Pop Up Card Tutorial and Die Cutting Tips

Pop Up Christmas Card

            Hi friends...hope you are all looking forward to celebrating the festive season and looking forward to the New Year. I have been super busy with renovations taking place at my home but  excited to share a simple Pop Up Card tutorial with you .
          As a crafter it is a huge morale boost to be invited to be a guest designer ! And it is especially so when the honor comes all the way from the Netherlands !! This post is my Guest designer post for Crealies , a Netherlands based company [ with world wide clientele] which has some fabulous, unique and cleverly designed dies !

Pop Up Christmas Card

This Pop Up Card design goes by many names such a U card/bridge card etc. It has a central panel, side panels and a connecting bridge. It stands up beautifully like a box and the beauty of this design is that it can fold perfectly flat for mailing. I have adapted the basic design idea using gorgeous Crealies dies.

Pop Up Christmas Card

The border designs were made using Crealies On the Edge dies and the gorgeous starry design you can see in both the cards was created using Crealies Inside only Stars die.The shimmery snowflakes were made using glitter foam and the beautiful Crealies Duo Dies No 47,Flower 19.

Pop Up Christmas Card

These Pop Up Cards can be made as elaborate as you want or with minimal embellishments and still pack a punch!!
Pop Up Card Tutorial 
Supplies 
This is a very basic style of card and you actually don't need anything special apart from card stock and glue
But if you have border punches or dies it is a fabulous card design to put them to good use.

• Card Stock in contrasting colors works really well for this design
• Border dies/ punches - I used Crealies On the Edge Dies 

The main card base is formed using 3 pieces : 

Central Panel : 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. 

Two side Panels : 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. 

The Connecting Panel measures: 5 1/2 x 2 inches.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

You can actually use one large piece f card stock for the central and side panels but if you are using a die / punch using separate pieces is easier.
Die cut beautiful borders on all 4 card pieces
Tip to get Perfect result when using Border Dies

If you are a perfectionist and like to get perfectly centered , symmetrical and horizontal die cut panels here are a few tips to keep in mind while using border dies: 

Step 1:Find the center of  the edge of your card - you can mark using a centering ruler or more easily use a scoreboard if you have one.The 6 inch mark on your scoreboard is the easiest place to work with.

Step 2: Line the Center of your "on the edge" die on the central mark on the card. Again if you have a scoreboard the die will fit snugly into the 6 inch score groove.

Step 3: Use a ruler horizontally on the card and align the die so that it's lower/outer edges abut on the ruler-Any long rule will do the trick but a grid ruler is wonderful as you can use the grids to perfectly align your ruler to the horizontal.The best is a T square ruler like I have used here with it's T arm abutting onto the right edge of your scoreboard

Step 4: Tape the die on to the card using tape only on the die and the outer card edge which you will discard after die cutting.

This way you will get perfect symmetrically aligned die cut borders which you can layer, create pockets and what not!

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Snip off bits of card to showcase the border design [ I trimmed the central panel to around 4 inches width]
Score the side panel cards in the center and 1/2 inch from one edge and fold as shown [see red arrows in the picture]

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Glue the folded edges of the side panel behind the central panel adjusting where you want to glue depending on the border design you want.Your basic Pop Up Card base is done.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

How to make optional decorative panels

The side panels have an outer and inner part and you can decorate each with designer papers / other options. I used the beautiful "only inside" Crealies die designs to get the starry design.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

You can play with measurements to suit your card design or use:

One 3 x 6 inch red card stock- die cut the border and cut it in half to decorate the outer part of the side panels 

One 2 x 6 inch red card stock- die cut the border and cut it in half to decorate the inner part of the side panels

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

I used "only inside" Crealies dies to die cut designs on these decorative strips

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Here is a tip to get perfect "inside only" die cutting " : As you can see from the photo in the shorter part of the die cut the star "only inside" die is longer than the card stock...if you want the design to cut only inside position your top cutting plate only on the part you want the die to cut and run in through your machine !

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Optionally you can add a central backing panel  in red  measuring 4 x 7 inches. And here are all the elements die cut and ready to assemble into your Pop Up Card .

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

If you chose not to attach the connecting panel this is how the card will look like....a beautiful arched gate fold style card which stands nicely.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

If you want to go ahead and make it into a  Pop Up Card ....use the connecting panel which  you can layer with contrasting papers

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Fold one "side panel" on its fold and extend the other side panel . Position your connecting panel on the lower part of your cad to see where it overlaps on these side panels.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

 Apply glue on the edges of your connecting panel and glue it onto your folded card in a symmetrical manner...you can use the die cut border design on your card as an easy guide.

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

Apply firm pressure and when  you fold the card up here is how it will look like:

Pop Up Card Tutorial  

I hope you enjoyed the die cutting tips I have shared and the detailed Pop Up Card tutorial too. I loved working with the cleverly designed Crealies dies and it is such an honor to be a guest designer.Thank you so much Annelies and team!
Supplies : Dies : Crealies dies :   Crealies Only Inside No 3 , Stars,   Crealies On the Edge No 33 ,with double dots,  Crealies Duo Dies No 47,Flower 19, Crealies Double Fun No 34 ,Feathers, Crealies Double Fun No 33, Birds
Stamp : Wild Rose Studio Penguin with Presents
Coloring Media : Zig Watercolor Brush Pens  , Staedtler Watercolor pencils
Linking to
DL Art Thankful Thursday 218
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party Time- My penguin is going to the party with a present!!
All Sorts Challenge 446 - Cold and Frosty Colors- Linking my blue card to this Challenge
Mod Squad Challenge 
Pixie's Snippets Playground 311 312
Simon Says Stamp Christmas Card Day
Craftyhazelnutsextra christmas Challenge 
CraftyhazelnutsChristmas Challenge 

This card was featured at the Pixie Snippet playground. So honored!!