How to Make an All-Occasion Tri-level Popup Card
Create the Tri-Level Popup Card
In this post, you will learn how to make an All-Occasion Tri-level Popup Card. The FREE SVG file for this card is available in the free Resource Library.
Tri-Level Popup Card ready for decorations
Supplies Needed for the Tri-Level Popup Card
Please note: Some supplies may include my affiliate links. I am an affiliate only for products that I use. Your purchase from my links will not cost you any more, but they will help support my blog. Thanks!
Free SVG file for the Tri-Level Popup Card
100# white cardstock for popup card
81# text weight Stardream Quartz metallic paper for small Magnolia Flower
81lb Text Fairway Green Metallics paper for inside card mats.
80lb Text Botanic Green Curious Metallics paper for Small Magnolia Flower leaves.
Dark green cardstock for card Backing
Decorative sentiment for outside card: Heartfelt Love Paper Collection by Heartfelt Creations
Small dogwood Flowers – Free SVG cutting files from CutterCrafter.com
Cut out the Card, Card Backing, and Mats for Inside Overlays
The FREE SVG cutting file for this card may be imported into the software used with your electronic cutter. You may resize the project once you have it imported. I resized the main card backing to 6″x 12″. The popup portion of the design measures 5.5″x11″. The finished card measures 6″x6″ when closed. Cut the black lines first. Without removing the mat from the machine or moving the cutting head, change from the blade to an embossing tool, or set the blade depth and cutting pressure to low settings.
Next, select the red and blue lines and score them. Now cut the light green pieces from the paper that you want to use as mats over the popup card. Cut the dark green lines from the card stock you wish to use for the card backing. Cut any pieces that you wish to use to decorate the inside and outside of the card.
Cutting pieces for the Tri-Level Popup Card
Folding the Popup Card
Pinch the center fold line of the popup card from the back side to create a valley fold. Nudge all of the popup pillars up in the opposite direction of the center fold.
First Folds, Center sides of popup card.
Before folding the remaining parts of the popup card, glue the mat pieces in place. It will help to keep the cut pieces on your cutting mat so that you can see where the pieces go on the card. Remove one piece at a time, add some glue on the back side around the edges of the piece, and place on the card. Repeat with each mat piece until all pieces are in their proper positions.
Mat Pieces glued in Place.
From the back side of the card, pinch on the valley folds at the top and bottom of each popup pillar. Then pinch from the front side on the mountain fold on each pillar. Carefully fold the card closed all the way.
Closed Popup Card
Mountain and Valley folds on the Popup Card
Glue the Popup Card to the Backing Card
Now you are ready to glue the top side of the popup card to the inside top of the backing card. Add glue only to the back side of the top portion of the popup card. Avoid getting glue on any of the pillars, so that they can pop up properly. Line up the center fold of the popup card into the center fold of the backing card, glue side up. Next, carefully close the backing card over the popup card. Press firmly in place until the glue is dry.
Turn the card over, open the backing card, and apply glue to the white popup card. Again, apply glue only around edges of the card, making sure that you do not get any glue on the popup pillars. Close the card and press down until the glue is dry. Now you can open your card and inspect it to make sure that it folds open and closed correctly.
Print and Cut Some Clipart
After you have cut out the pieces for your card, and assembled it, you can decorate your Tri-Level Popup Card for any occasion. Simply add the decorative elements to the panels that pop up, as well as on top and bottom inside of the card, and the front of the card. You can add the titles and sentiments of your choice. Here is how I decorated my Tri-Level Popup Card on the inside. I used some clipart posted for free download this week from DesignBundles. There are so many designs from which to choose. These are the design pieces that I used. Size your design pieces to fit the card. The widest pieces should be no wider than 5″ wide in order to fit well on the card. Duplicate pieces that you would like to use as layers over the base designs.
Create a 3D Decoupage Effect by Layering Pieces
Cutting two of each design pieces will give you the option to layer pieces for a 3D Decoupage effect. You can see a video tutorial on how to do this using a Pazzles Cutter with the Pazzles InVue software, or using Make The Cut software. I use the Pazzles Software when creating files for use with Cricut Explore or Cricut Maker, and Make The Cut software for use with Scan N Cut , KNK Zing, Cameo, and older Cricut machines. The two wider pieces are downloaded as bouquets. Individual flower elements are cut and layered over the flowers in the bouquets to give the design more depth.
