MAKING ROSIE'S
POP-UP GREETINGS CARDS


Although my cards are all made with Microsoft Publisher - any DTP program should produce the same results. This page does not attempt to teach people how to manipulate graphics. It is merely a very quick tutorial on how to make the pieces which go to make the simplest pop-up card possible. Many of my cards have several layers of pop-ups and are very complicated to make... but some very effective cards can be made using the method outlined below.

Practice making the cards without graphics - just using the rectangles in the first few diagrams - until you can do this accurately and then try adding some simple graphics. A craft knife is the best tool for cutting out the various sections and a metal ruler and cutting mat are a great help. I found a great glue that allows me to reposition items several times before finally setting - well worth buying if you can find it. If you find you have constructed a template that folds and glues accurately, save it to use for future projects. Email me if you need any more help and I'll try!

THE BEST OF LUCK!


THE OUTER SECTION
Open up a blank, portrait A4 page in your DTP program. Draw a rectangle the size that you want your card to be and then duplicate it and place it below the original on the page - as shown - lined up perfectly with the first. The bottom rectangle will hold the graphics and lettering for the front of the card. I found that in Publisher, using the default margins gave me a good sized card and I drew my rectangles to the edges of the pink guidelines. Copy and paste everything on this page onto the second page (click on Edit/Select All - then Copy and Paste).
THE INNER 'STAND' SECTION
Draw 2 lines - both an equal distance from the centre line - on the tropical card these were approximately 1 and a quarter inches from the centre. These mark the folds for the 'stand' on which you will glue your pop-up.
It is important that these are absolutely accurate or else the card will not stand up or fold correctly. To show how these will work once the card is cut out and folded I have shown a view from the side below.
I have used the origami terms 'valley' and 'mountain' folds - but the diagram below should help if you are not familiar with these terms.
THE INNER SECTION, FOLDED (Side view) This is how the folded card will look from the side, once you have cut and folded it - showing the 'stand' to which you will glue your pop-up graphic.
CUTTING AND GLUING
Carefully cut out the two pieces of card. (Hint: Whilst you're practising with blank card - mark the outer card so you know which is the front and which is the back).
The outer and inner sections then have to be glued together, making sure that you do NOT get glue on the folding stand - glue ONLY the sections marked A and B. Check to make sure that you are gluing the cards together the correct way round before applying the glue!
Of course all this is easy to do if you have clearly marked rectangles and lines but when you come to add graphics it becomes much harder. I make sure when I am setting out my graphics on the template that I add little guide lines in a very feint colour - so that I can cut and fold accurately.
ADDING GRAPHICS -
OUTER SECTION

A good idea is to print out a blank template first, make it up - lightly glued - and draw on it a rough idea of what you want to achieve - then you have some idea of where the graphics need to go. If you wish to use a collophon on the back of the card (a little graphic and/or wording to say who made it), place it at the top of the top rectangle but make sure to invert it so that when you fold the card it will be the correct way round.
This is the outer card for my tropical card - with all the graphics and lettering added. I used anything up to 70 different pieces of clip-art... resized, recoloured, cropped etc to make up just one picture for the front of some of my cards - but they can look just as effective with one simple picture overlain with text. In a pop-up card the front tends to be forgotten once the card is opened up and I find that most people display pop-up cards open.
ADDING GRAPHICS -
INNER SECTION

This is the inner section of my tropical card with all the graphics and lettering added. Note the plain middle section where the 'stand' will be - there is no point in putting graphics here as they will hardly be seen. The illustration does not show the all folding lines - but they are there! It is learning to arrange graphics so that they make a composite picture when the card is folded that is the challenge..... and also the fun..... of making these cards. It is not a quick job. I have spent anything up to 16 hours on this stage for one card - printing run-offs, carefully cutting them out and then finding that one part of the card just doesn't look right..... but you do get quicker with practice!
THE FINAL STAGE
Finally - this is the graphic which has to be cut out and glued to the front of the 'stand'. You may find that, once your card is glued and folded you will need to trim the edges - especially if you are using a fairly thick card.


Now check back on the Pop-up Cards page to see what the finished card looked like!


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