky has started her own stationery business Love Knot Creations. And today it is her stationery that we are taking a look at as she shows us how to make these rather lovely Kraft Pocketfold Invitations.
I think these look amazing! and even though they look really difficult to make they are actually really quite simple!

Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

 

Buying your Kraft Pocketfolds, Inserts & Envelopes

To get started you need to buy your pocketfolds and envelopes. When I set out to make them from brown kraft card that looks like traditional brown wrapping paper, I struggled at first to get the envelopes to match so if you want to create the same thing here’s where I bought them from.

YOU WILL NEED LIST

Buying your Stamps

You can use any stamp you desire for this so it really is all about your theme for your day, but I bought the large heart stamp from a seller called Noolibird on Not On The Highstreet. 

The two stamps which read “All you need is love” and “LOVE is all you need” were from the very talented Nicky at Stamping All Day. She has a huge range of stamps readymade, but will also custom make them for you too if you send her the text or an image. The quality is unbelievable and I’ve been able to really customise quite a lot of things for our wedding by using this method.

YOU WILL NEED

Have your pocketfolds, stamps & ink pads ready aswell as a slightly damp cloth to avoid any ink getting onto your perpex block and you are all set to get creative!

 

Step 1) These particular pocketfolds have a texture to them, of a ribbed nature so you need something soft underneath them when pressing your inkpad onto the card so that it stamps fully on the textured surface. So I set myself up with a mouse mat turned upside down so the spongey side is on top and used this to stamp on.  There is probably a technical way of achieving this but it worked for me!

how to make Kraft Pocketfold Invitations how to make Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

Step 2) Load your stamp with the ink and press it down onto your pocketfold. Leave it to dry before attempting to stamp in the same area otherwise it may smudge easily depending on the type of ink you use. I used Tsukineko Momento ink pads as they are better for finer printing, but the effect depends also on how porous the card is that you are stamping onto.

how to make Kraft Pocketfold Invitations how to make Kraft Pocketfold Invitations how to make Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

Step 3) When you have stamped your pocketfolds you are ready to start the inserts. I bought the inserts already cut to their specific sizes so that they staggered down in front of eachother and then I set up a word document for printing them.

how to make wedding inviations

To get the word document all aligned and correct depends on your own printer so I’d recommend getting rid of your margins on your page and setting it up as a textbox to the same size as your insert. Then printing it out on plain paper cut to size so you can see exactly where your words are gonna land on the card.

 

Step 4) Once I had my inserts I decided to make them have a white border edge to contrast a bit. I did this simply by taking a white ink pad and dabbing around the edge of each one. The spongey texture of the ink pad coats the edge but also gives it a bit of a softer border aswell.

how to make wedding inviations

Step 5) Whilst they dry, take you’re pocketfold again and you now need to stick down the bottom flap which creates the pocket. Just 2 strips of double sided tape does the trick but it need to be the high quality tape otherwise they will pop open at any time.

Step 6) Next you need to stick the main invitation insert onto the inside of top part of the pocketfold by using 4 strips of the double sided tape around the outer edge of the card.

how to make wedding inviations how to make wedding inviations

Step 7) Pop the rest of your inserts into the pocket along with your RSVP envelope and you are done!

how to make wedding inviations how to make wedding inviations how to make wedding inviations Kraft Pocketfold Invitations

 

For more inforamtion on Becki’s Stationery go to:

http://loveknotcreations.co.uk
www.facebook.com/loveknotcreations
[email protected]

 

 

Why not visit our Supplier Directory

Comments

    kathryn

    Hi, I don’t usually comment on blogs but I just had to for this post.

    I just want to thank Becki for this as its perfect for what I want. I’ve just ordered the pocketfolds, inserts and stamps and hope mine turn out as well.

    Reply
    Daniel

    Lovely little tutorial really like the little pokadots. thanks for sharing the link to the card supplier been looking for a better place to get my packing material from :-)

    Reply
    Viv

    Hi Becki – love these invites, I have been looking everywhere for places I can buy pocketfold invites and inserts. Its so refreshing to see a brilliant UK DIY tutorial. Can I ask are the outer envelopes, from Craft Creations, the KRE04, 152mmx152mm ones?
    And are the envelopes for the RSVP inserts, from Ideal-Envelopes, the Ribbed Craft 100mm Square envelopes, code: 100RKRAF ?
    Thanks

    Reply
    Becki

    Thank you Daniel & Viv for the awesome feedback. :oD
    Viv yes the outer envelopes are the 152mm ones and smaller ones from Ideal Envelopes are the Ribbed Craft ones and pretty much match the ones from Craft Creations.
    Becki
    xx

    Reply
    Lizzie

    I think these are amazing! Can I ask what printer you have to print on card? Thanks Lizzie

    Reply
    Meriel

    Gorgeous invites! Have bought all the materials except a white ink pad. Can’t seem to see a white Memento ink?? Where did you get yours from?

