If you have someone in your life who would happily spend their vacation on a cruise ship, this card might be just the thing for their next birthday!
I made this card for my son’s milestone birthday, and since he loves cruise vacations, I decided to give the card a little cruise-ship theme. He isn’t going on a cruise this year, so instead of a cruise-related gift, I’m giving him a spa certificate for a rather fancy spa on a boat. 😊
I wanted the card to feel masculine without being overly complicated, so I kept the outside relatively simple and saved the fun details for the inside.
You can watch the full YouTube tutorial here. I’ve also included a complete visual list of the supplies that are currently available in the next section and a detailed list of tools I use regularly at the end of the blog post for your convenience:
Card Measurements
The finished card measures 6 x 6 inches when closed.
It’s a trifold design, with the inside section also serving as a pocket for the gift card.
Card base
- 6 x 12-inch cardstock, scored at 6 inches
- A second 6 x 6-inch heavyweight cardstock panel was added to reinforce the card
- Additional 6 x 6-inch panels were used for the decorative sections
Because the original card base was made from relatively lightweight cardstock, adding heavyweight panels helped give the finished card much more stability.
The Design
Front Panel
For the front of the card, I used a combination of selective stencilling and dry embossing.
I chose two contrasting colours for the stencilled bursts and applied them selectively rather than covering the entire panel. I then ran the panel through an embossing folder and lightly applied a neutral ink over the raised design with a brayer.
The result is a subtle, distressed background that adds texture without making the card feel too busy.
For the sentiment, I added vellum as a small pocket-like detail. The vellum softens the bold background while still allowing the embossed pattern to show through.
And yes, I added a button and a little bit of twine.
My bow-tying skills remain questionable. 😂
The Inside
The inside is where the cruise theme really comes together.
I created a small cruise ship from coloured and ink-blended cardstock and layered it over three shades of blue to create the water.
The boat sits over a pocket that holds the printed gift certificate.
One important thing I discovered while assembling the boat was that the die cuts out more of the interior than I initially expected. Rather than letting that make the boat too flimsy, I cut an additional solid layer using the outline die and adhered it behind the original piece.
It was a simple fix and gave the boat the stability it needed.
I also kept the boat relatively flat rather than shaping it into its intended dimensional form. Since this is a gift card holder, I wanted to avoid adding unnecessary bulk that would make the finished card difficult to close.
A Few Design Tips
Keep the colour palette consistent.
I used similar colours throughout the card but varied the shades slightly. This keeps everything coordinated without making every element look exactly the same.
Use vellum to tone down a busy background.
Rather than covering up an interesting embossed pattern, vellum lets you soften it while still allowing the texture to show through.
Reinforce lightweight cardstock.
If you’re working with thinner cardstock for a larger or interactive card, adding heavyweight panels can make a big difference to the finished structure.
Think about bulk as you build.
This card already has several layers, a button, a pocket and a gift certificate, so I deliberately kept the dimensional elements relatively flat.
And finally, don’t be afraid to improvise! The little pocket detail, the reinforced boat and even some of the embellishments evolved as I was making the card.
Sometimes the best card ideas happen after the original plan goes sideways. 😊
Supplies Used
Note: Some product images may not display correctly at first, but clicking them will take you to the correct item.
More Ways to Get Crafty
✂️ Want more value from your crafting? My YouTube channel members get perks like monthly Q&A sessions, badges, shout-outs, project reference sheets and early access to new videos . Join the membership here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDKhctb1ss7hbxVHivhT5YQ/join
Here is a list of all the crafting tools I use on a regular basis to create my card projects:
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