Happy St.Patrick's Day Birthday Pop-Up Card Tutorial

So here is my very first tutorial! (Constructive criticism welcome!)

Our niece's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day. I wanted to make a card to celebrate both occasions, but I didn't want it to be too "green". I've seen several pop-up cards on SCS, and wanted to try one. So, follow along with me and make one of your own. This card could also be used for valentines day with different papers.

Front:

Inside:

You will need:
2 patterned papers ...I used CTMH "Boom-di-ada" B&T duos (CTMH Background and Texture duo papers have a coordinating solid color on the back side)
2 or 3 colors of coordinating cardstock
Coluzzle circle template and swivel knife
sharp detail scissors
scalloped edge scissors
***(the circle cuts could be made with a circle cutter, Cricut or die cuts if you prefer)
scrap paper and pencil
adhesive
stamps, ink, ribbon, stickles to embellish

To make the card base, place circle template on folded edge of Sweet Leaf cs and cut out, leaving a bit of the fold uncut as shown.  I used the largest circle (about 4.5" diameter)  (See my colorful Coluzzle? I used permanent sharpie markers to highlight the tracks, I find them easier to see and keep track of this way.)

Cut slightly smaller circle from pattern paper for card front.

 Trace this circle onto coordinating pattern paper, then cut out slightly larger than traced line with scalloped scissors to get a pretty edge. I'll be using the back of the striped paper which is a solid pink.

You will also need 2 more circles of the pattern paper for the inside of the card.

Now cut out a coordinating cs for the card front in a slightly smaller circle than the rest. This will be for the stamped image. I used CTMH Sunkiss Yellow cs.

Now for the pop-up part: I made a simple heart shape #1 by folding a piece of scrap paper and cutting out a heart, be sure sure to make the sides straight as shown. Then take this heart shape and trace it onto a larger pice of scrap cs 3 times to make a shamrock shape as show below. Cut this out, avoid cutting where the red and green lines are! These are just folding guides for later.

Trace the shamrock shape onto solid color paper, I find cardstock a bit heavy for this part and it makes the card bulky, so I prefer to use the backside of the B&T duos papers, but you could use cs if that's all you have.

and cut out! Score and fold along the lines, red lines are valley folds, green line is mountain fold.

Should look like this:

You should now have pieces like this. Time to put the card together!

Attach inside liner pieces first with adhesive.

Lay folded shamrock on inside of card to test placement,

don't glue down yet!

Close the card to make sure the pop-up part is completely hidden.

 Move shamrock pop-up around and play with it a bit to get it right.

 Then use a strong adhesive to glue down the SIDE hearts only. Don't put glue on the center one!

Try standing the card up. With the weight inside, the card may roll. To prevent this, just run the bottom of the card along a sandpaper block to flatten it a bit to help it stand.

Now it's time to embellish the card! The best part!

 I used CTMH My Acrylix stamp set C1299 Butterfly Kiss. Stamped the sentiment in Olive ink on the Sunkiss yellow cs, then stamped the buterflies in Hollyhock ink onto the solid pink of the B&T duos paper, then punched them out with a Martha Stewart butterfly punch. Added some bling with pink Stickles on the edges of the butterflies and added a ribbon tab.

For the inside, I put the Happy Birthday sentiment on the part thats pops up. Added a ribbon shamrock stem.  Put a few glittery butterflies inside too. I think this makes a great Happy St.Patrick's Day Birthday card that's not to "leprechaun-y".

 

What do you think of my first tutorial? 

Now it's your turn! This template could easily be used for Valentine's Day as well.

It can be changed up with different colors/papers/embellishments.  

Please leave a comment here with a link to your original creation using this tutorial.

 I'd love to see what everyone comes up with!