    Thank you

    Reply
    Karen

    These are just awesome!!! I have very little time left but I have to make them… Can I ask where you got the little birdcage stamper.. thanks

    Reply
    Karen

    Thanks a mill for that Becki, one last question, what ink did you use for the large heart stamp on the front? I just want it to be perfect like yours.. lol :D

    Thanks Becki xx

    Reply
    Laura

    Hi Becki,
    Your invitations are stunning… I am in the process of making mine and would like to steal some of your stamp ideas if poss! Where did you find the polka dot and tree stamps?
    Happy Wedding Planning.
    L xx

    Reply
    Becki

    Karen, no problem hun, it’s the blue inkpad shown in the photo made by Momento and in shade Paris Dusk. Best one for getting the tiny details on the stamp which is what the ink is designed for.

    Laura, thank you very much, glad you like them. The dotty stamp i bought ages ago so no idea what the make of it is but there is a similar one being sold on ebay now which is made by Inkadinkado – classed as a ‘background stamp’ so that is very similar to mine.
    The tree stamps were actually custom made for me from English Stamp Company – i forgot to include that in the tutorial because i used another company for all the rest of them. But the English Stamp Company will do any image you send them and the image came from here.. http://onefabday.com/diy-project-free-fingerprint-tree-template/

    Hope all the invite making goes well. Send me photo’s when you’ve done i’d love to see them – [email protected]

    Thanks.

    Reply
    cathy

    Hi Becki,
    I love these invites and would like to do something similar.
    Where did you get the clear backed stamps? I looked at your Noolibird link but they are only shown with wooden backs, which I’m assuming will be really difficult to get the stamps in the right place.

    Thanks
    Cathy xx

    Reply
      Becki

      Hi Cathy, thank you!
      It is the noolibird stamp, I just took it off the wooden back and mounted it to the perspex stamping block which I have to say I DON’T recommend!! I spent ages trying to get it level so if I were you I would email Noolibird and ask her if she could do this for you before you buy it. If she can trust me it will be worth it xxx

      Becki xx

      Reply
    Sadie

    Amazing invites and great step by step tutorial. Really does save you money and is easy for those of us out there that arent as creative as we would like!!!
    Thanks for all your help Becki and for returning my emails so quickly ; )

    Reply
    sammy

    Hi,
    can you tell me how you get the printer to print onto the inserts. i’ve tried making boxes the size of the inserts but when it comes to printing it ends up covering the whole of the page?

    thanks
    Sammy

    Reply
    Craig

    Hi,

    My fiancee and I are in the process of creating these great invites, we just wondered if you remember what font you used on the inserts?

    Many thanks,
    Craig

    Reply
    Becki

    Hi Sammy, it really depends on your printer and the version of word you are using. You might need to change the page size to the actual size of the inserts and not just the text box. If you are still struggling let me know and I can try help you or send you a template to tweak, email me at [email protected]

    Hi Craig, Great stuff, love it when a groom gets his hands dirty in the wedding planning! The font I used was American Typewriter. If it’s not already included in our version of word you can download free fonts from places like da font that will be similar.

    Hi Sadie, thank you so much for the lovely feedback and i’ve just seen your email and wow they look amazing hun. I love that you’ve taken my idea and made them your own by incorporating the lace into them. They are gorgeous and I really hope your guests love them as much as I do. Thank you for sending me a photo xx

    Anyone else want to send me a photo of your finished invites that would be ace .. [email protected]

    Thanks.

    Becki xx

    Reply
      Ollie

      Hi Becky

      What type of printer and word do you use in order to perfectly print on the 95mm as you have? My current printer only goes to 10x15cm
      Thanks Ollie

      Reply
    Chelsea

    Hi Becki,

    I LOVE these and cant wait to make them. I just want to check is it the 148mm pocket wallet that you got and the insert that is stuck on to it (the main invitation) is this the 148mm square insert??

    thanks
    Chelsea

    Reply
    Katie

    Hi there,

    Love your tutorial and have been adapting it for my own invites. Can I ask what printer you used to print the card inserts? My printer just chews up the card and gets all confused (I have the Word doc all properly set out)! It can’t seem to cope with the thickness of the card. I even contacted a professional printing company to ask them to print them for me and they said their machines couldn’t print on pre-cut card. Arghh! Starting to panic!!!!! Help!

