Super Simple Pop-Up

Happy Memorial Day, Crafters! I hope you’ll take some time today to remember our fallen heroes, those brave men and women who died protecting our country and our freedoms.

While I have many family members who have served in various branches of the military, the only one I know of who died in battle was a distant cousin, Delmer Linaberg. He died on D-Day. I posted the story years ago (you can read it here and here), and later, received an e-mail from a teacher who had purchase some WWII memorabilia to use with his history class. In the box was Delmer’s final letter home. The gentleman sent me a copy of the letter. It was filled with news and questions about home and family members. At the end, he wrote, “…in the near future, you might not hear from me for a month, so don’t worry about me…” The letter was dated two days before D-Day.

Knowing it was the last letter he would write to his mom, and knowing that by the time she got it, he had already been killed, was heart-wrenching. So today, I’m thinking about him as well as family and friends who made it home alive.

If you’re crafting today (or any day!), here’s a fun pop-up card for you. It’s the first pop-up design I ever made, and it’s so simple.

For this card, I used the Sailing Home Bundle (Sailing Home Stamp Set and Smooth Sailing Dies) as well  as the retiring Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper (DSP). While the stamps and dies are returning to the 2020-2021 Stampin’ Up!® Annual Catalog, the 10% discount for purchasing the stamps and dies together will end after June 2. That means, if you’ve been wanting this bundle, you can still order the products from the new catalog next week, but you’ll pay full price.

Here’s the inside of the card.

You can’t tell in the picture, but the ship and the scalloped oval pop up when the card is opened. Here’s how to do it.

First, you need a card base (mine is Night of Navy). Simply cut the 8-1/2″ x 11″ card stock in half to create a 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ piece, then score the 8-1/2″ side at 4-1/4″.

Next, you need the insert. I chose Whisper White, but any color works. If you want to stamp or write a message, a lighter color works better. Balmy Blue or Seaside Spray would have also been good choices for this one. The Whisper White layer is 5-1/4″ x 8-1/4″, and I scored the 8-1/4″ side at 4-1/8″.

With the folded side of the Whisper White piece facing you, make two parallel cuts perpendicular to the fold. You do not need to measure; I always just “eyeball” it. I made my cuts about 1″ deep and 1″ apart. If your pop-up is smaller, you’ll want the cuts closer together and maybe not quite as deep.

Take a bone folder and score between the tops of the two cuts, then fold the cut piece back and forth (to make it pliable), scoring each time. Now, push it to the center of the card to form a “stage” for the pop-up.

Here’s a photo of my cuts making it easier to see what I’m talking about.

I find it easiest to put the card base and insert together before I add the pop-up. I do stamp first, though, just in case I smudge or stamp crooked and need to turn the paper over.

Simply add adhesive to the bottom back of the Whisper White insert, making sure to keep adhesive away from the stage, of course. I run my adhesive around the edges of the insert and the stage, but you do not want to glue the stage to the card – because then it wouldn’t be able to pop up.

Place the bottom half of the insert into the card base, keeping it just a hair below the fold of the Night of Navy card base.

Next, add adhesive to the top back of the Whisper White insert. Close the top of the card base over the insert to adhere.

You’ll attach your pop-up to the front of the stage. I adhered it about 1/8″ above the center fold of the stage. If it gets too close to the fold, the card doesn’t want to close well.

Finally, decorate the front of the card. I simply added the DSP, then the lighthouse on the Night of Navy scalloped oval. I may add a sentiment later, depending on who this card is for. It’s perfect for a graduation, or for someone starting a new job, business, or a new career.

While the directions are long for this card, it really only takes minutes to complete. The longest amount of time (for me) was spent deciding on the layout, the stamps, and the colors. After that, it was smooth sailing! (Sorry. I had to say it.)

Hope you have a lovely day! Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy.

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