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Aunt Annie's Crafts
Card Class 2: Tutorial #5 - Card Making Idea
V-Fold Pop-Up Birthday Card
What we will be making:
The card in this tutorial is a birthday card that features a child's age as a pop-up. There's something almost magical about pop-ups that delights both children and adults. The pop-up mechanism in this card is the V-fold—one of the most versatile types of pop-up. After you make this card, you will be able to add a similar V-fold pop-up to any greeting card.
This greeting card tutorial builds on previous tutorials in the original Greeting Card Class set of tutorials. If you are new to card making, review these tutorials for ideas and basic techniques.
Refer to Card Class Tutorial #1: Four Patch Cards for how to make card blanks and envelopes.
Here's what you need:
- Card blank, purple: 5½″ by 8½″ cardstock folded in half
- White, pink and yellow cardstock
- Aunt Annie's purple polka dot ePaper
- Felt-tip markers
- Scissors
- Pencil and ruler
- Bone folder or empty ballpoint pen
- Glue
- Removable clear tape
- Optional: Happy Birthday and bird rubber stamps and stamp pad
This is a Greeting Card Class 2 tutorial and is rated AVERAGE to do.
How to Make a V-Fold Pop-Up Birthday Card
Read through the tutorial before starting.
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Step 1: Prep Paper and Cardstock -
The birthday card features a purple card with a white cardstock insert/pop-up mechanism. On the front of the card are pink candles with yellow flames on a purple polka-dot background. The pop-up inside the card is a large number "6" made of pink cardstock with an optional stamped bird on yellow cardstock. Use whatever colors you like. Aunt Annie offers polka dot ePaper downloads in many colors.
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Print Aunt Annie's purple polka dot ePaper on white paper and cut a 5" by 3¾" rectangle to use on the card front. Cut a 5″ by 8″ piece of white cardstock for the card's inside. Quarter sheets of yellow and pink cardstock will work for the other card elements.
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Step 2: Make Pop-Up Mechanism -
Use the bone folder or empty ballpoint pen to score the center of the white cardstock. Fold in half.
Open the white cardstock flat. With a ruler make faint pencil marks, near the top of the card, 1¼" from the center fold on both sides. Measure 1¼" from the top along the fold and make another mark. Join the dots with diagonal score lines that form a "V".
Push "V" formed by the score lines inward while folding the
cardstock. Sharpen the "V" creases. This is your pop-up mechanism.Tip: When designing your own pop-up cards, make a larger or smaller "V" depending upon the size of pop-up. Experiment with paper first.
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Step 3: Glue Pop-Up Mechanism -
Glue the white cardstock inside the purple card blank. Put glue on back of the right side of the folded pop-up mechanism and adhere it to the right side of the opened card. Put glue on the other half of the white cardstock and fold the card closed. Rub to ensure a firm hold.
Open the card to see the V-fold pop-up mechanism. The card's
pop-up will be glued to one side of the V-fold. -
Step 4: Make Pop-Up -
The pop-up for our birthday card is the child's age with an optional birdie add-on. Use the pencil to lightly draw a large number on the pink cardstock. Cut out the number and outline the edges with a pink or purple marker.
Tape the number to the right side of the V-fold with removable tape. Adjust the placement, making sure the number is hidden inside the card when it is closed. Glue the number in place.
Tip: If you are adding a stamped birdie to the top of the number, be sure to test it with removable tape, too.
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Step 5: Add a Message -
Finish up the card's inside by adding a message. It can be something as simple as stamping Happy Birthday once for each year and adding "x 6" (Happy Birthday times six).
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Step 6: Cut Candles -
For the card front cut candles and flames—one for each year. You can make all the candles the same size or one large one and several smaller ones. Adjust the sizes to fit the card front.
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Step 7: Finish Card -
Outline the candles with a pink or purple marker. Outline the flames with an orange marker.
Glue the purple polka-dot mat to the card front, then glue the candles and flames in a pleasing arrangement.
That's it! Use the same V-fold mechanism to make pop-up cards of your own design.
Before you start a tutorial:
- Make a place to work.
- Read through the tutorial.
- Think about what you plan to make. Imagine how you can add your own creative touch.
- Gather the materials you will need.
Get ready, and get started!!!
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Tip: Use your imagination to come up with other pop-up
designs. You could make a pop-up with a stamped message embellished with
a die-cut butterfly.
Tip: The Chocolate Dots, Caramel Dots and Butterscotch Dots ePapers can be used as the background paper fo the birthday pop-up card. There are many more colors of polka-dot ePapers to download. Check them out on the downloads page.
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Tip: It's fun to add a little birdie or other stamped
image to the top of the number pop-up. Just be sure everything hides
inside the closed card.
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Tip: Vary the number of candles on the card front to
match the child's age.
Share images of your pop-up cards to the Greeting Card Class Flickr group or on Aunt Annie's Facebook wall.