Tuxedo Card

My younger son's birthday was yesterday. I found directions for a Tuxedo card on Pinterest. I am almost embarrassed to admit the problems I had wrapping my head around the directions but am admitting that here in case someone else falls into the same trap.

First, the card:

The inside panel is white, mounted on black and then onto the striped paper used in the belly band. I didn't photograph that before adding the handwritten sentiment which I am not sharing here. 

Now about the directions....

The directions are here and are based on directions given here in metric measures. I don't "think" in metric (even if it is easier) so I had windows open for both Diane Barne's (the first link) and Sarah-Jane Rae's directions. My confusion was a misinterpretation on my part. I read, re-read and read again where to make the first two score lines that form the gate like openings to this card. The closed card overlaps as a suit jacket would, but the score lines were the same measure on each end. I was completely ignoring the fact that the middle section was not twice the width of these flaps. I'm good at math....honest!....this was just a duh! moment that we all have from time to time. As soon as I cut and scored a scrap piece of paper, I realized my mistaken thought and pretty much flew through making this card.

The shirt buttons were done with a pliers style punch of indeterminate size that just looked right to me. The tuxedo buttons are the largest circles on Stampin' Up's Owl Builder Punch. I eyeballed trimming down the lapels and cut the notches by hand after figuring out where I wanted them. I used the snipped scrap as a pattern for the second side. The greeting on the belly band is from Stampin' Up's From the Herd set of stamps. I cut the belly band at 1.25" by 11, folded it around the closed card and adjusted (trimmed a bit of excess) before adhering one end over the other. The black paper is an inch tall and was eyeballed to center the greeting. The tie was done as described in the first link.

Now I need to come up with an equally impressive card for this son's older brother in March. The boys are getting to an age of being my younger brothers or possibly I'll just call them my husband's sons. Too bad they share some of my personality and physical resemblance.