Interlocking and Locking Gate Fold Cards

 

Here are two types of Interlocking Gatefold cards and a Locked Gatefold.  First and last are decorated with the discontinued Wildflower Birthday DSP - which includes cut outs and pop outs.  All are basically just a standard gatefold.  It is the decorating that makes the "interacting" or "locking part.  

Card #1 (above): This first one consists of a frame that is a bit larger than an additional mat.  The frame is glued to only the left side of the card, and the mat is glued only to the right side of the card.  The mat (with focal glued to it) threads through the frame for this card.  The sentiment is also glued only to the right side of the card.

Card #2:  

Here's the second type of interlocking gatefold.  The interlocking part is the small gold heart at the bottom.  It is actually two hearts interlocked.  Here are some pictures to show you how it was made:

 

 

It starts with two identical shapes (hearts this time).  Each is cut halfway through the center - one from the top and one from the bottom.  These slits allow me to slide the two together like this:

 

 

When fully slid together they look like this:

 

As I said, the one on the card is made from gold foil.  After creating it, I glued the back layers to the card fronts.  With one glued to one side and one to the other.  To open it, slide the card fronts slightly apart up and down to disconnect the hearts.

 

So far as decorating is concerned, I used the discontinued pack called Marbled Elegance, along with the discontinued die set called Hearts of Elegance.  The large layered heart with attached sentiment (Thoughtful Moments hybrid embossing folder), is only glued to the left side of the gatefold card.

Card #3: 

This Locked Gatefold is fairly simple, though it might require trimming the gatefold just a hair so there is a sliver of space between the two flaps to allow for the "lock".

To make the lock, cut 3 identical pieces - this time I used 1 3/4" circles - cut from the same cardstock as the focal mat. Score and fold 2 of them in half.  The Stampin' Up! Paper Trimmer makes this really easy - see picture below.

 With the two circles folded in half, glue to the back of the focal:

Glue the third circle over top of them to keep them in place.

 

Slide focal over the card front - circle centered over the edges:

I could certainly have decorated this more - like with added bling or border die cuts.  

 

Also, this could be created in several ways.  For example, the focal could be made separately and glued to one side of the card front with a sentiment made with smaller locking pieces underneath as the "lock".