How to Make a Rose Pop-Up Card

Creative greeting cards can be as enjoyable to make as they are to receive. Adding a rose to a card usually works well for relationship cards, thinking of you cards, get well soon and other cards to express love. Make a rose pop-up card as your next homemade greeting. Although it only takes minutes to make a pop-up card, you'll want to take plenty of time drawing the rose and designs on the background of the card.

Things You'll Need

• 2 Pieces of cardstock, 6-by-10 inches
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Extra cardstock
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons
• Pen
• Glue or glue stick

Instructions

1. Fold each of the cardstock pieces in half to create a 5-by-6-inch rectangle. Set one piece of cardstock aside for later. Measure and draw at the fold of the card two lines perpendicular to the fold, with each line 1 inch long and 1 inch apart.

2. Cut along the lines to create a tab. Open the card along the fold and push the tab toward the inside of the card to create what looks like a stair step. Close the card with the tab caught inside, and push down on the paper to crease the fold of the tab.

3. Draw an image of a rose on an extra piece of cardstock at least an inch wide at the bottom of the pop-up image. Add in color or details as desired before cutting the rose out along its outline.

4. Decorate the inside of the card around the tab to match the detail and style of the rose to create areas of interest that will stay in the background when the rose pops up. Color the decorations and write a message.

5. Open the card halfway so the tab stands upright like a step with the back of the card on your work surface. Apply glue to the vertical portion of the tab, not the top horizontal portion, and press the back of the rose to the glued surface. Allow the glue to dry for 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Decorate and draw on the outside of the other piece of folded cardstock. Write a message, poem or sentiment on the outside of the card to form its front.

7. Apply glue to the outside of the tabbed piece of cardstock on both sides. Press the tabbed card to the inside of the front piece of cardstock. Prop the finished card open to avoid catching the tab in the glue, and allow it to dry for one hour.

Tips & Warnings

• Add more pop-up roses by cutting out more tabs of varying height and width, as well as using different sizes and colors of roses.

References

• "Gifts With Heart"; Mary Beth Sammons and Susannah Seton; 2002
• "Home Made Best Made"; Christopher Cavanaugh; 1998