Shape Your Printed Flower and Butterfly Pieces
To get a dimensional look with your printed designs, use Flower Shaping Tools and a foam mat. Use a medium size embossing tool on the back sides of the printed flower shapes. Tap the tip of the embossing tool on the back side of each petal, and roll in circles in the center of each flower to give the edges some life. Turn the flower over on the foam mat, and press the embossing tool firmly in center. Shape the larger bouquets in similar fashion. Put a dot of glue on the center back side of the flower, and place it over the corresponding flower in the bouquet. Hold in place until the glue is dry. Repeat with as many layers as you like. You may add small lines of glue on your design pieces, then add some glitter to them to make them sparkle.
Butterflies and Flowers Clipart from DesignBundles
Decorate the Inside of the Tri-Level Popup Card
You are now ready to glue your 3D decoupage designs onto the popup card.
Decorated Tri-Level Popup Card
Decorate the Outside of the Tri-Level Popup Card
And this is the outside of my tri-level popup card, decorated as a card of encouragement for friends who are having a hard time right now. I used some paper from Heartfelt Creations Love Collection. I also used the small magnolia flower from our Free Resource Library on the front of the card. You can use some of the same paper you used for the mats on the popup card, to create a mat for your chosen sentiment. Add some decorative elements such as the Small 3D Magnolia flower, and tiny pearl stickers. Or you can use other decorative elements that you have on hand.
Outside view of decorated Tri-Level Popup Card.
Please share your decorated cards with us.
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Thanks!
Julie, cuttercrafter.com
Tips for Cutting Basswood on the Cricut Maker
Here are my tips to cut basswood on the Cricut Maker while making a lovely 3D Family Tree bursting with small magnolia flowers!
3D Basswood Tree decorated with names on hearts and 3D Magnolia Flowers.
Supplies Needed to Make the 3D Family Tree
Please note: Some affiliate links may be used in this post. I am affiliated only with products that I use. When you purchase products using my affiliate links, it does not cost you any more, but I will share some commission. Thanks!
One Basswood sheet 3/32″ x 8″ x 24″
Cricut Maker
Knife Blade holder and blade for Cricut Maker
Cricut Strong Grip Mat
Blue painters tape or masking tape
3D Family Tree design by JenniferMaker.
Glue that dries quickly.
Heartfelt Creations 3D Rose Shaping mold
Magnolia Flower Cutting File from the Free Resource Library
Cricut Printable Sticker Paper
Cricut recommends using basswood no thicker than 1/6″, but all I had was 3/32″ basswood. I used it to cut a lovely free 3D Family Tree design by JenniferMaker.
3D Basswood Tree
Preparation for Using the Knife Blade to Cut Basswood
First, If you have the Cricut Maker, order the Knife blade, and an extra blade. Basswood was hard for me to find locally. You may have to order some online. The other thing that would be good to order is the 2mm chipboard for the Maker. I noticed that this is an excellent quality chipboard. Not all chipboard is created equally. Some shreds easier than others, and cuts poorly. This chipboard is thick, firm, and a good cutting quality. It measures only 11″x11″ . Thicker media for cutting with the knife blade needs to be no wider than 11″.
After you receive your new knife blade, be sure to follow the instructions for its proper use. You need to calibrate the knife blade in the Cricut Maker machine. This process is easy and quick. Then, move the white star wheels on the roller bar over to the right. I neglected to do this, and the wheels marked up the length of my wood. Do some small test cuts! See my post on how to make test cuts.
Cuts using the knife blade need to be no smaller than 3/4″, or about the width of a pencil. A few pieces of my 3D tree broke after removing them from the mat because they were on the thin side. Basswood is more sturdy than balsa wood, but it can split if you are not very careful handling it while removing it from the mat.
Use the heavy tack mat, and use painter’s tape or masking tape on the edges to keep the wood in place during cutting.
Cut Basswood with the Knife Blade
Heavy media takes many passes, and may take a very long time. Thick basswood required about 14-15 passes. The 3D tree took two hours to cut. There were two large pieces to cut, and each piece took an hour. Stay near the machine during the cut, as the blade did get stuck about 4 times on each of the pieces. When the blade runs into tiny pieces of “dust”, cutting stops, allowing you to brush away the debris. You click on the C button to resume the cut at this point. No time is lost, and the machine does not miss any steps in the process. Since I was cutting media that was thicker than what was recommended, that may have been part of the reason for the blade getting stuck so much. But the cuts were still perfect!
