3d Christmas Tree Pop Up Card Tutorial

How to make a card similar to this Christmas tree pop up

The original pattern is not mine to distribute, so I created a reasonable facsimile. You can alter the buildings and the tree design as you like, as long as you keep them approximately the same sizes. (I downloaded a free tree graphic from BeaOriginal and drew the houses myself.)

Download cutting file PDF or SVG (no score lines) or DXF. Add windows or other details to buildings if you like.



Cut on black lines. Score on red lines. SVG users: add center fold score lines, and score lines just above scallops.

Set aside the two loose trees for the moment.

Crease the score lines. Fold the card in half and leave it closed. Fold the scalloped "feet" up (toward the center fold) on one side, then flip the card over and fold up the other scallops. Crease the scallops firmly so they lie flat against the card.



Slot the two loose trees together.



Flatten them. The slots at the top and bottom of the trees should be aligned.



Holding the tree sandwich at a 90° angle to the card, slide it through the tree in the card.



Slot the tops together, then slot the bottoms together. You will have to bend the tree sandwich a little bit to work the bottom slots in.



Separate the tree layers and flip them back and forth to make sure they swing freely.



Cut a base card slightly larger than the cut card. I used a half sheet of 8.5" x 11" card stock. Fold the base card in half and then open it flat.

Align the scallop fold with the center fold of the base card. Slide the cut card slightly away from the center fold of the base card. This doesn't have to be exact--just eyeball 1/2 inch or so. (Be careful not to go too far or your tree and buildings will lean toward the center fold in a peculiar way.



Apply glue or glue tape to the (visible) scalloped foot. Close the card, flip it over, and glue the other scalloped foot. Close the card and allow to dry.



Extreme Cards and Papercrafting: pop up cards, movable and mechanical cards, digital crafts and unusual papercrafts.

3D Christmas Tree Pop Up Card

I adapted this card from a design by Yuichi Miyoshi. It features a slotted tree that swings out from the cutout.

As far as I can tell, this book is only available from Japan. However, you can download some of Yuichi Miyoshi's designs at Handmade Papercraft Club.

I didn't care for two issues with the the original design. First, the cutout half of the card is not covered when the card is closed. Second, the card tends to tip over when open as there is no foot to support the one side.

So... I converted the interior design to a tent with the buildings on one side of the tent and the tree on the other side of the tent. I added a scalloped foot to the bottom of each tent half and glued these on either side of the center fold of the base card.



The card stands well and the delicate cutout design is protected when the card is closed.



Tutorial in the next post!
Extreme Cards and Papercrafting: pop up cards, movable and mechanical cards, digital crafts and unusual papercrafts.

"The Scream" Tunnel Book

I really liked this tatebanko version of Munch's The Scream, but with postage it's something like $17 to get one to my house, and I still would have to put it together.

I did find instructions for a blank tatebanko box but time was ticking away and I just wasn't in the mood to reinvent that thing.

I made a tunnel book instead.

I did a little bit of Photoshop on the back layer to get rid of the screamer and the two little people because I wanted them on the two other layers.

Usually I would put the accordions on the sides, but this one worked better with them on the top and bottom.

Except, it didn't want to stand up, so I made an easel stand and glued it to the back.

Victorian House Tunnel Book

A pop up card designed like a tunnel book

The scherenschnitte house is from paper cutters , from the Victorian Country Collection book.

If you click on the picture to open a larger view you can see I need to clean my cut file up a bit. See all the whiskers?

The scenery is from a postcard of Mount Rainier. I got it from Vintage Seattle.

I really like these old linen postcards for background. The back piece can be the whole postcard, or just part. For the middle piece I started with a duplicate copy of the postcard and messed around with it in Photoshop until I liked what I had. A little more water...a little more tree here and there. Sometimes the middle layer is better if you use a horizontally mirrored copy of the postcard. You can also use another picture altogether! I put together a whole bunch of pictures to make a Christmas card a year or so ago.

My favorite method for making a tunnel book is here. Notice the use of two pleats on either side, so the middle layer is straight across, not tilted toward the back of the card. Adjust the height of the pleats to fit the postcard.

Peek Inside Sliceform Egg

A variation of the Plain and Simple Sliceform Egg.

I made a lattice version of the egg, left off the front Small B piece, and cut away the front edges of all the A Pieces.

Similar to a tunnel book, I glued scenery and the dog to the interior ribs and back of the egg (before assembly).

Here's one that Suzanne made for her son's wedding.

Halloween Pop Ups

I've been trying to make a cat jack o'lantern pop up, but so far all I have created are scary cat, weird cat, and doesn't-look-like-a-cat. All pitched in the trash can.

Sooo, how about some good Halloween designs by other people?

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Here are a couple from Paper Museum.

Full color template

Directions

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Full color template

Directions

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Printable Jack O'Lantern by Hiroko

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Origami Bat Pop Up by Jeremy Shafer

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Scary Spider by Enchanted Learning

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Bats by tracychong on Etsy. (No pattern for this one, but it looks pretty easy to figure out. Or you could just go over to her Etsy shop and buy it!)

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Bat Pop Up Card from BBC.

A nice example of an X-form card.

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Graveyard Pop Up Card by Vicki at Stamped Smiles

I think everyone and their mothers made this card after it was featured on Splitcoast Stampers. And isn't this one cute??

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Halloween Pop Up Card by Mary Garvey at Scramping Central.

This pop up uses the Box Mechanism.

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Halloween Tunnel Book by Joanna Davis.

Tunnel Book Tutorial

pop up cards papercrafts

How to Make a Tunnel Book

This card is two tunnel books, hinged together in the middle, with a pop out back.

Top view to show accordion pleats.

Flattened view showing picture layers.

Tunnel Book Tutorial

Here is one way to make a tunnel book. In some versions the side accordions are made as a continuous fold, causing the middle picture layers to sit at an angle to the front of the card. See for example, the tunnels here. The method in this tutorial uses several accordions glued together so there is a straight center tab to glue the middle picture to.

Make side accordions. I used 8.5" x 11" black card stock. Cut paper in half to make two pieces 8.5" x 5.5". Cut three accordions from each piece, 5.5" x 2.75. There will be a little piece left over. You need 4 of these accordions per card.

Fold each accordion in half lengthwise. Flip over and fold the cut edges to meet the center fold.

Glue 2 accordions together. I like to use a rubber-cement-like "no wrinkle" paper glue. Clamp or press under a book and let dry completely.

Completed accordion showing middle tab.

Select your pictures and cut to size. These are (three pieces) from an 8.5" x 11" piece of writing paper cut into quarters. With the accordions we are using, the height needs to be 5.5". The width is up to you.

Cut out the center of the pictures. Be sure to leave enough picture on the sides to cover the accordion. I like to slide the picture into the accordion and use it as a cutting guide. You can leave a bridge of paper across the top if it suits your design.

Lay two accordions on the table with the center, glued together, tab facing up. Flatten accordions slightly so the outside flaps are flat on the table. Spread glue on flaps and glue in the bottom picture, lining up the edges of the picture with the fold. Set this picture in carefully as it will skew the card if it is crooked. Clamp and allow to dry.

Spread glue on the center tabs. Glue the middle picture, lining the edges up with the foldlines. Clamp and let dry.

Glue top picture to the tops flaps of the accordion. Clamp or press.

This is take from the bottom to show how the accordions look when it is glued together. (Emphasized in red).

pop up cards papercrafts

tunnel books