    Katie

    Reply
    Jayne

    Hi,

    Love your work, have been asked to make these for my friends wedding. can you tell me where to get the small rsvp envelope for the pocketfold insert as the site ideal envelopes that you recommended does not do them anymore.
    So where else can I go?

    Reply
    Mhairi McNidder

    Hi Becki I absolutely love these thank you so much for sharing them. I managed to find the small rsvp envelopes on ideal envelopes:
    http://www.ideal-envelopes.co.uk/ribbed_kraft_100mm_square_envelope
    I think these are the right ones if anyone else is looking for them.

    Are the inserts 135mm/135mm, 135mm/115mm, 135mm/95mm? And I’m guessing the 135mm/135mm you need double of as you have them on reverse sides?

    Sorry for all the questions but I wanted to check before I ordered them or if anyone else has already ordered them are they correct?

    With lots of thank you’s- Mhairi ( a rather ocd little bride to be)

    Reply
    Helen

    Hi Becki,

    These invitations are just brilliant. I’m trying to recreate them and have bought the ‘Ink it up!’ white ink pad to do the edging around the sides of the information sheets and the ink is taking forever to dry. Is there some way I can get it to dry or is there another type of ink I could use?

    Thanks for your help… Any advice would be much appreciated!

    Helen

    Reply
    caroline

    I cant wait to start making these. Can I ask what you put in you invitation? I’m not sure where to start with the information that needs to go in.

    Caroline

    Reply
    karen

    Help!I have bought the large stamp as mentioned,but the ink pad has arrived and its too small!Where did you get a large enough memento ink pad? Xxx

    Reply
    Becki

    Karen, it doesn’t need to big a big ink pad. What you do is put the stamp down onto the table with the rubber stamp part facing up. Now take your ink pad and dab it all over the heart covering it as equally all over. Jobs a good ‘un xx

    Reply
      karen

      Thank you! What a numpty- I never thought of doing it that way! Got lots of inking to do now!:)

      Reply
    Juliette

    Beckie, I’m just starting to put my invites together but I’m having trouble stamping on the corrugated card and my results aren’t very consistent. Besides the mousepad, have you got any other tips and tricks? Thanks :)

    Reply
    Becki

    Hi Juliette,
    Ok I had this issue to start off with but before you do anything have you tried stamping on a piece of plain paper? If that doesn’t stamp all the detail then it could be a faulty stamp which you can send back. If it does stamp then this is the alternative route but once you’ve done it, you can’t send it back!! I decided to take off the rubber stamp from its wooden block, remove all it’s backing and then mount it to a Perspex stamping block. It’s a bit tricky then making sure it’s flat so I put thick double sided tape under areas where it didn’t stamp as well to raise that part up.
    The only other thing I can suggest is, make sure you apply pressure all over the stamp, stand up whilst you do it and use the palm of your hand over all of the block.
    The ink you use can also have a big impact too.
    Good luck xxx
    Becki

    Reply
    Mhairi McNidder

    Hi Becki, I’m just about to order the card and inserts are the sizes I’ve asked about in my earlier question correct? Also did the size of the card still fit as a normal postage stamp cost once you had put them together?

    Many thanks, Mhairi.

    Reply
    Becki

    Hi Mhairi,

    Sorry totally missed your comment, no the sizes of the inserts are square so it’s 95mm x 95mm, 115mm x 115mm and 135mm x 135mm. They sit in front of eachother in a staggered way so you can see the outer edge all the way round.
    Yes as long as you don’t put anything else in the invite that bulks it out too much then just a first or second class stamp is fine.

    Hope that helps, have fun making them xx

    Becki x

    Reply
      Juliette

      I just finished making mine this week and I had trouble with my printer not being able the grip the envelopes but printing on the cards was easy. Just set a word document up to a custom size – the size of your insert – and stick the cards in the rear tray of the printer. :)

      Reply
    Francesca

    Hi Becki,
    These are amazing! Please could you send me the link to the correct pocketfold cards? I can’t find them.
    Thank you,
    Francesca

    Reply
    Jane Williamson

    These are amazing and would love to try them for our wedding!! Could I also ask do you have another link for pocket fold as the link provided has an issue. Thanks!!!!

    Reply
    stephanie

    Hi Becki,
    Can you tell what colour ink you have used for the heart and text? I am going to use the same colour card but Im not sure if you have used black, brown or dark blue ink?

    Reply
    Alexis

    Please please please could you relay where you got the snow/dotty rubber stamp from?? I looked on both the links that you gave but I couldn’t see the exact same one you used :-((((((

    Thanks so much in advance!

