How to Make a Pop-Up Valentine

Make one of these simple pop-up cards for that special Valentine! This is a great project for the kids as well.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Greeting Cards
• Acrylic Paints
• Calligraphy Pens
• Crayons
• Glitter
• Glue Sticks
• Glues
• Gold And Silver Paint Pens
• Paint Pens
• Paper Lace Doilies
• Acrylic Paints
• Acrylic Brushes
• Heart-shaped Cookie Cutters
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Pencils
• Card Stock
• Felt-tip Pens
• Markers
• Pencils
• Rulers
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Markers

1. Use a blank greeting card or a piece of card stock paper that has been cut to the desired size and folded in half. For traditional Valentine greeting card colors, stick with pink, red, or white.

2. 

   Draw or trace a heart shape onto a piece of heavy red paper. Card stock or heavier is best. The heart should be ½ to ¾ the length of your greeting card and ¾ the width of the open greeting card.

3. 

   Use crayons, paint, markers and/or glitter to decorate one side of the heart shape. Allow paint and glue to dry thoroughly.

4. 

   Use a ruler and pencil to draw two vertical lines on either side of the shape. Each line should be placed 1½ inches from the heart's widest point. Cut along the vertical lines.

5. 

   Use scissors to cut out the heart shape from the paper. Leave a 2-inch-long horizontal strip of paper uncut on each side of the heart for tabs. Keep both tabs centered and even with each other.

6. Fold the heart in half, vertically, blank sides together. Make a sharp crease and unfold. Fold the tabs on the sides of the heart under ½ inch. Make a sharp crease.

7. 

   Position the heart over the open greeting card so that the heart's centerfold lines up with the center of the card and is at the correct distance from the surface of the card. This is how the pop-up will appear when the card is opened.

8. Glue the ½-inch folded portion of the tabs to the surface of the greeting card so that the pop-up shape remains in the position determined in Step 7. Allow glue to dry.

9. 

   Decorate the remainder of the greeting card as desired, and add your message with the felt-tip or calligraphy pen of your choice.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter as a template for your pop-up heart.
• Take a paper lace doily and cut a heart shape out of it. The heart shape can be the same size as your pop-up heart or a bit smaller. Use a glue stick to apply glue to the wrong side of the doily and stick it onto the heart shape. If your paper doily heart is smaller, make sure it is centered on your pop-up heart.
• Use a white greeting card and a gold heart and gold embellishments for a different look to your pop-up. Use gold paint, a gold paint pen and/or gold foil to achieve the desired effect.
• Remember that, when you decorate your heart, it will be creased in the center. Avoid using glitter extensively in this area.
• Make sure that the tabs are the same color as the interior of the greeting card. You may have to draw your heart onto the desired color card stock and then glue it onto paper that matches the greeting card.

on 8/30/2006 Don't limit your pop-ups to Valentine's Day. Use the same technique for Christmas, Easter and birthdays as well.