Brought to you by Linda Harrison- your Independent Close To My Heart Consultant

Idea of the Month

Simple Pop-up Card #1

If you love origami, you'll love this card.  Just a few folds create a simple pop-up design that you can decorate however you wish.  This card was inspired by 2 consultant friends: Diana Veenendahl and Judy Skelton.

Here is the closed card...

...here is the card opening...

...and here is the card fully open.

My card started with a piece of Close To My Heart® Holiday Red Cardstock 4.25" square that forms the base.  On top of that is a piece of Close To My Heart® Black Cardstock that is 3.75" square.  Finally, I folded a piece of Close To My Heart® Holiday Red Background/Texture Paper that is 7" square (see folding directions below).  You can play with the dimensions as you wish to create larger or smaller cards.

Once you fold the 7" square, you will be left with just  ONE quarter of it that remains flat (ie: it does not have a fold through that section)... this is where you stamp your message (the upper left corner in the photo above).  You should apply adhesive only to the back of that square so you can glue it to your card front.  You will also be left with a triangular flap (best seen in the middle photo above), where you will adhere your stamped image  (I used a ladybug).  Be sure you glue only the bottom half of your image to the flap, so that it will overlap the rest of the card once everything is folded up into its final shape.

Folding Instructions:

1.  With paper RIGHT SIDE UP, fold in half and crease well.  

2.   Unfold paper and turn 90 degrees.     With paper RIGHT SIDE UP, fold in half and crease well.  Unfold paper.  You should now have 4 squares.   Turn paper over so it is upside down.

3.  With paper WRONG SIDE UP, fold in half DIAGONALLY and crease well.  Unfold.  Two of your squares now have a diagonal fold through the middle.

4.  With paper WRONG SIDE UP, choose ONE of the remaining "full" squares.  On this square only, fold the corner in towards the center so the corner meets the center point.  Crease fold well.

5.  By folding the paper in this manner, your “mountain” and “valley” folds are in their proper locations.  Lay the paper face up with the remaining "full" square area at the upper left.  You should be able to fold up the paper simply by holding down the square area with one hand, holding the triangular flap in your other hand, and pushing the flap area gently towards the square area (see photos above).

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  ©Linda Harrison 2003