You do have the option to add extra passes, one at a time, after the cutting is done, in case the wood is not cut all the way through. You simply press on the C button on the machine to have it cut again. Do not do this too many times, as the knife is capable of cutting all the way through the mat.
To remove the cut pieces from the mat, remove the tape first. Then roll the mat away from the wood. You don’t want to bend the wood, because it can crack and split.
Assemble the 3D Basswood Tree
You cut two pieces. One of them has a slit at the top, and the other has a slit at the bottom. Handling very carefully, slide the piece with the slit in the bottom as far as it will go over the other piece that has the slit at the top. The pieces will fit together very snugly if you are using Basswood with 3/32″ thickness. The cut pieces are fragile. The tree will stand on its own if the two pieces are aligned correctly.
Cleaning the Mat
Using a scraper tool on the mat after cutting wood is not a good idea. The bits of wood can get caught in the grooves of the cuts in the mat, ruining it. It is recommended that you wash the mat and use a brush with a circular motion to get the tiny wood pieces off of the mat. Then you can let the mat dry, or wipe it down with a soft cloth or paper towel. My mat cleaned up nicely. The knife blade did produce some pretty deep cuts on the mat, though.
Decorate Your Cut Basswood Tree
You may decorate your cut basswood tree according to your plan for its use. I decided to make my tree into a 3D Family tree, with names of family members printed on sticker paper, cut into heart shapes. To do this, you can print the names on Cricut Printable Sticker Paper, and use your electronic cutter to cut around the printed names in the shape of hearts. Be careful not to cut through the backing sheet of the sticker paper. Performing a test cut on the sticker paper before proceeding is important.
Next, adhere the heart stickers to the assembled tree. There are 72 small hearts onto which you may place stickers. Add small magnolia flowers on the tree branches. This is a smaller version of the flower used on the lovely peony gift basket. Assembly of the small magnolia flowers is very similar to the peony flowers on the gift basket.
Instead of shaping the small flowers as a peonies with small beads in the centers, shape them as more open Magnolia flowers. To do this, Instead of using the 3D Floral Basics Shaping Mold from Heartfelt Creations, use their 3D Rose Shaping Mold. Use two petal layers and one leaf layer for each flower you wish to place on the tree. I used 32 flowers on my 3D tree, so I needed 72 petal layers. Use quick drying glue inside of one of the petals, and insert the other with petals alternating. Shape the leaf layer, add some glue to the center, and place the petal layers in the center of the leaf layer. Adhere the flowers to the tree branches so that they do not obscure any of the printing on the heart stickers, using a dot of hot glue on the back of each flower.
3D Basswood Tree decorated with names on hearts and 3D Magnolia Flowers.
You can use this lovely 3D Family Tree design as a nice table centerpiece, or decor for a special event. It can be a part of a 3D village, or it can be a special gift. For weddings you could have each guest sign a blank heart sticker, then you can place the stickers on the tree later. This idea would also work for baby showers or wedding showers. Another idea is to use this as a necklace organizer. Use colors and decorations to match the theme of your special event!
Get the FREE CUT FILES FOR THE Small Magnolia Flower
You can get the SVG cut files for the Small Magnolia Flower as well as some of my other FREE SVG projects from my FREE Resource Library.
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This resource library is open to everyone for free. All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below.
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Love,
Julie, cuttercrafter.com
How to Make a Lovely Peony Gift Basket
Learn how to make a lovely peony gift basket adorned with six 3-D peony flowers. Use your craft cutter – Cricut, Pazzles, Scan N Cut, KNK, Silhouette, Silver Bullet, etc.- to cut out all the pieces for the project. The basket is easy to assemble. Color and shape the flowers, glue to the basket, and fill with goodies to make it ready to give to someone special for Mother’s Day, Anniversary, Birthday, Graduation or other special occasion.
Peony Gift Basket with 3D Flowers
There are two small and one medium-sized peonies on each side of the handle. The basket is made from white cardstock, and it is lined with pieces cut from printed digital papers available in the Pazzles Craft Room. I plan to fill this basket with my mother’s favorite Sees candy, and give it to her for Mother’s Day. You can fill yours with special treats for someone special in your life for a special occasion such as a birthday, wedding, baby shower, anniversary, graduation, Mother’s Day, etc. There is a matching card available in the Pazzles Craft Room, the Popup Flower Card.
