Do you still have some holiday greetings to send? How about something special and different? Make these New Year greeting cards with a pop-up inside. The pop-up is a chain of balloons with a Happy New Year message. The card can be made in three styles: one is fun, another is a bit brassy, and the last is a New Year party invitation.
The balloon pop-up is made like a paper doll chain. Using that idea, you'll cut a chain of balloons and glue it inside the card to make a pop-up that springs outs when the card is opened!
Related craft: See the Birthday and Party Pop-Up Cards craft project for another balloon pop-up idea, and the Pop-Up Cards craft project index for more pop-up cards to make.
Choose the pop-up card you want to make. Download and print the pattern. Each card pattern has three pieces: the card and two balloon pop-ups. Print the card pattern on cardstock and the optional "Card Insides" pattern on paper. You can also make the card from paper by printing both the card pattern and the "Card Insides" pattern on paper. The final "bonus" patterns feature separate pop-ups—message balloons or blank balloons, colored and black-and-white. Use these pop-ups in any New Year's card or other commercial or handmade cards. For ideas, see Aunt Annie's Card Class Tutorials.
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 a black-and-white pattern, use colored pencils or markers to decorate the card, card "insides," and balloon 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. Try to make your cuts very straight. The card will look better and fit together more easily with straight edges.
For the "insides" card pattern on paper, cut on the outer black outline. For cardstock, cut on the inner black outline.
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 in half on the center line with the design on the outside. For the "insides" piece, fold the colored side inside the fold. If you are using cardstock, score the fold lines first.
If you are using the card "insides," glue this piece inside the folded card. Put glue on one half of the "insides" piece. Slide it inside the card. Press. Turn the card over, and put glue on the other half of the "insides" 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 balloons. There are two pop-up strips to choose from. Select one and save the other to use inside another card.
The pop-up must be folded before cutting. 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 end balloons on the lines. These folds are called MOUNTAIN folds.
Hold the folded stack of balloons together and cut carefully around the balloon shape. Do not cut any of the folds. Unfold the pop-up and you have a chain of balloons. You can decorate the balloons any way you like. You might add some stars or use glitter.
Tip: To cut the pop-up more easily, just cut the tops of the balloons; or you can even leave the strip uncut.
Fold the balloon chain the opposite way—VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, VALLEY. The colored sides of the balloons are all on the inside. Leave the balloons 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 balloon 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 the back of the balloon on the top of the stack. Fold the left side of the card over on top of the pop-up, and press.
Your card is now complete! Open it to see the pop-up.
Tip: The New Year pop-up card patterns come in two designs. The third design is a New Year party invitation pop-up card.
Tip: For an easier-to-make pop-up, simply fold the strip and glue it in the card without cutting the balloons out! This type of pop-up looks best on a card that is white inside.
Tip: Boost the balloon chain's pop-up effect by gluing the balloon stack at a slight angle.
Tip: Save the extra pop-up strips to use inside of another card or invitation!
