Technique Spotlight: Zig Zag Strip Card

With soccer fans around the world glued to the exciting matches taking place in the United States this summer, it felt like the perfect time to pull out the A Wonderful Match Designer Series Paper and create a card celebrating the beautiful game! Whether you're cheering on your favorite team, congratulating a young athlete, or simply celebrating a special victory, this fun card design is sure to score big.

The focal point of today's card is a simple but eye-catching zig zag strip technique. This design is a fantastic way to showcase multiple patterns from a Designer Series Paper collection without covering up any of those fun coordinating prints. The soccer balls, field markings, goal nets, and bold green patterns in the A Wonderful Match paper work together perfectly to create a playful sports-themed background.

To create the look, I cut strips of Designer Series Paper measuring between 1/2" and 3/4" wide and 2-3/4" long. The strips are arranged in an offset, zig zag pattern around a Granny Apple Green 4" x 5 1/4" center panel, creating movement and visual interest across the card front. It's a great technique for using up smaller scraps of patterned paper while still making a big impact.

I adhered the strips as explained above.

I then flipped to the back side and adhered strips of Stampin' Dimensionals down the length of the parts of the strips that were hanging over the edge in order to connect them together.

I cut the hang-over strips off the base using a scissors.

Then I removed the Stampin' Dimensionals backing and flipped those strips that I cut off over to the left side of the layer.

The sentiment, "Hip Hip Hooray!" from the Balloon Festoon stamp set, is layered over the center of the design and accented with a few simple stars. I love how the clean white sentiment helps balance the busy background while still keeping the card fun and celebratory.

I have to give credit where credit is due—this card was inspired by several beautiful designs created by fellow demonstrator Heidi Collins. I always enjoy seeing how other stampers interpret layouts and techniques, and Heidi's creativity sparked the idea for this soccer-themed version.

One of my favorite things about this layout is how versatile it can be. Simply swap out the Designer Series Paper and sentiment and you'll have a completely different card for birthdays, graduations, thank-you cards, or any special occasion.

Watch here as I put this card together:

With soccer excitement filling stadiums across the country right now, this card seemed especially fitting. Whether you're celebrating a winning goal, a successful season, or just someone's special day, this cheerful zig zag strip card is a winning design every time! ⚽🎉

Happy zig zagging!

Amy