    Reply
    Louise

    Becki,

    Please please can you help me. I’ve purchased all the items needed and everythings ready to be printed, but am struggling to print. Did you use a specific printer for the job? My printer at home doesn’t like the card, nor can it hold the different sized inserts? X

    Reply
      Becki

      Hello,

      I used just a normal canon printer for it. It’s this one.
      http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/products/printers/InkJet/PIXMA_iP_series/PIXMA_iP1900.aspx
      You need to set up the word document to the correct size of insert. ie. change the page size from A4 to the custom setting and type in the correct measurement.
      My printer has a top loading paper feed and a slider to adjust to hold the paper/card in. It should go through even on the smaller size ones. I even printed on luggage tags which are thinner than the inserts.
      Hope that helps xxx
      Becki xxx

      Reply
        Louise

        Thanks Becki for replying to my question regarding the printer. I’ve just been over to my parents to try and use their’s which is similar to what you used however it’s just not feeding the card inserts through. It seems like the card is too thick for the printer to load. I take it you had no problems ? Xx

        Reply
          Becki

          Hi Louise,
          No I didn’t have any problems as long as you just print each insert one by one, ie, don’t have all the blank inserts stacked in the paper tray, just feed one in one by one.
          If you can’t print them, you could as a last resort get a personalised stamp from stampingallday.co.uk she does custom stamps so you would just need to send her the word document and size you need it to be.
          xx

          Reply
    michelle

    I just love your design Becki, such a brilliant tutorial. I couldn’t print using my home computer so I have used a lighter weight cream card for the inserts xx

    Reply
    Chloe

    Wow!I absolutely love these and am going to make them!
    Which size heart stamp did you use from noolibird?
    Many thanks

    Reply
      Becki

      Hi Chloe,
      Thank you, so glad you like them!!
      The heart stamp I used for the front was the larger one and you could also use the smaller one on the inside instead of where I used a tree stamp. Pretty sure it would fit.
      xx

      Reply
    Chloe

    Thanks Becky!
    Purchased the stamps, but sadly can’t find any recycled pocketfolds that are 145×145! The only ones I can seem to find from PDA are book fold style ones :(
    Any ideas would be greatly received.
    X

    Reply
    Jenny

    Thank you so much Becki – such lovely invites!
    Do you know where I can buy the card inserts? I only seem to be able to find the 135×135 on Razzle Dazzle.
    Jenny xx

    Reply
    Katy

    Hi Becki

    I have all the materials apart from the heart stamp as when I measured the stamp against the 148mm square pocketfold it seems the large will be too big? Is it the 13.5 x 14 stamp on a 148mm square as it just seems like it will be too big?

    Thanks!

    Reply
      Becki

      Hi,
      No it’s the medium sized one sorry!
      It was the largest size available when I was doing mine, but now there’s three different sizes so it’s definitely the “medium” one at approx 9cm x 9cm so it should give you plenty room around the edges.
      Becki xxx

      Reply
    Katy

    Hi Becki, that’s great, thank you so much, I hope mine look as good as yours do!! I love them xx

    Reply
    becky

    Hello! Love these invites, found everything apart from a tree stamp, did you get this from the stamping all day? Thanks :-)

    Reply
    Katy

    Hi Becki, on final stages of invites, all I have left to do is white writing stamping on front, I’ve bought 4 ink it up whites because I thought they were just old stock but they just seem so dry they are stamping very faded and not standing out. Did this happen with you at all? The memento ink was amazing but this one seems the complete opposite…please get back to me ASAP I’m a stressed invite making mess!! Xx

    Reply
        Becki

        Sorry I can’t remember the exact one I used as I ended up trying loads out to get it to work but I think from looking back at my comments to people above, that it was the Momento Ink Pads that worked. xx
        The card you are using may also have changed since then as it was 2012 when I made my invites so I’m afraid it’s gonna be trial and error. xx
        Becki xx

        Reply
    Becki

    Hi Becky,
    The tree stamp was just an image I found if you search for fingerprint tree free printable in Google that you can save and then it was The English Stamp company who made it into a stamp for me. OR you can get different sizes of the Noolibird heart stamps now and the smallest one will fit on the inside where the tree is.
    Hi Katy,
    They will be different types of ink hun, pigment inks are slow drying and sit on top of the card rather than sinking in to it like dye inks. Which might explain why its not looking as good as the momento ink. Have a look at what you’ve got at the moment and try swap it to the other type of ink.
    I think it was Dovecraft ones I used but I can’t fully remember cos I ended up in the same situation with buying more and more till one worked!

