While on Pinterest, I kept running across these "One Sheet Wonders." I was very lost... And so I went hunting and found a ton of tutorials of how to make the most cards out of a sheet of DSP (12x12, 8 1.2x11, 6x6). I found this particular template from Crafty Steals:
I love that the template uses 12x12 paper and makes at least 11 cards. This got me to thinking about what I wanted to do with the OSW. I didn't want to make 11 cards using the same DSP just for me. But this would be a great way to make card sets for gifts. And so a master plan was born. My plan is to use the OSW method (using various various templates) to make sets of a dozen cards. Each OSW would be for a different occasion or holiday (e.g. Christmas, birthday, thank you, etc). Once I finish all 12 sheets, I will have 12 sets of cards to give as gifts for next Christmas. So simple!
I started my first sheet and ended up making four sheets worth of cards this first week. My first set is an Easter card. I ended up using Stampin' Up's Birds of a Feather DSP, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, and Raspberry Ripple cardstock, random Easter stamp, polka dot embossing folder, and patterned scissors. I love the variety of designs. I didn't follow the example cards exactly, but used them as guidelines for my own designs. My favorite of the bunch is actually the very first card (first picture, top left). I love the focus on the cute DSP.
My second set is a Birthday set. I used another sheet from the Birds of a Feather DSP pack. The colors and paper are the same as the Easter cards. I just threw in a birthday stamp I just bought from Michaels. I really love the squares card (first picture, top right).
The third set is for Father's Day cards. I love the masculine color and prints of the SU Parker's Patterns DSP. Perfect for Father's Day cards. I used a chevron embossing folder, random Father's Day stamp, Marina Mist cardstock and ink, Not Quite Navy cardstock and ink, and some kraft paper. My favorite card is the simple two pieces of DSP with a sentiment in between (third picture, bottom right).
The fourth set is for Anniversary cards. I wasn't going to make another set, but I had so many left over pieces from cutting two Parker's Patterns sheets that I could make another. The opposite side from the very masculine print was a cute little floralesque print in Marina Mist and Cherry Cobbler. I thought the print was perfect for Anniversary cards. Not too masculine, not too feminine, just right. I added in some Not Quite Navy and Cherry Cobbler ink as well as brown and kraft cardstock and a baroque embossing folder to complete the cards. My favorite is the simply embossed card with the strip of DSP (first picture, bottom left).
Four sheets of DSP, some cardstock for bases, and a few scrap pieces for sentiments and I have 48 cards done! I plan on using a different OSW template for my next set of cards.