Make a special Valentine's Day card with a pop-up inside. Have you ever made paper doll chains? Using that idea, you'll cut a chain of hearts and glue it inside the card to make a pop-up that springs out when the card is opened! The project includes printable patterns for Valentine's Day cards in two different color schemes, including plain patterns for your added creativity. There also are patterns for the card insides, and heart cutouts and embellishments to use as you please.
Related craft: There are many ways to add a heart pop-up to a Valentine. See the Valentine Pop-Up Card craft project for a large folded heart pop-up. Also, see the Pop-Up Cards craft project index for more pop-up cards to make
Choose the card you want to make, and download the pattern. Each card pattern has two pieces: the left piece is the outside of the card, and the right piece is the heart chain pop-up. For a sturdier card, print the card pattern on cardstock and the optional "insides" pattern on paper. You can also make the card from paper by printing both the card pattern and the matching "insides" pattern on paper.
Use the Pen 'n Ink Hearts and Embellishment printables as cutouts to decorate your card or to make matching gifts tags. Or even design your own pop-up card! The Heart Chain Pop-ups patterns are for making pop-ups to go inside of any greeting card. Use the Patterned Paper version to print on colored or patterned paper—only the first heart is printed to minimize extra lines.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
If you printed either of the plain patterns, use colored pencils, markers, or rubber stamps to decorate the card, card "insides," and heart chain pop-up.
Tip: You may want to write a message on the inside of the card now.
Cut out each pattern piece on the solid black line. If you are making your card from paper, cut the "insides" card piece on the outer black outline. For cardstock, cut on the inner black outline. Try to make your cuts very straight. The card will look better and fit together more easily with straight edges.
Tip: The card "insides" piece is optional when making the card from cardstock, but it does add a finished look to your card.
Tip: It is easier to make straight cuts with a craft knife and ruler. Kids, be sure to get adult help when using a craft knife!
Fold the card outside and inside pieces in half on the center line. Fold the outside piece so that the marks are on the outside. For the inside piece, the marks are inside the fold. If you are using cardstock, score the fold lines first.
If you are using the card "insides," glue it inside the outside piece. Put glue on one half of the inside piece. Slide the two card parts together. That is, put the folded inside piece inside of the card's outside piece. Press. Turn the card over, and put glue on the other half of the inside piece. Press again.
Tip: When making the card from paper, the outside and inside pieces are the same size. It is important to align the pieces exactly.
The pop-up is a chain of hearts. The pop-up must be folded before cutting. You will fold the pop-up like an accordion. First, fold the pop-up piece in half on the center line. The marked side is on the inside. This is called a VALLEY fold. Second, fold back each of the ends on the lines. These folds are called MOUNTAIN folds.
Tip: On cardstock, score the fold lines before folding.
Tip: When making the card from paper, the pop-up can be made heavier by gluing the pop-up strips from the card's inside and outside patterns back-to-back. Do this before folding the pop-up.
Hold the folded stack of hearts together and cut carefully around the heart shape. Do not cut the folds where they join the hearts together. Unfold the pop-up and you have a chain of hearts.
Fold the heart chain the opposite way—VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, VALLEY. The colored sides of the hearts are all on the inside. Leave the hearts in this folded stack for gluing.
Open the card flat with the inside of the card up. Put glue on the back of the last heart in the stack. Glue it about ½" from the right edge of the card. Be sure that the MOUNTAIN fold is on the right.
Next, put glue on the back of the heart on the top of the stack. Fold the left side of the card over on top of the hearts and press.
Your card is now complete! Open it to see the pop-up.