Easy Diorama Cards Tutorial

Diorama Cards

         Hi friends so excited to bring to you my first Guest DT post for Rudolph Day Challenges! This Challenge is very special to me as the theme is always Christmas and I looove making Christmas projects!Thank you so much Maureen for having me as your Guest DT.

I made 3 Christmas themed Mini Diorama Cards otherwise called Shadowbox Cards

Diorama Card

          My first Diorama Card has a little scene with a gingerbread house in the backdrop, sparkling silver glitter foam snowflakes hanging down, a decked up Christmas tree and the star....a cutie snowman waving Hi!

Diorama Card

The 2nd Diorama Card has our Jolly fella, Santa bringing presents! There are snowflakes hanging down and rising up from 2 layers of the diorama.

Diorama Card

And being a Rudolph Day Challenge .....I just had to make a card featuring an adorable reindeer! Rudolph has brought some presents to the ginger bread house!

Diorama Card

 And here is a closeup of the faux snow on my diorama  made using texture paste and a stencil!

Diorama Card

These Mini Dioramas were so easy to make  and I made all 3 in an evening!
Here is the Tutorial
Mini Diorama Card Tutorial 
Materials
Shapes- handcut or die cut
Handcut :You don't need to have a die cutting machine to make this diorama card though having one can make your job quicker! See this post on a completely hand-cut Diorama/Tunnel Card Tutorial
Die-cutting : You can use any shaped die you like......and they need not be nesting dies either! You basically need one die to cut out the base and front of the card and another die to cut out an aperture .
Scoring tool / Scale and blunt knife / used pen if you dont have a scoring tool
Paper and Adhesive : Sturdy Cardstock required and Liquid glue prefered
Embellishments- die cuts, stickers, stamped images ....or whatever you fancy!

1. Cut out 2 frames- one will form the base of your diorama and one will form the front part from which you will cut out a window.

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

2.On your die cut/ handcut frames- score 2  lines 1/2 inch  from the edge and from each other on either end as shown above.

For my set of cards I used the largest die from Spellbinders Labels 8 die set and my score lines fall at 1/2 inch, 1 inch , 4 1/2 inch and 5 inch.

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

3.Cut out an aperture from the center of one frame leaving approx 1/2 inch from the inner score-lines made earlier. I used a Couture Creations Victorian Square die to cut out my aperture

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

4.You can dress up the front of your card with pattern paper  but its easier to ink it up !

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

I created faux snow using texture paste and the TCW Microbial stencil

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

5.Fold the front frame of your card : Once your texturing is dry...valley fold and mountain fold your score-lines as shown.

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

6. Fold the base of your diorama : Here the folds go in the  opposite direction.... as you can see in the picture below.

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

Valley fold the inner score and then mountain fold the outer score line. Do this to the score lines on the other end too.

Diorama Cards Tutorial 

7. Now have fun designing your diorama...You can make it as complicated as you want by adding multiple layers or keep it very very simple!!

Easy Diorama Card Tutorial 

8. Decorate the base of your diorama : You can stamp/ draw/ use stickers or whatever you fancy to dress up the inside of your diorama card.

Diorama Card Tutorial 

I used  a DCWV pattern paper with a gingerbread house design on it and stencilled it with the same stencil to create a snow fall effect.
9. Add a  layer to span across your diorama using a strip of cardstock or a die-cut border longer than the  central part.

Diorama Card Tutorial 

In these Christmas themed Diorama cards I used  the Memory Box Frostyville border  die cut in glitter foam to span across the  top of my diorama card.
 You can alternately just use a strip of cardstock to span across the aperture which in this case measured 3.5 inches and I used a card piece measuring 4 inches and stuck it to the folded shelves as shown

Diorama Tutorial 

10. Optionally add more layers on to the front and back frame!

Easy Diorama Card Tutorial 

If in addition to the "easy to add" central layers , you want to add more layers, take a strip of  cardstock which is = length of  the central part + some extra on either end to act as small tabs. Add your diorama elements,[ which in my card are the stamped Rudolph and a "gift" ] on to this strip of card and stick it to the front /back  frame using the tabs on the ends of the card strip.

Easy Diorama Card Tutorial 

Here you can see the  layers of the  diorama card!

Diorama Cards Tutorial

Once you have decorated the back frame and added all the layers you want stick the front window frame onto your base by apply glue on the  shelf.

Diorama Card Tutorial 

Decorate the front of your card if you wish and your Mini Diorama Card is done!!

Diorama Cards

Hope you enjoyed the mini Christmas Dioramas and liked the Tutorial !

These Mini Dioramas wont fold flat so you need to make a box for them if you plan to gift them. If you want to make a flat folding Diorama card here is the Tutorial link : Interactive Diorama Card Tutorial 

Supplies : Dies :  From Crafters Corner:Spellbinders Labels 8,Memory Box Frostyville border,Heartfelt creations Delightful Daisy Die , Couture Creations Victorian Square, 

Stamps : Winnie and Walter In Bloom Elsa's Flora Stamp Set , Imaginisce Reindeer,Heartfelt creations Delightful Daisies Stamp ,Rubber Dance Art Stamps Cozy Christmas

Stencil : TCW Microbial Stencil