Supplies
Note: Some affiliate links may be included.
81# text weight Stardream Quartz metallic paper
80# text weight Botanic Curious metallics paper
Watercolor pencils and water brush or watercolor paints and brush
Heartfelt Creations Floral Basics Shaping Mold
Embossing Machine
Pazzles Digital Paper or Printed paper
Assembly Instructions:
Make six 3D peony paper flowers, 4 small and two medium. The SVG, WPC, or AI cutting files include flowers in three different sizes. I used the small and medium flowers on my basket. I am placing the larger flowers that I made inside of the basket with the treats that I use to fill the basket.
Cut two medium petal layers, and two smaller petal layers, and one set of leaves per flower.
Add water color to the lower half of each petal. I used water color pencils to scribble some lines on the lower portion of each petal, then swirled a water brush pen around each petal to blend the color. You can use inexpensive watercolor paints and small paintbrush dipped in water to blend the colors.
Watercolored Flowers
Shape the Petals
Place small petals, color side down, on the slots for the small size petals of the Heartfelt Creations Basics flower mold. Place the larger petals color side up on the slots for the medium size petals. You may layer up to three of the petal layers per slot in the mold.
Flower Mold
Place the cover over the petal-filled base, and run through your Cuttlebug, Big Shot, or other embossing machine using a cutting plate sandwich that works with your machine according to the chart available at Heartfelt Creations. I used the Fiskars Fuse machine with 2 -B and 1- C adapter plates along with the cutting plate.
Use an embossing machine with the flower shaping mold.
Remove the petals from the mold and let them dry.
Let the Shaped Petals Dry
Place the dry petals on an embossing mat, medium size petals color side up, and small size petals color side down. Press firmly in the center of each petal layer using an embossing tool to lift the petals. I used the 5mm tip in a small circular motion in the center of each petal layer to add more lift as needed.
Use flower shaping tools
Assemble the Flowers
Place some hot glue in the center of the uncolored side of one of the small petal layers, and place a small faceted bead in the glue. Add some more hot glue to two of the petals and squeeze them around the bead. Add hot glue to just the bases of the remaining petals, and wrap them around the bead. Place some hot glue in the center of the other small petal layer and position the bud in the center. Squeeze the petals of this layer around the bud.
Flower Bud
Shape the larger petals in the same manner. Place some hot glue in the center of one of the petal layers and place the second petal layer in the center, with petals alternate of those in the first layer. Place glue on the bottom and around the bottom edge of the bud, and place in center of the larger layered petals.
Completed Peony
Shape the leaves using the paint brush handle, and make a valley fold down the center of the leaves.
Shaped Leaves
Place some glue in the center of the leaves and place the flower in the center of the leaves.
Peony with Leaves
Make the Basket
Cut the white pieces for the basket from heavy cardstock. The basket is formed using three sections that are glued together by the side tabs. The cutting file includes panels (shown in pink below) that will be cut from patterned paper and glued inside of the basket after it is assembled. Be sure to do a test cut on your paper before cutting the delicate basket design.
Basket Pieces to Cut
Print the digital paper, or use printed paper that you have, and cut the inside pieces, show in pink above. Glue the pink pieces to the white pieces before assembly. The square pieces go on the back side of the white pieces. Fold the top flaps forward on the score lines, and glue the pink scalloped pieces under the folder flaps as shown below.
Pattern Paper glued to inside pieces of basket.
Glue the front side of a side tab to the back of the untabbed side of another basket section. Repeat with the remaining basket piece.
Shape the pieces into a hexagon shape, and glue the final tab to the remaining open side.
Turn the box upside down, and fold the flaps towards the center of the basket.
Place glue around the edges and around the inside of one of the hexagon pieces as shown below in blue.
Press the prepared hexagon, glue side down into the bottom of the basket.
Glue the other hexagon to the bottom of the box, covering the tabs.
Gently stretch the handle pieces with your fingers into curved shapes.
Glue the printed strip in the center of the handle piece. If your patterned paper was not a full 12 inches long, center it on the handle piece. The bottom inch on each end of the handle will not be visible once glued to the inside of the basket.
Use hot glue to attach each end of the handle inside the basket. The ends of the handles should go about one inch down from the top edge of the basket.
Use hot glue on the back of each flower to attach to the basket. Glue the larger flowers on center of the outside flap opposite the handles. Then glue the smaller flowers on the flaps, on either side of the larger flower.
