There are numerous occasions where a heartfelt card can mean so much and brighten someone’s day. While any card is capable of doing that, a homemade DIY card is able to convey so much more than its store bought counterpart. The options are endless when it comes to handmade cards, but a truly unique choice is a pop up card. With a little bit of whimsy and loads of creativity, a 3D card is sure to earn a prime retail spot on the refrigerator.
The Components Of A 3D Card
What makes a pop-up card so special is its capability of bringing a sentiment to life. Equally special is the wow factor that it brings. When most people open a card, they are not expecting it to contain 3D imagery. When that image pops out at them, they can’t help but be surprised and delighted.
It may seem daunting to create a 3D card on your own. You may not consider yourself an artist or the creative type. Don’t let that stop you. Practically anyone can make a pop up card. To begin, you will need cardstock paper, a pair of scissors, and a strong crafting glue.
Handmade Pop Up Card Ideas
The sky’s the limit when it comes to what type of pop up cards you can make. Any idea can be turned into a 3D concept. When it comes to DIY craft projects, there is no right or wrong way to do things. Anything homemade will mean the world to its recipient. Perfection does not need to be a goal.
However, it can sometimes be difficult to come up with ideas on your own. Especially if you’re not a naturally creative type, it can help to work off an already thought out concept. The good news is that there are plenty of handmade pop up card ideas for you to follow.
Pop Up Birthday Card
To make a 3D birthday card from paper, simply choose your desired color of cardstock paper to act as the actual card. Fold it in half to create the base for your card. Next, take a lighter weight white-colored cardstock paper. Trim the edges so that the white paper is slightly smaller than your first sheet of cardstock paper and fold it in half.
Use a pair of scissors to make 4 cuts into the folded side of the white paper. The first cut should be approximately 1.5 inches long. The second cut should be about two inches long, the third one a little longer, and the fourth one the longest. When you have finished cutting, you should be left with three rectangles, ranging in size from small to large. Take each rectangle and fold it upwards and over.
You can now open up the white paper, push each rectangular shape inward, and you will have created a three-tiered birthday cake. To decorate the cake, use small colored paper cut-outs, paints, markers, and even glitter. Don’t forget to add the birthday candles.
When you have finished decorating the cake, you can carefully glue the back sides of the white paper onto your base cardstock paper. As you paste it, make sure that the center folds in each tier of the birthday cake line up with the inner fold of the card. Just like that, you have a pop up card that is sure to make anyone’s birthday brighter. Remember to decorate the front of the card as well.
Pop Up Christmas Card
Another popular time of year for card giving is the Christmas season. It’s always so fun to receive holiday cards in the mail. Why not make it more special by creating pop up Christmas cards? To begin, you will need a sheet of red cardstock paper to act as the actual card. Fold it in half to create your card.
Next, you will need multiple sheets of green colored paper. Either print or draw a Christmas tree onto the green paper. If you choose to print the image, simply print five copies. If you choose to draw, trace the original drawing to create four more trees. Use a pair of scissors to cut them out. Once you have all five trees, fold each one in half lengthwise so that there is a fold separating the right and left halves of the tree.
Take one tree and glue it onto the inside of your card. The fold in the tree should line up perfectly with the inner fold of the card. Now, take the next tree and carefully glue only the center fold onto the inner fold of the tree that is already on the card. Repeat this step until you have used all of the trees. Make sure to leave ample time for them to fully dry. When you are done, open the card to witness a 3D Christmas tree pop out. Decorate the rest of the card however you would like.
If birthday cakes or Christmas trees don’t speak to you, have no fear. There are a plethora of other ideas when it comes to creating pop up cards. For Mother’s Day, you can make pop up flowers. For a kid who loves the snow, you can make a 3D snowman. If you are willing to try, the options are truly limitless.
Easy DIY Pop Up Cards
As evidenced above, creating pop up cards doesn’t need to be complicated. Of course, they can be as intricate as you want them to be, but they can also be as simple as you want them to be. The customization options allow you to tailor each card to your abilities. Just remember not to sell yourself short. You can usually achieve more than you give yourself credit for.
However, if you’re looking for something easy, here is one uncomplicated pop up card that can be used for many different occasions. To begin, choose your desired color of cardstock paper and fold it in half. Next, simply cut out a star or a heart from a piece of lighter weight cardstock paper. Fold the shape in half lengthwise. Carefully glue the edges of the star or heart onto the inside of your card, making sure the folded line matches up to the inner fold of the card. Just like that, you have created a pop up card.
Homemade Pop Up Cards With Cricut
If you own the Cricut machine, you can use it to make pop up cards. With the Cricut Design Space software, you can select readymade templates to use for your 3D card. If you’re a design pro, you can even create your own design from scratch. Once you have either selected or created your design, you can set your Cricut machine to work. It can print and cut out all of the components for your card and all that will be left to do is the actual assembly.
If you are looking to create a large quantity of pop up cards, the cricut machine may be your best bet as it does a lot of the prep work for you. However, you can always turn card-making into a family project and allow everyone to chip in and help. Whichever method you choose, remember to have fun!