Pop-up Valentine's Day Card

If you are a devoted follower of Pinterest, like myself, then perhaps you have often seen the same DIY craft repeated over and over again. Sure it sounds like a good idea, which is why it's so popular. But who has actually tried this craft?

Well, part of my mission here on Tried&Twisted is to try out these popular posts to see if the results are just as stunning as the professional's. Is it easier or harder than they said? Can I add my own twist to the design?

Today, I'll share my experiences with making the popular I <3 U pop-up card for Valentine's Day. Homemade cards have so much charm and personal care. What better way to show that you love and care for someone than to take the extra time to create a love note just for your fella?
Supplies:
Paper
Printer
Exacto knife
Cutting matte
Scissors
Glue stick

1. To start, copy and paste the template onto a Word document. Print the template onto stiff paper. The original source of the craft was hard to track down, though I found it was featured on A Bit of Bee's Knees and on Duitang. Thank you for the template!

My twist to the design was that I printed the template on a paper with lyrics from our wedding song, "Real Love" by Regina Spektor, repeated over and over. I also hide a personal note to my fella written in red font in the middle of the song lyrics. You could combine the template and a custom text layer in Photoshop or by printing two separate Word documents overlapping onto the same paper. For other options to the twist, you could write lines from your wedding vows or from a poem. Or you could print the I <3 U template onto a patterned paper for another fun effect.

2. Next, carefully take an exacto knife to cut along the solid lines. Make sure the paper is on top of a cutting matte or board before using an exacto knife. A ruler can be helpful to guide the knife along the straight lines.

3. Fold along the dotted lines so that the top of the I and U bends outward and the bottom of the letters bends inward. Also fold along the dotted line seam to fold the card in half.

4. Finally, cut around the outside perimeter of the template with scissors. Glue the I <3 U paper onto a sheet of card stock paper. I found a solid color paper works best to help the pop-up letters really stand out dramatically.

Rating: 2 out of 5. Cutting with the exacto knife requires a steady hand and some practice, but overall this is a very easy craft with results just as lovely as the original. It's also important to use thick paper for the pop-up layer or it may ripple from the glue or not hold its shape.

Have you ever created a hand-made card for your loved one? How did yours turn out?

Linking at:
Tatertots and Jello
Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Craft-O-Maniac