Finished Peony Basket
Side view of the Peony Gift Basket
Fill the basket with the recipient’s favorite treat, and delivery to someone special. They are sure to love it!
Would you like to have the FREE SVG cutting file for a smaller version of the same 3D flower that was used in this project, as well as some of my FREE SVG projects? Check them out in my FREE Resource Library.
>> HOW TO ENTER THE FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY <<
This resource library is open to everyone for free. All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below.
If you already have your password, enter the resource library here.
Will the Cricut Maker Cut Felt?
Will the Cricut Maker Cut Felt? Will it cut even inexpensive, loosely woven felt that has not been stiffened or backed? I purchased some felt in a variety of colors to do some test cutting from here. This is a 9″x12″ piece from a package of 10 sheets in different colors. I can cut felt on my other cutters if it is stiffened, backed with adhesive, or Heat n Bond, ironed between two layers of freezer paper, or cut on a very sticky mat. Cricut advertising for their Maker with the rotary cutting wheel and 4000 grams of available cutting pressure indicated that this machine would not require that fabric, felt included, be stiffened, adhesive backed, ironed between layers of freezer paper or cut on a very sticky mat.
Finding a Project to Cut in Felt
In order to cut to the Cricut Maker, users must sign in to the free Cricut Design Space software. No other software will cut to the Cricut Maker. There are Apps for use of this software on tablets as well as Windows or Mac computers. You can select a ready to cut project from Cricut Design Space called Felt Flower Wreath since this project was designed specifically for use with felt. You don’t have to cut all of the flowers for this project if you just want to experiment with cutting felt. This project is free to Cricut Access members. You may follow the instructions posted with the file for cutting and assembly of your felt flowers.
Cutting the Felt
Cricut recommends the use of the pink cutting mat that ships with the Cricut Maker for cutting fabric. You may use an older Cricut cutting mat if you prefer. I used an older cutting mat in case I had difficulty getting the felt residue off of the mat. This mat had very little adhesive left on it.
Old Cricut cutting mat with felt placed on it.
In the Cricut Design Space software, select Make It. Select just the Turquoise mat # 8 to cut. Make sure that your rotary blade is installed in the machine, and select the rotary blade option from the software. Select Felt as the media. Load the mat, and press the Start Button. The machine will cut the flower shapes.
Remove the excess felt from the mat.
The excess felt lifts away from the cut flowers easily and cleanly. Each flower layer is perfectly cut.
Felt flower layers cut cleanly.
The felt flowers lifted off of the mat nicely. They were all cut out perfectly with no snagging. Even though the mat was not very sticky, the cut pieces did not move around on the mat during cutting. The Cricut Maker Cut felt perfectly.
Cleaning the Cutting Mat
When the felt flowers are removed from the mat, they leave behind a residue that will not come off with a scraper tool.
Felt residue left on mat after cutting.
However, you may use alcohol-free baby wipes to remove this fabric residue. The old mat will clean up nicely with these wipes.
All Felt residue is gone using alcohol-free baby wipes.
The mat is ready to use again. You may notice that there are some excessively deep cuts in the mat where the roller blade cut circles. Cutting this type of felt may be cut using less pressure to avoid gouging the mat like this. The extra pressure cutting into the mat is not good for the blade either.
Use Hot Glue to Assemble the Flowers
Place hot glue on the tab of each flower layer to give it a cupped shape. You can use two or three layers for each flower, placing hot glue around the center of each layer to adhere the next smaller layer to it. You can glue one of the small cut circles to the center of the top layer, and embellish as you like. I used a pearl sticker in the center of each of my felt flowers. The cut felt flowers are ready to add to your favorite DIY craft project such as cards, home decor, hats, hair ornaments, and 3D projects.
Cut and assemble felt flowers.
Will the Cricut Maker Cut Felt?
Yes, the Cricut Maker cuts felt very well! Cricut Maker does a better job cutting felt than any of my other cutters, faster, with much more ease, and much less expense. Very inexpensive felt can be used, no backing or stiffening is required, and results are exquisite! I purchased the Cricut Maker because of this exceptional feature.
Cricut Maker Cuts Felt
Would you like to have some FREE SVG cutting files for a variety of projects?
>> HOW TO ENTER THE FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY <<
This resource library is open to everyone for free. All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below.
If you already have your password, enter the resource library here.
