DIY: pop-up love card

Making a pop-up card only looks super hard. It's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Thankfully, I drew out about four prototypes on scrap paper before using card stock and I suggest you do the same. My first two cards were really just a lesson in block letters because as soon as I went to cut out the letters, I actually cut them out or I cut the tops or bottoms wrong. Sometimes I like cutting with an exacto knife so much, I forget to stop cutting!

I was inspired by these two card tutorials, and using them, I figured out what would work best for me. Here ya go!

I started by lightly folding the card stock in half and only creasing the edges. I didn't want the letters to have a fold in them. Then I wrote out, in block lettering, the word, LOVE, making sure that the letters would fall somewhere in the middle of the "fold" (cuz I haven't actually folded the card yet, I just marked where it would be folded). I've highlighted my pencil marks on the computer so you can see them better. Don't actually make them this heavy or you won't be able to erase them cleanly!

Then I used a ruler to mark a line just above and below the word (in orange here so you can see, but again,  in reality, it's a really light pencil line) so that I could extend the tops of the letters out to give them tabs and line up the bottoms of the letters so they'd fold straight.

Then I started cutting away the paper from around the letters. Leave the tops of the tabs and the bottom of the letters attached to the paper. I also cut out a portion from around the L and the E to help them pop out.

Folding the letters is probably the trickiest part. You've got to do each one separately making sure the main letter doesn't get folded. I find it helps a bit to fold the card almost in half and then press, fold, and adjust the tabs so the letters pop out properly.

As you can see, I also cut out the I and U. I was going to write them, but I thought this would have more punch. You can do this, too, if you want or just write something else in ("My love" or "Love forever" or "I love lamp" you get the idea). Then pick out a piece of paper for the back of the card. It can be any colour or pattern you want. This is a thicker tissue paper that I liked for the pattern, unexpected colours, and the fact that the pattern shows up in a lighter version on the back-side. Cut the paper down so it's just larger than the card and glue it onto the back of your pop-up. Make sure to push out any bubbles (because of the cut out letters, mine looks a little bubbly, but it's not a big deal. Handmade card! Hello!). Trim off the excess around the edges if you have any.

I opted to colour the letters so they stand out a bit more, but you don't really have to.

Once you get the hang of cutting the letters out properly, this isn't a time consuming project at all and should only take you about 20 minutes to finish one card. Don't forget that you can write whatever you like in the card and pop it out. You don't have to do the love thing. Personalize it or change it completely for a birthday or thank you card. Easy!

I really like the look of handwritten letters, but I also spotted this free pop-up font which you could use if you're a little nervous about drawing the letters yourself.