    Hope it goes well ladies xx
    xxxx

    Reply
    Gesa

    Hi Becki,

    mi fiancee and I are also in the middle of creating our invitations and we just found yours! they are beautiful! I was just wondering: why did you use two different brands of ink? aren’t they the same quality? which one would you recommend? I want to put a white lace-stamp on our invitations. should i buy memento or ink it up?

    thanks for everything in advance!

    Reply
    Candace

    Hi Becki,

    I can’t seem to find the smaller Kraft inserts on the website you recommended any more and I’m having trouble hunting them down. Am I looking in the wrong place? Or please can you recommend another supplier?
    (it’s the 115mm & 95mm)
    Many thanks!
    Candace

    Reply
    Becki

    Hellie,
    No wonder you are confused, they’ve changed the name of them on the website so I’ve done a bit of digging around and here are the new links…

    The pocketfolds are 148mm x 148mm

    The inserts – this is a bit more tricky as when I ordered mine they did square cuts to fit which were 135mm, 115mm & 95mm squares.
    They don’t seem to cut them in squares now so I’ve given you the link to the ones they do and you might have to cut them down to size yourself or email them to ask if they will do them for you?

    Also link to main eve lope sized 152mm x 152mm

    http://www.pdacardandcraft.co.uk/rib-tone-kraft-2-sided-300gsm-148x148mm-pocketfolds.html

    http://www.pdacardandcraft.co.uk/card-uncreased/recycled-card/recycled-uncreased-card-non-standard-cut.html

    http://www.craftcreations.com/Leaf/49/1/Brown-Kraft-Envelopes/

    Hope that helps.

    Becki xx

    Reply
    Becky

    Hey, I’m struggling with finding a white ink! I’ started with dovecraft & then realised like u said it does the outline, I’ve got one called ‘ink it up’ which just isn’t working either, it doesn’t seem to get any ink on the letters for some reason so when I stamp it just stamps clear! Any advice much appreciated! :-) xxx

    Reply
      Becki

      Sorry I can’t remember the exact one I used as I ended up trying loads out to get it to work but I think from looking back at my comments to people above, that it was the Momento Ink Pads and Ink It Up ones that worked. There is also Stazon ink that might be another option as that is supposed to stamp on any surface.
      The card you are using may also have changed since then as it was 2012/2013 when I made my invites so I’m afraid it’s gonna be trial and error. xx
      Becki xx

      Reply
    Becky

    Thanks, I’ve tried all inks now and no luck :( any tips on what I could do instead of the White writing please share :) I need an alternative asap xx

    Reply
      Becki

      You could use a darker ink?
      Or you could print the wording in navy blue onto the Kraft card strips, mount it on navy blue card to give it an edge border and use double sided tape to apply it to the front of the invite. Or the same technique but onto cream card and mounted with the Kraft card.
      Stamp ink onto ribbon? You can buy fabric ink for this.
      You can also use pigment ink with embossing powder which you pour over the ink when wet and then use a embossing tool, which is a small blown air tool which heats up the powder and seals it so it’s shiny and stands out from the card. You can get different coloured powders.
      Stamp onto luggage tags instead, different card may deal with the inks you already have better.
      Becki xx

      Reply
    Lorraine

    Hi all, I’m very late to the party on these invitations although have had them saved in my wedding file for nearly two years!! The time has come to make these lovely invites! I have everything and have read through every comment and answered all my questions except one.
    The tree stamp, I have the artwork I’m just about to send to english stamp company then I realised what size do I want? If anyone knows the answer to this please let me know. Thanks lorraine

    Reply
      Becki

      Hi Lorraine,
      When I made these I just decided on the size of the tree by measuring the pocket flap top to bottom. Take off between 0.5 cm and 1cm depending on the space you would like to see above and below it and then send that to the stamp making company. They will adjust the image to fit that height so you don’t need to worry about the width.
      Have fun making them xxx
      Becki xx

      Reply
    Kat

    Hi Becki, what wording do you have on the pocket fold beside the tree? Is this just a custom made stamp?

    Purchased all my card and now ordering my stamps.

    Thanks!

    Kat

    Reply
    Square Envelopes in UK

    Thanks to share this useful blog. Last month, I can also make invitation on my son’s birthday and I can decorate with glitters. Its envelope is very attractive. Next year, I will definitely make pocket fold invitation on my son’s birthday.

    Reply
    Amber

    Hi Becki,

    I’m wanting to do this all from scratch but I’m really bad with measurements. What are the measurements of the main bit of card? And each individual insert?

    Thank you for creating the most perfect wedding invitation!!
    Amber xx

    Reply

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