Want to make a fun card for Dad’s special day?
This unique card for Dad is sure to let him know how much you care. It could be used as a Father’s Day card or a Birthday card for Dad.
I made it using my Cricut Expression and Design Studio, but you could make a similar Dad card without using those tools.
Here’s how…
How To Make The Letters
Using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, I set the letter size to 2.5″ and used “shift lock” for all capital letters to spell “DAD”.
I wanted the letters to be connected so I could fold them, so I added a small oval in between each letter. Select the oval by choosing “shift lock” and the circle shape under the letter Z. The size of my oval is 3/4″ wide and 1/2″ tall.
Design Studio is great, because you can use the grid lines to make sure everything lines up. Each letter has a box around it, making it easy to see that the letters are evenly spaced apart. The ovals are tucked in between the letters, barely touching the letters.
By highlighting each letter and checking the “welding” box, the Cricut Expression will cut the set of 5 objects as one continuous piece.
Paper & Background
I chose the 12×12″ striped paper from DCWV Fall paper pack. The paper is very thin, so I cut an exact duplicate from white cardstock and glued it to the back. This allows the card to stand alone when folded.
Must read: How To Know Which Craft Glue To Use When
To fold the card, I started with the 2nd oval, between the “A-D”. I marked the half-way spot on the oval lightly with a pencil and started to fold it over on top of the D (like closing the cover of a book). Before I creased the fold mark, I eyed the A over the D to make sure they lined up. Once I was happy with the placement I creased the fold.
Next is to fold the first “D” (now with the stripes facing down) back over the “A”. Again, before creasing the fold, I lined up the “D”s to perfectly cover one another. (These are easy to match up.) Then, I creased the fold on the oval. In this case, it was not exactly in the center — which is okay because lining up the letters is the primary goal.
The card now looks pretty unassuming when folded, but when opened — look out DAD!
I used a silver marker to write “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY” for this Father’s Day card. (You could also write “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” for a Birthday card.) Then, I wrote over that with a thin black Sharpie marker when I realized that you couldn’t really see the silver.
Finally, I made a matching envelope with the rest of the striped paper. The folded card is 3-1/4″ x 2″, which is not large enough for an envelope to go through the mail, so I made the envelope a standard size of 5″ x 6″.
Making This Card Without A Cricut
If you are not using the Cricut tools, try this:
- Use a regular printer and a fun font.
- I would recommend choosing one that has clean edges and no swirly loop-de-loops that will be challenging to cut.
- Try it in ‘bold’ so the letters will be thicker. Some that look good are Calibri, Ariel Rounded, and Cooper Black.
- Choose the size you want and print it out.
- Lay the letters out on a straight line, and space them about 1/4″ apart. You can use a circle, oval, square or any shape you like to connect the letters.
- Tape them together, turn them over and trace them onto the back of your chosen paper. If you use a cardstock, you will only need one layer of paper.
- Cut out your creation and fold as described above.
- If you try a simple font and it is easy for you to place and cut, then try a crazier font and see what you think. (Check out Ravie or Harrington!) The card may be a bit more challenging to cut or fold, but give it a try and see what you think. Use fun paper that reminds you of your dad or that highlights things he likes. You can buy single 12″ x 12″ sheets of paper at most craft stores.
I hope you have fun making this card and sharing this special day with Dad!
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I don't buy greeting cards or holiday cards anymore — I make my own! I also do some rubber stamping and scrapbooking. But mostly I enjoy creating handmade, one-of-a-kind cards. I’ve been an avid crafter for most of my adult life. My crafting addiction started with cross-stitching, then moved on to wearable art, projects with painted wood, fabric crafts, and then paper crafts — which has transformed primarily into card making. I also make the occasional wreath, snowglobe, and other holiday crafts.
